Consumer NZ launches Telecommunications Comparison Website Today

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#513863 30-Aug-2011 11:41

Kyanar: Just gave this a shot myself. A few problems...

Thanks, for those I'll pass them on.

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HadynGreen

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#513866 30-Aug-2011 11:43

freitasm:
Kyanar: Fourth, is there seriously a point to the "TV" option? As soon as you tick a box you eliminate all options except Sky TV anyway.

I'd guess in select markets "TV option" will probably bring up TelstraClear TBox.

Correct, and the Telstra cable service as well.

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Consumer NZ

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HadynGreen

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#513890 30-Aug-2011 12:17

Kyanar: Just gave this a shot myself. A few problems...

Third, I see no way to tell the site that I am not interested in Prepay, so I end up manually discarding half the results.

You can do this under the filters at the top of the page when comparing mobile plans, cheers.

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DonGould

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#513918 30-Aug-2011 13:45

HadynGreen:Sorry I can't replicate that either.

Hence my suggestion about some sort of logging.

You could also put a serial number on the search to help us help debug the system.

"Search 132445 - didn't give me the expected answer"... and then you log to a file what was selected.

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DonGould

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#513919 30-Aug-2011 13:47

HadynGreen: Obviously though they weren't as tough as you guys :)

Tough :) now there's an interesting choice of words... I would have gone with 'thorougher'.

Promote New Zealand - Get yourself a .kiwi.nz domain name!!!

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geekwannabe

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Wannabe Geek

#513923 30-Aug-2011 13:53

HadynGreen:
geekwannabe:
michaelmurfy: I am with Telecom for everything - and do heaps of mobile calling (approx 650mins per month) - it recommended me the 2* $29 Monthly Plan with 100mb of Mobile Broadband (I use about 1.2gb per month) ugh.

Total fail.

I am also with Telecom and when I tried it the "best: suggestion came in at $128 more than I currently pay. So I filtered to Telecom only and that best suggestion came in at $130 more than I am paying.

Checking thru - when I said I use

Sorry I can't replicate that either.

Actually you are missing (cut off should I say) the point of the sentence - I found where most of the difference in pricing was - It calculated the 100mb I use on my mobile at $1.00 per mb.

The other variables take into account that the system cannot recognise features like On Onebill & Freedom as valid packages or that the lowest option for Texting is 1-100 or I won't send any.
Guess I should have picked I won't send any for a more accurate result & manually added the few I do at 20c a text

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DonGould

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#513925 30-Aug-2011 13:53

HadynGreen: Our system relies heavily on the generosity of the telcos. We do not go and get the information from their sites, we rely on them to tell us what they offer and to verify it when we have entered it into our database.

Hummm... so they can't edit it directly?

As for 'generosity'... you're kidding right? From where I stand you're giving the market a free marketing tool. Depending on how much you guys promote this exercise (like you did with the power site), this is a truck load of promotion for providers isn't it?

HadynGreen:Perhaps a dating system like Don suggests above would work, we can only look to improve

;) I'm sure I suggested 'time stamping'... at least I should have... that really does just look wrong. :P

I would also like to see a mailing list for 'recent changes'. Any time a plan is changed then the details are emailed automatically. I think that would be a fantastic addition for some many obvious reasons.

Promote New Zealand - Get yourself a .kiwi.nz domain name!!!

Check out mine - i.am.a.can.do.kiwi.nz - don@i.am.a.can.do.kiwi.nz

geekwannabe

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#513926 30-Aug-2011 13:54

DonGould:
HadynGreen: Obviously though they weren't as tough as you guys :)

Tough :) now there's an interesting choice of words... I would have gone with 'thorougher'.

NonprayingMantis

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#513932 30-Aug-2011 14:08

DonGould:
HadynGreen: Our system relies heavily on the generosity of the telcos. We do not go and get the information from their sites, we rely on them to tell us what they offer and to verify it when we have entered it into our database.

Hummm... so they can't edit it directly?

As for 'generosity'... you're kidding right? From where I stand you're giving the market a free marketing tool. Depending on how much you guys promote this exercise (like you did with the power site), this is a truck load of promotion for providers isn't it?

Since the tool is purely about price, it’s only really worthwhile as a free marketing tool for providers if they happen to be the cheapest (assuming of course that it works at all).

Talkiet

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#513939 30-Aug-2011 14:41

NonprayingMantis:
DonGould:
HadynGreen: Our system relies heavily on the generosity of the telcos. We do not go and get the information from their sites, we rely on them to tell us what they offer and to verify it when we have entered it into our database.

Hummm... so they can't edit it directly?

As for 'generosity'... you're kidding right? From where I stand you're giving the market a free marketing tool. Depending on how much you guys promote this exercise (like you did with the power site), this is a truck load of promotion for providers isn't it?

Since the tool is purely about price, it’s only really worthwhile as a free marketing tool for providers if they happen to be the cheapest (assuming of course that it works at all).

+1, Hadyn's already said they are going to steer clear of qualitative measures so the "best" solution recommended by Telme is always going to be the cheapest.

That's fine for power (and in fact I used the powerswitch site to help me decide to switch providers), but I hear a rumour that the cheapest ISPs or Telcos don't always give the best all round solution.

On their front page, Telme claim

"Work out which provider and pricing plan is best for you" and "We give impartial advice you can trust" . In my personal (non Telecom Employee) opinion, that's not clear enough that they are only trying to find the cheapest plan, with no consideration given to the quality of the service.

