So what happens on 1 April?

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#64838 23-Mar-2007 13:50

Just had a thought.

What if the first time you txt a number that is off net you get a warning message back that states "txts to XX number will be charged at XX per message reply with yes to confirm" or something like it, this only happens once, the user is then aware of the charges and won't be hassled again. I don't know if the networks could handle "confirmed numbers" or not but still I think it's a good idea.

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#64841 23-Mar-2007 14:10

lokinz:
bradstewart: ...Vodafone are bent over with their pants down on this one, I bet what's coming is going to hurt...

Oh yea, Vodafone will be the only network affected will it? Telecom have all their bases covered do they? Perhaps they will need to re-name the "027 Mega TXT" plan.

I would also like to see a free web-based "number checker"

Both Vodafone and Telecom really just need to get rid of on network based SMS charging. Having such a promotion in a portability creates more problems that what it's worth. Both should just zero rate SMS interconnects and it would solve everything - I'm sure these days there would be equal amounts of traffic in both directions.

Vodafone on the other hand have created their own problems. They knew the start date of portability when they launched You Choose yet still chose to market addons as being to "021/029" numbers whereas Telecom have marketed their on network stuff as being to "Telecom mobiles" for a lot longer.

mailmonster

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#64854 23-Mar-2007 16:56

sbiddle:
lokinz:
bradstewart: ...Vodafone are bent over with their pants down on this one, I bet what's coming is going to hurt...

- I'm sure these days there would be equal amounts of traffic in both directions.

Is that so? I guess people will have 2 phones if they ve got significant number of contacts on TC so i do not really think the traffic will be equal or close to equal. The reason i am saying tha this is because i have got a few friends who were using both VF prepay and TC $10 Text, and the problem is, when the text VF number, people would not necessary text back to their TC but to their VF.

So i still think that the traffic will be more from TC to VF then VF to TC.

simon14

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#64885 24-Mar-2007 13:34

lokinz: Just had a thought.

What if the first time you txt a number that is off net you get a warning message back that states "txts to XX number will be charged at XX per message reply with yes to confirm" or something like it, this only happens once, the user is then aware of the charges and won't be hassled again. I don't know if the networks could handle "confirmed numbers" or not but still I think it's a good idea.

Some people don't care about price though, i know many people who don't care about the price, if they want to call someone, they will... if they want to text someone, they will. What you are suggesting would be annoying to these people who don't care and the fact that they would have to reply with "yes" to get their original message sent, would be a hassle!! Just think, everytime u sent a msg to a new off net number, u would have to confirm it with a second message....

If people here wanna know how the networks handle portability, just look at what other countries like Australia do.... simple.

cokemaster

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#64887 24-Mar-2007 14:18

However at the same time, while you have off and on net pricing - how does one tell what he is being charged? Its all very well from the telco point of view because they already know what number is used by what telco, but from a consumers point of view... many cases he can only find out till he checks his balance or gets his monthly bill - in either case it happens after that fact.

I think the idea implemented by Vodafone which allows you to check what network/off-on net status is a good idea and put in a warning message when people are calling - it provides an ok platform for people to check and not get shock bills.

Yes, its true - some people don't care about the price of calling... however many do! And don't really want to use on net calling plans to mass call a number only to find out that they were actually calling off net at a rate of more than double their on net rate!

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sbiddle

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#64896 24-Mar-2007 16:27

A friend got a new phone today (RAZR V3x) which is currently free on You Choose (and still has old firmware since Vodafone/Motorola don't seem interested in upgrading devices before selling them). What interested me is that Vodafone are still handing out brochures instore and in the A4 contract folder that clearly say that included SMS's are to 021/029 numbers. When I asked the Vodafone staff member what the story was in regards to portability and whether if I signed up today I would be charged 20c for sending an SMS to an 021 number that is ported to Telecom in little over a weeks time the staff member didn't know and neither did anybody else in store. I asked whether they really meant it was to Vodafone/TCL on network devices and he agreed that's what they meant but got rather confused when I asked if sending a TXT to an 027 number ported to Vodafone would be free since it clearly said 021/029 in the brochure. He didn't know and admitted they knew very little about how portability is going to work.

Another shocking performance from Vodafone but I guess it's what we've come to expect. Your legal exec team are going to love dealing with the comcom come the 1st April when the complaints start coming in.

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#64898 24-Mar-2007 16:39

Any voice announcement played to people calling you is a serious disincentive to move to another network, and in my opinion is anticompetitive since my callers will not be bothered with that if they are calling me and I am on a different network.

That will also have huge problems for people that are not familiar with whats happening and speak little or no english, for all they know it might be telling them that the phone is off or anything.

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paradoxsm

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#64902 24-Mar-2007 18:08

I think the TXT2CHEK is the best option for those whom actually care.... Though things like Telecom's $10 txt will be unaffected. Much more on Vodafone's end will be up in the air as their plans are far more complicated. telecom is only 4 services, megatxt, monsta txt mates rates ppd, mates rates onebill, and mobile call rates plus "telecom talk time" for the really ancient 027 plans.

