Mobile phones in New Zealand

Just wondering if you guys would recommend any mobile phone providers, or maybe there are some to avoid outright (?) When you sign up for a plan, do you get a phone with it in most cases? We're wondering if we should buy an unlocked one in Canada before we leave, or just wait til we get to NZ.

I think they're pretty much all the same really. I don't have a plan, I use the prepaid option with 2 Degrees where I pay $19 a month for 500MB of data, unlimited text messaging, and 100 free minutes calling and that suits me fine. I wouldn't worry about buying phones in Canda first, you can get some pretty flash ones here:

Dunno what everyone else thinks...

There are three main networks.

http://www.spark.co.nz/shop/mobile.html

http://www.vodafone.co.nz/mobile/

http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/home * (2 degrees runs their own networks in the major urban areas (they say 97% of the population) but use vodafone's network when outside of their own network)

The other mobile companies are basically resellers of these three.

2 Degrees is cheapest for ongoing costs but may have less 4g coverage (it's expanding), but they are all much of a muchness. I run Spark because it's a work phone, my girlfriend uses 2degrees because its cheaper, I haven't noticed a difference between them.

As far as phones your probably best to buy here, that way you know the phone will work with the network. If you buy in Canada you will need to make sure that the radio frequencies that the phone supports are compatible with one of the NZ networks.

Phones are generally unlocked so you can buy say an iphone from apple or another network and run it on your network, otherwise you can get discounts for signing up to a contract, or you can get a termless contract and buy the phone for full price.

NZ has poor selection of phones compared with Asia.

2degrees has good casual rates, everyone else similar for prepay packages or monthly plans (not sure about skinny, looks a bit cheaper for plans).

Spark supposedly better coverage, but rural still a bit naff.

buy a huawei.

buy a huawei.

Limited selection of phones and very expensive compared to europe. But probably not much worse than Canada.

Thanks! Very helpful info!

I use a Samsung Galaxy S3 prepaid with Vodafone. Data amount is crap but the "best mate" is good.

My NZ phone works on Bell over here though I chose a phone I knew would work in most countries. I noticed I seem to use a lot less data in Canada than I did in NZ. I'm using my phone about the same about but using around half the data.

If you want LTE in NZ I'd get the phone there. Bell Canada and Spark NZ's LTE bands are slightly different but do have at least one band in common. I'm not sure about the other providers

NZ Football uses a fax

Do you find the Canadian rates are high by comparison? A lot of people here complain about our rates. We just need something pretty basic.

Our local Toronto FC team uses morse code.

Yea I'm spending about $20 more per month after tax. I thought it was expensive in NZ until I moved here.

I thought as much. I think we've got the highest rates in the world here. Crazy!

We still use tin cans and string in Hawkes Bay!

In Korea, the level of telecommunications is astounding.   However, it is an extremely conservative society in many other ways. For example, the war against sexyism occurs on a day-to-day basis

You should be able to use your phone from Canada here on a different provider, you may have to change some network settings, but they can do that in shop for you.

that's what I did with my phone from overseas anyway.

Would it not be easier to just change the Sim?

I'll be sure to pack some of those then!

What happened is my phone died. I mean, like un-saveable died.  At the moment, I've borrowed one from a family member, since it's not worth signing up for a whole new plan for just two more months.  That's why we were wondering about buying a new one, here, or waiting til we get to NZ.

No need. Hawkes Bay is a progressive backwater. It has a cannery so a good selection of cans available. 

It does import string from Palmerston North, so if you can get hold of the finest Canadian string, you will be warmly welcomed 

Consider it done. We'll be there with strings attached.

Oooh. Flash Orclander are you?

Hamilton style:

Wellington fashion (taken at Red Rocks)":

Christchurch (uses 0.5G network):

Hawkes Bay:

Rest of NZ:

ahahaha - awesome!!