Vodafone NZ locking handsets

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# 128624 5-May-2008 18:24

Nokia N95 (8GB) (international edition), Amazon.com: US$749.99 = NZ$963.50 (according to google.)
http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-Smartphone-Unlocked-Version-Warranty/dp/B000XQOE5S/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=wireless&qid=1209967746&sr=8-2

Nokia N95 (8GB), Vodafone NZ: NZ$1300
http://store.vodafone.co.nz/mobile_details_summary.aspx?ptrecno=3492

Surcharge for buying retail from Vodafone? NZ$337.

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sbiddle

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# 128625 5-May-2008 18:24

ZIMsar10: As a number of people have already mentioned, this scenario was "writing on the wall" so to speak. Since Vodafone are the only fully fledged GSM/UMTS provider in New Zealand at this time & with competition looming from NZC *cough, cough, LMFAO* & Telecom just around the corner, I personally see no problem with what they have done.

Telecom do the exact the same thing with their Worldmode GSM/CDMA phones & have done so for the last 2 years.

As for the subsidy issue, I was at Sylvia Park in Mount Wellington yesterday & they were offering the Nokia 6121, which of course works very well on Vodafones new UMTS 900Mhz Network for $299 On Account with a 24 Month - You Choose Talker or Txter Plan, this phone usually retails for $499 or so.

Vodafone Australia sell the 6121 for A$249 (SIM locked) + A$25 to have it unlocked. Makes you realise what sort of margin Vodafone NZ are making on handsets.

freitasm

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# 128628 5-May-2008 18:27

jpollock: Nokia N95 (8GB) (international edition), Amazon.com: US$749.99 = NZ$963.50
Nokia N95 (8GB), Vodafone NZ: NZ$1300

Surcharge for buying retail from Vodafone? NZ$337.

Now let's be fair, have you added GST and NZ customs duties?

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NZtechfreak

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# 128632 5-May-2008 18:37

You can get the N95 8GB cheaper than the Amazon price - for instance here (and this is a total NZ price, NZ dollars, GST, the works) - for only $852NZ. That would make Vodafone's price in excess of $400 more expensive, especially when you consider that Vodafone will probably be able to purchase more cheaply than this Parallel Importer.

Incidentally, these guys prices are amazing - $668 for an N82? WOW. I'm just awaiting the price on a Black N82 from them now...

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jpollock

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# 128650 5-May-2008 19:20

freitasm:
jpollock: Nokia N95 (8GB) (international edition), Amazon.com: US$749.99 = NZ$963.50
Nokia N95 (8GB), Vodafone NZ: NZ$1300

Surcharge for buying retail from Vodafone? NZ$337.

Now let's be fair, have you added GST and NZ customs duties?

That's true. I didn't add GST. Quick research shows there is no duty on cell phones:

http://www.customs.govt.nz/importers/Private+Importers/Customs+Charges.htm

Amazon with GST = 1083.94.

Price differential = 216.06

Still a hefty difference. It's not like it's a dodgy vendor either. It's Target (KMart equivalent) via Amazon.

Anyways, the point we were making was comparing the retail price inflation when compared to the subsidy. The evidence continues to point to Vodafone only forgoing some revenue on the phone sale instead of actually subsidising it.

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Macros

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# 128663 5-May-2008 20:09

mikal: Does anyone here know how much it costs to get them here "officially supplied"? and the difference in cost prices between VF Live handsets vs PI?

The thing you won't get is the firmware with the Vodafone Live! stuff. While this might not matter to some, it could cause issues to others.

The "value-add" is that Vodafone customises the firmware to suit the network, and tests them thoroughly to confirm compatibilty.

Not saying it justifies their actions, but just pointing out the issues with getting a phone whether it be from a supplier officially or via PI.

mikal

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# 128686 5-May-2008 22:04

So how much does it cost Vodafone to add on "value added" stuff e.g. VF Firmware and VF Live branded handsets

NZtechfreak

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# 128695 5-May-2008 23:43

The "Value add" is the Vodafone firmware? I don't know about other phones, but in the case of the Nokia N-Series I know for a fact that the Vodafone firmwares are terrible!

