Vodafone UK Press Release (28/09/2006):

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Vodafone pay as you talk customers will be able to call any network from just 10p per minute and send texts from as little as 3p from 1 October when the new 'Anynet' and 'Anytime' calling plans replace the current 'Smartplus' and 'Smartstep' tariffs.

Responding to customer demand for control, simplicity and value by creating two straightforward plans, Vodafone UK is reducing the price of texts and offering greater value where it counts. Crucially, for pay as you talk customers, Vodafone has abolished higher call rates to other networks. For example, calls to other networks on evenings and weekends are now just 10p, giving the most competitive rate in the market.

With a standard text reduced to just 10p, customers can also benefit from extras packs, enabling them to send messages from as little as 3p each with a 500 text pack for GBP 15. Customers can get even more value as the plans can be coupled with Free Weekends and Vodafone Stop the Clock. In addition, they can also receive 10% back when they buy a top-up card by credit or debit card worth GBP 15 or more.

"Pay as you talk customers told us that they disliked paying a premium for calls to other networks. Having introduced Stop the Clock and Free Weekends, we've now reduced our pay as you talk tariff on both peak and off-peak calls to any network, giving customers greater assurance on what they are spending," says Tim Yates, Director of Vodafone's Consumer Business Unit.

"This latest initiative shows our commitment to giving customers value where they want it. Free Weekends has been incredibly popular in the three months since launch and we believe that customers will like these new plans. In combination with our great network, quality content and extras like Stop the Clock and Passport, Vodafone is removing the barriers for everyone to get more from their mobile."

All new customers activating after 1 October will go onto the new plans, whilst other customers can switch by calling 2345.

More information can be found by visiting https://www.vodafone.co.uk

bbb_uk

The press-release is here.

The two new plans are:-

Anynet (default tariff)
All peak calls p/min - 30p
All off-peak calls p/min - 10p
Text messages - 10p

Anytime (opt-in tariff)
1st 3 mins each day p/min - 30p
Thereafter p/min - 10p
Text messages - 10p

I'm guessing the cross-net calls at 10p is only available on their Anynet plan where all peak calls are 30ppm with off-peak 10ppm.

As for their Anytime plan then they are still not cheap compared to o2, etc.

o2 charge:-
1st 3 mins each day p/min - 25p
Thereafter p/min - 5p
Text messages - 10p but with o2 online you can get over 300free texts by topping up with £10 or more.

Not much change if you ask me. So much for Voda trying to be competitive. Do Voda even know what competitive means?

mobilegossip

Even though its only at E&W ,10p a min is now the best x-net rate available on payg. (without any restrictions or min top up requirements).

flagpole

Presumably this will still be in conjunction with stop the clock??? and free weekends???

bbb_uk

mobilegossip wrote:

Even though its only at E&W ,10p a min is now the best x-net rate available on payg. (without any restrictions or min top up requirements).

True but that would mean having multiple sims to make cheap calls. In most cases many people don't want this so Voda are hoping that by doing this, those people would make daytime calls at 30p/min all the time which would help offset the profit loss for the xnet calls off-peak.

mobilegossip

bbb_uk wrote:

True but that would mean having multiple sims to make cheap calls. In most cases many people don't want this so Voda are hoping that by doing this, those people would make daytime calls at 30p/min all the time which would help offset the profit loss for the xnet calls off-peak.

A lot of people only want to make E&W calls.:D So if you can combine it with stop the clock thats 30p for an offpeak x-net call of an hour.I dont know about you but i thinks thats very reasonable.

bbb_uk

mobilegossip wrote:

A lot of people only want to make E&W calls.:D So if you can combine it with stop the clock thats 30p for an offpeak x-net call of an hour.I dont know about you but i thinks thats very reasonable.

For those only making evening&weekend calls and providing you can use StopTheClock with it then it is good value.

It all really depends on usage patterns as they vary significantly.