Regards
Neil G

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

DonGould

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#513953 30-Aug-2011 15:08

I don't feel that term can be used any more. It needs to state that it's an ADSL2+ 'best effort' service that requires an ADSL2+ modem.

If I put a VDSL2 modem on that line, and I'm within 300m of my cabinet, will I get 'as fast as your line allows' if I'm on that plan?

My 'copper line' will now allow upto 50/10 depending on line condition, equipment used and service.

If I put an ADSL1 modem on the line then I will not get 'as fast as your line allows'. I will only get a maximum of 8/1mbit.

I object to the use of these terms because it does economic damage to the equipment market.

Customer need to understand (by being told) that an old 504 will not give them 10/1 mbits, but by simply upgrading their modem they can get a faster service for the same amount of money.

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DonGould

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#514121 30-Aug-2011 22:07

I'd like to know if Consumer looked at bc.whirlpool.net.au closely?

This is the kind of tool we need in my view. Plans can be compared side by side.

Note the highlighting of important information such as metered uploads and the presentation of the total contract cost as well as details based on my contract specification.

It also provides far more points of difference to look at, such as value added services like emails and web hosting.

Promote New Zealand - Get yourself a .kiwi.nz domain name!!!

Check out mine - i.am.a.can.do.kiwi.nz - don@i.am.a.can.do.kiwi.nz

HadynGreen

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#514222 31-Aug-2011 09:12

geekwannabe:
HadynGreen:
Sorry I can't replicate that either.

Actually you are missing (cut off should I say) the point of the sentence - I found where most of the difference in pricing was - It calculated the 100mb I use on my mobile at $1.00 per mb.

The other variables take into account that the system cannot recognise features like On Onebill & Freedom as valid packages or that the lowest option for Texting is 1-100 or I won't send any.
Guess I should have picked I won't send any for a more accurate result & manually added the few I do at 20c a text

Yeah I don't know what happened there, I didn't cut off your sentence the quote tool did. In any case I still couldn't replicate your issue. ie. "It calculated the 100mb I use on my mobile at $1.00 per mb."

Can you please tell me what you entered so I can see what might be going on?

Technology Writer
Consumer NZ

@hadyngreen - twitter

geekwannabe

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#514298 31-Aug-2011 10:36

HadynGreen: [Yeah I don't know what happened there, I didn't cut off your sentence the quote tool did. In any case I still couldn't replicate your issue. ie. "It calculated the 100mb I use on my mobile at $1.00 per mb."

Can you please tell me what you entered so I can see what might be going on?

Mobile
Estimated Cost per month
$117.60
Calls from Telecom - Total Home Mobile - Mobile
Plan Type on account
Monthly charge $0.00 per month
Included Minutes none
Unit rounding rounded up by minutes
Peak rate $0.29 per minute
Offpeak rate $0.29 per minute
Weekend rate $0.29 per minute
On network rate $0.00 per minute
Off network rate $0.00 per minute
Offpeak Cap $0.00
Contract period 12 months
Handset discount $50.00
Other discount $0.00
Unused Minute Banking no
Text Messages from Telecom - Total Home Mobile - Mobile
Monthly charge $0.00 per month
Included Texts 300 any network texts
Cost per Text $0.20 per text
Capped Service no
Capped Amount
Limit none
Calls to Selected
Numbers
from Telecom - My Favourites x1
Monthly charge first
number
$6.00 per month
Monthly charge second
number
$0.00 per month
Monthly charge third
number
$0.00 per month
Anytime cap limit none
Offpeak cap limit none
Text limit none
Can choose mobile or landline
Data from Telecom - Total Home Mobile - Mobile
Monthly charge $0.00 per month
Daily charge $1.00 per day of use
Usage rate $1.00 per 1.0 MB
Included per month none
Included per day 10 MBs

***************************************************************************

Home Questionnaire Results Plan Details
Plan Details

Telecom Landline Landline tolls Mobile Internet

Total Home Mobile - Homeline Access, Total Home Mobile Homeline Calling, Fixed My Favourites, Total Home Mobile - Mobile, My Favourites x1, and Total Home Mobile - Broadband

Free connection and free wireless modem or $50 handset credit with a 12 month contract.
Otherwise standard broadband connection fee applies.

Telecom landlines & mobiles only Standard broadband connection fee applies with no term contract with wireless modem available for $99.One month expiry

$267.22

****************************************************************************

Sorry I saved it as an image and its huge.

Landline w limited national calling (10+ per month, 15-30 mins, anytime), same to 1 Telecom mobile number. Mobile calls the LL (10+ per month, 15- 30 mins, anytime), use 100mb per month.

40GB 5mbs up, don't know down, gaming don't know, slow down if over.

In all cases chose I don't know as cost options.

The results for the extra 20GB broadband on these results said:

Internet
Estimated Cost per
month
$30.00
Broadband from Telecom - Total Home Mobile - Broadband
Connection fee $0.00
Installation fee $0.00
Monthly charge $30.00
Does this require a phone line? yes
Included GB 40.0 GBs
Optional Extra data? no
Excess usage charge throttled
Download speed limit as fast as your line allows
Upload speed limit as fast as your line allows
Unused Data Banking no

I get an extra 20GB for $10.00 per month not $30.00

jonherries

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Subscriber

#514323 31-Aug-2011 11:09

Hope this isn't too off-topic:

I noticed in Don's post that Internode sell airport extremes as routers when kitting out FTTH. How does this work? I would have assumed that you would still need a modem?

They don't mention that on the site, and I didn't think there was a modem built into the Airport Extreme...

Jon

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