Mobile Data Price Plans 09/23/06
So we’ve all heard about Vodafone NZ’s soon to be launched mobile broadband data plans. You get a whopping 1GB for just $49 a month. Hmmm….sounds like I am getting ripped off…..and here’s proof. We live in a global economy, connected by the internet, where you can get access to just about anything, like T-mobile’s UK mobile data plans:
- For £7.50 per month…Web browsing and E-Mail access only. 1GB fair use policy.
- For £12.50 a month…Web browsing, Email, Modem Use, Streaming Media, Downloads and IM (NO VOIP). 3GB fair usage policy.
- For £22.50 a month…Everything, including VOIP. 10GB fair usage policy.[b]There will also be a dedicated data card tariff.
(Currently £1 = NZ$2.88)
Is it just me? Or are these packages looking more like what may sway people away from fixed line broadband?
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Just been browsing the VOdafone NZ site to and thought I’d post Vodafone’s data pricing plans or comparitive purposes.
Plan Monthly access fee Included data Additional
Casual $0.00 0 MB $10.00/
Mobilise Data 3MB $10.00 3 MB $2.00 Mobilise Data 15MB $19.00 15 MB $1.50
Broadband Starter $39.95 200 MB $0.50 Broadband Everyday $59.95 1 GB $0.50
In summary: These plans are characteristic of a dupolisitc market player. I appreciate the good people at Vodafone need to keep network capacity in mind, but this is way over the top. The plans also exclude any VOIP useage. Also, at these prices, they are basically saying, if you want to buy mobile content, you have to buy it from our portal. If you buy, say, an mp3 from an off portal site, you are going to be charged for the song + data charges on top. We are talking over 1MB here. At 1c per kilobyte, that is equal to $10 + you pay for ‘unseen’ data charges, which plus 1 point ot Vodafone, they are good enough to disclose on their website. They are also locking out any potential competition from VOIP based calling services, like mobile Skype. The 2 broadband plans (the only ones worth considering in this day and age) tie you down for 24 months, with arly termination fees in the hundreds.
Mobile CAN be a viable new channel for driving new economic opportunities. Just look at the T-mobile procing above….
For the same price as Vodafone’s ‘It doesn’t cost as much as you think’ $49 per month, 24 month contract, hundreds in cancellation fees, 1GB data plan (that excludes VOIP,) if we were fortunate enough to live in the UK, we would be enjoying 10GB that includes everything you can do with your land connction (Web browsing, Email, Modem Use, Streaming Media, Downloads ,IM and VOIP.) FOR THE SAME PRICE!
Vodafone could offer a compelling plan (3GB of 3G for $33/month on a 18 month contract) and really give Land based internet providers a run for their money. Instead they seem happy to exercise complaceny and give Telstra a window of opportunity when they enter the market next year. Wifi enabled phones and then Wimax will soon offer other alternatives also. Having a wi-fi enabled handset means you don’t even need a mobile data plan. Just make sure you are near a wi-fi hotspot. These are lacking in coverage in New Zealand at the moment, but that is soon to change…
The government has been heavily focused on speeding up internet and lowering its cost to end users. Mobile broadband appears to have been an oversight in their regulation.
I hear Telecom are obligated, under the commerce commissions ruling, to provide ‘Naked DSL’ that means broadband, without the need for a fixed phone line to go with it. This is certailnly something to look forward to and in line with this discussion, it is yet another reason for Vodafone too seriously revise their mobile broadband offerings, before better alternatives hit the market. Give me a good offer ‘n i’ll be happy to sing a 24 month contract, but no way is that going to happen with the current offerings.