They run slower, with more bugs and random restarts, and even worse they are so far behind the Nokia firmwares that it actually makes the phone substantially worse than those on the latest Nokia firmwares.

For example, Vodafone N95's languished on the V12 firmware for an age (months, I'm not even sure its available yet, some 6 months after the Nokia release) after the V20 became available to others - V20 added on-demand paging, which actually allowed the phone to truly multi-task for the first time, in addition to nearly halving start-up time and adding much more speed to menu navigation, increased battery life by 20%, and it also fixed the keypress-bug (which was a major bug, let me tell you), along with a myriad of smaller fixes to GPS lock times, WLAN stability and bluetooth stability. You also need at least V20 in order to participate in the N-Gage platform. In other words the Vodafone firmware was actually detrimenting your handset considerably.

Value added? I think not.

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tallPete

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# 128698 6-May-2008 00:27

To be fair to Vodafone, they have a number of storefronts to maintain, a network to service, maintain and run, electricity bills to pay and a profit to make. They also have a team of people on a helpdesk to take abuse if something goes wrong.

You may say that the call charges cover this. I'd say that those call charges wouldn't cover all the above. I didn't see last years financial statements for vf so I wouldn't know.

Something else to consider is that they keep a fair few people employed in New Zealand directly or indirectly - very important to enable people to maintain the NZ lifestyle.

I'm pretty sure that <insert overseas vendor of choice> don't have to cover any of the above.

old3eyes

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# 128710 6-May-2008 08:29

freitasm:
jpollock: Nokia N95 (8GB) (international edition), Amazon.com: US$749.99 = NZ$963.50
Nokia N95 (8GB), Vodafone NZ: NZ$1300

Surcharge for buying retail from Vodafone? NZ$337.

Now let's be fair, have you added GST and NZ customs duties?

What customs dutys and Ozz does have GST as well but only 10% so your GST here would be a 2.5% addon to the price..

Regards,

Old3eyes

freitasm

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# 128712 6-May-2008 08:32

old3eyes:
What customs dutys and Ozz does have GST as well but only 10% so your GST here would be a 2.5% addon to the price..

If you buy from the US there is no GST - of course Amazon won't ship electronics outside the country and you will have to fly there to buy it - or have a friend send it over Fedex/DHL. so this adds to the cost.

As for Australian GST, again if you buy from Australia you will have to fly there to collect it. Otherwise they have to ship here, and being overseas they will remove the Australian GST part of it.

You will then have to pay GST if the declared value attracts GST of some value or more.

So in the end you have to always add 12.5% on these items if they cost more than a minimum, plus you have to pay shipping costs, unless you are flying out there, which adds to the cost.

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rscole86

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# 128719 6-May-2008 08:51

If you are buying from Australia, and getting it shipped to NZ then they will probably remove the GST for you.
However, if you are buying it IN Australia and do not deal with a duty free store as such, then you will need to apply to get your GST back. (New Zealand do not give visitors their GST back on included goods).

ninjabear

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# 128720 6-May-2008 08:56

NZtechfreak: You can get the N95 8GB cheaper than the Amazon price - for instance here (and this is a total NZ price, NZ dollars, GST, the works) - for only $852NZ. That would make Vodafone's price in excess of $400 more expensive, especially when you consider that Vodafone will probably be able to purchase more cheaply than this Parallel Importer.

Incidentally, these guys prices are amazing - $668 for an N82? WOW. I'm just awaiting the price on a Black N82 from them now...

Its $830 over at nokia hk for n95 8gb
Its $690 for nokia n82 black in nokia hk

Very cheap.Much cheaper than vodafone nz

NZtechfreak

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# 128732 6-May-2008 09:46

rscole86: If you are buying from Australia, and getting it shipped to NZ then they will probably remove the GST for you.
However, if you are buying it IN Australia and do not deal with a duty free store as such, then you will need to apply to get your GST back. (New Zealand do not give visitors their GST back on included goods).

With luck they will also mark it as a gift when they send it - hey presto! No GST!

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old3eyes

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# 130204 12-May-2008 12:48

I see in today's DomPost page C6 Infotech that Telecom is not going to lock it's new 3G handsets like Vodafone. Will be interesting to se what VF will do now. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4523351a28.html

Regards,

Old3eyes

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