Mobile roaming has revolutionised communications for travellers, but used to be complicated and difficult to budget for.
Vodafone is listening to its customers and launching a new roaming plan that will make it much simpler for people to estimate the costs of using their mobile while travelling abroad.
According to Kursten Shalfoon, Vodafone's GM of Products and Services, the new Vodafone Traveller is all about taking the mystery out of using a Vodafone mobile overseas.
"We know customers want simplicity and no shocks on their bills when they get home. Vodafone Traveller will provide this by reducing the number of price points from 400 to just 4 Zones," says Shalfoon.
From November 2007, all roamers on Vodafone will pay a flat rate of $1 per minute for receiving calls when abroad – regardless of which country, or which network people are using. The standard rate for sending a text message will be 80c. Receiving a text message is free.
The new roaming pricing plan simplifies approximately 400 different price points (depending on the country and service provider) to just 4 Zones. These apply regardless of which network is being used, and at any time of the day or night.
When roaming on Vodafone Traveller in Australia, people will now pay the same standard rate as when they use their mobile in New Zealand – on any network. Previously, this deal only applied for people using Vodafone Australia's network.