Cheap calls to/from New Zealand?

1sttimer_2

Hi hope this is the right place for this and hope someone can help.

My DD is in NZ for a while and I would like to know the cheapest way for her to phone us and us her. Should she buy a mobile and sim card or a phone card to use on landlines. She usually phones us on payphones but we can't get in touch with her, so a mobile would be better but the cost would have to be lowish as she's doing voluntary work at the mo so not got a lot of cash, although she could buy on her cc and we could pay that for her but I think she will want the cheapest call rate possible.

This is fairly urgent as she's travelling in her gapyear and her friend has had an accident and is in hospital so we need to keep in touch. We usually MSN or e-mail but obviously that's not available all the time.

Thanks

rich_45

From memory, and I left NZ in February 2006, it would cost her 49 cents a minute to call you from a Vodafone mobile, and 20 cents per text. Have a glance at https://www.vodafone.co.nz for more info...

On the other hand, you could get really cheap phonecards out there which meant it cost just a few cents per minute. Again this was 12 months ago so it might have changed since then.

I can't help on you calling NZ though but would say it will be expensive.

Hope everything works out ok...

Rich

ahll

you could join 1899.com to get cheap calls currently

new zealand (landline) Super Deal! 1p
new zealand (mobile) 15p

This will only help from the UK end but might be something to bare in mind. There is a 4p connection charge then you just pay 1p per minute to chat to her on a landline. I hope this helps

1sttimer_2

ahll wrote:

you could join 1899.com to get cheap calls currently

new zealand (landline) Super Deal! 1p
new zealand (mobile) 15p

This will only help from the UK end but might be something to bare in mind. There is a 4p connection charge then you just pay 1p per minute to chat to her on a landline. I hope this helps

We do have 1899 so could use this if she could give us a land line number, thanks for this.

suzzi2704

I went out to New Zealand last summer and decided to get a Vodafone contract addition called 'Vodafone Passport'. It seemed like a good deal (calls to UK up to an hour for 75p connection, texts for 25p) but it's not great for long term as it ended up costing me £600 overall, though I did phone the boyfriend everyday!! Might work out if you are more sensible and less homesick than I was!!!
What I would actually recommend is buying a cheap handset which it won't matter if you lose or damage (though it must be Triband to work in New Zealand) and buying a Sim card out there for about $20, then using Pay as You Go services. My friend who I went with chose thi option and her phonebill was considerably cheaper!!

Hope she has a great time in New Zealand, am very envious!!!

bobsmum

Just back from a month in NZ. On previous visits we have used assorted phone cards as described by rich_45 above - lots to choose from, and at that time worked out about 3p-6p per minute (this was 2 years ago). Sometimes a hassle to top-up but otherwise very useful.

This trip, we took both our mobile phones (with Orange) - other half left his on to receive business calls from UK, but I got mine unlocked before I left and bought a Vodafone SIM card on arrival. In early Dec this cost NZ$35, which included $5 phone calls, and if you then register with Vodafone on their NZ website they then give you another free $20 credit. Provided you are on the Motormouth pre-pay tariff and not SupaPrePay, calls to UK (landlines or mobiles) work out at 49c per min (about 18p), texts are cheaper. Top-up credit on this scheme last 12 months. You pretty much have to go with Vodafone, as NZ Telecom mobiles don't have SIM cards.

As far as for ringing NZ on the cheap, I ring several times a week using Bestminutes or some such (see MSE IntCall Checker pages). Using these services you can get variable line quality, but at 1p per minute to NZ landlines and 10p to NZ mobiles, it's worth the occasional line hiccups.
HTH

angel

You can call New Zealand for free with Talk Talk.

My boyfriend is Canadian and we chat all the time now for free!

lewt

thats wicked angel! i didnt know that i was gunna say use skype

dunk

if you are a sky subscriber and have sky talk unlimited for £5 per month NZ is included in their unlimited free calls

jumbles_2

Our sons live there and we either Skype them ( search internet and download- talking with microphone computer to computer ( with web cam) or to call free landlines download Voipstunt,( again on internet) FREE CALLS


enjoy:T

1sttimer_2

Thanks for all this help.

My DD and friend have gone on a gapyear trip but unfortunately this week her friend has had a car accident and is hospital and we needed to keep in touch with my DD. She how is hoping to go to a B&B which we will be able to get the number for so will be able to get in touch. Friends mum says to get a mobile so she can contact her anytime, whether she's at the hospital or wherever, she also has hospital number but as we aren't parents don't think this was feasible for us.

Prev to this she blogged, e-mailed, or sometimes we were lucky enough to MSN with her. All depended where she was and the time difference etc. This time it is not just for chats because of the situation. Friends parent is going out so hope this will help matters. It's a very upsetting time for them. The worst thing we worried about before they went has happened! I'm glad they went though, they've had a absolutely fantastic time till this.