VFAU Free Roaming to NZ

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ajobbins

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#191343 1-Feb-2016 17:46

Great news for people like me who live in AU but travel to NZ frequently! I can now use my VFAU plan in NZ just as if I was still in Australia!

http://www.ausbt.com.au/vodafone-launches-free-new-zealand-roaming

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#1483014 1-Feb-2016 17:58

What are their deals like? Does this potentially mean I could sign up without even going to AUS, get a sim shipped over and start using it

ajobbins

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#1483023 1-Feb-2016 18:12

Yabanize:

What are their deals like? Does this potentially mean I could sign up without even going to AUS, get a sim shipped over and start using it

You have to be on a plan, not prepaid, so you wouldn't be able to sign up without 100 points of ID in Australia. Their $30 open term plan is eligible which is 500mb data and unlimited AU calls.

I'm only the $50 plan with 3GB data, unlimited calls and txt and 300 international minutes, but I have some retention discounts so only pay $30 a month.

Have 3 trips to NZ in the next 10 weeks, so will be very handy.

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Geektastic

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#1483153 1-Feb-2016 22:01

ajobbins:

Yabanize:

What are their deals like? Does this potentially mean I could sign up without even going to AUS, get a sim shipped over and start using it

You have to be on a plan, not prepaid, so you wouldn't be able to sign up without 100 points of ID in Australia. Their $30 open term plan is eligible which is 500mb data and unlimited AU calls.

I'm only the $50 plan with 3GB data, unlimited calls and txt and 300 international minutes, but I have some retention discounts so only pay $30 a month.

Have 3 trips to NZ in the next 10 weeks, so will be very handy.

What is "100 points of ID" when it's at home?

UHD

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#1483155 1-Feb-2016 22:12

Usually a bunch of unique forms of ID (drivers license, bank/govt letter with your name address on it, passport, etc...) have a certain points value each and you simply need to get 100 or more.

SaltyNZ

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#1483156 1-Feb-2016 22:13

Yabanize:

What are their deals like? Does this potentially mean I could sign up without even going to AUS, get a sim shipped over and start using it

I think you'll find the fine print says 'no permanent roaming'.

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nigelj

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#1483170 1-Feb-2016 23:52

SaltyNZ:

Yabanize:

What are their deals like? Does this potentially mean I could sign up without even going to AUS, get a sim shipped over and start using it

I think you'll find the fine print says 'no permanent roaming'.

I remember a UK friend bragging about the roaming deal they had for Europe, I think the condition was that roaming couldn't persist for more than X days in a row, where X was about 90 or so.

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tangerz

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#1483286 2-Feb-2016 09:49

From the vodafone.com.au website:

"With Vodafone you can use your phone like you would at home in over 50 countries for $5 extra per day and $0 in New Zealand for up to 90 days in any calendar year until 31 January 2017. $5 Roaming gives you access to your data, call and TXT Red plan inclusions."

From that it looks like you could use it for up to 90 days during 2016 and all of January 2017. So no permanent roaming.

Still nice to have though if you're a frequent traveler. Wish Vodafone NZ would reciprocate... ;)

sbiddle

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#1483345 2-Feb-2016 10:37

tangerz:

Still nice to have though if you're a frequent traveler. Wish Vodafone NZ would reciprocate... ;)

I recall about 10 or so years ago when Vodafone NZ and Vodafone AU wanted to remove roaming charges between NZ and AU. Off the record both the ACCC and Commerce Commission raised issues about this being anti-competitive and so it didn't happen. It was around the same time that Group also wanted to cull roaming charges across the EU and were pretty much given the same message by regulators. Move forward 10 years and it's the regulators pushing for such changes!

Sometimes people forget competition regulators don't exist to give customers the best deal, they exist to ensure that a marketplace is fair. They are not the same thing.

Vodafone AU need a compelling roaming offering because it's one advantage they can offer over other players since they're struggling. Here in NZ VF already have the best roaming offering and aren't struggling for customers so no doubt see no point in cutting what would be millions in revenue when there is no need!

tangerz

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#1483351 2-Feb-2016 10:43

sbiddle:

tangerz:

Still nice to have though if you're a frequent traveler. Wish Vodafone NZ would reciprocate... ;)

I recall about 10 or so years ago when Vodafone NZ and Vodafone AU wanted to remove roaming charges between NZ and AU. Off the record both the ACCC and Commerce Commission raised issues about this being anti-competitive and so it didn't happen. It was around the same time that Group also wanted to cull roaming charges across the EU and were pretty much given the same message by regulators. Move forward 10 years and it's the regulators pushing for such changes!

Sometimes people forget competition regulators don't exist to give customers the best deal, they exist to ensure that a marketplace is fair. They are not the same thing.

Vodafone AU need a compelling roaming offering because it's one advantage they can offer over other players since they're struggling. Here in NZ VF already have the best roaming offering and aren't struggling for customers so no doubt see no point in cutting what would be millions in revenue when there is no need!

Interesting... I didn't know that had happened. Let's hope the regulatory climate is now such that this will happen! :)

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#1483777 2-Feb-2016 17:51

Geektastic:

What is "100 points of ID" when it's at home?

I can say with certainty that you do not have 100 points of ID. This would include:

Passport (50 Points)
Australian Drivers License (50 Points)
Medicare Card (20 Points)
Australian Credit/Debit Card (Name Embossed) (20 Points)
Letter from ATO (20 Points)

And so on.

At least one form of ID must have a photo, at least one with an address. Although Australian Drivers Licenses all have your address on them, no form of ID can be used as both a Category A and Category B document.

ajobbins

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#1483784 2-Feb-2016 18:02

Details on ID requirements here (ignore my previous response if you saw it before I deleted, misread the comment)

http://vodafone.intelliresponse.com/index.jsp?interfaceID=1&ID=-1&requestType=&respId=&source=1&question=id&NormalRequest=Ask

They would use this info to conduct a credit check. It wouldn't be possible to get to 100 points of ID without at least opening a bank account here.

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sbiddle

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#1483786 2-Feb-2016 18:07

Hmm has anybody had trouble getting a prepay SIM over there recently? I haven't registered one for a long time but a NZ passport, credit card and giving an AU address has always been sufficient to pass the 100 point test in the past.

richms

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#1483789 2-Feb-2016 18:12

I had no problems last time from an actual optus shop with just my NZ passport. When it lapsed and a friend got a new one for me he just had to use his passport to get it in his name, so will have to sort out changing it at some stage but for now its not important what name is on it.

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#1483790 2-Feb-2016 18:15

sbiddle:

Hmm has anybody had trouble getting a prepay SIM over there recently? I haven't registered one for a long time but a NZ passport, credit card and giving an AU address has always been sufficient to pass the 100 point test in the past.

Not recently, but only a couple of years ago I was in Perth. IIRC, I went to a servo and picked one up without even showing ID. I just said I was in from NZ and needed a SIM.

maybe that wasn't the normal experience. I have heard lots of people getting ID'd etc. for prepay sims.

richms

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#1483791 2-Feb-2016 18:20

Yeah apparantly they have tightened up on all the places selling them without proper ID checks etc recently. Before you could just get them from most places and they had pre-registered them with made up stuff.

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