rogercruse

I got an Ipad2 on my recent trip to the UK. Simply took it into a VodafoneNZ shop and converted my mobile broadband contract to put a micro-SIM in it.

I also got a VAT receipt and claimed back the tax.

old dragon

Same happened to us with Vodafone - but we had two phones! Make sure you write to inform them of the termination date as well. Vodafone refused to acknowledge our going into the shop and telling them in person as notification. Luckily I found a copy of an email sent to customer services in which I'd asked the initial question - it had the date we were leaving the country on it.

They actually referred it to a collection agency in order to claim monthly fees for the time that the contract ran out until they received notification in writing. Even though we had records to show the sim was destroyed and the account was not in use. Dickheads even tracked down my 97 year old grandmother and worried her about it.

Don't just let the contract run it's course and then stop paying when you've fulfilled your commitment - they'll keep expecting the monthly fee until you write to tell them you're leaving.

rick78

I'm with O2 and have an iPhone - contract due to end in August and so good timing!

We called up a couple of months ago to unlock them ready for NZ and this was free. Mine was easy, but I think having two iPhones on one contract confused them and we never received the sms saying we can now unlock using iTunes to my wife's phone - but it worked anyway. We are now on PAYG with O2 until we leave.

I'm hoping I can pick up a sim card at Auckland airport when we arrive... is there anywhere to pick these up in the international arrivals terminal? We're being collected at the airport but hopefully they won't mind waiting when I hunt for somewhere that sells one... anyone know of somewhere off hand (I don't know what shops are there... about to check out the airport website).

emmabc

We have been offered a free sim with our ANZ bank account, so it might be worth asking your bank before buying a sim.

bga

http://www.unlock.net.nz/

emmabc

You can just phone/email O2 and ask them to unlock your phone - and then you still get all the updates.

rick78

oo we have kiwibak and anz accounts setup... maybe i'll ask them when i pop in next week!

burltonc

I am using an iPhone 4 in NZ with no problems (except visual voicemail not working). You can get a sim from various carriers on a PayG basis or move to contract, although dont forget to get data!! Vodaphone is the most obvious though as they also sell the phone here and have national(ish) coverage.

Whether it is unlocked or not will depend on where/who you got it from, but its worth trying to ensure its unlocked before you leave as could be hard to sort out after you have left the network / the country. Ones bought from the Apple store are unlocked. O2 unlock them for free I think but generally sell them locked etc..

Another tip, keep your UK itunes / app store login going, but get a second NZ itunes login using an NZ credit card and address. That way you can switch between the two itunes /app stores - its not exactly the same content in the UK and NZ itune stores!! use one as a primary one however as its a pain to have to keep switching to update apps!

burltonc

Not sure why a free sim is a big deal, on PayG its only a few dollars to get one, unless they are giving you free calls and data every month!!!

You can get a sim loads of places, but if its iPhone 4 it needs to be microsim of course. Im not sure about the airport but theres phone and electronic shops all over the place just like in the UK.

I initially got a microsim on "2degrees" from a "dick smith" store. It was actually more for ipad so included some pre-paid data, but works fine in iPhone 4. The card can be topped up by phone or on the web with credit, or call, text or data packages. However I'm sure there are other options too.

Only Vodaphone are GSM (so the only network the iphone will work on) however a number of operators piggy back on the vodaphone network including 2Degrees, XT Mobile etc.

MattandJax

That is not true 2 Degrees is GSM as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2degrees#Network They do piggyback on Vodafone when it can't get it's own signal.

Not sure about XT Mobile piggybacking though, where did you read that?

Matt

rick78

When we arrived we couldn't be arsed to sort out simcards so the following day we popped to Countdown and bought a pair of 2 degrees ones for $5 each. We topped them up and away we go.

They'll do for now until we sort out a rental property and we'll have a look at packages etc. with home phone and broadband/TV.

FYI I have an iPhone 3GS and 2degrees work just fine... and I can confirm they piggy back on Voda... when we didn't have a signal in Pakiri beach the carrier switched to Voda.

AndyR

Totally agree with this, and also if you really like your iTunes stuff and even better if you have an AppleTV, get yourself a US iTunes Voucher from eBay and setup a US Account. Tons of stuff on there!

We do that with our AppleTV as films are generally available for rent on US iTunes for about $6NZD about a month or so after they come out in the cinema here.

burltonc

Getting a US itune account would be even better!! Is that off ebay US you mean? How did you get a vouncher? and dont you need a US residential address to set one up too?

AndyR

I use ebay global for them. Search for US ITUNES $50 but you can change the amount you want. I tend to get eitehr $50 or $100 as they seem the best value. I tend to search for the best price + shipping then look at the top few and pick the one with the highest feedback (avoid low ones as there are scams out there). They'll all email you the code for the card, some as quick at 30mins after you win, then just redeem that on the store.

Something like this is what I'd look for - http://global.ebay.com/AUTHENTIC-APP...768029314/item

You do need a US address, but most people just pick a hotel somewhere in the US and use that address One of my friends in the UK used to use Apples HQ address but thats pushing it I think LOL

Works great for us, the original AppleTV is probably the most used gadget in our house over the past 5 years.