Vodafone doubles roaming offer to 70 countries

Vodafone has significantly expanded its roaming services. Photo / 123RF

Vodafone has more than doubled the number of countries that its on-account customers can use their phones in the same way they would at home.

The telco announced today that its daily roaming destinations offer, which costs an extra $5 per day, now extends to over 70 countries. New destinations include major business hubs like China, Hong Kong and Singapore, plus popular holiday hotspots such as Thailand, Indonesia and many countries in South America.

The company said in a statement that the offer allowed customers travelling to these destinations to use their data, minutes and texts just as they would in New Zealand for an extra $5 per day. Most of these were 4G destinations.

The daily roaming offer was available to those on account plans currently on the market - meaning the "vast majority" of people on Vodafone plans would be eligible.

The statement said New Zealand residents made 2.7 million overseas trips in the year ending May 2017, up 11 per cent on last year.

While destinations like Australia, the United Kingdom and Fiji remained as popular as ever, it was Asia where the real growth was with a 21.6 per cent increase in the number of trips compared with last year.

Out of the top 13 destinations in Asia that New Zealanders were travelling to, the $5 daily roaming offer was now available in 11.

"Having the same mobile experience when travelling as you do at home is simply what we expect today," said Vodafone's consumer director Matt Williams.

"Whether you're navigating around a new city, posting holiday pictures, keeping in touch with home or staying on top of business, $5 daily roaming means you can do it all seamlessly and worry free."