2degrees is a New Zealand telecommunications provider. Its mobile network launched on 4 August 2009 after nine years of planning. 2degrees offers prepaid and pay-monthly mobile services, as well as fixed-line phone and broadband services. 2degrees is the third-largest wireless carrier in New Zealand, with 1.3 million subscribers as of July 2015.
It has spent over NZ$550 million building its mobile network, which covers Ashburton, Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Hastings, Invercargill, Levin, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Oamaru, Palmerston North, Queenstown, Rotorua, Taupō, Tauranga, Timaru, Wanganui, Wellington and Whangārei. The network works with UMTS-900 and UMTS-2100, and LTE Band 3, 8 and 28 mobiles. In areas without 2degrees coverage, handsets roam on One NZ's GSM and UMTS network. 2degrees refers to areas where it has its own 3G coverage as "mobile broadband zones".
2degrees is owned by Voyage Australia Pty Limited and is part of its Vocus Group. Until 1 June 2022, it was majority owned by US-based Trilogy International Partners.
In March 2015, 2degrees announced it had acquired Snap, a broadband-based ISP, and from 28 July, began offering broadband and home-phone services in addition to existing mobile services.
Naming
The name of the company refers to the six degrees of separation concept, which was lessened to an estimated two degrees of separation as per New Zealand's population in 2001 (3.88 million). This is no longer considered accurate; in fact, aside the fact that New Zealand's population has almost doubled in the more than two decades since, the two degrees of separation was never statistically proven and considered unlikely to be accurate. In 2015, an article in Stuff.co.nz described the theory as "another part of the myth of New Zealand exceptionalism".
Network
2degrees was formerly known as NZ Communications and previously as Econet Wireless. Planning began in 2000, but details were not revealed until 11 May 2009 and pricing was announced a day before launch. 2degrees accepted its first customers on 4 August 2009 for 2G calling/txting only. Nearly a year later, on 3 August 2010, 3G was turned on and new data plans announced for use in areas where 2degrees has its cell towers. 2degrees launched its 4G network in 2014.
Coverage
2degrees had native GSM (900M/1800) with EDGE data in the main centres using Huawei kit at launch. And had a roaming agreement with Vodafone NZ (GSM with GPRS only), so had nationwide coverage on launch day. 2degrees launched 3G (UMTS 900/2100) services in August 2010 in all coverage areas, including One NZ roaming locations. 2degrees launched 4G LTE (B3 1800) services in Auckland in June 2014 and expanded to its own network over the next two years.2degrees progressively extended its own network covering most of New Zealand's population. In 2020, 2degrees ended its national roaming agreement with One NZ. It now has an infrastructure sharing agreement with Vodafone NZ on 200 remote towers (using Multi Operator Radio Access Network (MoRAN) technology). 5G services went live in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch in March 2022. With the launch of 5G, 2degrees is progressively replacing its Huawei equipment with new Ericsson (3G,4G and 5G) kit. 2G services were shut down in March 2018.
Currently, 2degress has services on the following frequencies:
3G UMTS
B1 (2100 MHz), B8 (900 MHz)
4G LTE
B3 (1800 MHz), B28 (700 MHz), B8 (900 MHz), B1 (2100 MHz)
5G
B N78 (3500Mhz)
Rural Broadband Initiative 2 (RBI 2) and Mobile Black Spots Fund (MBSF) funding from the New Zealand Government resulted in a collaboration between 2degrees, One NZ and Spark NZ, all New Zealand's mobile network operators and Crown Infrastructure Partners. This new company Rural Connectivity Group (RCG) will provide new shared mobile coverage and wireless broadband using Multi Operator Radio Access Network (MoRAN) technology Rural Connectivity Group (RCG) sites are mostly 4G 700 (with 4G 1800 and 2100 as needed for capacity). With some 3G in tourist areas. Each site is required to meet government targets of providing fast wireless broadband, connectivity to a tourist location, and/or coverage to rural state highways. Plans are for over 500 new sites to be built by 2023.
2degrees also operated a Wi-Fi network in Wellington city. The network was on a trial with some selected members of the public (about 20,000 people).
As of 2014, 4G LTE services are on (band 3) 1800 MHz. In addition, (band 28) 700 MHz is on trial in central Auckland; 700 MHz ought to be able to penetrate large buildings.
2degrees shut down the 2G network on 15 March 2018.