2degrees Prepay/Pay Monthly plan required for shared data recipients

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › 2degrees Prepay/Pay Monthly plan required for shared data recipients

ethanbmnz

138 posts

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#306637 9-Aug-2023 13:55

I'm on Prepay Plus (the 49c min/20c text/50c MB data rates) - i.e. when 2degrees prepay customers don't have a Prepay Plan.

I received a text from 2degrees today, stating that data sharing has stopped because I do not have an active Prepay plan. [I receive shared data]

I checked my 2degrees, and I found that my data was getting charged to casual data from yesterday evening onwards - fortunately a very small amount of data was used.
Some ahead of time notice would have been appreciated...

The documentation on shared data has also been updated (previous version here) to mention the Plan requirement - e.g:

> Numbers you’ve shared with will only be able to use the Shared Data if they have an active Prepay or Pay Monthly Mobile plan.

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1573 posts

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#3113743 9-Aug-2023 15:07

Not really "fighting for fair" anymore.

We make use of this feature at home. 1 post play plan sharing their data with 3 other pre pay plans. We do buy the $10/mth plan for each of those 3 phones. There's enough data from the post pay to cover us all though. Its a good system for us. And far cheaper then the other sharing plan(s) they push.

Delorean

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#3113804 9-Aug-2023 17:32

This is indeed back to the future!

It reminds me of this Parody about Telecom

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JinMao

38 posts

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#3113916 9-Aug-2023 19:34

Yup, I am experiencing the same problem.

Mum called at around noon time asking why she is not able to use her phone.

Checked her credit, $0 left. Topped up $20 for her. One hours later, surprisingly still got $10 left because she arrived at home.

Started checking transaction history, all the credits went to data, under 50c/MB. I feel lucky that she does not have more than $20 on her prepay.

Checked my son's spending, the same thing happens. $0 credit left as well.

Double check on my phone, both are within my data sharing.

So, something is not right here, called 2D customer service, the answer is: You will need to be on a prepay plan to be able to have shared data. Then I asked why I was not notified by this change. CS said there was an email sent around middle June regarding that.

Checked my email, nothing but "upgrading" my $55 plan to $60 plan during that time. CS tried to find the record, 5 mins later, she said well, we were not able to find any record of notifying you. NICE.

Went back to check what is on data sharing web page.

Article last updated on 22 November 2021. NICE++.

I understand that business needs to make money, and those numbers that use data sharing does not generate "enough" profits to 2D. But at least customers should not be hit in a hard way like this.

Starting to shop around now after 10 years using 2D's broadband and mobile as a happy customer.

See you, and good luck with your trip.

michaelmurfy

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#3113933 9-Aug-2023 20:36

Seriously what is with 2degrees lately. You trying to get all your customers to leave or something?

Wife was wondering why her data wasn't working today and didn't even get a notification. She sometimes uses 2degrees data via data sharing. She also has an iPad with a data share sim. So now you're saying these require active plans? How about IoT things people have connected like dashcams, alarm systems etc?

Thanks... I'm really holding back my words here. But seriously some heads up would have been nice...

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Dratsab

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#3113940 9-Aug-2023 21:06

My car with my main dashcam is in the panel shop at the moment and it's battery is flat so I can't check that one. Probably won't be able to until late Fri. Dashcam in my wife's vehicle only runs when the vehicle is on. Both sims in these use data shared from my account and have, so far, been working just fine without an active plan. I hope this hasn't changed. If it has I'll have to re-evaluate the value proposition of staying with 2degrees.

The documentation linked to by ethanbmnz says an active plan is required - last sentence of para 4, as per this screen snip. Can't say what it said a few months ago as I don't have a snip from then. Maybe it's a sneaky update, maybe not...

Edit: Heh - should've looked at the second documentation link, it doesn't contain that sentence.

michaelmurfy

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#3113941 9-Aug-2023 21:07

I'm going to just leave this here too. I feel this is potentially a fair trading act breach considering this is not exactly for free anymore:

Archive of this page (as of this post): https://web.archive.org/web/20230809090601/https://www.2degrees.nz/why-2degrees

From: https://web.archive.org/web/20230809114604/https://www.2degrees.nz/mobile-plans/pay-monthly

Delorean

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#3113942 9-Aug-2023 21:10

michaelmurfy:
Seriously what is with 2degrees lately. You trying to get all your customers to leave or something?

Wife was wondering why her data wasn't working today and didn't even get a notification. She sometimes uses 2degrees data via data sharing. She also has an iPad with a data share sim. So now you're saying these require active plans? How about IoT things people have connected like dashcams, alarm systems etc?

