Free.... ish!
So some of you may have seen that Telecom have just announced that from tomorrow they are giving away prepaid Mobile Broadband T-Sticks worth $99. Now I know this isn’t really for iPhone… but for those that lost the ability to tether it could be a good opportunity to get back online whilst out and about. We have been looking into this so hit the read more link to find out more about the offer and how you can get your hands on one.
The offer is available to ALL Telecom fixed-line broadband customers. You need to go in store to get the T-Stick (Leading Edge, Orb or Telecom Retail Stores) with your latest bill showing you have Telecom fixed-line broadband. If you don’t receive a paper bill you will need to print one from Your Telecom first.
You will have to pay $29.95 for your first top-up of 500mb worth of data while you are there. There is currently no charge for the SIM pack.
The offer starts tomorrow 10th December 09, is available whilst stocks last and is only available in store. (Store locator)
If you want you can choose to go on a plan instead (Mobile Broadband Plans)
Personally I think the deal is great and I’ll be heading down to my local store tomorrow to get one. The full press release is below.
PRESS RELEASE:
NZ’S BIGGEST-EVER MOBILE BROADBAND GIVEAWAY STARTS TOMORROW
All Telecom Broadband customers (homes and businesses) are being offered a
free prepaid Mobile Broadband T-Stick from December 10th, 2009.All customers need to do to take advantage of the offer is:
1. bring their recent Telecom bill in-store, and
2. purchase 500MB of prepaid data for $29.95 (once customers start using
their T-Stick, they have until the end of the calendar month before the
data expires).With a T-Stick plugged into a laptop you’re free to surf the web on the
bus, at the beach, the airport or the bach, in 97% of the places where
Kiwis live and work. That will keep NZers connected this Christmas
HolidaysIt’s easy to use, just plug the T-Stick into a laptop and start surfing,
and with prepaid, customers only top up when they need to. Stocks are
limited so will be first in, first served.***
Limit one MF626 T-Stick per Account, not for resale. Six month expiry for
all prepaid credit.Mobile Broadband Fair Use Policy applies as it is not designed for
prolonged intensive data use.T-Sticks require Windows 2000 software or above.
See telecom.co.nz/mobilebroadband for coverage and full terms and to check
computer compatibility.
Note that the Terms and Conditions page does state that the T-Stick is compatible with Mac despite the press release only mentioning Windows.
Heading out to get one tomorrow? Let us know how you get on in the comments below.
Would get one but unfortunately I’m not with Telecom for broadband and my holiday spot has no XT coverage (along with any other cellular coverage..).
(Mak has made 41 comments)
Sounds too tempting to get one but hey Mobile data are extremely expensive, so I’ll stick to my cellphone data plan until I have a proper career.
(MX28080 has made 29 comments)
I think I will be going out to get one aswell tomorrow…Is it possible to pop your Iphone sim into the usb stick and use your Iphone data plan?
(Bert has made 12 comments)
Definately will be getting one tomorrow then!! Not too worried about not being able to recieve calls
Will use the prepaid data and then next time will see if I use the Iphone sim or buy more data.
(Bert has made 12 comments)
You could but then you wouldn’t be able to get phone calls or texts whilst your using it.
Got one – It will come in handy.
(thefatmould has made 32 comments)
Just be aware that the 500mb expires at the end of the calendar month that you start it in. ie. If you get one today and start using it you have until the 31st (ie 22 days including today) to use it. If you give it to someone as a christmas pressie they would have 7 days to use the 500mb before it disappears. Nice fine print for Telecom. Why couldn't it be 30 days from when you start using?
(tronco has made 6 comments)
lol tronco, is just probably right, that's why I didn't go get one.
(MX28080 has made 29 comments)
Oh and I forgot to mention you can recieve texts with Telecom Connection Manager and your sim in the T-Stick.
(thefatmould has made 32 comments)
@Tronco — To be fair to Telecom, they've been pretty up front about that. However it's not as bad as you think. From the terms and conditions:
"If you've subscribed to the 500 MB mobile broadband plan you will be charged 10 cents per MB for the first 300 MB and the next 200 MB are free. And if you use less than 300 MB of data per month then you will only be charged 10 cents per MB for what you use and not the monthly fee"
Therefore if you start using it on Christmas day and you only use 50MB you will only use $5 of your credit.
(Steve Lawrence has made 645 comments)
Yup indeed – it’s a rare case of the fine-print actually painting a better picture than the marketing speak
(Steve Lawrence has made 645 comments)
The way I read it if I start using it on 1 January, I’ve got the whole of January to use 500Mb. Which suits us fine as we are not going away until January.
(irncpl has made 31 comments)
OK – fair enough. I was basing my comments on the email I got from Telecom that said "*Once you start using your T-Stick, you have until the end of the calendar month before your data expires." Maybe they should make you points more apparent in their advertising.
(tronco has made 6 comments)
Why did telecom only invite Telecom broadband customers!
They should of invited there dial up customers as well, as some of them have XT coverage but No Broadband available on there residential line.
What a stupid Idea!
(thekiwithe has made 1 comment)
You don’t pay them enough in internet bills to warrant it.
(Mak has made 222 comments)
That is so true.
(MX28080 has made 29 comments)