How to Call Home Cheap or Free
Mobile phones in New Zealand
If you have an unlocked mobile phone from your home county you should be able to just buy a SIM card in New Zealand from Vodafone NZ. This is usually cheaper than usuing yuor home mobile SIM in New Zealand
Pick up a cheap SIM card from most electrical stores for approx $35, but can use to call most 0800 numbers free of charge, check with phonecards that you get though as some surcharge you. Always check in store your phone will be compatible before buying the SIM though in case you are from the few countries that can't access this (eg Japan etc)
Note: Telecom NZ has been using a different type of mobile network (CDMA) than most countries so you need to ask at Telecom whether you can use their new XT network.
Vodafone NZ should work on your UNLOCKED GSM mobile phone.
Text Messaging in NZ
Another cheap way to keep in touch is with Text messaging with your mobile.
It usually doesn't cost anything to receive a text abroad but can be quite expensive to send texts from New Zealand.
Check with your local mobile company at home if you can roam in New Zealand and how much its likely to cost to call or text.
If you're going to be here for some time it is often better to buy a local mobile sim card.
CURRENT SPECIALS for INTERNATIONAL CALLING!
Vodafone Mobile are offering cheap calls to 15 countries, any time of the day or night for just
$2 for 60 minutes from your mobile until the end of Jan 2010! note they can amend this offer at any time so always check the website!
Australia, UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, India, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Check out full terms & conditions
here
Cheap International Phone Cards from New ZealandThe easiest & one of the cheapest way to call abroad from New Zealand is often to buy a local phone card from a newspaper shop. You need to call a local number (this is free from a standard NZ landline) but check with your hotel or hostel whether they offer free local calls otherwise this can add up!
Some hostels provide free local calls, great for phoning home cheap.
You can often call UK, Europe or US from 0.05 NZ cents/min
There are 2 big companies fighting it out for cheapest phone card
Another good site for looking at prices is at
We're not sure what they are like to buy from but they're useful in listing the prices for different destinations. Note they don't list all the phone cards!
For phoning the UK the following is currently the cheapest Note prices can change for check when you purchase the card. (rates in NZ cents/min +GST) :
Meihua Card Tends to be the cheapest phone card for a number of destinations Currently 1.5c -China & UK. 2.5c - OZ, NZ landline (check for mobile rates)
Do not use hotel phones as these often work out extremely expensive.
International calls from your NZ mobile
This phone card seems to be the best on offer if you're using the phone whilst travelling.
Calls start from 5 NZ cents/min (UK, OZ etc) + 19c connection fee (per call)
Skype
If you're techno savvy then most internet cafes abroad have skype loaded on to their machines so you can call to other skype users for free!