Spark follows 2degrees into unlimited mobile
"While we like the intent of 2degrees' plan, we believe it leaves customers with as many questions as answers" – Jason Paris, Spark
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Hawke’s Bay
Hot on the heels of 2degrees launching an “unlimited” mobile plan, Spark is doing the same – but is being more clear about its real-life limitations.
Like 2degrees’ $129 unlimited plan, Spark’s $130 "Freedom" plan will give you unlimited calls and texts within Australasia and unlimited data within New Zealand.
2degrees was up-front about two limitations: you can’t tether an unlimited data phone to a PC or other device, or use it as a personal wi-fi hotspot (Spark adopts those restrictions too).
But 2degrees was frustratingly vague about its third major restriction: that unlimited mobile customers were subject to very loosely defined “fair use” policy.
Spark is more clear. It says that after you download 22GB of data within a month (which is about 11 hours on Netflix), your speed could be throttled (or to put it in Spark’s terms, “Spark may reduce their speed to protect other mobile and wireless broadband customers’ experience”).
I appreciate that honesty, though noting it might be in part spurred by the institutional memory of the $500,000 fine for throttling a so-called unlimited plan back in the Telecom days.
Spark chief executive Jason Paris merrily makes hay from his rival’s secrecy, saying, “We’ve seen 2degrees' new ‘unlimited’ plan – and while we like the intent, we believe it leaves customers with as many questions as answers. How can the plan be ‘unlimited’ when 2degrees has said there is a fair use limit? What does ‘fair use’ mean? What experience will a customer receive once 2degrees thinks it has used too much?”
Spark’s budget sub-brand, Skinny, is offering the same unlimited plan.
For longtime industry watchers, this spat resembles when unlimited plans were first introduced in the landline market – from the annoying word games and limits to the infrastructure that can't quite hack it.
For genuine unlimited mobile data, we'll have to wait for 5G.
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