Vodafone RBI (wireless)

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yorick

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#110048 2-Oct-2012 11:07

I'm in a rural area in the South Waikato and my battle with getting broadband has been logged on these forums in the past. It appears that the RBI is coming our way! YAY! Vodafone's wireless broadband is giving us a tower in the very near future.

Has anyone had any experience with it? Value, performance ease of setup etc.

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#694726 2-Oct-2012 11:18

I've been using it since April in the Far North. Rather than signing up directly with Vodafone, I found it was to my advantage to work through a reseller:

http://www.ultimatemobile.co.nz/rbi-wireless-pricing.html

Their monthly charge is $5 lower, and they offer more flexible options regarding overage. If you want to change your plan in the middle of the month, you can, so as to avoid the casual $5.25 per GB rate.

They have an installer who works in the Waikato region. If you send your email address by Private Message, I can send you his flyer.

Performance is brilliant compared to Kordia Extend that I was using until April. 5+Mbps down and 2+Mbps up, and the service is stable enough that I can run my phone over it using VoIP, thereby avoiding the cost of a landline.

johnr

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#694730 2-Oct-2012 11:25

What part of South Waikato are you located in?

Ngahinapouri Hamilton 3G & 2G on 900Mhz is now unlocked and in testing phase

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

yorick

36 posts

Geek

#694740 2-Oct-2012 11:40

johnr: What part of South Waikato are you located in?

Just north of Tokoroa. The only info I have is we are due in this financial year, hopefully earlier rather than later since I got a bunch of my neighbours to call the Vodafone call centre. One guy was paying for broadband and getting 0.05 Mbps. So he along with about twenty others are really keen to get it.

johnr

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#694745 2-Oct-2012 11:45

Sorry not sure what value getting a bunch of neighbours to call Vodafone will add?

If you think it will speed up the build process it won't sorry It will only hold up other calls coming into the call centre

yorick

36 posts

Geek

#694750 2-Oct-2012 11:51

So according to me, when I look at the map, our area is a nice shade of Yellow :)

Presumably that means that there is coverage in the 900mhz band here already?

yorick

36 posts

Geek

#694760 2-Oct-2012 12:00

johnr: Sorry not sure what value getting a bunch of neighbours to call Vodafone will add?

If you think it will speed up the build process it won't sorry It will only hold up other calls coming into the call centre

Obviously then the helpdesk has a line of bull to feed the great unwashed, because that's what they told me. Obviously I was stupid enough to believe them.

johnr

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#694761 2-Oct-2012 12:02

yorick: So according to me, when I look at the map, our area is a nice shade of Yellow ?:)

Presumably that means that there is coverage in the 900mhz band here already?
?

Orange or Yellow?

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johnr

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#694762 2-Oct-2012 12:04

yorick:
johnr: Sorry not sure what value getting a bunch of neighbours to call Vodafone will add?

If you think it will speed up the build process it won't sorry It will only hold up other calls coming into the call centre

Obviously then the helpdesk has a line of bull to feed the great unwashed, because that's what they told me. ?Obviously I was stupid enough to believe them. ?

Building a cell site is a huge planned process from start to finish! If one is already in plan then calling is not gong to add any value as it's already planned

yorick

36 posts

Geek

#694767 2-Oct-2012 12:12

Heh, Orangish I suppose

yorick

36 posts

Geek

#694771 2-Oct-2012 12:18

johnr:
yorick:
johnr: Sorry not sure what value getting a bunch of neighbours to call Vodafone will add?

If you think it will speed up the build process it won't sorry It will only hold up other calls coming into the call centre

Obviously then the helpdesk has a line of bull to feed the great unwashed, because that's what they told me. ?Obviously I was stupid enough to believe them. ?

Building a cell site is a huge planned process from start to finish! If one is already in plan then calling is not gong to add any value as it's already planned

Then say that and give some reasonably well informed estimates of arrival of the service or the switching on of the tower. That just takes a little communication between departments.

Of course now I just feel like a pratt because I exhorted everyone in the neighbourhood to take the helpdesk advice and call in, they even gave me a "special number".

Thanks very much vodafone for nothing.

coffeebaron

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#694780 2-Oct-2012 12:32

Hi Graham,

I think I remember talking to you a while ago. I am the dealer / installer for www.ultimatemobile.co.nz in the Waikato area. Flick me a PM as we can offer you a solution right now.

Cheers
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Need help in Auckland, Waikato or BoP? Click my email button, or email me direct: [my user name] at geekzonemail dot com

johnr

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#694785 2-Oct-2012 12:42

Can you PM me this special number?

grant_k

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#694800 2-Oct-2012 12:56

yorick:
johnr:
yorick:
johnr: Sorry not sure what value getting a bunch of neighbours to call Vodafone will add?

If you think it will speed up the build process it won't sorry It will only hold up other calls coming into the call centre

Obviously then the helpdesk has a line of bull to feed the great unwashed, because that's what they told me. ?Obviously I was stupid enough to believe them. ?

Building a cell site is a huge planned process from start to finish! If one is already in plan then calling is not gong to add any value as it's already planned

Then say that and give some reasonably well informed estimates of arrival of the service or the switching on of the tower. That just takes a little communication between departments.

Indeed! Not really much to ask is it?

But for some reason, Vodafone insist on keeping the rollout details super-secret as opposed to Chorus who share them openly via their website. This makes for a lot of unnecessary disillusionment from people who are told: "Sometime in the next 5 years you will get RBI wireless in your area".

Even an estimate to the nearest year would be very helpful so people know roughly how long a wait they are looking at. But no, Vodafone couldn't possibly do that for some unexplained reason.

Meanwhile, a lot of potential customers get p1ssed off, and understandably so!

yorick

36 posts

Geek

#694868 2-Oct-2012 14:26

0800 777 042, I doubt it's that special

yorick

36 posts

Geek

#694872 2-Oct-2012 14:33

grant_k:
Indeed! Not really much to ask is it?

But for some reason, Vodafone insist on keeping the rollout details super-secret as opposed to Chorus who share them openly via their website. This makes for a lot of unnecessary disillusionment from people who are told: "Sometime in the next 5 years you will get RBI wireless in your area".

Even an estimate to the nearest year would be very helpful so people know roughly how long a wait they are looking at. But no, Vodafone couldn't possibly do that for some unexplained reason.

Meanwhile, a lot of potential customers get p1ssed off, and understandably so!

Indeed, thus far through this process I've dealt with Telecom, Chorus and Vodafone. Telecom and Chorus have both been helpful, honest and forthright even when the news was bad, or if they didn't know they found out and got back to me.

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