Our son has a new phone, his first, soley so he can contact us and us to contact him. He is 11 in a few weeks, and will ride to school soon.We want something cheap but functional in terms of plan, for this ability to receive and send calls. Exceptionally low volume, doesn't need data, but if it had a little that would be good.He won't be using it for now, as anything other than a voice calling device.Cheers
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Kids Voice Plan
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Suggestions for best Network
Currently I am on Skinny Direct (think it's now closed for new customers) and for $3o per month get 4Gb data. I would really like Internet)Wifi calling as I use signal and it would allow me to send MMS. Presently I cannot send MMS as with prepay there is no way to pay for the MMS fee.Looking for suggestions for which Network is best for what I want.
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Sim cards available in isolation hotels?
A friend is returing to NZ and will be in a hotel for the 14 day mandatory thing. Does anyone know if sim cards from the main carriers are on the counter in these hotels?
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TUANZ 5G page - what you need to know
Just received:TUANZ (Technology Users Association of NZ) has for over 30 years been committed to helping users understand new communications technologies and the benefits that these bring for both companies and consumers.To ensure that members as well as the general public have an independent source of easy to understand information, TUANZ has launched a new resource about the next evolution of mobile communications, known as 5G, on their website. Here users can find simple explanations of the technology along with links to further detailed information, as well as being able to download a simple fact sheet. 'We also know that there is a significant amount of misinformation on social media on what 5G is and the unverified health risks associated with this new technology' said Craig Young, CEO of TUANZ. ' Our new site provides brief and simple explanations of why this risk is overstated and provides links to credible scientific information that debunks any theories.'Young also has a message to those who consider that the current actions of damaging mobile towers is an acceptable form of protest. 'There is absolutely no scientific evidence that 5G, or any mobile network, has in any way contributed to the current Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, damaging equipment at this time only serves to disrupt those communities, families and whanau who are in isolation in need of being connected for their health and wellbeing, and in particular disrupts and causes harm for children who are now in the new school term, learning from home.'The information can be found on the TUANZ website from a link on the homepage or at https://tuanz.org.nz/articles-research/5g/. The association is committed to updating the site with new information as it becomes available.
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Android that offers carrier display in status bar
Hi All, Can someone recommend a brand of Android phone that displays the carrier name in the top status bar (like some older models of iPhone)? This is a personal preference but also useful as I do travel overseas frequently (roaming purposes)I have seen Huawei phones have this option but other android handsets don't? Are there any others that do?Many thanks,
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Kogan Mobile 365 Days offers are back
Kogan Mobile is back with up to 40% off on their 365 day plans. A good bargain i believe.
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One phone number, two handsets
Is this possible? Do any of our Telcos in NZ offer this. My wife works in a small pilates studio, just her and the owner of the business. The have an office phone which their clients used to contact them on. They would just hand over the physical handset in the past but that's not possible now as they're both working remotely. Is it possible to have 1 phone number that can be accessed by two different handsets? If a client rings or sends a text message then either of them could answer it or respond?
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Number porting fraud - some ways to fix it?
I saw this article on stuff which got me thinking - what can we do to prevent number porting fraud? Ultimately my gut feeling is an SMS alone should not be enough to reset a password online, let alone one that gives you full access to a bank account. Unfortunately, ANZ, SBS and Westpac (asks for a security question first) all allow your password to be reset over SMS with fairly minimal checks involved.So what checks are done before your number is ported out? Only two things are checked before your number is ported. These are:Losing carrier, i.e. the old providerPhone number;Depending on the account type: Prepaid mobiles - SIM numberPostpay mobiles - account numberWithout physically having the SIM card on-hand, in which case all bets are off anyway, it is relatively difficult to find the SIM number. I'm not aware of any provider that emails it or shows it in their online portal. However, for postpay customers, assuming your email or physical mail is compromised in some way it's quite likely that a hacker could find your bill which likely has your account number on it. Accordingly, if the hacker has access to your bill & you're on postpay - your number can now be ported out.Some ideas to stop this: (Ordering from (IMO) best to worst)Amend the porting process so that once the port is accepted by both carriers a txt message is sent to the number with a unique link to an online portal to confirm the port. Enable does this when you switch UFB providers and it works really because it also lets you specify the date you'd like it to happenPros: Requires you to have physical access to the number to port it = significantly more secure, wouldn't require any changes on the carriers side, doesn't rely on any one carrier to securely implement it, i.e. no carrier weaknesses.Cons: Slightly delays the porting processRequire a unique security code for porting - similar to UDAI used for .nz domains.Cons: Could be a pain to securely store & transmit the information to the customer, i.e. if their online portal account got compromised"Porting lock" on your account - similar to that used on .com domains & on credit files where any port would be automatically rejected unless you changed the flag on your accountCons: Could be a pain to securely store & transmit the information to the customer, i.e. if their online portal account got compromisedRequire the SIM number for postpay, as it is currently for prepayWhat do you think?
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Fax machine cannot be used
Fax- Facsimile- anyone remember it? Has anyone any idea why I am told that a fax machine cannot now be used on a voice circuit like a Wi-Fi phone network? Presumably too, VoIP? But will work connected directly to copper. Surely, somewhere, cabinet or exchange, the signal will be digitised (what a word) anyway. Peter
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Choose your own mobile number options ?
