Telecom XT and Vodafone rip off

**scracha** · 20th May 2009, 21:21

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/telecom...-little-102634

So with the exception of faster downloads (when the network isn't too busy and the piece of string connecting this country to the rest of the world isn't overloaded) in a few city centres, basically fuck all's changed. The coverage on both networks will still be $hite. The pricing is will still be incomprehensible and ridiculously overpiced. The contracts will be stupidly long. Signal faded calls will still not be refunded. The "round up to nearest minute" rip off will still continue. There will still be no roaming between the two networks even though they use the same technology.

What a crock of shit. How many shares in Telecon and Vodyfoney do the pricks that run the Commerce Commission own?

Woo... 200MB. Is this 2009?

**Dave Lobster** · 20th May 2009, 21:25

Neither company makes you buy their products.

**scracha** · 20th May 2009, 21:31

Originally Posted by Dave Lobster

Neither company makes you buy their products.

Well this is supposedly a 1st world country and to conduct business these days, mobile coverage is pretty much essential. So yes, essentially I am forced to buy their shitty products.

**disenfranchised** · 20th May 2009, 21:33

Originally Posted by scracha

Woo... 200MB. Is this 2009?

Not that I'm advocating Telecom...but it is a mobile phone, not your home PC.

I use my mobile internet for syncing email and browsing the odd webpage...trademe, news sites etc.

I'd be luckly to use more than 20MB per month

Things for mobiles are small...you just don't use that much data

**Slicksta** · 20th May 2009, 21:37

Originally Posted by scracha

http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/telecom...-little-102634

So with the exception of faster downloads (when the network isn't too busy and the piece of string connecting this country to the rest of the world isn't overloaded) in a few city centres, basically fuck all's changed. The coverage on both networks will still be $hite. The pricing is will still be incomprehensible and ridiculously overpiced. The contracts will be stupidly long. Signal faded calls will still not be refunded. The "round up to nearest minute" rip off will still continue. There will still be no roaming between the two networks even though they use the same technology.

What a crock of shit. How many shares in Telecon and Vodyfoney do the pricks that run the Commerce Commission own?

Woo... 200MB. Is this 2009?

What? What about shared plans with up to ten people? What about free calling between those ten people? What about no more on-net and off-net calling prices? That is all comin out with XT

And 200megs is heaps for if your not using your smart phone to download porn all day rather than cheaking email and TM ect
For comparison, something like 85% of people use less than 3gb their fixed line.

If you dont like it wait till nz coms brings out 2 Degrees

**scracha** · 20th May 2009, 21:42

Originally Posted by disenfranchised

Not that I'm advocating Telecom...but it is a mobile phone, not your home PC.

I use my mobile internet for syncing email and browsing the odd webpage...trademe, news sites etc.

I'd be luckly to use more than 20MB per month

Things for mobiles are small...you just don't use that much data

Nope, you're seriously mis-informed if you think mobile data is just for mobile phones. The economic penalty this country suffers from the multitude of IT literate workers of being unable to travel around and use their laptops and other data aware tools and applications is immense.

Aside from this, video calls, downloading videos, music etc? A large amount of NZ's populace who are outwidth the range of ADSL ("normal" broadband) and in many other countries the "normal" broadband is via mobile data.

Don't end up a Telecom phanboy comparing them to Vodafone. Compare both of the swines to the rest of the world. We're getting a $hit deal and paying through the nose for it. I'm forced to use them both.

85% of people IN NEW ZEALAND use less than 3GB on their fixed line. Might be something to do with the pricing structure over here? Think of all the useful tools and applications that are available with decent and fast data.

Woo, I can share my plan with 10 people. I call about 30 different people a day mate. Their plans are 2nd rate.

**p.dath** · 20th May 2009, 21:48

If your cautious 200MB of data isn't too bad. I've blown my 200MB plan out several times, and ended up going to a 1GB plan.The classic example is when a windows service pack comes out. Windows downloads it in the background. I remember one that was 350MB, and cost me around $1700 in excess data charges (and hence the move to the 1GB plan ...).

**Squiggles** · 20th May 2009, 21:52

Doesnt setting a competitive price mean it'll be the same cost as, or only a bit more than, everyone else?

