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Oh if only I'd discovered this site sooner! My husb is on Vodafone - I'm on Telecom - he wants me to swap - and - until reading some threads here this morning, I had said I won't change - but now......

The point of this message, however, is deciding which phone to get. I'm currently on Telecom prepay and have had my dinky little pale blue Nokia 2280 for ages (free when hubby upgraded!). It serves its purpose more than adequately for me but I can't see the text and numbers anymore - not because of the phone because of my 'age-related' eyesight. Phones are for making phone calls so I don't need/want, cameras, music, videos etc. I need something that will provide good service/network, a large font and digits, a loud ring, something that is completey simply to use and a snap to purchase $$$-wise! Just today there was a Samsung model advertised for $89 - great price for me! - I'm not a high-end business person, I'm not a mum, I'm not a 'trendoid' -I just need (not want) to stay in contact. Any suggestions about which phone I might get (probably Vodafone now I think

Thanks

[ This Message was edited by: ColCol on 2008-10-28 20:50 ]
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Posted: 2008-10-28 21:48:07
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Well, as your husband is on Vodafone, I'd suggest this for you too, calling each other will be cheaper.
In which country are you ?
Voda doesn't have the same collection of prepaid phones available all over the world, so we might advise you a phone you wouldn't be able to buy at your end.
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Posted: 2008-10-28 22:07:12
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I'm in good old little NZ
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Posted: 2008-10-29 00:16:56
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Well, that really is the other end of the world for me , so I have no idea, which phones Voda NZ offer to their prepay customers.
But we have a few, but active NZ members, I'm sure, they'll be able to give some good advise.

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Posted: 2008-10-29 00:41:12
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Yep you sure are! I just wait and see what other replies I might get. Thanks for your response though
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Posted: 2008-10-29 00:53:26
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Hi, I'm from New Zealand and may be able to help you out.

If you go onto Vodafone prepay here, you can get what's called 'BestMate' which will cost you $6 a month to call and text a number of your choice (your 'BestMate' which I assume will be your husband!) as much as you like! It is entirely unlimited, so it's as many calls and texts as you like and it recurs monthly, so all you need to do is make sure you have $6 on your account.

There is also 'TXT2000' which works similarly in that it recurs monthly, but this costs $10 per month. It gives you 2000 texts to any Vodafone NZ mobile per month.

Of course there are limitations of being on Vodafone. If you wanted to text a Telecom mobile, then it will cost you 20c every time. There is no way around this.

However, on Telecom, with $10 Text, you can text any mobile in New Zealand up to 1000 times per month for just $10. The downside is that your husband is on Vodafone, so it will cost him 20c every single time he texts you, and don't even get me started on the costs of calling!

If you mostly text and call your husband, then I would definitely suggest Vodafone, just remember you're paying 20c for any texts to Telecom. If you don't mind your husband paying a lot to text and call you, and you don't mind paying a lot to call him (but you will at least get very cheap texts), then Telecom is for you.

In New Zealand, we have an odd set-up. We have one GSM network (Vodafone) and one CDMA (Telecom). Telecom is using a somewhat obsolete network system, because across the globe, CDMA networks are switching over to become GSM networks. So Telecom is being forced to follow suit. So in a year or so's time, Telecom will be making big changes which may be costly and complicated for its customers to switch over. Telecom will tell you that it's for the better, but in reality they should have done it years ago and they are playing 'catch up to Vodafone' right now.

Because Telecom uses this semi-obscure network structure, not many mobile phone manufacturers support making phones for it. You can't buy any old phone and expect it to work on Telecom. You HAVE TO buy one of their phones from their shop.

With Vodafone, you can buy almost any GSM phone and stick your sim-card in and away you go. That is a huge benefit of GSM networks. Switching phones is as simple as swapping a card over.

Ok, here is a run-down of cheap NZ Vodafone mobiles. These prices are from the Vodafone NZ website, and they may even be cheaper than this at places like Dick Smith who run specials often:

Nokia 1208 - $99

Nokia 1650 - $129

LG KG375 - $129

Motorola W375 - $149

Nokia 1680 - $149

(Click on their names to have a look at each one )

I have stayed under $150, as you are obviously interested in a cheap phone. You'll notice the two phones listed at $149 have cameras, so if you are keen to avoid unnecessary features (you say you don't want a camera), then go for something cheaper. That Samsung model you mentioned sounds like a great deal, but I can't find that model on the Vodafone site. But on Vodafone, that doesn't matter!

Good luck! Feel free to ask more questions if you are unsure!

Oh and by the way, any of those phones should have a good signal, but to find out which one will have a good sized font for your usage, it is best to have the salesman show you the phone and have them turn it on for you. I know Vodafone stores will be only too happy to do this for you. Telecom should too. This is the only way to really judge if a phone is for you. Make sure the buttons and phone size are ok for your usage too, and make sure that the menus are easy to use. Oddly enough, sometimes cheap phones have difficult to navigate menus, so be sure to try it out first!

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[ This Message was edited by: Muhammad-Oli on 2008-10-29 02:15 ]
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Posted: 2008-10-29 03:10:36
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Ah you're a gem! Thanks so much - this is great information. I have a bit of a beef over Telecom generally because they're so greedy!! Looks likle Vodafone will have a new customer soon.

Thanks again

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Posted: 2008-10-29 03:39:32
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No problem! All networks are greedy though. They all just want your money, but I guess you have to settle for one of them!
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Posted: 2008-10-29 09:18:36
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my suggestion
is nokia 6120classic have hsdpa can be used for modem and now the price is cheap
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Posted: 2010-05-26 06:58:54
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Yeah right the signal is the most important! things to do for a phone!
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Posted: 2010-07-23 02:06:56
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