Telco listens to customers shocker: Spark adds hotspot option to its unlimited data plan

UPDATE / Sept 29: When Spark recently slashed the price of its "unlimited" data plan to $79.95 a month, NBR readers were annoyed by a couple of lingering limitations — including a restriction against tethering your smartphone to your laptop, or using it as a personal wi-fi hotspot.

One corporate reader who is often on the go called the restrictions "bonkers." Hotspotting and tethering are really useful for situations where you can't get wi-fi, or it's available at the usual rip-off hotel or airport rates. IDC country manager Peter Wise noted that telcos overseas managed to allow tethering on unlimited plans.

Well, kudos to Spark chief executive home, mobile and business Jason Paris, who openly acknowledged the criticism on social media and promised to investigate alternatives. Today, he announced a tweak: You can now add a $10 Hotspot Extra pack that allows you 10GB of tethering and hotspotting for the month (similar solutions overseas are also capped).

That's not unlimited of course. Mr Paris concedes truly unlimited hotspotting would be uneconomic for his company. But it's a sensible compromise.

At the moment you can only buy one HotSport Extra pack per month but Spark plans to launch additional $1 for 1GB Hotspot Extra packs in a few weeks' time.

Usual plan speeds apply. (Spark's unlimited data plan offers full speed until you hit 22GB within a month, after which your speed can be throttled).

While we're on the subject of mobile plans, 2degrees has just launched two new business plans aimed at transtasman travellers. Both let you use your smartphone while in Australia with voice, txt and data charged at your usual plan rate as if you were in New Zealand.

EARLIER / Sept 15: Vodafone strikes back against Spark, 2degrees unlimited data plans

Vodafone has been an uncompetitive option for mobile data-hungry users since Spark and 2degrees both launched unlimited data plans for $130 a month in April.

More so since Spark slashed the price of its unlimited plan to $79.95/month on September 1.

The comparison with Vodafone’s most generous mobile data plan (15GB for $99/month) was pretty stark.

Today, Vodafone struck back with a $79.99/month plan that includes 22GB of data, bringing it close to 2degrees' recently introduced plan that offers 25GB of $70.

While it is not unlimited, Vodafone is pushing it as “no strings attached” a not-so-subtle reference to the fact Spark and 2degrees do not allow unlimited plan users to tether (attach their phone to a laptop) or hotspot (share their phone’s internet connectivity with another device).

Earlier this month, after one NBR reader called the tethering restriction “bonkers,” Spark chief executive home, mobile and business Jason Paris promised to reassess the limitation. However, so far there has been no update on that front.

Vodafone’s 22GB data limit is also weighted with meaning. That’s the point where throttling (slowing down data) can kick in under Spark’s “unlimited” plan. 2degrees also has a “fair use” provision but refuses to say at what point it kicks in.