**Slicksta** · 20th May 2009, 21:56

Originally Posted by scracha

Nope, you're seriously mis-informed if you think mobile data is just for mobile phones. The economic penalty this country suffers from the multitude of IT literate workers of being unable to travel around and use their laptops and other data aware tools and applications is immense.

Aside from this, video calls, downloading videos, music etc? A large amount of NZ's populace who are outwidth the range of ADSL ("normal" broadband) and in many other countries the "normal" broadband is via mobile data.

Don't end up a Telecom phanboy comparing them to Vodafone. Compare both of the swines to the rest of the world. We're getting a $hit deal and paying through the nose for it. I'm forced to use them both.

85% of people IN NEW ZEALAND use less than 3GB on their fixed line. Might be something to do with the pricing structure over here? Think of all the useful tools and applications that are available with decent and fast data.

Woo, I can share my plan with 10 people. I call about 30 different people a day mate. Their plans are 2nd rate.

Do you think NZ with its 4mil people is worth while for a telco to invest in and charge next to nothing for there services?

Of course its cheaper in other countries im sorry thats the way it is always gonna be welcome to NZ

**Rayray401** · 20th May 2009, 22:05

Originally Posted by Slicksta

Do you think NZ with its 4mil people is worth while for a telco to invest in and charge next to nothing for there services?

Of course its cheaper in other countries im sorry thats the way it is always gonna be welcome to NZ

agreed there...we are on the arse of the world..lol..most of asias already using fibre optics (XT technology here), on top of not having enough competition in NZ, telecoms not going to care if you change to vodafone..or vice versa..NZ just not a country to be having all the up to date technology..we're too far away from everyoneelse, not worth investing in..

**scracha** · 21st May 2009, 07:06

Originally Posted by Slicksta

Do you think NZ with its 4mil people is worth while for a telco to invest in and charge next to nothing for there services?

Of course its cheaper in other countries im sorry thats the way it is always gonna be welcome to NZ

I've heard that argument dozens of times. There are many other countries with similar or smaller populations who have better and cheaper telecommunications costs.

**Edbear** · 21st May 2009, 08:04

Originally Posted by Slicksta

Do you think NZ with its 4mil people is worth while for a telco to invest in and charge next to nothing for there services?

Of course its cheaper in other countries im sorry thats the way it is always gonna be welcome to NZ

Originally Posted by scracha

I've heard that argument dozens of times. There are many other countries with similar or smaller populations who have better and cheaper telecommunications costs.

NZ is not just a small country with a small population, it is not in Europe either.

Other interntional Telco's have come here, checked the population and the geography and decided they couldn't afford to set up a netowrk here. Telstra Clear is a combimation of Telstra Australia investing a few billion in NZ buying the Saturn and Clear networks, but have been a relatively small player, though being the second largest Telco here and able to service Govt. and large Enterprise.

The main issue other than our antiquated physical network is in mobile coverage which is notoriously difficult given the geography of the country and the small isolated population spread, making country-wide coverage a very expensive proposition, hence 2 Degrees using Vodafone's network for most of the country and Telstra Clear using Telecom's. If Telstra Clear can get access to the XT or Vodafone Networks, it can directly source technology from Teltsra Australia saving huge costs.

As an aside, to bring a bit of reality to the situation, 4G and XT is fine for the future and necessary, however the current Telecom CDMA network can deliver for most people and businesses everything they require in data and communications and has the advantage of a generally greater coverage of the country. So anyone upgrading their phone can currently get dual-mode CDMA/GSM phones that give the best of both worlds for roaming from such as Telstra Clear including the Blackberry 8830 and the latest Samsung i325 and the new Samsung flip-phone. As well, CDMA is going to be around at least until 2012 by which time XT and Vodafone's 4G will have most of the bugs ironed out and hopefully match CDMA for geographical coverage.

**Dave Lobster** · 21st May 2009, 08:05

Many? I think that's a bit of a stretch.. Name ten of them.

Each cell site costs in the region of a million bucks to get installed. Is a new telco going to invest enough money to run another network? Considering they'll do well to get 1/3 of the population as customers.. I doubt it very much.
If a company has that much money to invest in a mobile network, they'll be in india where you can sign up 1.6 million new customers every month.