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Understand your mobile data usage

Personal Help Help for Mobile Understand your mobile data usage
Knowing how much mobile data you use helps you manage your plan. It can help to avoid things like extra charges or reduced internet speeds.

Here are some tips:

  1. Monitor your usage regularly. Use our One NZ app or sign in to My One NZ to track your usage.
  2. Be aware of your plan’s data, mins and TXT limits. Knowing your limits will help you avoid going over and incurring casual rate charges or facing reduced speeds. You can find your plan’s limits by signing into the One NZ app, or your billing statement if you are a Pay Monthly customer.
  3. Use WiFi when possible. WiFi is a great way to save data. Whenever you have access to WiFi, turn off your data in your phone settings and use Wifi. You can also use Wifi Calling to make and receive calls in any location covered by WiFi in NZ or overseas.
  4. Turn off background data and delete unused apps. Many apps will use data in the background, even when you're not using them. Turning off background data for apps in your phone settings can help you save data.
  5. Be aware of data roaming charges. Data roaming charges can be very expensive. If you're traveling outside of New Zealand, be sure to find out about data roaming rates.

How data usage works.

Mobile data on a phone is used up when accessing internet content such as browsing websites, streaming music or videos, using social media apps, sending or receiving emails and downloading files, over your mobile network. The amount of data you use depends on the activity. For instance, checking emails and browsing the web use a relatively small amount of data, while streaming videos and downloading large files use a lot more.

Mobile data is measured in units called kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), and gigabytes (GB). One gigabyte (the largest unit) is equal to 1,000 MB, and one megabyte is equal to 1,000 KB. Most mobile plans have a data allowance, which is the maximum amount of data you can use during a billing period. Once you exceed your max speed allowance, you may be charged casual rates if you are on a Prepay plan or experience reduced speeds if you are a Pay Monthly customer.

What can use your phone's data?

Watching video and streaming music can use a good amount of data.
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Social Media
FrequencyMinimum Data
Lightly once a day1GB
On social media all the time5GB+

If you are just lightly viewing and updating text on social media once a day, a low end plan is fine. However, if you upload or watch a lot of photos or videos all the time then a 5GB plan or higher is recommended.

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Streaming Music
FrequencyMinimum Data
Casual Listener1GB-3GB
Daily Streamer5GB
Daily (HD) Streamer10GB

If you are a casual music listener (including online radio) then a 1-3 GB plan is fine. However, if you stream daily Apple Music or Spotify or similar then a 5GB plan is recommended. If you stream HD audio daily, then up to 10GB is recommended. On Apple IOS HD streaming is off by default but can be enabled in the phone menu.

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Video (e.g. YouTube)
FrequencyMinimum Data
Daily (Standard)5GB
Daily (HD)10GB+

For daily YouTube or other video streaming (including Facebook), a 5GB minimum plan is recommended with 10GB ideal. If you want to regularly watch higher quality (HD+) video or TV series then 10GB is minimum.

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Email, web browsing and instant messaging
Frequency Minimum data
Text only500MB+1GB

Should be comfortably done daily within a 1GB plan or even 500MB plan for casual use.

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Online gaming and device updates
Frequency Minimum data
Occasional 1GB-3GB

For both Android and IOS devices there can be regular updates to the system and installed apps. These can use several hundred megabytes so it is important to set these to only be done on WIFI.

Online gaming can create background data. You should block the data if possible through the application settings on the phone.

What are Prepay casual rates?

Prepay casual rates are the prices you'll pay for calls, TXTs and data when your plan has run out or you haven’t bought a plan or Add-on. You will pay more for using data, mins or TXTs without a plan.

Keep an eye on your usage with the One NZ app or My One NZ website. We'll text you when you've used 80% or all of your plan.

Calls

  • NZ calls: $0.49 per minute for calls to mobiles and landlines once you've used your included minutes.
  • International calls: Calls to our top 15 overseas countries anytime 89c per minute.
  • Rest of the world: $1.43 per minute.
  • $2 for 60 minutes: Call overseas landlines in one of 30 countries from NZ anytime and pay no more than $2 for 60 minutes.
  • Calls to voicemail: 20c per call.

TXTs

  • NZ TXTs: $0.20 per TXT, once you've used any included TXTs.
  • International TXTs: From NZ to overseas 31c per TXT.

Data

  • Casual data: $0.50 per MB once you've used any included Data.
  • If you've run out of data, minutes, or TXTs on your plan. You can buy Daily Deals to get more without renewing your plan.

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