New Zealand Phone SIM

mikebs

Hello,
I am travelling to New Zealand early next year for 6 weeks.
Would it be better to buy a phone sim locally in New Zealand on arrival or buy a Roam Further Pass from EE who are my mobile phone provider here in the UK.

Many thanks for any suggestions

bradders1983

You could pick up a Three one, although I dont know if they allow a continuous six weeks abroad, you would need to check the terms.

Toucan_toucan

We bought a Vodafone SIM at Auckland airport when we landed - there are people selling them as you walk through duty free once you're off the plane. They do a 60 day one:

https://www.vodafone.co.nz/travel-sim/

I can't remember what the other networks are, but have a look on the Tripadvisor forum, there's loads of threads there about it.

mikebs

Thanks for the replies.
I just wondering if anybody had any experience of the EE Roam Further Pass and whether it's a viable alternative as I already have 20Gb data allowance.

sazaccount

Depends on how much the addon here are like EE/3 compared with looking at about $60 NZD for the sim for 6 weeks with decent Gb allowance, you can get a cheap skinny or 2degrees sim when you arrive for pay out a little more for the vodafone tourist sim but convenience of getting it at the airport.

eDicky

mikebs wrote: »

I just wondering if anybody had any experience of the EE Roam Further Pass and whether it's a viable alternative as I already have 20Gb data allowance.

Can you mention its cost and what you get for it?

mikebs

Hello eDicky,
I've copied and pasted from EE's web page, shown below. On the face of it seems like a good deal for £10 a month.

What is the Roam Further Pass?
Enjoy your plan's minutes, text and data allowances in five additional countries abroad.
How does the Roam Further Pass work?
The pass allows you to use your standard minutes, text and data plan allowances in five additional countries abroad just as you would in the UK and EU.
The destinations included in the Roam Further Pass are:

USA

Canada

Mexico

Australia

New Zealand

Good to know:
If your plan comes with more than 15GB of data per month, a fair use policy of 15GB will apply when roaming abroad.
> Find out more about the Roam Further Pass
How do I get the Roam Further Pass?
To add the Roam Further Pass to your plan as a chargeable standalone add-on:

text ROAM FURTHER to 150
Or select the pass as your Swappable Benefit if you have a 5G Smart or Smart plan.

log in to My EE or use the My EE app

go to Menu > Plans, Swappables & add-ons

select Swappables and follow the steps to select the pass
> Find out more about Swappables
How much does the Roam Further Pass cost?
£10 per month. This cost will be added to your monthly mobile bill and will appear as a separate line in the add-ons section of your bill. If you add this service in the middle of your monthly billing period then the cost in the first month will be prorated.

eDicky

mikebs wrote: »

The pass allows you to use your standard minutes, text and data plan allowances in five additional countries abroad just as you would in the UK and EU.

Sounds reasonable for 30 days' 15GB, I have an EE SIM only tariff and had never heard of this.

I assume (hope) that the data service stops when the included allowance is all used, to avoid any huge charges. It might be worth making sure.

It's not clear what the voice and text allowance applies to exactly, 'as in the UK and EU'. No doubt you can call and receive to/from UK numbers, perhaps also EU (?) - but will you be able to make inclusive local calls to NZ numbers? With the Three network 'Go Roam' service such calls are chargeable, at high price, so this is worth checking.

For anyone locally calling you it will be an international call to your UK number of course, so if you need to be contacted in this way the local SIM has the advantage.

ABARKIE

Have you considered Spark?


https://www.spark.co.nz/shop/mobile-plans/prepaid/


I use them 3 years ago when i went to NZ - due to go back end of November, so will look out for a deal


I purchased from the shop on Queen Street, Auckland


You might benefit from a dual sim phone maybe?

Ballard

bradders1983 wrote: »

You could pick up a Three one, although I dont know if they allow a continuous six weeks abroad, you would need to check the terms.

Back in 2015 I went away for six weeks with all but two days of it being in feel at home countries without any problems. The majority of this was in NZ/Aus.

Toucan_toucan

I think as others have said the issue is if you need to call NZ numbers within NZ (or if people there want to call you) - I don't think the Three deal covers that (my OH has a Three phone and I'm sure when we looked it wouldn't work for calling NZ numbers, or rather it would work but you had to pay for those calls).