I'm going to port two numbers across both networks come the 1st just as tests.
Hookup the Freedom and bestmates for the each reversed and see how they work.. should be fun (prepaid of course)

I wonder how much stuff i'll break ;-)

simon14

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#64908 24-Mar-2007 19:42

paradoxsm: I think the TXT2CHEK is the best option for those whom actually care.... Though things like Telecom's $10 txt will be unaffected. Much more on Vodafone's end will be up in the air as their plans are far more complicated. telecom is only 4 services, megatxt, monsta txt mates rates ppd, mates rates onebill, and mobile call rates plus "telecom talk time" for the really ancient 027 plans.

I'm going to port two numbers across both networks come the 1st just as tests.
Hookup the Freedom and bestmates for the each reversed and see how they work.. should be fun (prepaid of course)

I wonder how much stuff i'll break ;-)

Let us know hwo it goes.... be cool if u ende dup getting bestmate to a Telecom :)

DylanReeve

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#64953 25-Mar-2007 20:16

The problem with the text check thing, or an alert message for the first text to each number, is that it still requires, essentially, that you remember the network status of everyone in your phonebook. Unless you are going to check before each call or text. Which will be a gigantic pain in the ass. There's no facility in any phone that I've seen to record information about network status of each number.

The only way I can see it working is to drop the on/off-net SMS charging, and implement an audible warning of off-net voice calls.

on2it

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#64999 26-Mar-2007 12:32

This is all due to the genius comrades in helengrad who've decided we 'own' our numbers, not the telcos, and as such it's up to us to advise our mates which network we're on.

Friends in the states reckon portability is a pain in the arse and you just accept that some traffic will be billed 'on-network' and some won't

So tough luck.

Telecom reckons it spent $48m implementing NP and presumably Vodafone spent a similar figure.

Given that spending always involves choices, wonder what an extra $100m would have done for broadband?

But that's politicians for you.

And Rod Drury wants all NZ's core infrastructure handed over to politicians' control.

Allright! who's up for carless days next?

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sbiddle

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#65000 26-Mar-2007 12:50

on2it:
Friends in the states reckon portability is a pain in the arse and you just accept that some traffic will be billed 'on-network' and some won't

Comparing number portability in the USA and NZ is just stupid because there is virtually nothing in common between the two markets. The USA doesn't have CPP for mobile and also had a vast number of local carriers who all operate in their own markets.

Look closer to home in say Australia and you'll see it's worked perfectly since 2001 with only a few small issues.

tonyhughes

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#65002 26-Mar-2007 13:02

mailmonster:
sbiddle: I'm sure these days there would be equal amounts of traffic in both directions.

Is that so? I guess people will have 2 phones if they ve got significant number of contacts on TC so i do not really think the traffic will be equal or close to equal. The reason i am saying tha this is because i have got a few friends who were using both VF prepay and TC $10 Text, and the problem is, when the text VF number, people would not necessary text back to their TC but to their VF.

So i still think that the traffic will be more from TC to VF then VF to TC.

Welcome to Geekzone. Dont remember seeing the name around, but I have just had a week long bender on some very good, very free (your tax dollars actually) drugs.
Please dont use SMS lingo here. ("will have 2 phones") The site admin doesnt allow it. He is mean, I know. Sue him, not me. I am just a poor man with a 386SX-25, Windows 3.11, a 2400 baud modem, and no maths co-processor.
The generally accepted definition of the acronym "TC" here on Geekzone, is "Telstraclear NZ Ltd". To refer to Telecom New Zealand Ltd with an acronym, please use "TNZ". This avoids confusion for forum readers, and gives us a foundation for quality, accurate information.
Your argument above about texting doesnt hold up. I agree with sbiddle, the inter-network traffic would be similar amounts (in terms of excess flow in one direction, which I believe would be a fairly negligible amount). Whether someone owns two phones, and the fact that if they do, they will reply to a VF sms with a VF phone, and to a TNZ sms with a TNZ phone, this does not change the proportion of VF >> TNZ vs. TNZ >> VF sms traffic one iota.

tonyhughes

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#65004 26-Mar-2007 13:07

simon14: Let us know hwo it goes.... be cool if u ende dup getting bestmate to a Telecom :)

I somehow doubt that very much. There will be some breakages, id say mostly in Vodafones legal standpoint, a few more for a a technical point of view...

And please quit it with the text-speak ("... be cool if u end... ").

(Yes I know its only minor - so lets get it stamped out while its NOT actually a problem!)

pressF1

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#65005 26-Mar-2007 13:08

paradoxsm: I think the TXT2CHEK is the best option for those whom actually care.... Though things like Telecom's $10 txt will be unaffected. Much more on Vodafone's end will be up in the air as their plans are far more complicated. telecom is only 4 services, megatxt, monsta txt mates rates ppd, mates rates onebill, and mobile call rates plus "telecom talk time" for the really ancient 027 plans.

I'm going to port two numbers across both networks come the 1st just as tests.
Hookup the Freedom and bestmates for the each reversed and see how they work.. should be fun (prepaid of course)

I wonder how much stuff i'll break ;-)

Not much as you can only port to post paid on Vodafone... (o;

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