Hi, I was considering getting an easier to remember number for my mum so was looking at what carriers provide the option to choose your own number. But I don't want to pay much, and she's not a heavy user. So any carriers which only provide this for postpaid customers (E.g. Vodafone, Black & White) are likely out of the question as even if I only sign up for 1 month on a no term contract, I'll probably be paying $39 or something. So far, the options I'm aware of are 2degrees who provide it for free for the first number (+ cost of SIM card if you don't have one) and Skinny who provide it for $5 (+$2 cost of SIM card if you don't have one). Are there any other options I'm missing? Also, slightly the wrong forum since it's Skinny specific, but does anyone know what sort of numbers Skinny has available? I can't seem to find any info unlike I can for 2degrees (I also have a 2degrees prepay account so can check for my self specific nymbers). Cheers
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RBI and ADSL
HiSorry if this is a stupid question but I was wondering if it is possible to have both ADSL and RBI in my house at the same time?I live on a rural property and currently have ADSL2 but my house has previously had RBI set up in it (antenna is still on the roof) I'm interested in the RBI for myself and keeping the ADSL for everyone else in the household (4 adults + children)
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Vodafone delay eSIM launch to 2021
For those of us holding our collective breath on Vodafone's promise of eSim by mid 2020, we will either have to jump ship to Spark or face another year of delay.I was already prepared to jump ship when Apple launched the Apple Watch Series 5 LTE last year, but Vodafone begged everyone to stay with the promise that they would have eSIM by "mid 2020". Vodafone cited the past few weeks of COVID-19 issues as the reason for the additional year of delay. One wonders if they had actually made any progress over the previous 9 months since their first promise, or why they waited until it was time to deliver before announcing the next delay.Hello, Spark! Here I come!From Vodafone eSIM page ..."As part of our 5G ecosystem rollout, we will integrate eSIMs for eligible mobile devices. We're expecting to have this functionality available on Pay Monthly plans in 2021.""...as there is eSIM capability and features in the 4G environment, we will aim to support this when we begin rolling out eSIMs in 2021, with delays from originally expected timelines as a result of COVID-19 and project reprioritisation."
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How to get better mobile numbers?
Anyone any idea how to get a better mobile number? The one I got for my daughter is hard to remember...
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Kogan NZ connects to Vodafone 5G
Just realised that kogan connects and utilise 5g here in Auckland. I was really hesitant to go full 1yr but I think I'm gonna pull the trigger now. No additional charge required.
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Cel-Fi Mobile Phone Signal Booster Device
Hi,Just looking into the only legal mobile phone boosters in NZ at the moment, Cel-Fi, and noticed that they seem to only sell devices that lock into one mobile phone provider e.g just for Vodafone, or just for 2degrees or just for Spark. Is there one that is able to repeat all three at once just cause the household may be on more than one provider's network?Thanks.
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Maximum supported LTE CAT / CA modes by NZ carriers?
Does anyone happen to know the maximum LTE Categories (i.e. CAT16, CAT18 etc) & Carrier Aggregation modes (4x20MHz etc) supported by 2degrees, Vodafone and Spark?I'm trying to work out which highest spec LTE chips would be supported out of: https://www.qualcomm.com/snapdragon/modems/comparisonAnd: http://www.fibocom.com/prod_view.aspx?TypeId=75&Id=317&FId=t3:75:3
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Kogan Text message outage
Looks like Kogan is having issues with sending text messages. Messages can be received but can't be sent. Anyone has any update on this?
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VoLTE in NZ
Does any know if NZ will ever get VoLTE? And why it's taking so long?
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Spark 4G lag/ping is double than Vodafone 4G
I've been travelling around NZ in a mobile home for the last 3 years with my wife and kids. To be "connected" as much as possible, we decided to be on different networks. I'm with Spark (on skinny), and my wife is on Vodafone (on KoganMobile). We also use an RBI modem on Vodafone (via Netspeed) in the mobile home, and Spark (on Skinny Wireless) in our home.What I've noticed is that Vodafone on 4G generally has the lowest lag (ping). In good coverage, and during offpeak, it can be as low as 20ms, usually around 30ms. However Spark 4G lag has consistently been above 50ms in the same circumstances.I thought that perhaps, this is because a lot of Spark's sites are ex-Telecom analogue sites that are radio-fed rather than fibre-fed, like a lot of Vodafone's sites are. But these results can are irrelevant of location - urban, rural, Auckland, Taupo, Waiouru, Bennydale, Opotiki, Te Kaha, Christchurch, Greymouth or Arthur's Pass (just to name a few). Also, what I found strange is that this lag is also present on the shared RCG sites. Just last week, I was in front of the Raurimu RCG site (which I believe is fibre-fed for all operators) and I was getting 21ms on Vodafone and 48ms on Spark.Has anyone else noticed that? Does anyone "in-the-know" care to comment?
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What are everyone's opinion on Kogan mobile please?
I've been with 2degrees (in Auckland) for over 5 years (or something like that). I am on the 30/month plan, and buy my own phones so no extras to pay. Looking at https://www.glimp.co.nz/mobile/compare kogan comes up quite competitively. Would you recommend them in terms of coverage and reliability please? Thanks.
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