Android phone monthly charges

[slofox]

What sort of data plans and costs are out there for android phones?

One day my trusty old Nokia is going to fall off the perch and I'll be faced with replacement. Being a tight arse about phones I wonder if I can afford to run an android. So tell me about your plans please. Providers, costs, data caps etc. Oh and experiences with different providers would be good if you have had any memorable ones...

T'anx

[iYRe]

all providers suck.

I've used an android phone for about 4 years... I rarely use more than 200mb of data a month. I just make sure I use wireless when ever possible. Even when I am out doing "social media" stuff for work (facebook/twatter updates etc) - I still rarely get to 300 mb.. if you're gonna use your 5MP camera and upload gobs of pics to farcebook, you're gonna use a lot. If you're just going to get emails, upload the occasional pic, and so forth, then 2-300 mb is heaps (and use 3g watchdog to keep track).

Dont use telecom, coverage is good, data is suck. Vf is ok, service sucks. 2 Deg is either telecom or VF anyway, service is marginally better

(just my opinion, anecdotal not actual facts)

[whowhatwhere]

2 degrees prepay sim. $19 for 30 mins, 300 texts and 300mb. Lasts one month.

[The Lone Rider]

I think I'm paying $12 a month for 2500 text and 10 mins free calls to landlines. Cost incurs for data access over mobile network, but I always just connect by wifi to my own network or coffee shops etc..

[SMOKEU]

All mobile phone companies in NZ are a rip off, and performance is poor.

2 degrees is probably the cheapest (but still ridiculously overpriced). Make sure you turn the phone data connection off when you don't need it as updates and syncing can cost a lot of money.

[GingerMidget]

Try to avoid porting to XT. I did, and they screwed it up right from the beginning. It took 4 months of weekly harrassment on my behalf for them to sort it out, and in the end I gave up and said just give me a new number, credit me the months I couldn't receive messages or calls from my boss! and I won't go back to vodafone. I got 3 months worth of account credit, and an apology. Then I couldn't receive any texts. Needless to say, I refused to pay my bill, because I couldn't access the service they were charging me for. So another account credit. Once my contract is up, bye bye telescum

[SMOKEU]

I've had a lot of problems with Telecom and their customer service is diabolical. 2 degrees have given me good customer service.

[The Lone Rider]

Only problem with 2degree and other non-telecom companies is their broadcast areas are lacking.

More coverage with Telecom.

[ckai]

I'm on a Smartphone 40 I think with the Telescum. $40 and I get 500mb data, 300 txt I think and 50 minutes. Suits me sweet.

What a lot of people don't realise is that mobile data chews through your battery super quick. Set the phone for wifi if you have it where you work/live and your battery lasts twice as long at least. I only found that out a few months back. So I actually use stuff all data since I'm pretty much always on wifi. It also means I have a crap load of data when I'm wandering and bored to look at porn!

2 degrees is cheaper but their coverage is ass and there customer service is asser. I was with vodafone for ages but got sick of their crummy coverage as well. I not only moved to Telecom because of the more suited coverage for me but also cause the wife is a customer service rep for them ;) She's actually one of the few that get shit sorted and knows what she's talking about. I know a lot don't. But all the companies are like that. They have brain dead people trying to answer technical questions.

I reckon pick the company that has the best coverage for you. And when you check get the rep to look at the detailed map, not the bullshit that customers can see. That's very much a rough guess.

[5150]

I am on VF $45 Data plan.

100 minutes talk, 2500 texts and 1.3 gig data
On top of that I get extra 1000 txts to one best mate as well as 1000 best mate minutes all per manth

[Gremlin]

What a lot of people don't realise is that mobile data chews through your battery super quick. Set the phone for wifi if you have it where you work/live and your battery lasts twice as long at least. I only found that out a few months back.
The old trick here is turning off 3G if you don't need it. When the phone is on 2G its constantly looking for a better signal, ie, 3G. The constant hunting for 3G was battery intensive, so you could double the life by turning off 3G. With Telecom XT this doesn't work of course, as the network is 3G only.

Performance wise, it varies a bit from area to area, but on balance I believe Telecom is faster with better coverage.

Slofox, data wise, Android, iPhone, Windows, Symbian, they all fall under general data with the same costs. Only BlackBerry requires the more expensive BlackBerry data plans.

[EJK]

I am on VF $45 Data plan.

100 minutes talk, 2500 texts and 1.3 gig data
On top of that I get extra 1000 txts to one best mate as well as 1000 best mate minutes all per manth

+me the same plan except I'm on 12 months contract so -$5 discount montly charges.

Like they already said above, all plans kinda suck. Especially data plans, they rip us off like the end of the world.

[scracha]

+me the same plan except I'm on 12 months contract so -$5 discount montly charges.

Like they already said above, all plans kinda suck. Especially data plans, they rip us off like the end of the world.

Dont' understand why folks go for contracts here.... I just use pre-pay.....buy them talk/text/data packs on XT and seem to get by OK on about $20 to $30 per month. If I bollux up my data usage etc then it gives plenty warning and worst case scenario, I'm not left with a massive bill because I can only use what I've paid for. XT is clearly faster and has better coverage. Got the other phone on Vodafone so I'm not biased. 2 degrees is a waste of time unless you're in one of the larger towns.

[slofox]

Thanks all - gives me plenty to think about.

[Padmei]

If you are buying a smart phone please don't buy a Motorola Milestone. i've got one & its great at everything except making phonecalls - I thought it was only me until a customer starting complaining about how crap his one is.
Imagine the conversation when we were both talking to each other on our phones - plenty of "sorry can you repeat":laugh:
On the other hand i got a telecom plan with it that saved me about $20 a month on calls - costs about $60/ month vs $90 previously

[Asher]

I use the 2 degrees $19 combo: 2500 texts, 30mins and 50mb which i find to be heaps except for the data but now i just have my data turned off and only turn it on when i want to use it.

Does anyone have problems with their phones getting stuck on emergency mode? i have bad reception where i live which is why it goes into it but the only way it goes back to normal is by me rebooting it. Fucking annoying

[The Singing Chef]

$39 P/m plan. 2500 texts, 200 minutes, 100mb data (Fuck all) I have turned my data off now because as well as chewing through the battery I went way over the limit and got stung for it(this is when I first got one of these fancy phones)

2Degrees has been awesome with me, they constantly up your plan for free and if, like me, you go over your limit and spend a shit load, they will offer you a better plan with better deals. They also have a spend cap so you can't spend more than you would like to which I have enabled now.

Customer service is stellar, friendly New Zealanders to talk to. You are not speaking to Bishnu calling from the Kwik e Mart over in Punjab trying to work past language barriers and call quality.

[scracha]

Customer service is stellar, friendly New Zealanders to talk to. You are not speaking to Bishnu calling from the Kwik e Mart over in Punjab trying to work past language barriers and call quality.

Spoken like a true redneck.....you should move to Christchurch.

Anyways...again.... 2 degrees is great until you're outside a major city....and then it's useless.

[The Singing Chef]

Spoken like a true redneck.....you should move to Christchurch.

Anyways...again.... 2 degrees is great until you're outside a major city....and then it's useless.

I would, but I prefer my Martini's stirred. There have been some places that I haven't had coverage in the wap waps, though it has been reasonably good for me.

[BMWST?]

surely the whole point of an android is the data/web ability....if you dont need that get a "dumb" phone???

[The Singing Chef]

surely the whole point of an android is the data/web ability....if you dont need that get a "dumb" phone???

Na, I use a lot of apps and handy little things on my phone that other "dumb" phones don't have. Google maps is a good one, but I only turn the data on and use it when I need too.