Comments on: Data Roaming Rates

By: tristanb

tristanb — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:31:43 +0000

So, red, how do YOU see a makrket operates?

You’re not pitcj=hing for prices to be regulated, are you?

I think he wants a system where a proportion of hotel fees are taken off each guest and pooled. These pooled funds are then used to pay for internet which all users will share. This way all users have access to the internet while they stay there. By allowing everyone access, it helps abolish the differential between the rich guests and poor guests.

By: tristanb

tristanb — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:13:52 +0000

Every time I go overseas I pick up a local prepay simcard. Generally credit is included with the sim purchase, and you get a local number so calls/txts are pretty cheap (c.f. NZ phone calls). Obviously no-one can call you unless they know your new number, but in a different time-zone that’s not a bad thing.

In terms of hotel charges, I remember staying in a hotel next to a backpackers. The hotel had extortionate, out-of-touch, prices for the internet, the backpackers had free wifi if you stayed there. Isn’t it the same with even phone calls? Don’t the hotels charge even for local usage? It’s cheaper to use your cellphone (unless you’re roaming with Vodafone).

I think hotels depend on lazy businessmen/politicians who just pay the over-priced fee, then claim it back or put in on the council card.

By: mattyroo

mattyroo — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:28:40 +0000

Vodafone = Thieving fucking cunts.

As someone whom travels regularly and uses sweet FA data on my mobile, but lots of airtime minutes, I pay extortionate amounts to these bastards. I regularly have >$6000 phone bills.

The thing that really shits me about them is, if I have pre-pay, I pay the same price for calls on the VF network in OZ, and between Oz ad NZ, as I would in NZ, but on a plan, I’m stuck with the extortionate rates.

Don’t even get me started on the rates I pay when I go to butt-fuck West Africa.

By: insider

insider — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:27:33 +0000

For VF and TC it is a hassle to negotiate and settle international roaming agreements plus there is risk around billing. The high rates reflect those two factors, and that their focus is on the 99% of customers who don’t require roaming 99% of the time.

By: Say Goodbye to Hollywood

Say Goodbye to Hollywood — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:19:44 +0000

I stayed at The Signature at MGM Grand and like I said it was part of the room deal. The one thing I struggled with while in Vegas was the shitty mobile phone connections.

By: MarkF

MarkF — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 02:20:14 +0000

@ Storm

Good point, well made.

By: Nigel

Nigel — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:45:29 +0000

US hotels are starting to bring back charging for internet, corp rate includes it, but they have been hurting badly.

Singapore was something like $15NZD day for net access that was about the speed of Telecom 2G & about as reliable.

NZ accommodation on the other hand makes me wonder if they just can’t be arsed getting wifi sorted & instead are “encouraging” you to use data cards.

By: kiwi in america

kiwi in america — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:15:45 +0000

MarkF
Vegas IS the exception – as are a few of the high end chains. All others in the US and Canada have free wifi. Ive only ever had to pay in Vegas – never anywhere else. Sadly US cell phone carriers, who are very affordable with domestic data and phone plans, similarly indulge in extortion and gouging to those who roam overseas. I have an unlocked wifi stick and when in NZ for anything longer than a week I just get the $79 GB plan from Vodafone on their no fixed term plan and I cancel it at the end of my time in NZ. Ive never had to pay more than the $79 which in USD is the same as my AT&T unlimited mobile data plan per month. Next time I travel to Europe I plan to do the same.

By: dime

dime — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:10:18 +0000

@ storm – they sound horrible

By: PaulL

PaulL — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:07:58 +0000

Robert: how a market operates is sellers set whatever price they want. Buyers decide to buy or not. Forums like this one provide room for commentary, provide a back channel for sellers to understand how they might refine their product. Companies with new ideas enter, competition drives down prices. Over time the product becomes commoditised, and sellers have to either add value, or become a lost cost provider. In little old NZ, our small size plus the economies available to a large company in a commoditised market mean that often competition consolidates, and innovation stagnates. If we’re careful to manage costs of entry (network effects, interconnection rates etc), sooner or later some new startup challenges. If we allow massive costs of entry to grow, then we’re just stuck with crappy service.

By: Storm

Storm — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:03:38 +0000

@mark Must be a ploy to get everyone to the tables instead of staying in their room surfing the web

@dime Motel is a hotel for motorists, often cheaper than hotels, have kitchen and parking.

By: MarkF

MarkF — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:22:23 +0000

@ Say Goodbye to Hollywood

True it’s inconsistant. Stayed at a Holiday Inn in central Pennsylvania, WiFi was free and fast. Bellagio in LV was $15/day and therfore I suspect that all of the MGM Mirage hotels would be the same.

By: dime

dime — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:01:45 +0000

what the hell is a motel??

I use data when in Honk Kong & China. The bill never hurts. Thats usin a blackberry though, great compression.

Lots of free wifi in HK.

By: peterwn

peterwn — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:55:37 +0000

OK, there may be a problem with roaming between different telcos. However one would think that Vodafone as a matter of international company policy would set their ‘own’ international roaming rates such as to maximise overall profit.

By: anonymouse

anonymouse — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:29:32 +0000

Vodafone’s provider in HK (smartfone) charge $2/MB for prepay data, but this is HK dollars and capped at $HK 48/day.
About 35c NZ/MB, plenty of fat in there for vodafone NZ to resell at $2/MB NZD

http://www.smartone-vodafone.com/jsp/business/mobile_broadband/english/flexi.jsp?q=1&w=7&e=3&r=1&open=0#smc

By: Repton

Repton — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:12:37 +0000

Would Vodafone make money if its roaming rate were $2/MB in Hong Kong? (serious question)

By: Say Goodbye to Hollywood

Say Goodbye to Hollywood — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:00:11 +0000

That’s interesting you had to pay for wireless while you were in Vegas Mark. I was there in April and it was part of the room deal. When I was in Orlando it was free in the lobby area.

By: ben

ben — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:00:08 +0000

Quadrant Hotel in Auckland does free wifi for guests. Can recommend that hotel as good value.

By: Redbaiter

Redbaiter — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:59:35 +0000

“in Las Vegas last week”

Never been to Vegas. I’d say there are exceptions, but in all the hotels I have used over a number of years and many different regions I have never been charged.

“You’re not pitcj=hing for prices to be regulated, are you?”

Go away you boring fool. The answer to your question is in my post. If you were possessed of even average intelligence you would have perceived there was no need to subject readers to such a display of idiocy. The question is not the least relevant. It is only narrow minded clods like you, almost completely bereft of intelligence and imagination, who would immediately reach for government regulation as the only applicable solution.

By: MarkF

MarkF — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:50:22 +0000

@ Redbaiter

“In the US wireless is just part of the service. NZ is still plagued with a legion of greedy ignoramuses.”

Not true, in Las Vegas last week, Hotel charged me USD$15 per day for broadband, and slow broadband at that, too many users.