Qantas Vodafone tie up

[BAM1748]

It is a much better offering than Optus or Telstra but note that it is actually $5.50 per day due to the GST. I have read the small print and have never found mention of the roaming charge being subject to GST. When I first used it and worked out what they were doing I was nearly going to take them to task over it.

It's only better if you don't need comprehensive coverage. So Vodafone might be better for you but regarding the places I go it would be a complete failure and waste of money.

So it is not a better offering for me even if it was free.

 

[Mr_Orange]

It's only better if you don't need comprehensive coverage. So Vodafone might be better for you but regarding the places I go it would be a complete failure and waste of money.

So it is not a better offering for me even if it was free.

Perhaps I should have said 'cost effective'. Whilst Telstra's domestic coverage is undoubtedly better, I'm not sure how they compete abroad. Especially in countries where Vodafone has a presence or a large partner.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Look at the small print on the $5 per day roaming. Don't expect it to be around long term.

Its already been available for more than 2 years. I've taken advantage of it. No other Australian telco comes close to this offering.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Its already been available for more than 2 years.

Yeah it's been working well for me for at least a couple of years, care to explain Himeno why it won't be around long term?

 

[Imw]

Happy vodafone customer here. Do I assume qantas link to vodafone is fir new customers only?? Can't seem to find anything on it for existing customers

 

[DavidFlynn]

Whilst Telstra's domestic coverage is undoubtedly better, I'm not sure how they compete abroad. Especially in countries where Vodafone has a presence or a large partner.

This has always been the irony of Aussie telco scene. Telstra has the most extensive Australia network but has the worst overseas roaming deals and has no real partnerships of note, while Vodafone falls short of Telstra's Aussie coverage but has the best roaming deals and a solid web of partnerships through its parent brand.

FWIW: I've been on all three telcos for varying lengths of time, but a few years ago switched from Telstra to Vodafone with the introduction of $5/day roaming – for obvious reasons my work involves a lot of international travel on business, so keeping connected is a must (for basics such as calls from AU and locally, through to filing stories) and while I'd built up a little collection of SIM cards for each country, the necessary recharging was often a hassle and of course meant I couldn't be contacted on my Aussie number. Vodafone's $5/day roaming is brilliant value for me, so much so that last year I took advantage of a special promo of free roaming on contracts $100 or above (no $5/day!), so I re-up'd the contract from my $80 plan, figuring that if I spend more than four days overseas (in a $5/day roaming country) each month (which I always do) then I'm ahead.

That said: I couldn't have made the move if Voda's Australian network hadn't improved from where it was quite a few years back, back when the issues where both coverage and speed. Sitting at a cafe in Crows Nest at 10.30am on a weekday, trying to pull email on your BlackBerry and having basically zero connectivity - that's not how these new-fangled wireless contraptions are supposed to work. These days I have Voda at 4G pretty much everywhere I go – admittedly my domestic pattern is one of cities, and in Sydney that includes the north shore and inner-west.

But it really comes down to if the network covers where you need to be. If I spent more time in regional areas, in the country, then it'd be Telstra for me, without a doubt. But for where I travel and what I need, Voda works a treat.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Would've thought Telstra a more natural fit with Qantas too.

Vodafone likely has the smallest footprint within the Qantas member base so it could make more sense to team up as there is greater opportunity for member uptake over a Telstra offer.

Only points on high plans is an oddity but likely because it's an acquire offer aimed at SME which represent a large % of the active QFF member base.

I can't see it making a huge difference to Vodafone subscriber numbers with such a soft offer but still interesting and the points junkies will no doubt take it up. I hope QFF did a min points purchase deal with voda so they're both committed to pushing the deal and that this is only the beginning of a larger and far more profitable deal for QFF....

 

[eastwest101]

But it really comes down to if the network covers where you need to be. If I spent more time in regional areas, in the country, then it'd be Telstra for me, without a doubt. But for where I travel and what I need, Voda works a treat.

Totally agree - if you travel overseas a lot but never leave Australian capital cities then Vodaphone could work for some, if you travel in Australia further than 50km from an Australian capital city the Telstra still has superior coverage to Optus and Vodaphone, but you get smashed by Telstra in international roaming, so dual sim phones or local sim cards are the go if you do both international and country Australia roaming.

 

[DavidFlynn]

... dual sim phones or local sim cards are the go if you do both international and country Australia roaming.

I've been amazed that in this era of smartphones there are so few dual-SIM devices, especially at the premium end of the market.

