Vodafone betters Telecom airtime deal

The latest foray in the battle for mobile phone customers was launched this week with Vodafone doubling Telecom's free airtime offer.

Vodafone users can now call 021, 029 and any landline number and pay for only three minutes for calls lasting up to two hours. Telecom less than two weeks ago gave prepaid 027 mobile users a one-hour call to a Telecom mobile or landline for the cost of three minutes.

A Vodafone spokesperson said the offer was modelled on an earlier British promotion.

The promotion will run until the end of the year. Calls made between 7pm and 7am Monday to Friday will qualify with the exception of those made on corporate and talkZone plans. After two hours, costs revert to normal call plan charges.

Telecom's offer runs at the same time and also covers weekends but is limited to pre-paid mobile customers.

Neither company expects the plan to hurt revenues, as most calls are less than three minutes.