DennisBergkamp

Hi,

Can you guys help recommend what network to use
I am likely to get a pay as you go

I am buying a phone from the UK and unlocking it before i head to NZ so i can use it with any network.

Is this recommended? Will an unlocked phone work with most NZ networks?

thanks

nzhammer

Hi Dennis,

I bought an unlocked Nokia the last time I was in the UK as they're much cheaper and more up to date there. I use it on Vodafone prepay and have had no problems at all. I assume an unlocked phone will work similarly well on the other networks.

Cheers.

saoghalbeag

My kiwi mates recommended 2 degrees. I got the SIM at Warehouse Stationery for about $20 (also came with $20 credit). That was about a fortnight ago and I still have plenty of credit left & that's with calling and texting to Australia as well as all the extra calls I've had to make re: travel arrangements, looking for work/house/childcare. They also have international calling packs that give you cheaper rates to overseas countries but so far I haven't had a chance to look into that.

I definitely recommend them - SO much better value than Australian prepay deals! I also used 2 degrees whilst on 2 week holiday here last year and found the coverage pretty good - obvious drop outs along the west coast etc.

Newfies

WE have just changed over to 2 degrees from vodafone. So far so good.

We changed from vodafone as apart from being ripped of with the cost of text and calls Vodafone introduced a fee for calling their call centre when you had a problem with their service. I dont know about anyone else but I am not into paying to complain about bad service!

We brought sim cards for $20 which had $20 credit on them took about 5 minutes to register the sim etc and away we went.

We took our numbers over with us which took about 3 hours to change over and got an extra $10 credit for registering our address.

Here is hoping to a long and trouble free friendship with 2 degrees.

shelloid

we went with 2 degrees.

Were gonna go with Vodafone pay monthly to get the $30 deal with one number unlimited calls/texts, but as we're on the 9 month WTR (as I think you are) they wouldn't let us have a contract, as have to sign up for a min 12 month contract. Didn't matter that we argued we were here to stay.

So we ended up going with a $2 2 degrees sim and have been well happy with them. The coverage in Welly is absolutely fine. We generally top up $20 at a time - that gives 100 free texts for any NZ mobile that are valid for one month - 2c after using all the free texts and then 9c per text after the month is up. And for the first month any calls to landlines/UK landlines/other 2 degrees mobiles are 22c per min. After that they are 44c per min.

As we don't have too many friends yet in NZ and have mostly been talking to/texting each other (me and OH) we've found that $20 is lasting us about 2 months. Not bad at all I say!!

MnB

As others have said ....would def recommend 2 Degrees over Vodaphone. We had no problems at all, used unlocked UK phones.
B x

sue1234

I have a samsung,unlocked and on 2 degrees, no probs

tonz76

Would recomend 2 degress network used them while we were out there in feb good value too. I used it in my uk phone even while i had a contract back home with no probs.

AndyR

Go with 2 degrees on PAYG over here. Biggest thing for us was the credit is valid for 12 months unlike other networks at the time which expired after 30 days.

faye_h

UK phones don't work on the Telecom network out here but then I wouldn't recommend going with Telecom anyway!!

Woodlea

Agreed, but if you have teenage kids they will want Telecom because ALL their friends will be on Telecom (because of the historically good text deals).
If you have teens don't bother with 2° or Vodafone compatible phones as they will just sit in the cupboard!

Charismatic

I’ve got both Telecon and Vodafone. Will be leaving Telecom for 2 degrees soon though. As mentioned phones are cheaper elsewhere and better availability (buy a dual sim!). I bought a Motorola Aura from the internet because I just couldn’t get one here in NZ.

AndyR

iPhones do. You can check which phones do work here - http://www.telecom.co.nz/mobile/ourn...ecompatibility

But stay with 2degrees, much better!

DennisBergkamp

As part of pay as you go
is that just for texts and minutes, or can you get a bundle which includes some internet time

thanks for all the replies. I'm getting a phone off the net now and looking for 2 degrees when i get to NZ

Justcol

2 dergrees launched their own 3G network yesterday so they are slowly
takingon the big 2. i dont think their 3G network has national coverage yet
but they are the smallest of the 3 main networks down here.
like others i wouldnt touch Telecom but i only ever use prepay and Vodafone
have been fine for me.