New Vodafone Talk & TXT - red SIM post pay [long]

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Giles - 20 Apr 2004 12:47 GMT

Looks like these are the plans Vodafone was trumpeting about last month, for
release this month.

[Said trumpet: 'Vodafone mobilises price war' 15/4/04
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,8966538%5e15320%5e%5enbv%5e15306
,00.html ]

Probably one of the best priced postpaid offerings around for standard
calls, but I don't think this alone is going to do much to challenge fixed
lines as Vodafone claims. Bring on the rest of the offers.

Rates at the end.

---
Vodafone attacks post pay market with the launch of new Talk & TXT bundle
for red SIM
http://www.vodafone.com.au/docs/txt_talk_bundle.pdf

Vodafone Australia is once again challenging the norm and attacking the cost
of land lines with the launch today of an aggressive new post pay bundle for
red SIM called Talk & TXT.

The Talk & TXT bundle includes all call types in the monthly credit, giving
customers the combination of great value call and TXT rates, as well as the
ability to change their monthly spend, all with no lock-in contract.

It also includes 20c Vodafone to Vodafone calls within Australia (with
generous call caps). Depending on the minimum monthly spend level, customers
can also get TXT for as low as 14 cents and standard call rates at 20c per
minute to any network or landline, at any time (plus 20c call connection
fee).

According to Ian Scherger, Chief Marketing Officer, Vodafone Australia, the
big differentiator between the Vodafone Talk & TXT bundle and anything else
on the market is the real choice and value it provides to customers.

"Unlike some mobile operators, with Talk & TXT all call types are included
in the monthly credit, so standard TXT, PXT, international calls and GPRS
don't get piled on top. This way our customers are really clear about what
they are paying for and won't get a nasty surprise at the end of the month.

"We are giving our customers the benefits of post pay with the freedom of
pre pay, putting them in control and giving them the choice. We're so
confident that customers will love our great value bundle that we don't need
to lock them in to long term contracts, lure them with short term
promotional offers, or free phones.

Ian continued, "This is just the start and we look forward to adding a whole
lot more over the coming months. We will continue to be responsive to the
needs of new and existing customers and compete aggressively with fixed line
services by bringing down the cost of mobile."

Talk & TXT is immediately available to credit-approved customers through the
Vodafone call centre on 1300 650 410 or in any Vodafone stores or channel
partners.
-ends-

Notes to editor:-
[in part]

Monthly
spend / Rate p/min / Flagfall / TXT / 20c V2V calls per month
$20 | 60c | 20c | 25c | 20 min
$30 | 40c | 20c | 22c | 100 min
$50 | 30c | 20c | 20c | 200 min
$70 | 26c | 20c | 18c | 300 min
$100 | 24c | 20c | 16c | 450 min
$150 | 22c | 20c | 15c | 700 min
$200 | 20c | 20c | 14c | 1000 min

---

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Paul Wright - 20 Apr 2004 13:56 GMT

Nothing special at all, sh.t plans if you ask me.. I like the bit saying
everything is included in plans unlike other providers, vodafones the only
one been lagging on this, both telstra and optus have included everything in
calls on most plans (apart from some special offers) for quite a while now..

> Looks like these are the plans Vodafone was trumpeting about last month, for
> release this month.
>
> [Said trumpet: 'Vodafone mobilises price war' 15/4/04

http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,8966538%5e15320%5e%5enbv%5e15306
,00.html ]

> Probably one of the best priced postpaid offerings around for standard
> calls, but I don't think this alone is going to do much to challenge fixed
[quoted text clipped - 60 lines]
>
> ---

Reply to this Message

Giles - 20 Apr 2004 23:29 GMT

> both telstra and optus have included everything in
> calls on most plans (apart from some special offers) for quite a while now..

It looks as though the bulk of included credits on new Telstra Mobile Phone
plans is for voice/sms only
http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/mobiles/prices/ph_plans.htm

Reply to this Message

Giles - 21 Apr 2004 02:39 GMT

> It looks as though the bulk of included credits on new Telstra Mobile Phone
> plans is for voice/sms only
> http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/mobiles/prices/ph_plans.htm

Oops - looks like the other way around - $5/10 of the included calls
can be used for a variety of other products, but NOT voice.

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Paul Wright - 21 Apr 2004 10:44 GMT

Thats for plans including a phone, BYO plans or plans with bonus input
credits towards phone payments include everything..

http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/mobiles/prices/plans.htm

Still poor value, optus offers much better value plans

> > both telstra and optus have included everything in
> > calls on most plans (apart from some special offers) for quite a while
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> plans is for voice/sms only
> http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/mobiles/prices/ph_plans.htm

Reply to this Message

Giles - 21 Apr 2004 13:54 GMT

> Thats for plans including a phone BYO plans or plans with bonus input
> credits towards phone payments include everything.

Yes - that's nothing new - but they're in the minority. Phone plans account
for the bulk of post-paid new connects, though, so it should be fair enough
to judge those plans as representative.

Not interested in defending Telstra's plans, here, mind - just pointing out
that Vodafone's spiel (though a bit over-the-top in places) had some
justification in talking about other networks splitting included calls.

