Lisa-93

Hello everyone

I am wondering if anyone can advise me on how to get an Australian SIM card and will it work in a UK iPhone? Also any tips on the best network/company to go with would be great. We will be living in Broke, NSW for a short while then Newcastle for a longer term.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

Lisa

The Bloke

As long as your phone is unlocked it might work. Go to any outlet, Vodaphone, Telstra, Optus etc, etc.
Take sufficient ID (drivers licence, utilities bill, bank statement) with current address on it. Since the UK airport bombing they are so anal about making sure you are the person you say you are.
Also check the coverage area for the provider you choose as not all carriers over 100% of the country and also check that you are not living in a dead-spot.

GarryP

Sounds like you are still in the UK at the moment?

My advice now tends to be to get a THREE Sim in the UK, setting it up and making sure it works slightly before you go (get some credit/All-in-One on it). Depending on your phone that might mean unlocking the phone. Since THREE have their 'like at home' service, that gives you a number and a working phone in Australia that people can get you on when you land.

However, I think you might have a problem. Broke is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. As far as I can see that means only Telstra have coverage, and only 3G at that. And Telstra 3G coverage is on a different freq to the UK - meaning you need to check up on which frequencies your phone will support AND the unlocking status. If you do go this way they tend to sell SIMs with 30days on them at 50% off quite often - post offices or supermarkets probably easiest places to source one.

As far as carriers are concerned :
Telstra : best coverage in the sticks, but higher prices and their main focus is now on 4G, meaning you might well need a new phone with the right frequencies.
Optus : second best, but lots of MVNOs and some sensible rates to call the UK. 4G getting better (certainly better than the UK)
Vodafone : getting better, but a long way behind.

Lisa-93

Hi

Thank you both for your replies. I am leaning a lot towards Optus atm, as I have found a good rate of $30 per month for 300 mins, 1.5 internet and unlimited texts. Is this reasonable? Yes I am still in the UK but don't mind waiting till I arrive to sort a SIM. If I do go with Optus would I just go into one of their stores and ask for the chosen plan?

Also I will not have proof of address as I am in a hotel for two weeks then on a farm for three months so what evidence could be used instead? We have passports, driving licences, visas etc but would like to sort this on the day of arrival while we're in Sydney before moving too far out into nowhere!

Thanks

Lisa

Pollyana

Check out the coverage Lisa, if there is no Optus coverage where you are going then you're stuffed, and Garry seems to think you can only get telstra there.

You will definitely need ID when you go into the shop, so take your passport. the last sim card I bought I didn't need proof of address, but then I already have a telstra account, so I'm not sure whtehr they will ask or not. Do you not have anything with the farm address on to say you will be staying there?

The Bloke

I would confirm that there is coverage where you are going......if Optus have no coverage, it will be pointless and wasting your money (although Optus will gladly take it for the term of the contract). Optus will work great in Sydney (maybe in Newcastle) but once out in the sticks in a place even I have never heard of, it will cease to work! i would go the way Garry suggested with 3.....at least until you get settled.

Pollyana

Three also have a really good deal and signkng up with them before leaving would be

Roaming and International - Support - Three

I know someone who has been using Three UK data, texts and calls for the last 3 months while in Aus, and it doesn't cost any extra.
That would solve the problem while on the farm as Three will roam and pick up Telstra

cappuccino

I did that when I first arrived but soon realised that I needed an Australian number for job/flat hunting so decided to go with Optus. I didn't show proof of address, just my passport (for a $30 p/m PAYG sim).

Lisa-93

Hi Pollyanna,

Thank you this is most helpful - we will most probably go with this then!

Lisa

GarryP

The name links above are direct to the coverage pages, and Broke seems to be on the edge of 3G 'coverage' outdoors with Optus - which practically means it's useless.

This is the map of claimed coverage for "Feel at Home" in Oz

Mobile roaming - Roaming & international - Support - Three

although given that their 'partners' are Vodafone and Optus, I'd take it with a pinch of salt (since neither say the same on their maps).

Lisa-93, what phone do you have, and who via? Do you know if it's locked?

Personally I go with PAYG in Australia (called prepaid here) until you know where you are and what definitely works.

Pollyana

Mmmm though I have discovered my Orange phone for instance roams with everyone!
I would recommend getting an Aus sim card asap above all else, but the Three info may be useful for others - I haven't seen their international thing on here before, unbelievable really, no extra fees, and the guy I know has been using it here for three months

GarryP

As above, it's less good for calling to Aus numbers, but as something to tide you over when you get here, and for calling back to the UK, it's a good buffer till you can get what you need.

Perpetual Tourist

I recommend Amaysim (they run on Optus's network), which I used when I arrived in Melbourne with an unlocked UK iPhone. I am a heavy data user so I quite like their "Unlimited" PAYG plan for $44.90 per month:

Unlimited Standard calls (mobile & landline)
Unlimited Standard SMS
Unlimited calls to 13 numbers
Unlimited calls to 18 numbers
5GB Data

As others have mentioned, you will need to bring ID (passport is good) and will need to state an Australian address (I gave them the address of the hotel where I was staying).

Lisa-93

Hi everyone

Thank you for all your advice. I was thinking of going with PAYG for the first few months because there's not many people we will need to call/text until we're settled anyway. We both have iPhones (4S and 5) which are both unlocked.

I will have a look at Three and maybe go into a store to speak to them about it. Hubby is worried about the internet usage and thinks we will need at least 1.5gb, not sure how this works on PAYG.

I did look at the coverage for Optus around Broke and saw it was minimal, so obviously we don't want to pay $30 per month to not even be able to use the phone!!

Thanks

Lisa

Lisa-93

And we are currently with T-Mobile/EE in the UK