Recommendations for elderly lady about to lose copper phone

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Rikkitic

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#3339552 5-Feb-2025 11:49

That is being taken into consideration. It was already expected the number would have to change since they are not prepared to pay the Spark price.

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michaelmurfy

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#3339554 5-Feb-2025 11:59

I know I am a day late @Rikkitic but my own experience.

My Nana (who is now 86) got an offer from Spark back in 2018 to switch her landline to one provided via LTE (essentially VoIP). It was actually a whole lot less per month than what she was paying before so I helped her through it. She got sent a modem with clear instructions and in those instructions was a number to call once she was ready to be set up.

I got her neighbor to help install everything and call the 0800 number then she was magically cut across to the new service provided by a Huawei 4G modem. She still uses her same old phone etc so as far as she is concerned nothing has changed except a little white box her phone plugs into now.

This has been rock solid since it has been installed. Nana has had zero issues, it just works and I have never had to call Spark. She's also had no reliability issues either.

So I fully recommend the wireless landline option. My Nana technically has WiFi at her place now but this is just ignored. The thing I like is she gets to keep her same old landline number and things just continue working. It just keeps things simple.

With these other options just remember very soon there is going to be the 3G shutdown and all phones will require 4G with VoLTE support going forward so there are potential headaches down the line. I rest easy knowing that no matter what happens my Nana is always going to have her trusty landline.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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wellygary

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#3339556 5-Feb-2025 12:16

michaelmurfy:

I know I am a day late @Rikkitic but my own experience.

My Nana (who is now 86) got an offer from Spark back in 2018 to switch her landline to one provided via LTE (essentially VoIP). ......................

I rest easy knowing that no matter what happens my Nana is always going to have her trusty landline.

Great to hear,

The only addition I might add is whether you might want to look at a small UPS or one of the ONT battery backups, to ensure that the modem still operates in a power outage.... then she basically gets the same Level of Service as the "good old" copper

huckster

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#3339559 5-Feb-2025 12:19

Rikkitic:

That is being taken into consideration. It was already expected the number would have to change since they are not prepared to pay the Spark price.

You should be able to port the number to an alternative plan/provider.

Maybe Spark won't offer the wireless option as the area is overloaded?

snj

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#3339568 5-Feb-2025 12:38

huckster:

Rikkitic:

That is being taken into consideration. It was already expected the number would have to change since they are not prepared to pay the Spark price.

You should be able to port the number to an alternative plan/provider.

Maybe Spark won't offer the wireless option as the area is overloaded?

Yep this, if the Spark $50 Basic Wireless (which appears to be the same as the Landline plan) isn't available, then One's Wireless Lite $60 ($50+10 for landline, modem on 12 month term) may be an option. It should port just like any other number. It seems 2degrees doesn't do landline over 4G/5G broadband plans unless I missed something obvious.

Rikkitic

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#3339573 5-Feb-2025 12:51

It is out of my hands now. I was just helping collect information. I'm sure whatever they decide will do what is needed.

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ajw

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#3339595 5-Feb-2025 14:01

Rikkitic:

Thanks again to everyone for the suggestions. I think a decision has been made to get a desktop-style cell phone that the lady can easily use and to set up an account for her. For some reason the Spark plan price she was given seems to have been around $80 a month though the online page linked above is around $50 or $60. In any case she can get by on a lot less so that is probably what they will do. Thanks again to all for the helpful advice.

Provided she has one.nz coverage check out the koganmobile entry level plan for $15 per month this is what I use when I replaced my landline which gives unlimited calling.

https://koganmobile.co.nz/

nztim

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#3339658 5-Feb-2025 15:48

Rikkitic:

That is being taken into consideration. It was already expected the number would have to change since they are not prepared to pay the Spark price.

Number porting has been round for 15 years now :)

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

nztim

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#3339716 5-Feb-2025 16:06

huckster:

Maybe Spark won't offer the wireless option as the area is overloaded?

Or charge more for it hence $80

Mind you VOIP uses less than a megabit

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

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