Cheap As Data

14 July 2016.

You can now use our website and our online services, MyMSD, My Account and MyStudyLink at little or no cost from your mobile phone or digital device if you are on Spark, Vodafone, 2degrees or Skinny mobile networks.

How it works

We’ve removed the cost wherever possible, but we do make use of website add-ons that will use a very small amount of your data. In most cases this will be less than a cent of your data allowance per visit.

MSD’s websites that are now virtually free to use include:

  • Work and Income
  • StudyLink
  • Working for Families
  • Housing Assistance
  • Ministry of Social Development
  • Find a Job
  • SuperGold.

Online services that are now virtually free include:

  • MyMSD
  • My Account
  • MyStudyLink
  • RealMe registration on the Department of Internal Affair’s website.

We estimate that at least 90 per cent of our clients’ mobile phones are connected to Spark, Vodafone, Skinny or 2degrees and will be able to take advantage of this initiative from wherever they are in New Zealand.

Any mobile phone, smartphone or digital device that can access the internet on the mobile network of one of our partner providers can access Cheap As Data.

As some services on our website are not directly hosted by MSD we have been unable to reduce the costs associated with these services. These include the StudyLink ‘Ask a Question’ tool and RealMe Verified Identity Service when used to Apply Online.

See a list of further exclusions on Work and Income website

Networks not included

If your mobile data provider is a reseller of data from another telecommunications company you can't currently access Cheap As Data.

As of June 2016 these providers are not covered with Cheap As Data:

  • Warehouse Mobile (operating on the 2Degrees network)
  • Digital Island, CallPlus/Slingshot, Compass (operating on the Spark network)
  • Black+White, Orcon, M2 (operating on the Vodafone network)