2degrees introduces 3G services, plans and handsets (press event 3rd Aug 2010)

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › 2degrees introduces 3G services, plans and handsets (press event 3rd Aug 2010)

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#362377 3-Aug-2010 14:15

lokhor: It's definitely better than $10 for 100mb which is what I have now on VF. Thinking of switching once my contract ends in a month or so.

Only if you live inside the broadband zone, otherwise you're better off with VF. (For data at least. So everyone else will still be carrying two phones :P)

miguelwrang

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#362382 3-Aug-2010 14:25

walt12:
martyyn: Im a little underwhelmed too.

A week ago I was asked why I would consider signing up to a contract with VF when 2D were going to launch 3G. Experience told me we wouldnt see huge price cuts but that they would sit just under the competition still giving them the claim to have the cheapest deals around.

So here we are with the launch and on 2D you can effectively have 1Gb a month for $25. I add 500 texts at $10 and Im now paying $35 a month.

Contrast to VF where for $40 I can have 30 mins, 300 texts, 3Gb data and 1000 pxts with a half decent subsidy on the phone (depending on the phone and your definition of half decent :)) and it looks like I was right.

Another player in the market yes, but certainly not the earth shatteringly low prices people keep expecting from having competition.

$40 on 2degrees gets you 45 mins (metered at $0.44, or twice that if all you called were on-net or landlines), 400 texts, and 512MB of data (on the new $20 mobile BB pack). Oh and you don't have to sign up for 24 months with break fees. That beats by a clear margin the Vodafone plan in all catagories except for data.

I think without a doubt, 2degrees offers a better deal.

But the thing iPhone customers will be looking at is the pretty substantial subsidy vodafone offers for signing the contract. I bought the iphone 4 with the iphone 40 plan for $800 (a $500 subsidy). Total cost of ownership over the two years is $1760. Now if you wanted to go prepay with 2 degrees, you spend $1300 on the 32GB iPhone so you're left with 460 to spend over 24 months which equates to about $20/month. I don't think you can get 30mins, 300txts and 250mb for $20.

That is speaking strictly as an iphone customer. For everyone else I think VF is much more miserly with their subsidy (isn't it like $100?).

Having said that, the freedom of prepay certainly has great appeal. Decisions, decisions... Isn't competition great!

Edit: This also assumes you want what is in the iphone 40 plan. I think it suits me quite well but I can see that it won't be for everyone.

Edit 2: Anyway great job 2degrees regardless.

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#362389 3-Aug-2010 14:34

SaltyNZ:
scottjpalmer: Next question: Is there any indication on the handset/USB modem console that you are in or out of the 2Degrees zone?

This is pretty essential IMHO

Well, I have a pretty flowchart that I sat down with Marketing and worked out, but the short story is that if you have no broadband bundle, it's the same as it is now.

When you buy a broadband bundle, we will lock it so you don't accidentally pay 50c/MB when moving out of the broadband zone. You can text "unlock" to 233 if/when you're happy for 50c/MB to apply. And you can lock it again by sending "lock" to 233.

The next time you try to use data outside the broadband zone, you'll get a text (once a day) to tell you either that we're using the 50MB pack and then 50c/MB, or just the 50MB pack (if you left it locked).

You won't receive any annoying texts when you use data in broadband zones.

I know us iPad users will be able to purchase a bundle as details on your other thread but how will this notification work for iPad users as we will not be able to receive the text message?

walt12

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#362392 3-Aug-2010 14:36

miguelwrang:
walt12:
martyyn: Im a little underwhelmed too.

A week ago I was asked why I would consider signing up to a contract with VF when 2D were going to launch 3G. Experience told me we wouldnt see huge price cuts but that they would sit just under the competition still giving them the claim to have the cheapest deals around.

So here we are with the launch and on 2D you can effectively have 1Gb a month for $25. I add 500 texts at $10 and Im now paying $35 a month.

Contrast to VF where for $40 I can have 30 mins, 300 texts, 3Gb data and 1000 pxts with a half decent subsidy on the phone (depending on the phone and your definition of half decent :)) and it looks like I was right.

Another player in the market yes, but certainly not the earth shatteringly low prices people keep expecting from having competition.

$40 on 2degrees gets you 45 mins (metered at $0.44, or twice that if all you called were on-net or landlines), 400 texts, and 512MB of data (on the new $20 mobile BB pack). Oh and you don't have to sign up for 24 months with break fees. That beats by a clear margin the Vodafone plan in all catagories except for data.

I think without a doubt, 2degrees offers a better deal.

