As we enter a new phase of self-isolation to fight COVID-19, staying in touch remotely with your loved ones and workmates is super important for everyone’s health and wellbeing.

Just as supermarkets are stocking their shelves, we’re prepping our broadband and mobile networks to make sure we have lots of supply available.

Here’s a reminder and an update on the Vodafone products and services that are here to help you over the next four weeks through our COVID-19 Care plan.

• From 26 March, until the end of June 2020, we’ll be removing the data cap for our Home Fixed Broadband customers who are not already on an unlimited plan. This includes Fibre, Ultrafast HFC, VDSL and ADSL. Due to network constraints, this excludes Rural Broadband and Wireless Broadband. Depending on how you check your data usage, it may stop increasing or continue to accumulate over this time. Please be assured that regardless of what you see, you won’t pay anything extra for it.
• From 27 March until the end of June 2020 we are offering unlimited^# data to our Rural Broadband customers in the low-peak time period from midnight to 9am. This will allow these customers to download Netflix or entertainment content at low-peak times ready for viewing the next day during high-peak.
• Eligible Pay Monthly mobile customers with data caps are actively encouraged to remove the uncertainty of running out of data, and move to one of our new Endless Data* plans. We will make it as easy as possible to do this by sending customers a communication with a simple two-step process to follow.
• MyFlex Prepay customers should make the most of being able to dial up or down their data, mins and TXTs to suit their changing needs.

Help us to help you

Please use our digital customer service methods wherever possible to reduce the pressure on our call centre staff. This includes:

• My Vodafone app
• Website
• Online store
• Online chatbot TOBi

Our teams are available 8am-9pm on Facebook and Twitter, but please note they are currently helping a significant number of customers and it may take longer than normal for them to respond.

Contactless purchase and delivery online

Please use our online store at www.vodafone.co.nz where all our products and services can be purchased, and if needed, delivered to your home wherever you are in New Zealand. Any mobile related products have free delivery.

Vodafone retail stores

From Monday 30 March we will be opening 45 non-contact stores (Essential Connectivity Hubs) to support Kiwis with essential services during the COVID-19 lockdown. All our other Vodafone stores are now closed for four weeks or until the government advises the COVID-19 level has changed.

‘Essential Connectivity Hubs’

Located from Whangarei to Invercargill*, these outlets will be open for three hours daily for pre-booked appointments only, to fulfil pre-specified requests. They will have limited hours and be designed to support customers as ‘Essential Connectivity Hubs’ – which includes getting or remaining online via mobile and broadband devices.

Here’s what you need to know

• Vodafone Essential Connectivity Hubs will be open only to existing customers with pre-booked appointments. They will include no customer interactions, and payments will need to be completed by the customer over the phone via credit card before visiting the hub
• The hubs will operate every day throughout the lockdown from Monday 30 March onwards, opening between 11am to 2pm
• Customers can book appointments via an online portal, which will connect them via phone to a representative from the store who will agree on a time for the customer to visit
• Appointments will be spaced out a 30-minute intervals to ensure customers do not come in close contact. Products and paperwork will be passed through the door, or under roller door, with the customer asked to stand three meters away at all times to ensure no contact occurs

For more information, or to pre-book an appointment, visit www.vodafone.co.nz.

*Full list of Vodafone Essential Connectivity Hubs can soon be found here.

Contact centre

Like all organisations, our contact centres are operating with reduced staff while dealing with increased call volumes. Please avoid calling wherever possible as wait times will likely increase as movement restrictions commence.

More support if needed

From 26 March 2020, for an initial period of 6 months, we will not disconnect or charge late fees to any customers experiencing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19, including personal customers and small to medium sized businesses.

Customers experiencing financial hardship or who meet the Government criteria for financial hardship as a result of COVID-19 should get in touch with us.

Our network

Many of you might be wondering how we are ensuring our networks and systems can support so many more people working from home during this time. Network end-to-end capacity and applications associated with mass remote working of New Zealanders have been tested and are on standby as required. Our network’s infrastructure is closely managed, health-checked and monitored 24/7 so we’ve got you covered.

We’re committed to helping all our customers get through this difficult time. Stay safe, stay well and stay connected.

*Speeds reduced after Max Speed Data allowance exceeded

#Speeds may vary. Vodafone NZ reserves the right to apply its Traffic Management Policy, to improve the overall performance and experience among our customers, and to protect our network.