Vodafone Broadband Review
We review Vodafone broadband's four plans and outline the pros and cons of each, benefits and how to get the best price.
Updated 7 March 2021
Summary:
How to get the best price on a Vodafone broadband plan:
Our review:
This guide details the four plans pros, and cons compare the plans side-by-side and outline those most suitable for Vodafone for broadband. We cover:
- Vodafone in a Nutshell: Vodafone is the second-largest broadband and mobile provider in New Zealand, with a market share of approximately 24% and 37%, respectively. This places Vodafone in an interesting position, in which it constantly seeks to improve its service offerings to shorten the gap with the current leader, Spark.
- Coverage: Vodafone broadband services are not available in all areas. To find out what type of service is available in your area, visit their website and enter your address.
- Plans and Pricing: Vodafone offers four plans, the Unlimited ADSL/VDSL Broadband Plan (from $79/month), the Unlimited Fibre Broadband Plan (from $79/month), the Unlimited FibreMax Broadband Plan (from $99/month), and the Wireless Broadband Plan (from $55/month).
How to get the best price on a Vodafone broadband plan:
- New Customers: Plans with Vodafone are cheapest when you bring your own modem, sign up for 24-months and bundle broadband with Vodafone’s mobile plans, and don’t plan to change providers for at least 24 months (therefore avoiding the early exit fee).
- Renewing: If you're happy with Vodafone and would like to continue, the best approach is to compare the pricing when your contract comes up for renewal. If Vodafone offers a better deal than the renew rate, contact their support team and ask for them to apply it to your account.
Our review:
This guide details the four plans pros, and cons compare the plans side-by-side and outline those most suitable for Vodafone for broadband. We cover:
Vodafone Broadband Set Up and Installation Charges
Know this first: When comparing broadband providers, service setup charges are an essential part of the deal. In the case of Vodafone, all plans share the same set-up fees.
Important:
- Installation cost: standard installation is free of charge in all Vodafone plans. In other words, if your household already has a phone line and/or ADSL connection, or the fibre access point is within 200 meters from your house, then you will not have to pay for installation.
- Modem cost: All plans have the option to rent a Vodafone modem for $4/month (a one time $14.95 postage fee applies). Vodafone’s 4G/5G wireless broadband plans already include a modem.
Important:
- Non-standard installation fees may apply if your household requires a new ADSL, VDSL, or Fibre connection.
Vodafone Broadband Customer Service and Outage Support
- Vodafone's Customer Support Hours related to billing or switching plans are from Monday to Friday, 7 am - 8 pm, and Weekends and Holidays from 8 am - 6 pm. Outage support is 24/7 via phone, live chat, and TOBi digital assistant. Alternatively, you can browse ‘Help with Broadband’ FAQs.
How fast is a Vodafone broadband connection?
The speed of your internet connection will be determined by the type of line available in your area. Depending on your location, Vodafone may have ADSL, VDSL, Standard Fibre or the FiberMax lines. Below is a reference of what to expect from each line:
- Vodafone’s ADSL Speed: Up to 10Mbps download speed / 1Mbps upload speed
- Vodafone’s VDSL Speed: Up to 50Mbps download speed / 10Mbps upload speed
- Vodafone’s Fibre 100 Speed: Up to 100Mbps download speed / 20Mbps upload speed
- Vodafone’s Fibre 200 Speed: Up to 200Mbps download speed / 20Mbps upload speed
- Vodafone’s FibreMax Speed: Up to 950Mbps download speed / 500Mbps upload speed
- Vodafone’s Wireless Speed: Up to 100Mbps download speed (4G), up to 750Mbps download speed (5G). Both figures are based on optimal conditions.
Comparing Vodafone Plans - Unlimited ADSL/VDSL Broadband vs Unlimited Fibre Broadband vs Wireless Broadband Plans
Vodafone offers three fixed-line broadband plans, the Unlimited ADSL/VDSL Broadband Plan, the Unlimited Fibre Broadband Plan, and the Unlimited FibreMax Broadband Plan. Also, Vodafone offers a Wireless Broadband Plan. Also, during the signing up process, you have the option to choose to pick a mobile plan. We outline the offering of each, as well as the pros and cons.
Important: Unless stated otherwise, all prices are based on 12-month fixed-term naked broadband plans (with no Vodafone Pay Monthly Mobile Plan or home phone).
Important: Unless stated otherwise, all prices are based on 12-month fixed-term naked broadband plans (with no Vodafone Pay Monthly Mobile Plan or home phone).
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Vodafone Unlimited ADSL/VDSL Broadband Plan ReviewSummary: ADSL/VDSL plans are the most basic offered by Vodafone, and as such, they are a good option for families or individuals with moderate speed and bandwidth requirements.
The Pros:
The Cons:
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Vodafone Unlimited Fibre Broadband Plans ReviewSummary: Vodafone's Unlimited Fiber Broadband Plans offer an unsurpassed cost-benefit ratio, along with enough speed and bandwidth to meet the needs of any modern home in New Zealand.
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The Cons:
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Vodafone Unlimited FibreMax Broadband Plan ReviewSummary: If the highest possible speed and bandwidth is what you are looking for, then Vodafone's Unlimited FibreMax Broadband plan may be for you. This plan is ideal for professionals who work from home and New Zealand families who want to enjoy multiple 4k screens simultaneously.