But the thing iPhone customers will be looking at is the pretty substantial subsidy vodafone offers for signing the contract. I bought the iphone 4 with the iphone 40 plan for $800 (a $500 subsidy). Total cost of ownership over the two years is $1760. Now if you wanted to go prepay with 2 degrees, you spend $1300 on the 32GB iPhone so you're left with 460 to spend over 24 months which equates to about $20/month. I don't think you can get 30mins, 300txts and 250mb for $20.

That is speaking strictly as an iphone customer. For everyone else I think VF is much more miserly with their subsidy (isn't it like $100?).

Having said that, the freedom of prepay is certainly a great appeal. Decisions, decisions... Isn't competition great!

Edit: This also assumes you want what is in the iphone 40 plan. I think it suits me quite well but I can see that it won't be for everyone.

Horses for courses. I prefer no subsidies (I buy my Android devices outright) and maximum freedom (no contracts) and flexibility (changeable mix of mins/txt/data). Others clearly don't. I understand that. Having said that, if 2 degrees go ahead and drop further their data rates sometime in the next 24 months, then only those that have the freedom to change will be able to tak advantage. What value that?

miguelwrang

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#362400 3-Aug-2010 14:44

Oh without a doubt the freedom is enticing but for the select few that use 30mins 300texts, 250mb of data and an iphone, the subsidy can't be ignored. I'm just explaining why some would feel a bit underwhelmed. (I'm not btw, I think this is a great move by 2degrees and would be right onto it were it not for the reasons I outlined above).

For the great majority, 2 degrees is clearly the better option.

SaltyNZ

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#362402 3-Aug-2010 14:45

Teeps:

I know us iPad users will be able to purchase a bundle as details on your other thread but how will this notification work for iPad users as we will not be able to receive the text message?

I'm afraid I have no good answers for you. Near as we can tell, Steve wants you to think of the iPad as a thing with internet access, not a thing with a cellular connection, and goes out his way to disable anything not required to get a PDP context.

Most of the tricks we would use on a handset, when we tried, don't work on the iPad - for instance, it ignores the SPN file on the SIM, which is what makes a normal handset say 2degrees even while roaming on Vodafone.

It ignored SIM toolkit USSD requests - they were sent, but it did not display the responses from the network. It receives the SMS - the networks gets all the right acknowledgements - but it doesn't display them.

In short, we await Apple's blessing...

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

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Teeps

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#362408 3-Aug-2010 14:56

SaltyNZ:
Teeps:

I know us iPad users will be able to purchase a bundle as details on your other thread but how will this notification work for iPad users as we will not be able to receive the text message?

I'm afraid I have no good answers for you. Near as we can tell, Steve wants you to think of the iPad as a thing with internet access, not a thing with a cellular connection, and goes out his way to disable anything not required to get a PDP context.

Most of the tricks we would use on a handset, when we tried, don't work on the iPad - for instance, it ignores the SPN file on the SIM, which is what makes a normal handset say 2degrees even while roaming on Vodafone.

It ignored SIM toolkit USSD requests - they were sent, but it did not display the responses from the network. It receives the SMS - the networks gets all the right acknowledgements - but it doesn't display them.

In short, we await Apple's blessing...

That's cool, I understand it's not you guys at fault and it's down to the way the iPad is designed!

Would it be possible though to tie the SIM I'll be using in my iPad to my account I use in my iPhone so I get the SMS updates on my iPhone instead? I know it's not the ideal way for it to work but it could be a workaround (or maybe that iPad/iPhone app to control these things can just come a bit sooner ;-D)

SaltyNZ

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#362410 3-Aug-2010 15:00

Teeps:
That's cool, I understand it's not you guys at fault and it's down to the way the iPad is designed!

Would it be possible though to tie the SIM I'll be using in my iPad to my account I use in my iPhone so I get the SMS updates on my iPhone instead? I know it's not the ideal way for it to work but it could be a workaround (or maybe that iPad/iPhone app to control these things can just come a bit sooner ;-D)

It also occurs to me that you can turn off data roaming the iPad settings... That would help, if you're concerned: it will simply stop working outside broadband zones in that case, until you turn it on.

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

Zeon

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#362429 3-Aug-2010 15:19

SaltyNZ:
Teeps:
That's cool, I understand it's not you guys at fault and it's down to the way the iPad is designed!

