help cheaper mobile broadband needed.

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › help cheaper mobile broadband needed.

kegnkiwi

56 posts

Master Geek

#107152 8-Aug-2012 08:48

Hi guys

Can anyone help i have just arrived from the uk and set myself up with a 2gb vodafone dongle and a 3g usb router bought in singaapore. Where up in the bay of islands and I have used 700mb in 2 days on the stick. All the providers seem to be around $50.00 for 2gb. Does anyone know any cheaper options for mobile broadband at the moment.

cheers

1 | 2

1923 posts

Uber Geek

#669441 8-Aug-2012 09:32

You've answered your own question here...

All the providers seem to be around $50.00 for 2gb.

Welcome to NZ 3g broadband.

Yes there may appear to be cheaper options (say 2degs.) but if you're travelling around the country your choices really are Telecom or Vodafone offerings.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79314 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#669447 8-Aug-2012 09:40

700 MB is not your usual email/web browsing stuff... Mobile broadband prices are not suitable for streaming HD movies/torrenting, etc - so you might have to review some habits.

If you are in a fixed location with their own coverage 2degrees would be ideal. Since you're going around the country then Vodafone and Telecom should be your options.

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#669458 8-Aug-2012 09:49

Cheaper or bigger data cap?

tchart

2380 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#669461 8-Aug-2012 09:51

Or visit MacDonalds and use their free wifi?

Most small-medium size towns will have a MacDonalds and Ive yet to find one that doesnt have the free wifi. Sure my wife has issues using her ipad with it but it works great on my galaxy tab and netbook.

I did a similar thing when I visited South Africa a few months back ie find a restaurant chain with free wifi & order the cheapest thing on the menu :) Over there is was "Mugg & Bean" which is like McCafe. It was the only sure fire way to guarantee wifi as options were very limited over there.

xpd

Geek @ Coastguard NZ
13769 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#669464 8-Aug-2012 09:56

tchart: Or visit MacDonalds and use their free wifi?

Most small-medium size towns will have a MacDonalds and Ive yet to find one that doesnt have the free wifi.

Orewa
Whangaparaoa

No wifi. Whangaparaoa did have it but it broke and now its been taken away entirely.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

LinkTree

kegnkiwi

56 posts

Master Geek

#669471 8-Aug-2012 10:02

My young son watched a youtube video mine you it was 45 mins long, not sure on 2 degrees here in russell our mobiles are on 2 degrees but the net connection seems slow.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79314 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#669493 8-Aug-2012 10:35

2degrees doesn't have a nationwide coverage. Where it's not available it uses Vodafone. Vodafone 3G uses 900MHz outside main centres these days, which means if you don't have a compatible handset you probably got connected to GPRS...

Telecom is 100% 3G, but you do need a 850MHz device to use it everywhere...

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#669494 8-Aug-2012 10:42

Here are the Vodafone NZ network specs

http://forum.vodafone.co.nz/topic/140-new-mobile-coverage/

oxnsox

1923 posts

Uber Geek

#669498 8-Aug-2012 10:47

Quoted (and small edit) for clarity:

freitasm: 2degrees doesn't have a nationwide coverage. Where it's not available it uses Vodafone. Vodafone 3G uses 900MHz outside main centres these days, which means if you don't have a compatible handset you probably got connected to GPRS...

Telecom is 100% 3G, but you do need a 850MHz 3G device to use it everywhere...

kegnkiwi

56 posts

Master Geek

#669519 8-Aug-2012 11:16

I think where well covered with regard to different systems, I have a dual sim star a3 phone what works on 850mhz and 2100mhz. I have an iphone 4 which is showing as telecom, the other half also has a htc desire. I was looking more a getting a 12gb allowance. I'm getting about 1.5mb download at the moment on vodafone but if I get a 2deg dongle will it switch over the vodafone as the star a3 shows on screen as 2deg/vodafone, so i'm assuming its switching over to vodafone. Anyone know what dongles 2 degree use ie model. I have canned the new voda zte k3772-z and gone back to using a older k3365-z as my 3g router supports it.

trig42

5816 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#669532 8-Aug-2012 11:29

A 2 Degrees SIM should work in your Vodafone Stick.

macuser

2120 posts

Uber Geek

#669538 8-Aug-2012 11:38

I'm paying skinny $32 a month for 2.4GB.

Although it's billed weekly. $8 a week for 600MB which expires at the end of the week.

Linuxluver

5828 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#669578 8-Aug-2012 12:44

kegnkiwi: My young son watched a youtube video mine you it was 45 mins long, not sure on 2 degrees here in russell our mobiles are on 2 degrees but the net connection seems slow.

Unless they have added some point of presence, 2Degrees only offer their own data in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. It's $20 / GB or $50 for 3GB.

Outside that, on 2D you're actually roaming on Vodafone's data...and it's about $100 / 1GB....if you buy the 100MB option.

_____________________________________________________________________

I've been on Geekzone over 16 years..... Time flies....

Zeon

3918 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#669601 8-Aug-2012 13:48

Linuxluver:
kegnkiwi: My young son watched a youtube video mine you it was 45 mins long, not sure on 2 degrees here in russell our mobiles are on 2 degrees but the net connection seems slow.

Unless they have added some point of presence, 2Degrees only offer their own data in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. It's $20 / GB or $50 for 3GB.

Outside that, on 2D you're actually roaming on Vodafone's data...and it's about $100 / 1GB....if you buy the 100MB option.

FYI 2degrees has heaps more coverage now:
http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/mobilebroadband/broadbandzones

Speedtest 2019-10-14

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79314 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#669699 8-Aug-2012 16:33

That's ok but it seems they are going around the country so there will be places where the coverage doesn't exist, so mobile broadband will be more expensive while roaming on Vodafone.

1 | 2