Skinny on iPhone
Telecom has begun to quietly roll out its new ‘Skinny’ sub-brand, which offers pre-paid mobile services over its XT Network with alternative pricing packages and a completely separate brand identity. Looking at the pricing and plans on the company’s website the service does appear to be geared towards calling and texting primarily, but a data add-on of $4 per week for 120MB of data (so roughly $16 per month for 480MB) may be of interest to some iPhone users. Skinny has posted a config profile on Geekzone that can easily be installed on your iPhone should you decide to make the hop, in which case you’ll also need to request a free MicroSIM which you can do through the website or by calling 0800 4754669.
I have a question concerning changing from Vodafone to Telecom.
I am on Vodafone at the moment and it’s OK as far as a service, but the problem is that where I am reception is awful for Vodafone. If I change to Telecom do I lose out in any way? Does tethering still work? And using the phone as a hotspot using MiWi (for my jailbroken phone).
Any other differences in functionality?
(da5id has made 10 comments)
Need to be careful and know your data use pattern. If you are like me and have a “peaky “usage (the odd video Skype for example) then the “weekly” plan means you could run out and drop into paying very high rates for your data once you exceed the 120 MB. Is a pity it does not auto renew your data once you are out then it may be a worthwhile option.
(mike44 has made 1 comment)
@ da5id:
Absolutely zero difference in terms of functionality, although XT Network is generally faster so you can expect an improved online experience. As far as reception goes for where you are, you probably won’t know until you try.
Thanks guys.
Mike, I’m on prepay anyway, so I assume there won’t be much difference as I think they prepay costs the same?
Steve, my Dad is on the XT Network, and has a Telecom branded R100 phone. He can get a signal anywhere in the house, which is why I thought it’d be a good idea to change to Telecom (although I am only making the assumption that my iPhone 3G will get as a good a signal as the R100)
(da5id has made 10 comments)
ps, having mentioned how great my dads XT coverage is, I have to say that I also have a Telecom T-Stick – a MF626, and the reception is not very good. How can my dad’s phone on the XT network be great, but yet the T-Stick is lousy?
(da5id has made 10 comments)
@ da5id:
Unsure – that might be a question to ask Telecom.
@ Steve:
There are little differences such as no MMS or WAP Support on Skinny and no overseas data roaming
(lennonnz has made 1 comment)
Big fan of Telecom and their speed/coverage so this network will be equally as good but I am not sure its all its cracked up to be with its “locked handsets”. For example the Sony Ericsson Xperia active is $389 locked (cant use on another network, NZ or elsewhere) while its only $399 open term unlocked from XT. Might as well buy there and then join Skinny. They need to make the handsets a LOT cheaper if they are going to be NZ’s first and only locked provider.
(camtab has made 480 comments)
@ camtab: Yup the logic behind the unlocking thing is a mystery to me. As you say, its not like the handsets are much cheaper than the RRP, plus they only want something like $30 to unlock. To me, it’s not worth all the negativity around unlocking and the fact that you’re essentially kicking your customers in the pants as they leave (and therefore making them unlikely to come back) just for the sake of a measly $30. Telecom has worked hard to improve public sentiment towards them, but this could undo it again. I don’t think the public are under any illusion as to who Skinny actually is.
The locked phones are a terrible idea! I also don’t like that they haven’t got any sort of friends plan for texting or calling.
(JAD12 has made 13 comments)
MicroSims for Skinny are available from Dick Smith now.
And @Steve and @JAD13 the unlocking of the phone is free if you leave after 9 months, leaving before then and taking the phone with you will cost you $30.00.
(hatchinz has made 2 comments)