Telecom users looking to XT

Telecom's CDMA mobile phone network will be switched off on July 31 and Hawke's Bay Napier Telecom store manager, Simon Fletcher, says there is strong interest in switching to the replacement XT network, rather than to another provider.

"People come into our store really are blown away by the range of handsets available and their functionality operating on XT.

"The leap in technology can of course be daunting for some and we pride ourselves on busting down the technology barriers and making the switch as easy as possible. We also talk through the offers available and transfer their mobile phone number with any existing prepaid credit and, where possible, personal contacts to their new XT device.

"The response here has been fantastic and we get a real kick out of seeing our customers take the plunge and experience for themselves the power of XT," he said.

The XT network was purpose built for smart phones with Telecom investing more than $2.5 million in the Hawke's Bay XT network in 2011.

Until April 30 CDMA customers who sign up to a 24 month plan on XT can choose from a range of zero dollar handsets, and prepaid customers will receive a free $79 credit with any XT device purchased.

Customers can check if they are on the CDMA network by calling *333.

Customers are urged to take their CDMA phone to a Telecom store so it can be recycled, with Auckland children's Starship Hospital the beneficiary.

The New Zealand Telecommunication Forum expects 800,000 phone numbers will been been moved by April. In the past five years 300,000 landlines and 500,000 mobile phone numbers have been transferred.

TCF said almost 13,000 mobile numbers are now being moved every month.

One of the winners of the number porting system has been 2degrees, which earlier this year reported 275,000 of its mobile customers had transferred from another company.

TCF CEO David Stone said switching companies was relatively seamless.