Vodafone unleashes the 24-7 49er

Media release
4 August 2004

Vodafone unleashes the 24-7 49er

Just when you thought you knew mobile voice pricing, Vodafone New Zealand launches new rates that mean calling your Vodafone mate in Auckland is the same price as nattering to Nana in London.

New voice prices hit streets tomorrow for Vodafone On Account and Prepay customers offering a flat rate of 49 cents per minute 24-7*. No more off-peak or peak for those who don’t want it.

“If you think you had voice plans sussed think again. We’re launching these new plans to give our customers more choice about when they call and who they call, and making it really simple. They no longer have to think about peak or offpeak times,” says Hamish Wilkie, Vodafone New Zealand’s General Manager Consumer Marketing.

“New Zealanders have friends all over the world so we are extending this flat rate to five of the most popular calling countries. It’s still 49 cents per minute, 24-7.”

The plan is called Motormouth and Wilkie predicts it will get Vodafone customers talking like never before.

“We know from previous promotions that we have run that our customers like it when we keep things simple. A barrier for many customers wanting to make voice calls is thinking through the time of day and how much they are going to pay. That can be a thing of the past.

“Mobiles are about offering people more freedom and more choices and that’s what we hope these plans will give our customers.”

Here’s the deal – On Account customers will be charged a monthly access fee of $39.95 for Motormouth and this includes:
▪ 200 included minutes (and then $0.49 per minute) anytime to another Vodafone NZ customer
▪ 200 included TXTs anytime to other Vodafone NZ customers
▪ 10 included PXTs
▪ 49 cent per minute calls 24-7 to other Vodafone NZ customers, New Zealand national landline numbers (excluding special charge numbers e.g. 0900) plus landlines and mobiles in the UK, USA, Australia, Canada and Ireland (excluding special charge numbers)
▪ $1.39 per minute calls anytime to other mobiles and the rest of the world.

Vodafone Prepay customers will pay 49 cents per minute, 24-7, to call other Vodafone NZ customers, New Zealand landlines or the international destinations above. Calls to the rest of the world or other mobiles in New Zealand will be $1.39 a minute anytime.

For Vodafone customers wanting to switch their existing plan over to Motormouth, Vodafone has introduced a fast, hassle free service where customers just have to TXT “Motormouth ” to 756 and the change will be made automatically. Prepay customers can also use the self service option when they call 777 to change their plan.

* For calls to other Vodafone mobiles and landlines in New Zealand, as well as the UK, USA, Australia, Canada and Ireland (excluding special charge numbers).

About Vodafone

Vodafone New Zealand Ltd is part of Vodafone Group Plc, the world’s largest mobile community, with more than 139.2 million proportionate customers worldwide. The company has equity interests in 26 countries over five continents and Partner Networks in a further thirteen countries.

As at June 2004 Vodafone New Zealand has more than 1.675 million customers on its fully digital network providing coverage to 97 per cent of the population.

ENDS

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