Yes. Has been for many years (they pioneered it).

@DonGould

Yes, it's call TollFree, details after the jump.

m

MikeHales:

 

@DonGould

 

Yes, it's call TollFree, details after the jump.

 

m

 

That's just the 0800 option. You can just get a local number as well.

Sorry absolutely right - Local Number is an Add-On or part of the latest mobile plans. It's available for all other mobile plans for $20 extra also.

Sparks cheapest plan that includes it in the price is $55 per month with unlimited calling and 2.5GB. It's hard to imagine a plan cheaper than $35 where you would bother if you're the sort of user that needs a local number. 

Unfortunately I couldn't find the specifics of when it is included in the plan and when it is an extra cost on the Vodafone website, but hopefully you can just get it included or upgrade your plan to one that includes it, rather than shell out $20 a month for it.

MikeHales:

 

part of the latest mobile plans.

 

That might be the answer right there. Are you locked into anything at the moment?

dylanp: Afaik it's only available and free on the business mobile plans. Plans could have changed though.

I had a 2talk sip line on my mobile for a while, that worked well but I think the app may have hit the battery a bit.

The link provided by Mike does indeed have "Local Number on a Mobile is available on all Business Basics and Red+ Business Plans."

ghettomaster:

 

Sparks cheapest plan that includes it in the price is $55 per month with unlimited calling and 2.5GB. It's hard to imagine a plan cheaper than $35 where you would bother if you're the sort of user that needs a local number. 

 

 

 

Unfortunately I couldn't find the specifics of when it is included in the plan and when it is an extra cost on the Vodafone website, but hopefully you can just get it included or upgrade your plan to one that includes it, rather than shell out $20 a month for it.

 

Does Spark indeed offer the local number option with some of its plans? I looked into this a few months back, including ringing Spark to ask - I was told they had no such option! Any link to material on Spark's site?

Edit: so they do! Is this a new thing?

http://www.spark.co.nz/business/shop/mobile/plansandpricing.html#

SIP on mobile is cool... but way to complex for this situation in my view.  I've used it over the 2Deg network and never missed a call in the quakes here in chch. 

Spark - thanks for the heads up guys and if anyone has a link to the exact product page that would be helpful as I'm expecting more of this problem.

VF - yeah, that's what I needed, thank Digital Service Manager @ Vodafone NZ

Thanks guys for all the pointers! :)

DonGould:

 

SIP on mobile is cool... but way to complex for this situation in my view.  I've used it over the 2Deg network and never missed a call in the quakes here in chch. 

 

Spark - thanks for the heads up guys and if anyone has a link to the exact product page that would be helpful as I'm expecting more of this problem.

 

VF - yeah, that's what I needed, thank Digital Service Manager @ Vodafone NZ

 

Thanks guys for all the pointers! :)

 

 

Ummm - check my post above your one - there's a link to the relevant page on Spark's site!

Checking out the options across the three providers now (I assume Skinny still doesn't target business customers?), and see it's a similar offering across all three, though with 2 Degrees about $6 cheaper than the other two. (EDIT: actually, the difference in cost is a significant $12.42 ex GST - $43.43 versus 55.85.) The problem I see there is 2 Degrees' reception isn't the best...

I see Spark still charges 20c for each and every check of voice messages, which is a bit cheeky given with the other two it's free.

jonathan18:

 

 

 

Edit: so they do! Is this a new thing?

 

http://www.spark.co.nz/business/shop/mobile/plansandpricing.html#

 

Nope! I've had mine for years.

ghettomaster:

 

jonathan18:

 

 

 

Edit: so they do! Is this a new thing?

 

http://www.spark.co.nz/business/shop/mobile/plansandpricing.html#

 

 

 

 

Nope! I've had mine for years.

 

That teaches me for actually ringing up and talking to someone, rather than checking their website!

Is there any charge for the initial set up of the local number with either Spark or Vodafone?

TBH, I'd rather avoid Vodafone given my experience with their service, and that additional cost of $12.42 of selecting Spark over 2 Degrees is partially justified by Spark's superior coverage, and would be completely justified if the free website hosting is adequate for my wife's business (anyone know about the Putti-based sites? I've asked a question about it here.)