So we have 5 Mobile networks in New Zealand now...

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › So we have 5 Mobile networks in New Zealand now...

macuser

2120 posts

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#38793 4-Aug-2009 13:17

Vodafone
Telecom
2Degrees
Compass
Black and White

And yet not a single one has a good enough value option to remain solely on their network.

I'm the kinda person who like's to use Vodafone's Bestmate or Telecom's My Favourites so he can call his family/partner any time he likes, and not have to deal with massive bills - most of my calling is done to these people.

I'm also the kind of person who has friends who won't text back if I'm on a different network to them, because they can't use their $10TXT or TXT2000.

I'm also the kind of person who doesn't want to think about what network he calls.

The majority of my calling/SMS is to Vodafone mobile phones as I live in Auckland.

I'm sure there are many people in the same boat as I am, still needing to have two connections to two different mobile carriers.

I think I'm still going to go to compass, but they don't have bestmate options.

Vodafone is contract contract contract,

Telecom CDMA is also contract contract contract,

XT is okay but I do most of my talking to 021 mobiles + contract contract contract.

2Degrees is obscure and none of my friends will want to have to pay the excess fees to contact me ( :( ) and their data is terribly priced

Black and White - No deal all round.

Compass + Vodafone Sim for bestmate seems like the best option, but I don't want to have to have two sims...

Ugh...

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291 posts

Ultimate Geek

#242349 4-Aug-2009 13:32

Compass and Black & White are only resellers. They don't have their own network

langi27

675 posts

Ultimate Geek

#242350 4-Aug-2009 13:32

Yeap completly agree, still doesn't solve the problem. I think 2Degrees comes the closest with the lowest rates, but with no Best Mates its not perfect.

paradoxsm

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#242352 4-Aug-2009 13:35

Compass and bestmate would be superb, apparently it's being worked on.

I'm hoping XT sharpen their call pricing a little bit or bring back Flexi.

macuser

2120 posts

Uber Geek

#242355 4-Aug-2009 13:37

brad_p: Compass and Black & White are only resellers. They don't have their own network

Yeah they resell but thats a good thing, because then you can get the compatibility with the existing VF customers - it doesn't cost vodafone users any more to call someone on Compass or Black and White than it does to call a Vodafone mobile.

Thats a huge positive for me, it means if I port my number it will not end up misleading anyone.

Wob

310 posts

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NBN Co

#242362 4-Aug-2009 13:52

What about TelstraClear?

macuser

2120 posts

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#242367 4-Aug-2009 13:58

Wob: What about TelstraClear?

"Please note: To receive BizMobile, you need to have your fixed access lines and calling with TelstraClear."

magu

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BitSignal

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#242391 4-Aug-2009 14:56

Across networks, 2degrees seems to be the cheapest. On-net as well, with their 30-day topups. BestMate plans don't generate a lot of revenue, so I'm not surprised 2degrees chose not to implement one.

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billgates

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#242393 4-Aug-2009 15:00

magu: Across networks, 2degrees seems to be the cheapest. On-net as well, with their 30-day topups. BestMate plans don't generate a lot of revenue, so I'm not surprised 2degrees chose not to implement one.

How can you be so sure about "low revenue with bestmate's"

there is most prob plenty of revenue with bestmate's. if it's vf to vf OR tcnz to tcnz then all they have to foot the bill for is their backend costs.

Do whatever you want to do man.

magu

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#242414 4-Aug-2009 15:33

Compared to what carriers could get by charging per-minute, BestMate plans are only actually profitable if the users talk for less than 27mins (comparing to 2degrees pricing, which is considerably lower than Telecom/Vodafone). After that, users talk for free, but carriers get nothing.

I'm assuming most users that have BestMate plans talk for more than 27 minutes/month on their phones, hence generating no revenue for the carrier from the 'extra' talk time. Since 2degrees is already halving all costs of calling/texting, I don't think there is much of a margin to create a BestMate-like plan and still post profits required to stay in business.

Remember, after all, that they already spent (way more than) $250 million just to set their network up. And backend costs are still backend costs. Just because the call is inside the network doesn't mean it doesn't cost the carrier a cent to connect it.

I'm not saying BestMate plans are bad. They're just not as appealing to carriers as they are to users. Since Vodafone and Telecom have been shafting the NZ market since ages ago, they have enough of an income with their (still) outrageous prices that BestMate is a gimmick that they can put up with. 2degrees doesn't have that ability.

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." - Doc Emmet Brown

old3eyes

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#242609 4-Aug-2009 19:10

Wob: What about TelstraClear?

Didn't they throw their toys out of the cot a couple of years ago and sent all their get back to big momma in Ozz??

Regards,

Old3eyes

DjShadow

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#242639 4-Aug-2009 19:48

TelstraClear at present resells the Telecom CDMA network under their own brand and pricing, they recently signed a deal to make them an MVNO on the Vodafone network so they can offer 3g services

compost

295 posts

Ultimate Geek

#242694 4-Aug-2009 22:10

macuser: Vodafone
Telecom
2Degrees
Compass
Black and White

And yet not a single one has a good enough value option to remain solely on their network.

For your needs, perhaps.

The immediate winners are older people who prefer to use the landlines at home/work, only carry a mobile phone for the odd urgent call and top up with $20 once every 2-3 months. Since the timing of urgent calls is unpredictable, they would probably have gone for the flat rate prepay plans, getting pinged for 89c per call. Bestmates, data etc are all a fat waste of time for them.

Their $100/yr spend will go a lot further now. I expect to see a 2Degrees phone in every Toyota Corolla glovebox in the country!

A time-poor geek is hardly a geek at all

Regs

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Snowflake

#242731 4-Aug-2009 22:46

you're missing telstraclear, boost mobile, callplus/slingshot, orcon, digital island and perhaps others too if you're counting MVNO's as networks.

the callplus/slingshot plans announced today seem pretty attractive - especially if you are also on internet and fixed line with them too

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n00b

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#242741 4-Aug-2009 23:09

You're absolutely right master geek.

There is no mobile provider that is willing to offer you a compelling deal.

But there is a solution to your problem:

Get a dual SIM phone. That way you can call your telecom mates from one SIM and your Vodafone mates from the other. The only down side being that all the dual SIM phones out there are no name brands imported from china...but for the 200 bucks it'll cost you - who cares if it only lasts a year?

nate

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#242754 4-Aug-2009 23:41

macuser: I'm also the kind of person who has friends who won't text back if I'm on a different network to them, because they can't use their $10TXT or TXT2000.

macuser: 2Degrees is obscure and none of my friends will want to have to pay the excess fees to contact me

Get better friends.

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