Thanks... I'm really holding back my words here. But seriously some heads up would have been nice...

2D are making the same mistakes Telecom & Vodafone did back with their restructures and mergers.

Spark is nothing like the old Telecom and One NZ is certainly much better too.

2D USED to be the underdog. Shame really😔

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Dratsab

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#3113948 9-Aug-2023 21:26

Looking at my data usage, the two dashcams were using data yesterday but not today. Expected for one as the battery pack will have gone flat, but the other one should've been using a bit of data today. Like JinMao I've had no notification of this fundamental change but did get notification that my mobile plan was going up by $5/month in exchange for more (8GB) data.

Linux

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#3113950 9-Aug-2023 21:29

@SarahRykers Care to comment here? Few upset 2d customers

tardtasticx

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#3113955 9-Aug-2023 21:51

Yikes - who gave the green light to this change at 2degrees?

Surely a good portion of data share's are to SIMs inside IoT or data-only devices, so would have no way to receive an SMS. And if the SIM wasn't registered it won't have an email attached to it either - certainly the case for the one in my iPad.

2degrees are starting to lose touch, what a shame.

FuelRozNZ

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3113958 9-Aug-2023 22:05

Will say this was quite a shock with no notice. It's definitely making me go evaluate other options because having to pay $10/month just so my tablet can use the data I already have is pretty steep.

yann

136 posts

Master Geek

#3113959 9-Aug-2023 22:13

Will probably be in a similar situation as others here and will keep on an eye on the thread. I share data, but haven't seen any notifications, but will check in with a couple of people I share with. But if what is being reported here is correct, probably also time to find a new home for myself as well as other family members. I think I've been with 2D for 14 years, so it has been a while. Also checked for any email (or other) correspondence or notification from 2D mentioning this, but can't find anything either.

FuelRozNZ

6 posts

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#3113965 9-Aug-2023 22:42

It was also pointed out to me that 2 Degree's page on "how to use an iPad" is also not fairly inaccurate and misleading https://www.2degrees.nz/help/mobile-help/device-guides/using-an-ipad-on-2degrees

michaelmurfy

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#3113966 9-Aug-2023 22:49

FuelRozNZ: It was also pointed out to me that 2 Degree's page on "how to use an iPad" is also not fairly inaccurate and misleading

Good point. Though, it doesn't specifically say free or anything (but also doesn't state a plan is required) but instead links you to the shared data page.

If anyone does see a page where things are a little incorrect give it an archive by pasting the URL into "Save page now" on https://web.archive.org/ to ensure it is archived. At this stage not even a sorry is acceptable here for this behavior. If it were not for this thread I wouldn't have known and would have otherwise blamed it on an outage. I got no SMS and the iPad for example can't get SMS anyway.

belldandy99

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3113974 10-Aug-2023 02:48

JinMao:

Yup, I am experiencing the same problem.

Mum called at around noon time asking why she is not able to use her phone.

Checked her credit, $0 left. Topped up $20 for her. One hours later, surprisingly still got $10 left because she arrived at home.

Started checking transaction history, all the credits went to data, under 50c/MB. I feel lucky that she does not have more than $20 on her prepay.

Checked my son's spending, the same thing happens. $0 credit left as well.

Double check on my phone, both are within my data sharing.

So, something is not right here, called 2D customer service, the answer is: You will need to be on a prepay plan to be able to have shared data. Then I asked why I was not notified by this change. CS said there was an email sent around middle June regarding that.

Checked my email, nothing but "upgrading" my $55 plan to $60 plan during that time. CS tried to find the record, 5 mins later, she said well, we were not able to find any record of notifying you. NICE.

Went back to check what is on data sharing web page.

Article last updated on 22 November 2021. NICE++.

I understand that business needs to make money, and those numbers that use data sharing does not generate "enough" profits to 2D. But at least customers should not be hit in a hard way like this.

Starting to shop around now after 10 years using 2D's broadband and mobile as a happy customer.

See you, and good luck with your trip.

I am in the same situation as you.

I have lost money because 2D didn't have the decency to notify people of this drastic change and I kept using data away from home. It was only when I can't connect to the internet anymore, looked at my balance and found that all my credits are gone. Went into 2D shop then they told me they have just fixed an issue with their data sharing today and only sims with active plans can be using shared data. (I'm guessing by "fixed" they mean they broke it)

The only reason I brought my parents over from Spark is so they can share my data as they don't use the phone enough to warrant a monthly plan, but they do need data.

I also have 2 iPads and another phone which I only need data, now it's all useless.

I really can't believe there aren't more people and places talking about this.

This forum and a reddit post is the only place where anyone has mentioned this change.

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