The Pros:
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Vodafone Wireless Broadband Plan ReviewSummary: Ready to enjoy the best wireless network in New Zealand? Vodafone offers you the best coverage and the highest speeds nationwide. 4G/5G Wireless Broadband plans are an excellent alternative for families who are just looking for an affordable and practical solution to satisfy their internet requirements.
The Pros:
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Which Vodafone Broadband Plan is the Best?
In our opinion, the Unlimited Fibre Broadband Plan offers the best cost-benefit ratio. However, it is worth mentioning that in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown, where there is 5G coverage, the Wireless Broadband Plan may be a better option since it offers almost the same speed and bandwidth at a considerably lower price.
Choosing the Right Vodafone Plan - Standard Broadband vs Fibre Broadband vs HFC Broadband vs Wireless Plans
Vodafone offers a huge range of plans ranging from ADSL to cutting edge 5G Wireless. Most plans share the same add-ons, discounts, and extra benefits, so when choosing the right Vodafone plan, it all comes down to your speed and bandwidth needs.
1. Connection Speed: In general terms:
2. Flexibility:
3. Set-Up Charges:
4. Monthly Costs:
5. Additional perks:
1. Connection Speed: In general terms:
- Vodafone’s Standard Broadband Plans Vodafone ADSL and VDSL plans are designed for families and individuals with modest internet requirements. This is why the speeds of up to 50/10 Mbps offered by these plans are more than enough for light activities such as reading the news and browsing the web.
- Vodafone’s Fibre Broadband Plans Fiber plans definitely provide a noticeable improvement over ADSL/VDSL plans. With speeds up to 200/20 Mbps, these plans can easily handle multiple Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney+ screens at once without a sweat. Moreover, their incredible bandwidth and high reliability make them an ideal choice for professionals working from home and content creators using applications that require fast connections.
- Vodafone’s HFC Broadband Plan Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (FibreMax) plans are a quantum leap over traditional fibre connections. With speeds of up to 950/500 Mbps, these plans literally provide 10x the speed and bandwidth of standard fibre broadband, making them attractive to large families and professionals who need ultra-fast connections.
- Vodafone’s Wireless Broadband Plan Vodafone has invested a great deal of money in expanding its 5G network in New Zealand. And for a good reason. For a fraction of the cost required to deploy HFC fibre lines, 5G technology offers almost the same performance. Its incredible speed of 750Mbps and its low monthly cost makes it a very attractive alternative for all types of users, from couples to large families who want to use several 4k screens simultaneously. Note, however, that this technology is only available in some areas. Currently, Vodafone wireless broadband is mostly based on its 4G network.
2. Flexibility:
- Vodafone is one of the broadband providers that offer more flexibility in their plans. Except for Wireless plans, you have the option of choosing between fixed or open term contracts without having to pay more for it. Moreover, unlike other broadband providers who limit their promotions to fixed-term plans, Vodafone offers all its customers the same conditions. All this makes Vodafone an interesting alternative for many users, including landlords and tenants looking for this kind of flexibility.
3. Set-Up Charges:
- From an installation cost perspective, Vodafone also demonstrates its leadership by providing the option to rent a premium modem for as little as $4/ month, along with zero set-up charges for customers with pre-existing ADSL, VDSL, and fibre connections.
4. Monthly Costs:
- In our opinion, all Vodafone wireless and fibre plans are competitively priced. However, when making up your mind, consider that you get the best value by choosing Unlimited Fibre or Wireless 5G plans.
5. Additional perks:
- As for additional perks, Vodafone currently has a great variety of them. For starters, the Vodafone/TP-Link SuperWifi guarantees wall-to-wall Wifi coverage or $100 account credit. There are also the Vodafone Rewards that give you discounts and exclusive offers only for Vodafone customers.
Vodafone Broadband Frequently Asked Questions
To help you decide if Vodafone is right for your home, we've included several frequently asked questions to help you know more about the service.
Is Vodafone available at my address?
There is a good chance that broadband service is available at your address as Vodafone is one of the top service providers in New Zealand. To verify what type of plans is available in your area, you just have to enter your address on the Vodafone page.
Does Vodafone offer a free modem?
Yes, Vodafone offers the option to rent its Ultra Hub modem for $4/month with all its plans. Alternatively, you can bring your own modem (BYO) as far as it’s compatible with Vodafone plans. To set up your own modem, you can follow the Set up your own modem guide on Vodafone’s help page.
Does Vodafone offer additional perks?
Yes, it does. You have Vodafone Rewards, Vodafone SuperWifi, Vodafone Always Connected (available with eligible mobile plans), and Vodafone Ninjas Masters of Tech.
Does Vodafone offer an open term contract?
Yes, Vodafone does offer an open-term contract on all its ADSL, VDSL, and Fibre plans.
Does Vodafone offer discounts for broadband plans?
Yes, when you bundle broadband with Vodafone Mobile, you will receive $10 off your broadband plan bill. Moreover, you can get an additional $10 off per month for the plan’s life for a limited time regardless of the contract type.
Who owns Vodafone?
Vodafone broadband NZ is part of the Vodafone Group plc, a multinational telecommunications company with headquarters in Newbury, Berkshire, England.
Does Vodafone offer a home phone add-on with its broadband plans?
Yes, Vodafone does offer home phone addons with all its fixed-line broadband plans starting at $10/month.
