Phone Cards Blog

Telecom is hoping it can retain its mobile customers travelling to Australia, once the network they use there is closed down.

The Australian Government said it would let Telstra close its old CDMA mobile phone network from April 28.Unlike Vodafone mobiles, standard Telecom mobiles are not compatible with other existing mobile networks in Australia.In January, the Australian Government gave Telecom a three-monthreprieve when it forced Telstra to postpone the network’s closure.The shutdown will prevent Telecom pre-paid customers with CDMA-only phones from using their phones in Australia.On-account customers who do not already have a WorldMode phone
capable of connecting with both Telecom’s existing CDMA network and
second generation networks, will need to upgrade their phones or borrow

WorldMode phones from Telecom if they go to Australia.Telecom said it had been running a customer communications campaign since last year, focusing on customers who have roamed in the past two years, and offering special phone upgrade deals.Spokeswoman Katherine Murphy said the most regular roamers have been offered free WorldMode phones. Telecom has kiosks at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch airports where its customers can buy or borrow a WorldMode phone.As a last resort, customers who arrive in Australia without a WorldMode phone can buy a phone from network operator Optus, on which
they can use their Telecom number.

Telecom is building a new $300 million WCDMA network, which will be
compatible with Australia’s networks. It is expected to be operating in
November.

Telecom acting chief executive of retail Simon Moutter told analysts
at a briefing last week that he expected that the company’s contingency
plans and its range of four WorldMode devices would help the company
“ride out the period where we have a poor roaming proposition to
Australia”.

Chief executive Paul Reynolds has described his inherited CDMA network as a dead end for the company.

At the analysts’ briefing, he said: “We’ve got to get out of this CDMA cul-de-sac.”

The new network would allow the company to offer new services and devices.

“And, finally, our ability to address the really lucrative
international roaming revenues which Telecom New Zealand is currently
virtually out of.”

Via:http://www.stuff.co.nz/4483376a13.html