Does 2degrees not offer an economical roaming 'package' for prepay?

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Does 2degrees not offer an economical roaming 'package' for prepay?

BadBadBadMonkey

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#320029 27-Jun-2025 14:16

Is 2degrees' roaming limited to the $8/day thing?

I want to go to Australia for about a week, I only use the $8/month prepay plan, $8 x7 = $56 is silly to access that...

Don't they do something like Skinny's 3 or 7 day packages?

What about casual roaming rates?

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#3387656 27-Jun-2025 14:23

Or just stay in flight mode and rely on WiFi and Wifi-calling when required? Worked for me when I was in AU recently for 6 days; WiFi is normally a given in most accommodation, etc.

Alternatively, buy a local SIM at the airport on arrival - should be able to do that for half the price (i.e. around $25, I'd expect).

The real cunning plan is to take a 2nd phone if you've got a spare; pop the local SIM into that one, and then use it as the wireless hotspot for the WiFi calling for your "main" phone (which stays in flight mode as advised)....

KiwiSurfer

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#3387657 27-Jun-2025 14:29

The $8 a day deal is pretty good as you get access to your normal data allowance and 2degrees (as far as I know) roams on Telstra, Optus and Vodafone so you get pretty good coverage wherever you go.

One NZ has $6 a day but only 200MB! Or $22 a week but capped to 1GB. Or $3.45 for 50MB! One NZ Prepay roams on Vodafone AU only which can be a bit troublesome in places where the joint Optus/Vodafone rural network has poor coverage compared to Telstra.

Spark I believe roams on at least 2 of the Australian carriers but not sure which and QOS is variable. Prices may be week-based etc but included data is still pretty low.

If you're staying that long may be best to look into either getting a SIM from the Telstra/Optus/Vodafone store on arrival or get one of the eSIMs apps.

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#3387658 27-Jun-2025 14:30

BadBadBadMonkey:

Is 2degrees' roaming limited to the $8/day thing?

I want to go to Australia for about a week, I only use the $8/month prepay plan, $8 x7 = $56 is silly to access that...

Don't they do something like Skinny's 3 or 7 day packages?

What about casual roaming rates?

No, sorry. The only roaming package for Australia is $8/day.

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

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#3387660 27-Jun-2025 14:45

2degrees business plans $0 a day

grantius

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#3387700 27-Jun-2025 17:15

Add an eSIM and use that, way cheaper can probably get a 1GB for 7 days for a couple of bucks.

MrGadget

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#3387709 27-Jun-2025 18:19

You won’t get 7 days for a couple of bucks - maybe $8-10 for 1GB / 7 days. Not from my experience.
$8 a day is for any days you use it - so airplane mode days you don’t want it.
or get a local sim.

Any comment made here is my own and should not be taken as that of my employer.

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#3387710 27-Jun-2025 18:24

Maybe they don't need to much data but just require NZ number for calling / incoming calls

MrGadget

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#3387714 27-Jun-2025 18:47

True. But 1GB was the base plan option on the app I used for eSIM in Australia (USD$4.50). Personally I went 10GB/ 30 days at USD$18 which wasn’t too far away from visitor SIM options on arrival.

The point being unless you want to spend some time in a local provider’s kiosk haggling on local plans, it may be more than “a couple of bucks”.

Any comment made here is my own and should not be taken as that of my employer.

BadBadBadMonkey

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#3387719 27-Jun-2025 19:25

Linux:

Maybe they don't need to much data but just require NZ number for calling / incoming calls

Exactly.

Skinny do a 3 day ($11) and 7 day ($23) pack with enough mins/txt/data to get by, I'm surprised 2D don't compete at all.

The other aspect is they don't seem to even offer the high priced casual rates, which might suffice for the necessities and 'just in case'.

And if they just bill your account the $8 without prior notice, for so much as turning on the phone in-country without roaming disabled, that's just evil.

Realize can get an Australian SIM or eSIM but from previous experience they are a bit of a pain to set-up, require registration with ID etc. Inconvenient when I just want a few mb for a few $ ...

grantius

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#3387720 27-Jun-2025 19:26

MrGadget:

You won’t get 7 days for a couple of bucks - maybe $8-10 for 1GB / 7 days. Not from my experience.
$8 a day is for any days you use it - so airplane mode days you don’t want it.
or get a local sim.

Is $2.71nz not a couple of bucks?:

https://esimdb.com/australia/ezsim

EviLClouD

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#3387728 27-Jun-2025 20:10

I use Amaysim when i’m over in Aus.

$10 for 10Gb with calls and texts - 7 day expiry

esim which you can set up upon arrival at the airport

https://www.amaysim.com.au/sim-plans/7-day-sim-plans

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#3387730 27-Jun-2025 20:58

BadBadBadMonkey:

And if they just bill your account the $8 without prior notice, for so much as turning on the phone in-country without roaming disabled, that's just evil.

I use my 2degrees subscription from time to time when travelling. I have not been charged when I have turned it on (just now and then) when in Norway to receive SMS messages - as long as data roaming for the SIM is turned off.

Also works great when I am in an airport for transit for a while and don't want to trust any of the Wi-fi networks. That costs $8 per day, of course.

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johna8

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#3387732 27-Jun-2025 22:11

Just get a eSim to use for a few days? I used Lebara 30 day plan while I was there. Just need to activate once you've passed immigration - as you can activate using your passport.

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#3387760 28-Jun-2025 09:02

All these responses get a eSIM the OP wants roaming so they have the same mobile number when overseas They hardly care about mobile data!

Flight mode and WiFi calling zero roaming $$

SpartanVXL

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#3387765 28-Jun-2025 09:37

If they have an iPhone or capable android then they can get a cheap esim and use wifi calling on esim data workaround? Not sure why nz roaming is still being discussed as an affordable option when esims are far cheaper (excluding plans with roaming built in).

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