Kogan Mobile Coverage/Speeds

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redeye52

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#289099 12-Aug-2021 11:04

Very much considering switching from 2D to Kogan due to cost factor.

They use the Vodafone network so assumed coverage and speed would be pretty good.
For on-call work, I often require remote access to clients through Teamviewer so require decent mobile data speed so that it's not freezing or choppy.

Got a SIM to test out with a plan, get 4G and even Volte is showing as enabled but the speeds were less than half of 2D.
2D average speed: 55Mbps/15Mbps
Kogan average speed: 4Mbps/0.2Mbps

Ran the tests around 10 times each and the highest upload I got with Kogan was 1.64Mbps...
Is it possibly a phone compatibility issue? I'm running a Huawei P30 Pro and also tested on a Xiaomi Poco X3 and getting similar results on both networks when swapping the SIMs.

Hoping to switch to an iPhone when the next one is released.

If you are on Kogan, can you share your experience? Did you notice any changes from your previous provider?
I work around Canterbury but mostly in Selwyn area.

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#2758969 12-Aug-2021 11:11

VF coverage in Selwyn area is not great, from my experience.

MaxineN

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#2758978 12-Aug-2021 11:25

Kogan Mobile run on Vodafone so it should just be plug and play and you should get great speeds regardless.

I run Kogan Mobile on an iPhone 12 and I rarely see it drop from 4G and always get great speeds when I'm around Rolleston or driving out to the in laws. But I also saw amazing speeds when I had a Oneplus 8 and a Samsung S20+.

That looks like it's stuck on 3G/HSPDA just judging by those speeds.

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redeye52

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#2758985 12-Aug-2021 11:36

Yeah, it's always showing 4G but the speeds just don't seem to match up. I might borrow my siblings iPhone 12 to see if results are similar.

allune

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#2767885 28-Aug-2021 00:41

@redeye52 were you able to test it out? keen to know your experience

Huskie

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#2767918 28-Aug-2021 08:22

allune:
@redeye52 were you able to test it out? keen to know your experience

Not yet sorry. Haven't seen her due to lockdown.

KiwiSurfer

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#2767940 28-Aug-2021 09:54

boosacnoodle:

VF coverage in Selwyn area is not great, from my experience.

That has been my observation too. When I visited my friend in Rolleston last year I was surprised that the coverage and QOS was pretty poor in the area. Specifically I noticed that Rolleston and the main road to Christchuch had poor 4G service. My phone spent quite a lot of time dropped down to 3G around Rollleston and to/from Christchurch.

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Huskie

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#2767941 28-Aug-2021 09:56

Huskie:
allune:

@redeye52 were you able to test it out? keen to know your experience

Not yet sorry. Haven't seen her due to lockdown.

Woops - don't know what I was saying here as I'm not OP, teaches me to not reply when I'm half awake lol.
However just my 2c.

I purchased the Kogan deal for my dad and I, ported over from 2D and live in Rolleston (near the 'city area') while he's in Chch.

Speed tests aren't good, but haven't noticed any actual issues when using for browsing, Whatsapp etc. I call (mobile) and video call (whatsapp) my dad often and haven't noticed any difference from when I was on 2D.

Total cost was less than half price of my usual mobile plan so I'm stoked. Obviously with lockdown I haven't really gone anywhere so can't speak to coverage and other areas I frequent but if they use Voda lines then it should be better in the main areas of Chch.

DjShadow

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#2767954 28-Aug-2021 10:20

I'm just looking at the fine print as normally with other prepay plans when you buy a package of calls/text/data there are addon costs.

I note Kogan includes MMS which is great to see, but can anyone advise if there is a charge when iOS sends off its activation text to make iMessage work?

MaxineN

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#2767966 28-Aug-2021 10:32

DjShadow:

I'm just looking at the fine print as normally with other prepay plans when you buy a package of calls/text/data there are addon costs.

I note Kogan includes MMS which is great to see, but can anyone advise if there is a charge when iOS sends off its activation text to make iMessage work?

No charge. iMessage activates within seconds.

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MaxineN

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#2767972 28-Aug-2021 10:46

KiwiSurfer:

That has been my observation too. When I visited my friend in Rolleston last year I was surprised that the coverage and QOS was pretty poor in the area. Specifically I noticed that Rolleston and the main road to Christchuch had poor 4G service. My phone spent quite a lot of time dropped down to 3G around Rollleston and to/from Christchurch.

The only time I've noticed 4G dropping is when leaving West Melton for all of 2 minutes when going to Kirwee.

Otherwise it's 4G all the way, in and out of Rolly, going through Templeton and the road to Darfield as well.

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liquidcore

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#2767988 28-Aug-2021 11:19

Does anybody know if the VF network applies any throttling/deprioritisation to Kogan customers? That is, should a Kogan customer have the same experience in the network compared to a Vodafone customer?

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#2767990 28-Aug-2021 11:25

liquidcore: Does anybody know if the VF network applies any throttling/deprioritisation to Kogan customers? That is, should a Kogan customer have the same experience in the network compared to a Vodafone customer?

Definitely not

MaxineN

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#2767992 28-Aug-2021 11:28

liquidcore: Does anybody know if the VF network applies any throttling/deprioritisation to Kogan customers? That is, should a Kogan customer have the same experience in the network compared to a Vodafone customer?

Have not experienced any throttling. It goes as fast as the network can handle. There is no reason at all to believe that there's throttling going on.

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richms

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#2768116 28-Aug-2021 15:24

MaxineN:

There is no reason at all to believe that there's throttling going on.

Vodafones history with people roaming from 2 degrees is a very good reason to suspect something of this type happening and wanting to be clear that it doesnt before investing in a years worth of phone use in one big hit with Kogan.

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MaxineN

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#2768120 28-Aug-2021 15:40

richms:

MaxineN:

There is no reason at all to believe that there's throttling going on.

Vodafones history with people roaming from 2 degrees is a very good reason to suspect something of this type happening and wanting to be clear that it doesnt before investing in a years worth of phone use in one big hit with Kogan.

Sure you can make that argument but unless we actually crunch the numbers it's only speculation.

But as someone who's tried both Vodafone and Kogan. I haven't noticed any throttling or any weird shaping and believe it or not I do often do speed tests across different parts of Chch and Selwyn on Kogan and they all produce great results. Except for when my iPhone 12(or when I had a Oneplus 8 so yes I've used Kogan with multiple devices) thinks I'm in a 5G area when I'm actually not(this could also be the Riccarton Westfield 5G tower barely reaching my apartment).

That's why I say there is no reason to believe there is.

You're right speculate and you should, but again I haven't noticed anything and myself personally don't believe there is.

Happy to be proven wrong!

Ramblings from a mysterious lady who's into tech. Warning I may often create zingers.

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