Jump to content

2degrees

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Bhutti (talk | contribs) at 03:15, 27 September 2010 (→‎Phones). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Two Degrees Mobile Limited
Company typePrivate
IndustryMobile telecommunications
Founded2009
HeadquartersNew Zealand Auckland, New Zealand
ProductsGSM mobile network and retail
Website2degrees Homepage

2degrees is a U.S. and British owned[1][2] mobile phone provider operating in New Zealand. It was launched on 5 August 2009 after 9 years of planning. 2degrees currently offers Prepaid and pay monthly mobile services. 2degrees has spent $250 million on building network capacity in the main city centres of New Zealand: Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, plus the tourist destination Queenstown. Initially their network will work with GSM mobiles compatible with Vodafone; but also for 2G services handsets from Telecom's XT mobile network. In areas without 2degrees coverage, handsets roam on the Vodafone network, via a nationwide roaming agreement. After six months of operation, 2degrees had secured 206,000 customers [3], or about 5% of the population of New Zealand.

Naming

The name of the company refers to a local variation of the six degrees of separation concept.[4]

Network

2degrees was formerly known as NZ Communications and previously as Econet Wireless. Planning began in 2000 but details were not revealed until 11 May 2009 and pricing was announced a day before launch. The company provides GSM 900 MHz (and, in selected areas, 1800 MHz) services on its own cellular network, it also now offers a mobile broadband on their newly created 2100 MHz network for a very cheap rate compared to Telecom and Vodafone. http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/mobilebroadband [5] but also has a national roaming agreement with Vodafone to provide coverage in the remainder of the country.

Standards and technologies

2degrees is the only mobile provider in New Zealand which offers EDGE, meaning users with compatible 2G mobiles can access data services up to 4 times faster.[6] 2degrees has just introduced a UMTS (W-CDMA) 2100 MHz 3G service with HSPA+ in August 2010. The network has hundreds of cell sites installed, which has cost approximately NZ$250 million to develop.[7]

MNC and dialing codes

The mobile network code is 530-24. NZ-24 or NZ Comms may be displayed on the mobile phones network list.

The native STD prefix for the network is 022 [8]. New Zealand has number portability, so customers switching from other networks may keep their existing mobile number.

Pay Monthly

2degrees launched it's first monthly postpaid plan, aptly named Pay Monthly, on 17 September 2010. The plan ties the user into a month by month contract meaning that the maximum cancellation period is 30 days. The current plan offers 120 minutes and 600 texts to any network for $39 a month with a special offer of an extra 100 minutes each month for early signups. Differing from other network plans in New Zealand, the 2degrees Pay Monthly minutes carryover to the following months meaning that users can keep unused minutes for up to a year.

Inbound Roaming

2degrees (still called NZ Communications on the Three website and Telstra roaming site) is open to customers with handsets from some foreign networks, including Three, Telstra and Orange UK.[9] These foreign customers can place calls using 2degrees cell sites in major New Zealand cities.

History

In 1999, the New Zealand Government auctioned off 3G spectrum radio spectrum licence. Rangiaho Everton claimed that the auction breached the Treaty of Waitangi because she believed radio spectrum is taonga and the government has no right to sell it. Everton lodged a claim with the Waitangi Tribunal, which was upheld. (Wai 776) The National government of the day ignored the Waitangi Tribunal and kept on auctioning the spectrum. It was not until Labour won the 1999 election that Māori were allocated one of the four 2 GHz 3G spectrum licences at a discounted price plus $5 million to develop it.[10][11]

Currently, 2degrees is owned by Trilogy International Partners, a US venture capital firm specializing in mobile networks (51.52%)[12], Communication Venture Partners, a London-based company that invests in telecommunications and related software businesses (25.76%)[13], Te Huarahi Tika Trust (20.14%)[14] and KLR Hong Kong.[15]

In July 2009, General Enterprise Management Services, a Hong Kong based private equity fund [16], sold its 25.76 percent shares to Trilogy.