> optus offers much better value plans

I know, I'm on one.

Look, I just posted the new plans here for the group's info. Not sure why
so many threads have to end up in a pissing contest between SPs!

Reply to this Message

Michael - 22 Apr 2004 10:17 GMT

Nope.
there's a whole bunch of options including having a data call component

Reply to this Message

Jason - 22 Apr 2004 02:27 GMT

Dunno about that - 30c per minute at $50 price point (15c per 30 secs)
24/7 is pretty cheap - show me an optus plan that does it that cheap,
let alone Telstra.
Jason

> Nothing special at all, sh.t plans if you ask me.. I like the bit saying
> everything is included in plans unlike other providers, vodafones the only
> one been lagging on this, both telstra and optus have included everything in
> calls on most plans (apart from some special offers) for quite a while now..

Reply to this Message

Motoman - 22 Apr 2004 11:44 GMT

Has anyone analysed this in any detail against Vodafone's existing
plans?

I just had a quick squiz, so I didn't look at the fine print, but it
looks better than Vodas existing post-paid plans provided you
regularly call at least as much as your monthly minimum otherwise "No
Plans" or Red-Sim prepaid is better.

However, it doesn't look better than Red-Sim pre-paid, if you don't
care very much for text. Red-Sim has similar voice call rates but I
think it wins out because it allows credit to roll over - but you can
get screwed if you charge with less credit - because calls rate depend
on the value of your last top up.

Red-Sim allows credit-cards to be automatically debited, so that's
close enough to a post-paid for me, but obviously it's not the same,
but for $20 bucks a month I'll gladly forgoe a paper bill.

And some services aren't offered on pre-paid, I presume because they'd
like you to convert - which seems silly to me because they could make
money out of those services by allowing pre-paid customers to use
them, e.g. call forwarding, call screening, GPRS Internet (GPRS to Wap
site is allowed on Red-Sim but not general Internet). Roaming is of
course, not allowed on pre-paid, but that at least makes some sense to
me.

BTW, does anyone else out their get the feeling that Vodafone has an
internal battle between the forces of good and evil. They do some good
things like $0 plans and unlocked pre-paids but they're not beyond
tricky conditions, marketing hype, and cutting corners on customer
service and billing.

Why can't phone companies and ISPs do what car companies have been
doing for zonks (do they still?) - give you the best rate at the time
you pay your bill. They don't need the extra windfall by betting that
some people will choose the wrong plan (with the odds in the house's
favour).

A.

Reply to this Message

Rod Speed - 22 Apr 2004 18:48 GMT

> Has anyone analysed this in any detail against Vodafone's existing
> plans?
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> course, not allowed on pre-paid, but that at least makes some sense to
> me.

> BTW, does anyone else out their get the feeling that Vodafone
> has an internal battle between the forces of good and evil. They
> do some good things like $0 plans and unlocked pre-paids but
> they're not beyond tricky conditions, marketing hype, and cutting
> corners on customer service and billing.

Thats inevitable in any operation that isnt making a decent profit.

And they arent making a decent profit because
its the worst of the 4 national networks.

> Why can't phone companies and ISPs do what car
> companies have been doing for zonks (do they still?)
> - give you the best rate at the time you pay your bill.

Because that would reduce Vodafone's profit even more.

And with detail like that, its essentially the result of one
operation doing it like that and the others being forced
to do it the same way, so they dont lose customers.

> They don't need the extra windfall by betting
> that some people will choose the wrong plan
> (with the odds in the house's favour).

Vodafone does. They arent even profitable with the current approach.

Reply to this Message

Motoman - 23 Apr 2004 08:55 GMT

>
> > BTW, does anyone else out their get the feeling that Vodafone
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Thats inevitable in any operation that isnt making a decent profit.

Huh? If anything the more profitable players are more evil than
Vodafone.
If your logic is correct, Telstra should be models of saintiless.

Or are suggesting that the reason they're having a battle between good
and evil is because they can't decide whether screwing customers or
treating them well will increase profits.

A.

Reply to this Message

Rod Speed - 23 Apr 2004 10:42 GMT

>> Motoman <xzzyx@hotmail.com> wrote

>>> BTW, does anyone else out their get the feeling that Vodafone
>>> has an internal battle between the forces of good and evil. They
>>> do some good things like $0 plans and unlocked pre-paids but
>>> they're not beyond tricky conditions, marketing hype, and cutting
>>> corners on customer service and billing.

>> Thats inevitable in any operation that isnt making a decent profit.

> Huh?

You deaf, child ?

> If anything the more profitable players are more evil than Vodafone.

'evil' is just your silly little childish fantasy, child.

> If your logic is correct, Telstra should be models of saintiless.

Pathetic, really.

Just because you do see 'tricky conditions' with an operation that
isnt making a decent profit says sweet f.ck all about whether you
never ever see anything you might not like from anyone else, child.

> Or are suggesting that the reason they're
> having a battle between good and evil

Thats just your pathetic little drug crazed fantasy, child.

> is because they can't decide whether screwing
> customers or treating them well will increase profits.

I was obviously saying that the sort of detail you dont like are
inevitable with any operation that isnt making a profit, child.

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