Would it be possible though to tie the SIM I'll be using in my iPad to my account I use in my iPhone so I get the SMS updates on my iPhone instead? I know it's not the ideal way for it to work but it could be a workaround (or maybe that iPad/iPhone app to control these things can just come a bit sooner ;-D)

It also occurs to me that you can turn off data roaming the iPad settings... That would help, if you're concerned: it will simply stop working outside broadband zones in that case, until you turn it on.

My HTC Hero & Desire have the setting to disable data roaming too.

Out of interest what are the plans to increase coverage & will there be both 2100mhz/900mhz 3g? The offer is tempting except when traveling to other places. I think there should be a minimum of Dunedin, Tauranga, Taupo, Napier/Hastings/Gisborne & Hamilton added to the 2 degrees network.

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neoprint

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#362437 3-Aug-2010 15:23

Zeon:
SaltyNZ:
Teeps:
That's cool, I understand it's not you guys at fault and it's down to the way the iPad is designed!

Would it be possible though to tie the SIM I'll be using in my iPad to my account I use in my iPhone so I get the SMS updates on my iPhone instead? I know it's not the ideal way for it to work but it could be a workaround (or maybe that iPad/iPhone app to control these things can just come a bit sooner ;-D)

It also occurs to me that you can turn off data roaming the iPad settings... That would help, if you're concerned: it will simply stop working outside broadband zones in that case, until you turn it on.

My HTC Hero & Desire have the setting to disable data roaming too.

Out of interest what are the plans to increase coverage & will there be both 2100mhz/900mhz 3g? The offer is tempting except when traveling to other places. I think there should be a minimum of Dunedin, Tauranga, Taupo, Napier/Hastings/Gisborne & Hamilton added to the 2 degrees network.

I agree. While I'm stoked I have 3G now, I'm feeling a little left out that I can't buy your awesome data packs :(

Zeon

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#362462 3-Aug-2010 15:49

Teeps:
SaltyNZ:
Teeps:

I know us iPad users will be able to purchase a bundle as details on your other thread but how will this notification work for iPad users as we will not be able to receive the text message?

I'm afraid I have no good answers for you. Near as we can tell, Steve wants you to think of the iPad as a thing with internet access, not a thing with a cellular connection, and goes out his way to disable anything not required to get a PDP context.

Most of the tricks we would use on a handset, when we tried, don't work on the iPad - for instance, it ignores the SPN file on the SIM, which is what makes a normal handset say 2degrees even while roaming on Vodafone.

It ignored SIM toolkit USSD requests - they were sent, but it did not display the responses from the network. It receives the SMS - the networks gets all the right acknowledgements - but it doesn't display them.

In short, we await Apple's blessing...

That's cool, I understand it's not you guys at fault and it's down to the way the iPad is designed!

Would it be possible though to tie the SIM I'll be using in my iPad to my account I use in my iPhone so I get the SMS updates on my iPhone instead? I know it's not the ideal way for it to work but it could be a workaround (or maybe that iPad/iPhone app to control these things can just come a bit sooner ;-D)

That would actually be a really good idea - if you could put multiple SIMs on the same account. For example I have a SIM for my phone and a SIM for my 3g stick and a SIM for my ipad which all used the same 2GB package. If that was around I'd definitely get 2degrees.

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#362468 3-Aug-2010 15:54

People have been requesting shared bundles across multiple SIMs from our other 2 friendly operators for years, no go yet.

Come on 2degrees, beat them to it ;-)

Teeps

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#362474 3-Aug-2010 16:01

Zeon: That would actually be a really good idea - if you could put multiple SIMs on the same account. For example I have a SIM for my phone and a SIM for my 3g stick and a SIM for my ipad which all used the same 2GB package. If that was around I'd definitely get 2degrees.

I wasn't actually suggesting sharing the data across multiple SIMs just to get the SMS updates for the SIM in my iPad send to my phone SIM instead so I could actually ready the msgs but a shared account would be much better, I'd very likely get a big data bundle if I could do this as could share it between my Mifi, iPad and iPhone :-)

lokhor

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#362493 3-Aug-2010 16:23

I found the Zone maps difficult to read, is there an text list of the supported zones anywhere?

All comments are my own opinion, and not that of my employer unless explicitly stated.

manhinli

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#362498 3-Aug-2010 16:26

lokhor: I found the Zone maps difficult to read, is there an text list of the supported zones anywhere?

I earlier found a reference to an interactive coverage map which I hope will come sooner than later because it is really hard to read the map or the standard "national coverage" map.

However here are the links to the bigger maps:
http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/auckland_mbz
http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/wellington_mbz
http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/christchurch_mbz
http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/queenstown_mbz

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