Aus, NZ Govts consider decoupling mobile roaming

[Flashback]

Aus, NZ Govts consider 'decoupling' mobile roaming - Telco/ISP - Technology - News - iTnews.com.au

The part of this article that had me interested was:

Scrap roaming altogether?
Roaming charges between Australia and New Zealand have largely remained stagnant in the three years leading up to the joint government review.
Several carriers have since begun trialling or making permanent changes to the roaming charges between Australia and New Zealand.
But Brislen, also a board member of the International Telecommunications Users Group, has pushed for the governments to remove mobile roaming charges between the two countries altogether.
"If you have say one gigabyte of data with your local provider for $49/month, that's what you pay no matter where you are," Brislen said.
The New Zealand Government has left exploration of reducing mobile roaming charges in other countries open to investigation once negotiations with Australia are complete.

 

[opusman]

About time something was done, what Aussie telcos charge for roaming in NZ is scandalous.

 

[Flashback]

About time something was done, what Aussie telcos charge for roaming in NZ is scandalous.

I find it funny that in Europe I can pay less when I roam as opposed to "normal" local charges in Australia :shock:

 

[Must...Fly!]

I agree, it's absolutely ridiculous. They need to abolish it between the two.

 

[elbarto]

NZ should just sign up to our constitution like they were offered back at the time of federation and then we could get rid of a lot of the restrictions between the two countries.

 

[straitman]

In India it cost me 1 or 2 Rupees for a text message and 97 Rupees for 1 Gb of data.

Translated, approx 2 or 4 cents for a text and about $1.94 for 1 Gb of data using a low grade prepaid sim card.

Makes our rates look expensive.

 

[simongr]

Why shouldn't it be normal global roaming charges between NZ and AUS? Foreign countries with foreign owned Telcos (well Vodafone not so much). I don't see any rationale that just because of the closeness of A/NZ that telephone charges should be reduced.

 

[straitman]

Why shouldn't it be normal global roaming charges between NZ and AUS? Foreign countries with foreign owned Telcos (well Vodafone not so much). I don't see any rationale that just because of the closeness of A/NZ that telephone charges should be reduced.

The same could be said for Westof Australia :!:

 

[opusman]

Why shouldn't it be normal global roaming charges between NZ and AUS?

All roaming charges are too high, but it's particularly ridiculous that it's more expensive to roam in NZ than it is in, say, the UK or the USA.

And have you seen data charges? In Australia Telstra can sell me 1.5GB of data a month for $49, whereas in NZ 1.5GB of data would cost $23000!

 

[drmikki]

The same could be said for Westof Australia :!:

At least if PER was an 'international' call away, companies would perhaps rethink me before calling at 0600 during EDST!

 

[simongr]

All roaming charges are too high, but it's particularly ridiculous that it's more expensive to roam in NZ than it is in, say, the UK or the USA.

And have you seen data charges? In Australia Telstra can sell me 1.5GB of data a month for $49, whereas in NZ 1.5GB of data would cost $23000!

I dont deny that roaming charges are ridiculous - but I don't see why NZ should be different to say SIN.

 

[opusman]

I dont deny that roaming charges are ridiculous - but I don't see why NZ should be different to say SIN.

NZ - $1.28/min local calls, $2.80/min to Australia, $4.19/min to other countries
SIN - $0.85/min local calls, $1.55/min to Australia, $2.25/min to other countries

What's your point?

 

[oz_mark]

Why shouldn't it be normal global roaming charges between NZ and AUS? Foreign countries with foreign owned Telcos (well Vodafone not so much). I don't see any rationale that just because of the closeness of A/NZ that telephone charges should be reduced.

Because the two governments have agreed to look into the issue, due to perceived market failure in the roaming market.

 

[maninblack]

In Australia Telstra can sell me 1.5GB of data a month for $49, whereas in NZ 1.5GB of data would cost $23000!

What? Are you sure about this? BTW I buy extra data from Telstra at $10 per GB.

 

[medhead]

NZ - $1.28/min local calls, $2.80/min to Australia, $4.19/min to other countries
SIN - $0.85/min local calls, $1.55/min to Australia, $2.25/min to other countries

What's your point?

Umm what's yours. The differences in those prices are probably related to the fact that Singapore is the size of a postage stamp and would require the telecommunications infrastructure of Auckland. The price of roaming is also dependent on the deal Australia phone companies strike with foreign phone companies


Sent from the Throne (80% chance) using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[anat0l]

If I understand this all correctly, the proposal is that you could make calls and use data in their AU or NZ for the same price as you'd pay at home (whether home is one or the other)?

It's a nice idea in theory, though it may just stay that way - just like the dream of abolishing / streamlining immigration procedures (although in the case of this idea for decoupling mobile roaming, there's no excuse of illegal immigration to deal with).

In this case, I wonder how it would be regulated. I suppose there is no more existing infrastructure to be realised; just tell the telcos they charge no more than they do for "in country" rates right now. I wonder if the telcos will argue they will want subsidies (even if on an annually decreasing basis) to cover the cost, but I'd find this argument laughable.


Also, which country (AU or NZ) has higher telco charges? Would it make sense for residents of one country to buy a SIM in the other because its cheaper, creating an odd concentration of carrier demand in one of the nations?

 

[Mal]

Because the two governments have agreed to look into the issue, due to perceived market failure in the roaming market.

Im with simongr on this one. Why should the government be interfering in this? Yes roaming charges are too high and i would love to see them reduced, but the government should not be sticking its nose into this issue.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[simongr]

NZ - $1.28/min local calls, $2.80/min to Australia, $4.19/min to other countries
SIN - $0.85/min local calls, $1.55/min to Australia, $2.25/min to other countries

What's your point?

I don't get your point - you're comparing local rates and I am comparing the practice of roaming. If I use my data in SIN from an Oz phone I don't think it should be any different to using data in NZ from an Oz phone. I think the rates are ridiculous and I would prefer harmonisation and better sharing of plans but I don't see why the govts should be interfering.

In all honesty there are probably more travellers between other ports than between Oz and NZ (although that is an assumption on my part - but I would have to guess that more pax travel to countries other than NZ from Oz) and if the govt wants to help reduce the roaming burden on people they should tackle the more significant markets.

And finally NZ has to be one of the easiest places to buy a prepaid sim when travelling.

 

[Austman]

The EU recognised the problem and did something about it. European Commission roaming regulations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This covers roaming between different countries/operators/currencies, but all within the EU, of course.

So the Australian and NZ governments can do most certainly do something similar if they want. Like the EU, they could introduce maximum tariffs etc. And if there is enough political desire, they may well do so.

The question is, should they do it?

 

[Canny man]

The EU recognised the problem and did something about it. European Commission roaming regulations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This covers roaming between different countries/operators/currencies, but all within the EU, of course.

So the Australian and NZ governments can do most certainly do something similar if they want. Like the EU, they could introduce maximum tariffs etc. And if there is enough political desire, they may well do so.

The question is, should they do it?

I am all for the governement keeping their nose out of markets. However, the mobile telecoms market in Australia is a mess. The cap system makes price comparison impossibly difficult (what does $550 of calls actually mean? at what tariff, how many minutes?). Roaming charges are obscene and bear no link to the actual costs. For example when I worked in the UK I could get a roaming deal that was basically my domestic rate plus a fixed 25p per call when overseas.