Phones

2degrees offers mobile phones from $79, additionally they are not locked to their network. Similarly, XT Mobile Network and Vodafone New Zealand do not sim-lock their GSM/UMTS handsets. The iPhone will work on the network, 2degrees are currently deploying their 3G network better suited to the iPhone, 2degrees have recently activated Vodafone's 3G network as part of their nationwide roaming agreement.[17] 2degrees currently do not have retail shops, but offer their products at supermarkets, petrol stations and convenience stores.[18] However, they do have a kiosk store in St Lukes Shopping Centre, as well as Sylvia Park Shopping Centre in Auckland.

Services

2degrees halved the prevalent pricing for prepay mobile in the New Zealand market, with voice calls costing 44 cents compared to 89 cents being charged by Telecom. SMS messages are charged at 9 cents compared to 20 cents on vodafone and telecom customers without a txt plan. Customers will receive 100 to 500 free SMS messages per $20–$50 prepay topup.[19] Also, customers will receive a special rate of 22 cents for on-network and landline calls, provided they have topped up within the last 30 days.[20] However, some potential customers were unhappy 2degrees initially did not offer data or text plans, they now offer data and txt plans for a very competitive rate. 1gb for $20 a month (special) [21] In response to this, on 25 May 2010 2degrees announced 2 new plans, $10 Txt, $10 for 500 any network text messages, and $6 Data Bundles, $6 for 50MB of mobile data, users can purchase one $10 txt bundle per month and can purchase as many data bundles as they need all for $6 for each 50MB Bundle. Both main rivals offer $10 for 2000 on-network SMS messages plan, and Telecom's XT Network offers a $12 2500 any network txt plan. SIM cards are available for $5 instead of $30 charged by the other two companies, however, they only come with $1 credit compared with the $10 provided from the other networks (+$10, if details are registered online). 2degrees also sold $2 SIM cards with $2 credit. They also gave away free SIM's as part of their Chinwag & launch week campaigns.[22]

2degrees SIM card and packaging

Phone numbers

2degrees auctioned 85 special numbers on New Zealand auction website TradeMe for charity, raising over $65,000[23]. The highest selling number was 022 888 8888, likely due to the number eight being considered lucky in some Asian cultures.[24][25] New customers can choose their own number, on the 2degrees website.[26]

Marketing

2degrees is currently running commercials featuring Rhys Darby, a comedian who tends to make jokes and sketches about New Zealand life.[27]

See also

References

  1. ^ Telco in shake-up weeks from launch - Business - NZ Herald News
  2. ^ Trilogy - Comcel
  3. ^ http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/2degrees-claims-550-sales-jump-after-ads-targeting-xt-119307
  4. ^ http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2400954/Wellington-Manukau-frustrate-2degrees
  5. ^ http://www.telecommunicationsreview.co.nz/200907313418/2degrees-targets-$100m-market-for-roaming-tourists.php
  6. ^ http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=85&topicid=37534&page_no=1#238184
  7. ^ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10571640
  8. ^ http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/third-mobile-telco-rebrands-2degrees-2724433
  9. ^ http://www.three.co.uk/Help_Support/International/Going_abroad_Pay_Monthly/Destination_Details?content_aid=1214306364761
  10. ^ TVNZ Marae episode 21
  11. ^ http://www.3gnewsroom.com/country/new_zealand.shtml
  12. ^ [1]
  13. ^ [2]
  14. ^ [3]
  15. ^ http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/breaking-news-2degress-boss-quits-just-ahead-launch-105566
  16. ^ [4]
  17. ^ http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/2degrees-launches-mobile-pricing-2886330/video
  18. ^ http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/nzc-theme/pdf/2degrees-press-release7.pdf
  19. ^ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10588590
  20. ^ http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/magic-top-up
  21. ^ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10588734
  22. ^ http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/lost-sim
  23. ^ http://www.facebook.com/2degreesmobile?v=feed&story_fbid=149232068135
  24. ^ Numbers in Chinese culture
  25. ^ [5]
  26. ^ http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/mail-images/2degrees-press-release10.pdf
  27. ^ YouTube - Stay 2degrees
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2degrees&oldid=387244280"