Leaving Vodafone behind
This decision didn't come lightly. There are lots of things to consider - international roaming, handset availability, etc.
But seeing that Telecom is working on deploying their WCDMA network, which should be here by the end of the year, and since you can get a Telecom SIM card now to use it on any GSM phone while going overseas, I didn't see a reason good enough to keep me on Vodafone.
The Telecom store manager was really good - even when he told me I couldn't just put the 021 (Vodafone prefix) numberon my Okta Touch without losing the account settings I have with Telecom. After a few moments he came up with a good idea: just grab any old phone from the recycle bin and use its ESN number to hold my 027 (Telecom prefix) number for when I have another handset for that account.
This way he freed up my Okta Touch so I could port in.
If all is ok in about three days I should have all calls on this number going through Telecom New Zealand.
And no, I don't feel bad for leaving Vodafone behind. For a few months I've been contemplating doing it, but this week something happened that tipped me over to the other side.
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Comment by TheBartender, on 1-Apr-2008 19:00
Everyone I know is on Telecom, so would make sense for me to change to take advantage of their same-network deals, but currently they lack the killer feature for me...video calling.
Video text just does not cut it.
So I will wait until the new network is up and running to see what it offers...
Also it will depend on their deals as well, as Vodafone have $6 for all the video calling, txt and calling I want to my chosen Vodafone friend...and now also have a similar $20 deal, but allows all connected to reap all the benefits...thats excellent value.
Comment by ben, on 1-Apr-2008 19:21
So clarify for me, do you actually get to use your 021 xxx-xxx number, or do you have to use 027021 xxx-xxx (like someone else I saw).
Pretty crazy and non-number-portability if it is the latter!
Comment by simon14, on 1-Apr-2008 19:57
What was the final straw? COme on, we all want to know :)
Comment by Erica Suranyi, on 1-Apr-2008 20:11
Yeah, good April Fools Joke - Who would leave Vodafone for Granny Telecome - you've got to be kidding!
Comment by Nic Wise, on 1-Apr-2008 21:45
April Fool?
Comment by Kent Smith, on 2-Apr-2008 01:54
I recently ported my home phone from TelstraClear and my Vodafone mobile to Telecom. All went surpisingly well. Only issue was some smartphone services didn't come across as requested - a quick call to sales sorted that. I also had dual number service on my home phone and the second number has some issue porting in (apparently at the TelstraClear end). Yet to ring them to sort it out.
I kept my cable broadband service though (now it's naked). :)
-KENT
Comment by foobar, on 2-Apr-2008 05:36
I have been using a Vodafone pre-paid number for the longest time, and so I would like to keep it. Would number portability help me here as well? Or is number portability only for signed-up accounts?
Comment by antoniosk, on 2-Apr-2008 05:52
Welcome to the crew lad.....
Comment by Kent Smith, on 2-Apr-2008 21:53
Here's a strange one:
Apparently you can't port a vodafone prepaid to a vodafone post-paid and vice verca (yet).
But you can port either to telecom and then port it back on the other.
Go figure. :)
-KENT
Comment by Mark Ranft, on 3-Apr-2008 07:20
Mauricio,
Being from the USA, I will not comment on the Vodaphone vs. Telecom choice. (I did have sketchy Vodaphone service in the data center on my last trip to Sydney.)
BUT...
Since when would you be carrying around a phone that you'd let Telecom toss into the re-cycle bin? I would take any hand-me-down phone you have ever had.
Mark
Comment by paradoxsm, on 4-Apr-2008 22:19
welcome to realistic calling prices without the marketing hype and snags.
I'm on flexi mytime long weekends which is superb any networks value with an extra bonus one business day of the cheap 10c any network calling!
Vodafone are used by myself solely as a setup for sms controllers, voip bridging etc, thrashing all the "unlimited" deals and like others, video calling for ultra cheap conferencing and bragging rights :-P. (n95 video out is rather nice here!)
so.... what did tip you over that edge?
Comment by truthseekernz, on 29-Apr-2008 11:30
I'm also curious about the reasons for the change. You don't actually mention any.
I recently returned to NZ, looked at what was on offer and went with Vodafone. Their mobile Internet support appears to be better. I can do my Gmail via the mobile web browser on their $149 3G "Vodafone 715". I can watch Sky Mobile TV, though I dropped that service when they recently dumped CNN and all that was left was was sports, gossip, cartoons and soft porn.
Video calling is fun. I like the freedom that SIM-based phones provide. I came back from Canada with a Samsung a900 that is locked to Bell Canada. I can't even use it with CDMA-based Telecom. GSM protects me from that. Glad to see Telecom is going GSM, but from what I can see, they still don't understand Internet on mobiles. That was what tipped me to Vodafone. I got used to unlimited Internet on the phone for $7.95 / month while in Canada. OK, it's $10 / MB here via Vodafone, but that's enough to let me do my gmail for a month with rarely a tip over into the second $20.
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Comment by adamj, on 1-Apr-2008 18:48
Care to elaborate on what tipped you?