Flower Pot

Hey all - after a little bit of advice please...

My hubby has an iphone he wants to bring to NZ with him, will it work? Does he just need to get it unlocked and then get a sim contract in NZ?

I also want to get an iphone but don't know whether to get it here or over there? Done a bit of research on the net and they seem really expensive in NZ even on 2 yr contract you have to pay approx $600 for the handset!

I know the mobile phone coverage/networks aren't as good as the UK and there only appears to be Vodafone? Alas not much competitive pricing!

Any tips? Ta very mucho

shelloid

not sure about the whole iphone thing....but I would suggest getting it unlocked in the UK - I don't think it's as easy to get it unlocked in NZ.

I think you got WTR and not PR, is that right? If so you will get a 9 month work permit on entry to NZ. We have this and tried to get a bog standard 12 month contract with vodafone and got refused as their minimum contract length is 12months. We explained the whole situation and that we would be getting PR as soon as I had fulfilled the criteria, but they wouldn't budge and we had to go for a pay as you go sim card instead.

Genesis

Personally I hate cell phones...one or two reasons are that the garbage connections here make them all but uselss, the pricing and the fact that they can make you very ill. NZ is the most expensive place in the world to use one and the reception is positively stoneage. Apart from that they are great. Oh and another reason to hate them is because of ALL the tossers who use them in their cars for calling and texting that cause other to die in way too many collisions. There is only one place for a mobile and that is in the boot of your car. They are only any good for emergencies or texting IMHO. Rant over. Next poster please.

JohnThePom

NZ Telecom also have a UMTS(3G) network. So I think there might be an alternative for the iPhone. But yes the Vodafone iPhone offering is (or was) very expensive.

Unfortunately, my phone is a standard GSM one (unlocked) so I haven't had the pleasure of testing with an iPhone, but I took my old brick last year and bought a prepaid SIM that worked with it fine.

There are basically three phone operators in NZ, NZ Telecom, Vodafone and 2degrees. The first two have been 50/50 in numbers of subscribers for a while but I think Vodafone now have the lead. 2degrees is a new(ish) operator.

alanmacc

Man somebody has a bug about mobiles, im guessing you dont work for XT ...... hahaha

JohnThePom

After reading Genesis' post I feel the need to quickly point out that I never used my phone in a car

Oh and I only made calls in cities or big towns... can't comment on reception in Fjordland....

Genesis

Man its because people think they are more important than other peoples lives. I am driven to apoplexy seeing people on their phones talking and texting when driving ( I am cool about it elsewhere)..don't we kill enough people on our roads with excess alco. and speed..not to mention plain old shitty driving. I have kids. I want them alive seeing a ripe old age. Not in a morgue because of some utterly feckless selfish bastard. A girl in the manawatu killed a dad of five kids cos she was texting..he avoided her drifting into his truck and was killed for his evasive action..how angry does that make me?????? Imagine it was one of your own aye??

JohnThePom

Yeah I'm with you there. The worst I've seen was someone making a video call with the phone resting on the steering wheel.

Mind you... I've seen people with maps on the steering wheel (and half the window too), shaving, applying makeup in the rear view mirror - I even saw someone reading a book once

hjmilligan

Just in the process of getting another phone as the kids are on Telecom XT and im on Vodafone. Not buying one here too expensive. All i know(i think) is if i want to use a unlocked phone on the XT network the phone has to be 850mhz and 3G.
Please tell me if im wrong!

Helen

alanmacc

I dont disagree with you on it but I do question the stats that are released for it, let me put this to you what is the more dangerous
1. Business guy driving down the motorway talking on his phone about upcoming ventures, one hand on the wheel one hand on the phone
2. Mum driving the car down a motorway with kid in back seat, kid says something cheeky, mum turns round quickly to give a row

Just something to ponder .....

As for the muppets who text and drive, well personally id ban them and jail them as a standard thing, but talking on the phone ..... hmm im in 2 minds with it, is it any worse then talking to your passenger?

scrubbedexpat094

FP - get your iphone in the UK & get it unlocked. Unless Gareth will buy you one overhere as well as the one he's getting me

sirplug

Didn't somebody ask about an iphone??

I bought a bunch of phones with me (just in case my main one breaks!) They are expensive to replace, over here. The iphone will just need unlocking and it will work on any of the networks. Personally, I wouldn't bother with one as it has already been said that reception isn't the best and call costs are exceptionally high. Most of the apps for an iphone require airtime and that's where you're going to come unstuck. 12 month or 24 month contracts aren't the same as in the UK, where they throw minute's (or hour's) at you, along with unlimited texting. Here, you're lucky to get an hour of talktime a month for less than 50 bucks....

Do the research before you buy.

AKT

Just thought I'd mention a couple of points:

UK iPhones are locked to the network - check if they will unlock it for you. It is possible to unlock them yourself, but you need to be careful to check when new firmwares come out that they too can be unlocked. You can also end up 'loosing' some of your memory when you update too. Depending on your model and build week as well as current firmware you may not be able to unlock the one you have.

NZ iPhones are all factory unlocked so you can put whatever sim in you like and update as often as you want without any worries.

as mentioned already, iPhone uses DATA (not call time) for many of the apps so make sure you are happy to pay the price for it when you look at the networks. I have had an iPhone and switched off the data (which in itself is a task) which is basically an iPod and a phone but not a lot else. This is an option if you're going to have easy wifi access at work & home but not really that useful.

If you have a look at the prices of them here, remember that a factory unlocked iPhone carries a premium and last time I looked they are pretty much the same price in most countries. Currently as the NZ$ is strong, it will look pricey when you compare it to the UK iPhone, you will earn in NZ$ so this isn't too good a way to compare.

As has been mentioned, mobiles here (and data) are expensive, this is made up for by the fact that there are so many other good reasons to come to NZ. If you want to see expensive, look at the Cook Islands phone/data!

Personally, I wouldn't touch XT (too many network failures for hours/days) and if you have an iPhone and aren't on Vodafone you can get features like internet tethering disabled by Apple as you aren't on an approved network - there are work-arounds but the same applies as above about unlocking.

In short, a NZ iPhone on Vodafone will be a more painless experience than an non factory unlocked phone or any other network...


HTH

A

rushmere

If your iPhone is on O2 in the UK, you can get it "officially" unlocked by O2 here. It's free for a contract iPhone, and £15 for Pay & Go.

I've just had mine unlocked, and it took just over a week for O2 to do it.

Flower Pot

Started quite a debate here eh!

Yeah rang O2 and they will unlock it for free for him... hmmm the data costs issue is putting me off slightly, I use the lappy more so probs stick with my lil samsung and get a cheap PAYG deal (yeah on WTR Shelloid so cant get 12 month deal anyway!).

I personally would feel a little lost just with the thought I didn't have my mobile with me at all times, but then I do have the habit of running out of petty and having to call for assistance!

Thanks all for the thoughts