[PerryNZ]

And you people think you have it tough! To me, you
almost seem spoiled for choice and spoiled – period.

I'm in New Zealand and there's only two cellular service
providers, of any size/coverage, here. Prepay averages 90
NZ cents a minute. The price is the same whether the call
is to next door or the next Island. All calls are long
distance (toll calls)! Some contract plans have better
deals, such as 200 free evening minutes, but cell calls are
usually of an urgent nature, so evening calls are a bit of a
nothing for something carrot.

We don't pay any separate emergency call fee – it's built-
in, I presume. NZ pre-pay requires only an annual top-up
of $20 to stay live on the network for GSM. The
competitor had a no hooks pre-pay option, but that pre-
pay plan's been radically modified, so I'm not sure if that
still applies.

I can't be sure if it's USA and/or Canada, generally, only
USA and/or only some service providers, but it seems
that some plans involve a charge for the receiver and
caller. NZ has nothing like that – only the caller pays.

What do you pay for SMS? It's been a big selling point in
NZ. One provider offered unlimited texts – then – once
it had stolen enough subscribers from its competitor, put a
cap on it. That's common skulduggery, over here. What
about international SMS? The only morals our telcos
have are painted on the walls of their office reception
area.

Anyway, I'm coming to USA & Canada in August, so
I'm trying to sort out a phone for use in LA, San Diego,
Vancouver, Kamloops and the Canadian interior. What
fun. Being spoiled for choice is one thing, having so
many choices as to create paralysis from analysis is
another!

I hear you have disposables, over there? First nappies,
then cameras, now cell phones? Any and all comments
and suggestions received. Even answered, if that's
needed.

---

› See More: New Zealand Visitor Coming to NA

[erwin 10-4]

And you people think you have it tough! To me, you
almost seem spoiled for choice and spoiled – period.

I'm in New Zealand and there's only two cellular service
providers, of any size/coverage, here. Prepay averages 90
NZ cents a minute. The price is the same whether the call
is to next door or the next Island. All calls are long
distance (toll calls)! Some contract plans have better
deals, such as 200 free evening minutes, but cell calls are
usually of an urgent nature, so evening calls are a bit of a
nothing for something carrot.

We don't pay any separate emergency call fee – it's built-
in, I presume. NZ pre-pay requires only an annual top-up
of $20 to stay live on the network for GSM. The
competitor had a no hooks pre-pay option, but that pre-
pay plan's been radically modified, so I'm not sure if that
still applies.

I can't be sure if it's USA and/or Canada, generally, only
USA and/or only some service providers, but it seems
that some plans involve a charge for the receiver and
caller. NZ has nothing like that – only the caller pays.

What do you pay for SMS? It's been a big selling point in
NZ. Once provider offered unlimited texts – then – once
it had stolen enough subscribers from its competitor, put a
cap on it. That's common skulduggery, over here. What
about international SMS? The only morals our telcos
have are painted on the walls of their office reception
area.

Anyway, I'm coming to USA & Canada in August, so
I'm trying to sort out a phone for use in LA, San Diego,
Vancouver, Kamloops and the Canadian interior. What
fun. Being spoiled for choice is one thing, having so
many choices as to create paralysis from analysis is
another!

I hear you have disposables, over there? First nappies,
then cameras, now cell phones? Any and all comments
and suggestions received. Even answered, if that's
needed.

just bring a unlock tri-band phone and when you coming here in the u.s. just buy a prepaid sim and your ready to accept call and text from any where in the world.