Heating Up Competition
I don’t know, you put up with one iPhone-capable network for a year, and then two more come along at once! Joking aside, new-comers 2degrees are about to crank the competition dial up to new levels of awesomeness this August when they go live with their brand new network. 2degrees has commited to spending $250 million dollars on building their new network with new cell sites in the main centres and a roaming agreement with Vodafone to get service to customers when they stray outside of those cities. The network will operate both 900 / 1800Mhz 2G and 2100Mhz 3G services making its ability to deal with the iPhone relatively similar to Vodafone’s.
iPhonewzealand caught up with Bryony Hilless from 2degrees to talk about the compay’s strategy with regards to iPhone — do they intend to be an official carrier? Will they go the back-door route like XT?
“It’s no secret that we are not stocking the iPhone at launch” Bryony tells us, “and at present we are quite happy for Telecom and Vodafone to fight out the iPhone/high-end data market amongst themselves.”
So does that mean 2degrees aren’t interested in connecting iPhones? Certainly not! “People will certainly be able to use their iPhone on our network – we have several happy iphone users here in the office, we’ve tested the 3GS and it works well.”
So there you have it. While 2degrees appears to be playing the “value” card right now with their hilarious Rhys Darby ad campaign focussing on price as opposed to speed or power or gadgets, the company knows us iPhone users are out here and they’ll be as keen to take our money as the ‘other two’. Time will tell what offers appear on the table but for now watch this space — iPhonewzealand will be the place to visit for any 2degrees related iPhone news, help, hints and tips. Stay tuned!
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Hm, that makes it sound like 2degrees may have really disappointing data plans. Maybe they’re planning on competing solely in talk time prices. I hope they offer something competitive, if only to keep the other companies in check.
(moviemichael has made 50 comments)
From what I’ve read,
To start off with they are only looking at competing with Calling and Txtings plans.
I would say they would move onto data when they start getting real 3G coverage instead of the gimmicky 2100Mhz coverage.
Also, we have to remember, for a while they will be roaming on Vodafone’s network when you are outside of their own cell-site coverage, so it would be expensive no doubt, knowing Vodafone.
(Aaroona has made 1 comment)