[suzer]

i kind of need advice for both australia and new zealand. my plan is 4 months in australia, 12 in new zealand, then possible permanent re-location back to australia. i'm assuming during those first 16 months i will do a pay as you go plan, and may also be looking at getting a new phone. not sure if some companies perhaps operate in both countries...or best plans. i won't be using the phone to call back to the states, so really just within the country(s). any suggestions for good plans/companies?

thanks!
suzer

[voxel]

There is only one choice for pay as you go in NZ - Vodafone. I think Telecom is all contracted monthly plans. You can bring your SIM card from another country, but calling will be expensive.

All tri-band GSM mobile should work in NZ and Australia. I brought my unlocked GSM phone from Canada and Orange UK mobile - both worked without problems.

[suzer]

i'll look at vodafone then thanks. may get a new phone while in australia, so hopefully have a quad band:)

[suzer]

any thoughts on this??

http://www.gosim.com/index.php?page=new_zealand

[anna_c]

No, telecom offers pay as you go plans (just not sim cards).

Whilst vodfone does exist in Australia, you will be paying roaming charges (which aren't cheap) unless you get an Australian sim card.

[suzer]

So, any thoughts on Telecom vs. Vodafone?

Do most people in NZ use Vodafone mobiles?

[simon76]

guys i just fund out that vodafone is on 3g over there, that good news to alll. so if anyone have an 3 moble or something eles get unblock put new vodafone 3g sim in.

[sarahw]

Bring your phone - buy sim cards over here - NZ sim card is $20 & I would imagine Aus is the same (or you can rent a phone in Aus since its a short period of time). You can't use your phone (if you use sim card) with Telecom - they aren't the same as European (and likely not the same as US either) phones. We could only use Vodafone with our phones using either a monthly contract (or as would be better for you since you have a limited period here) a pay as you go.

Cheers

[scotia]

Sorry to pinch your thread suzer but my husband and I have quite ancient mobiles and wondered should we dump them here in the uk and buy when we arrive in NZ or maybe even better enroute. Going through the US - are they cheaper to buy there and get sim cards in NZ? Have a great trip Suzer, also spending 3 weeks in OZ before hitting NZ's sunny shores!
Cheers
Scotia

[suzer]

it would prob be cheaper to buy mobiles in the states...or cheaper in NZ. anything is cheaper than the UK;)

[katandbob]

it would prob be cheaper to buy mobiles in the states...or cheaper in NZ. anything is cheaper than the UK;)
wouldnt bet on it!, my phone is $800 here, and not available with Telecom and most of the phones are ancient compared to what we had on offer in the UK, My OH bought a new phone from Carephone warehouse via internet and got the boys to bring it over with them as it was cheaper to do that than buy a phone half as good over here.

Telecom's phones dont have sim cards - you buy the Phone/number and when it goes wrong you cant transfer the number - ie when the guys at work old Telecom number was discontinued, they had to get new phones/numbers, they could not transfer them like you can with sims/numbers/phones in the UK

they are also boring clam phones mostly

also every phone my OH has bought from CW was unlocked....3 altogether??

so we saved on that too :nice1

:nice1 Kat

[scotia]

Thanks Kat
Looks like a trip to the carphone warehouse-you say the phones were unlocked so no probs setting them up once we get to NZ with either of the two companies elecom and vodophone is it?
Cheers
Scotia

[Rose]

Scotia, can I jump in too? My partner needs a new phone and the choices are:

buy one in Bangkok on the way over to NZ

or

get one in a subscription deal in NZ. Eg the Telecom website has 24 and 36 months deals with a minimum monthly payment of $49 or so plus calls.

What do you recommend?

Thanks for your advice,
Rose

[suzer]

my bad; i am used to things being much more expensive in the UK than in the states, which i thought applied to mobiles. perhaps NZ isn't cheaper then. i don't think i'd want a mobile w/o sim card though, as if you tend to switch phones every couple of years (as i do), sim cards just make things easier.

[Jo_b]

Used my ancient Nokia in NZ in July with a borrowed Vodafone sim (i'm on Orange in the UK).

NZ pay as you go seemed very expensive to me!

[suzer]

so just to clarify, it isn't possible to have one number to use in both australia & new zealand w/o having roaming charges?

-and-

as a temp resident (one year) is my only choice pay as you go?

[DB]

so just to clarify, it isn't possible to have one number to use in both australia & new zealand w/o having roaming charges?
Correct.

[xanctus]

Suzer,
What provider do you have now in USA? I used to be with T-Mobile when I was in Milwaukee. Make sure...again...MAKE SUre your mobile phone is un locked. Otherwise, you will be everything you get out of Auckland suburbs with no signal.
I ended up buy a new phone in Indonesia (didn't buy from NZ because it's lot more expensive compare to Indonesia).

Also, make sure your phone is at least triple band. Then all u need to do is unlocked it with your provider. (just called them and explain what you're about to do).

[eternalkiwi]

I would recommend buying GSM phones outside of NZ, personally I usually buy from Asia as they are cheaper, have a wider range and are at least 6-12 months newer than in NZ.

Telecom use x-Sprint USA phones and are not currently very up-to-date, though they have been testing more Samsung GSM/CDMA2 phones which are definitely more modern.

Mobile call charges are expensive in NZ, though Vodaphone is slowly changing this with packaged time and services. There is talk of a 3rd operator joining the market, but they have not got passed trials in Auckland as yet.

Also you only pay for calling a cellphone or sending a text, you do not pay for receiving a call and usually do not pay for receiving TXT messages.

[suzer]

thanks---i don't have a phone in the states as the moment as i'm only living here for 2 months in between england and australia.

[Johnnyrs]

scotia, I'd do some homework on phone prices before you leave... depends on what you want. My wife was on holiday in UK & bought Sony Ericsson (something 600i) which cost about $NZ260... In NZ they were advertising it for $500+... Nowadays you can get them unlocked in the UK after you buy for about £10...