 

[bsb]

Yikes Vodafone ..... at least it will cut down on the calls to Qantas call center

IMO National carrier should be with a telco carrier that can provide services national, not just capital cities an regional towns

couldn't have said it better myself

 

[DavidFlynn]

Qantas should also stop serving Pepe Saya butter and choose a butter that's available to working families right across Australia. Something for the truckers and dockers, the door-knockers, the working Mums and layabout bums but not them Muslums - sorry, I accidentally started channeling my inner Sarah Palin

 

[eastwest101]

I've been amazed that in this era of smartphones there are so few dual-SIM devices, especially at the premium end of the market.

That will change in the future as the Chinese and Indian market explodes in the next few years - there are some good Android dual sim phones out there now from Asus, Microsoft/Nokia, HTC, Samsung, Sony and Motorola etc but you really do have to do your homework and research them.

This article summarizes what I found out in the last bit of research that I did:
5 Best Dual SIM Smartphones

 

[Pleb Status]

I've been amazed that in this era of smartphones there are so few dual-SIM devices, especially at the premium end of the market.

In Asia, most high end Android devices are now available as dual SIM. I have a dual SIM Samsung Galaxy Note 5 which I bought in HKG. I could of bought a S6, S6 edge or S6 edge+ also.

It used to be a problem ensuring that all of the Australian 4G LTE frequencies (particularly 700MHz B28) were supported but the latest Samsung devices cover most frequencies now.

 

[blueythecat]

It's only better if you don't need comprehensive coverage. So Vodafone might be better for you but regarding the places I go it would be a complete failure and waste of money.

So it is not a better offering for me even if it was free.

At least you don't have to worry about dropouts in regional areas on Vodafail, like I constantly get with Telstra! Dropouts imply you have some kind of coverage to begin with, not a problem Vodafone has....

 

[N860CR]

I've recently done the switch to Voda for the $5 per day roaming.

Can't say I've been overly impressed so far. Coverage in the Sydney suburbs is average at best. My calls from home have been scratchy and I regularly get "SOS Only" in the bedroom (I'm about 8ks south of Sydney CBD).

Intl roaming has been problematic. I returned from Bali today and while over there I would always have reception, but rarely 3G so the phone couldn't actually be used for what I wanted. I found switching to and from flight mode seemed to kick the 3G into gear, but it made uber etc difficult without constant data coverage.

I've also found their customer service to be lacking a bit. The Indian call centre is aggressive and rude compared to that of Telstra and escalations back to Australia aren't much better.

Hopefully Optus or Telstra offer some decent roaming plans to provide decent competition

 

[exceladdict]

I've been amazed that in this era of smartphones there are so few dual-SIM devices, especially at the premium end of the market.

Phones that altogether don't need sims can't be far off the horizon. They're technically capable phones can detect an SOS signal - just a matter of regulatory hurdles, I imagine. I mean, why can't I just log in to a sim with my username and password?

Would've thought Telstra a more natural fit with Qantas too.

I'm sure QF would have wanted that, only problem is... https://www.flybuys.com.au/partners/telstra

 

[marki]

I use vodafone as well, the $5 per day roaming (now free for use in NZ) in 50 countries is better than either Optus or Telstra offer. I have no issues with vodafone, happy customer.

I am currently on a business plan with Telstra. I can ring any country in the world not just 50. It's part of the package. I Also get 1.5 gig Internet roaming when overseas. I can call from overseas back to Australia free but only from certain countries but enough to make it count.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Again like Virgin Mobile and VA, this Vodafone and QF Deal only on Post Paid contracts.

 

[Pushka]

No point for us. On an optus plan for the next 2 years. Their overseas roaming @$10 per day is good anyway.

Had Vodafone for my first plan. Never again.

Nephew had Vodafone a couple of years ago. Decided he would take use of the opportunity to ditch them on the basis of poor service. He would call them on a landline because of poor reception. They would call back on the mobile. He rarely got reception so never received their calls. When he would call them back on the landline they complained he never answered his phone. Mmm. That would be because he never had reception. They finally got it and his plan was cancelled.

Oh well, nice getting Qantas points with Optus while it lasted.

 

[DavidFlynn]

Phones that altogether don't need sims can't be far off the horizon. They're technically capable phones can detect an SOS signal - just a matter of regulatory hurdles, I imagine. I mean, why can't I just log in to a sim with my username and password?

Yes, was reading a little about that yesterday – the move from physical SIMs to the 'e-SIM', with the module built entirely into software and how this should make it easier and more competitive for carriers to bid for your roaming business. Bring it on!