Review of Overseas Roaming with Spark New Zealand: Guide to Staying Connected Internationally with Spark

Travelling overseas can require using your mobile to stay in touch with friends and family, make changes to your itinerary, or call and set up a meeting for business trips. Picking up a local SIM card when you arrive allows you to have a local number, but activating international roaming on your existing SIM can be an easier option.

Spark is one of the leading mobile service providers in New Zealand, and users with a subscription can add a roaming pack when travelling abroad. Learn more about the different Spark international roaming plans available to NZ residents and how to use them.

Spark International Roaming Plans

Spark's mobile and data roaming plans are designed for convenience when travelling abroad. By partnering with local mobile service operators in different countries, the plans allow you to use your existing NZ Spark number overseas.¹

Here is a quick glance at the three main plans that Spark offers:

• Spark Roaming Pack: The Spark Global Roaming pack lets you use your mobile in 60 countries worldwide. NZ residents can apply for a prepaid or a “Pay Monthly” plan for $30 NZD.
• Spark Data Roaming Pack: The Spark Data Roaming pack offers existing Spark NZ subscribers 2GB of data for a 14-day period when travelling overseas. This is ideal for users who want the internet more than phone service.
• Spark Australia Daily Roaming Pack: This roaming pack is available to existing Spark NZ subscribers for use in Australia only.

Spark Roaming Coverage, costs, and benefits.

Let’s take a deeper look at the main Spark packages available for users going overseas. Find the one that fits your trip, and budget, best.

Spark Roaming Pack

This is one of the most popular international roaming plans for New Zealand residents travelling out of the country.²

The Spark Roaming Pack allows users to use their phone in60 destinations in the region, Europe, Asia, North and South America, and Africa. The plan costs a flat rate of $30 NZD and offers 2GB of data, 300 minutes of outgoing and incoming calls, and 300 SMS texts for 14 days unless used earlier.

If you’ve used up your data, renewing the Spark roaming pack is important to avoid non-pack charges. Non-pack roaming phone charges are calculated per minute, SMS texts are charged per 160 characters, including spaces, and data roaming is charged in increments of 10 kb- which makes getting and renewing a roaming pack typically a cheaper option.

The Auto Buy option is available for “Pay Monthly” subscribers. This feature recharges the Spark overseas roaming pack automatically before it expires.

If your destination is missing from the covered list for the Spark Roaming Pack, you can search for the country you are heading to and check the applicable rates.

Spark Data Roaming Pack

This pack is exclusively for data roaming and is available for prepaid and “Pay Monthly” subscribers. Data Roaming is available in all the same countries as the Roaming pack and offers 2GB of data for 14 days, unless used up early.

If you use up your data and don’t renew, you could be charged standard fees which can be expensive- $11.50 NZD per 200 MB of data, and $1.15 NZD per MB afterwards. You can consider activating Auto Buy to ensure your pack is renewed on time and to avoid excess charges.³

Spark Australia Daily Roaming Pack

This pack is solely for use in Australia. Customers can make unlimited calls and SMS within Australia from their NZ number.

The Australia pack can’t be used outside of the country, so if you are travelling to other countries, you may be better off choosing the Roaming pack. However, this can be a good choice if you’re only going to Australia. Like the other packs, there can be high charges if you use your phone in Australia after the pack’s expiration.⁴

What is an Auto Buy facility?

Auto Buy provides peace of mind and allows you to enjoy your travels without manually buying and activating more roaming packs. It automatically applies the same roaming pack after your existing pack expires.

You can enable the Auto Buy setting in the Spark app. Head to the 'Roaming' section in the app, select 'Auto Buy ', and follow the on-screen instructions to set it up. This facility is available to “Pay Monthly” subscribers and not to prepaid customers. Just remember that before you start, make sure you have the money to pay for renewal when it goes through.⁵

The Spark roaming packs are not available for calls to satellite phones or premium numbers. If you are in-flight or at-sea, here are the general charges for using your plan outside of New Zealand:

• Outgoing calls - $4.01 NZD per minute
• Incoming calls - $1.15 NZD per minute
• SMS - $0.92 NZD per text
• Data - $3.45 NZD per MB

Spark Customer Care Contact

Spark customers can contact the Spark International Roaming Helpdesk for assistance or issues:⁶

• By phone - +64 3 371 0866
• By email - roaming@spark.co.nz

How to Set Up and Activate Spark Roaming

Roaming is available by default on all Spark SIMs, so you won’t need to get another SIM, but you will need to purchase a pack before you leave New Zealand.

Once purchased, the Spark Roaming pack automatically activates when you turn on your device after reaching your destination- here is how to set it up depending on your type of mobile:

Once switched on, you should receive a text stating that roaming is activated and include roaming support details. The roaming pack automatically deactivates when you return to the Spark coverage area in New Zealand.

You can also turn off the roaming services by contacting the Spark Helpdesk at +64 3 371 0866.

Top Up / Recharge Spark from abroad

Prepaid customers must top up or recharge their Spark roaming account from abroad by purchasing a new pack. You will be sent a message when you have used 80% and 100% of your plan so you can renew as needed. For more information, you can contact the Spark international roaming helpdesk by phone or through the app.

Setting up Auto Buy from the MySpark page or Spark app helps you avoid the hassle of purchasing roaming packs after the existing one expires but is only available to Pay Monthly customers.

Alternatives to Spark International Roaming

If you have an existing Spark plan, getting an international roaming plan can be convenient. However, there are other providers out there that can help provide data and mobile services abroad. Here are some alternatives:

• Other mobile communication service providers in New Zealand offering roaming packs include One NZ, Skinny, and 2degrees NZ. Providers like 2degrees NZ and One NZ offer eSIMs which can be handy when travelling overseas. Check out our complete guides on each to learn more.
• Purchasing a local SIM can be the cheapest option when travelling abroad. However, you will typically need to find an appropriate provider that allows for short-stay SIMs and fill out the required Know-Your-Customer documents. The benefit of a local SIM is that it will enable you to make cheaper local calls.
• Local Wi-Fi will be available at most destinations. You can use it to communicate with people through WhatsApp, social media and access data using third-party Wi-Fi.

Travel Smart with Wise: Save on International Transactions

Going abroad can be exciting, but it can also make a dent in your wallet. To save money, sign up for Wise. Wise lets you make international transfers right from your mobile or computer, from or on the go. If you are planning a trip and need to make reservations, Wise can help you secure your reservations with direct local payments.

Wise uses smart tech to make local payments in bank accounts abroad in over 160+ countries. That means you can send money for bookings, reservations or travel costs and your recipient gets the money in their local currency in their bank account. All you’ll pay is one low transfer fee on each transfer.

Sign up for Wise today

Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate on every transfer, so you don’t lose money to extra fees like at a bank or credit card. Instead, you get a transparent exchange rate that can save you money. So before you head abroad, see how Wise can make international payments simple.

And if you want an easier way to spend money overseas, check out the Wise multi-currency account. It is one account where you can send, spend, and hold over 40+ currencies and pay locally with a linked debit card. Learn more about using your Wise card abroad.

Sources verified on 26 August 2024.