A wide array of plans has been rolled out by new mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Callplus, which mainly focus on prepay customers with low rates for calls and text messages.

Mark Callander, Callplus general manager said that the consumer offerings will be made under the Slingshot brand, with two plans to become available later this week. The first, Mobile 1, which will carry a cost of $10 a month, will have a contract period of six months.

Customers would be getting three-tiered pricing for calls, which as per Callander, is created to promote mobile usage. While the first minute is charged at 50 cents, the second will cost 40 cents, and any subsequent minutes would be charged at 30 cents.

Via this, customers get to easily understand the amount spent by them. Callander said: "Unlike existing prepay offerings; customers are not being penalized by high calling rates in the 89 cents a region."

The second Slingshot plan is Mobile 2, which includes a one-year contract at $20 a month, for which customers are provided with a flat 25 cents per minute rate to any mobile network in New Zealand.

While the first minute is fully charged and from then charged per second, text messaging packages for the two plans cost $9.95 for 2000 messages, or $6.95 for 600, again to any New Zealand network.

"The telco buys its MVNO and LLU fixed-line services from Vodafone Wholesale, according to Callander, and thanks to this, it can offer loyalty deals for customers who put all their business with Callplus/Slingshot," said Callander.

If customers have fixed-line and broadband with the telco, each mobile phone brought gets a 2GB of data a month bonus.

Callander said: "If customers give all their telecommunications business to Callplus/Slingshot, calling rates go down as well - mobile calls on-net are 20 cents a minute, going up to 25 cents/minute for calls to other networks. Calls to and from fixed-line phones are also 25 cents/minute."