Can anyone please give the best advice ??

using an unlocked UK purchased phone, is it possible to purchase before we arrive an australian pay as you go sim card to activate as soon as we arrive ??

If so which one does anyone recommend ? would ebay be a good place to buy one ??

Any suggestions please ??

You can buy them on ebay in the UK, or get a PAYG on here pretty quickly. There are loads of shops here, and we got virgin payg as it pretty cheap virgin to virgin if you're only calling each other, and they last 6 months to a year if you're not going to be making many calls at first.

Look mate do what we did.
Last week we were in brisbane looking in the 3 network shop and stumbled across these skype mobiles priced at around $79 aud.
These mobiles are also pay and go with msn, yahoo, a 2mp camera and all the trimmings.
Me and wifey got one each and when we returned to UK she got her mum one in the Uk priced at £40, so it dont cost a bean and you dont need to top up to use skype, the signal is perfect but most of all ITS FREE to any skype phone or PC.
Make sure you buy yours in Oz tho as 3UK and 3AUS dont take each others sim cards and you cant unlock these.
Go to the 3 network for more info.

Good Luck Mate

Hi Anson Aussies,

I have also been looking at the 3 skypephones today. They do look like a pretty good deal, dont they. If you are on PAYG (UK) you have to top up with £10 every month to get FREE skype calls though. This credit can then be used for normal mobile calls and text messages. (Dont know how it works in Oz).

Very handy and cost effective if you have a lot of contacts on skype and dont want to be chained to your computer!

Melanie

Alternatively, you can walk into any Dick Smith Electronics branch and pick up a Telstra PAYG sim card that will work just fine in your unlocked UK mob.

D

We did this before we left. It was pointless.

Just take a totally unlocked phone with you. When you get out the airport and hit your first shopping area head to any electrical centre or K-Mart (etc) and buy a Telstra PAYG sim. They cost almost nothing can be activated instantly and your away until you can get enough credit and forms of ID to take out a proper account.

Al

Thanks for your advise everyone, mobiles and calls dont seem to be cheap in australia is this the case ?

When you get here walk into a Woolworths and you can buy a Vodafone Sim Card for $2.

If you really want one before you go, you can get one here www.owh.co.uk, they will charge you about £20, but that will get you a sim card, bank account and taxfile number.

Another option is eBay

You’re probably best just waiting until you get here -there is a Vodafone store at most airports when you come out.

Mikey

PS: Try stay away from 3 Mobile. Good deals, but terrible service, and should you have any problems you will have to contact the call centre in Bombay and spend ages trying to explaine your problem. 3 Mobile also have a policy to NOT unlock most of their phones, and they wont just sell you a sim on its own. So you are stuck with them.

[QUOTE=anson aussies;6564797]Look mate do what we did.
Last week we were in brisbane looking in the 3 network shop and stumbled across these skype mobiles priced at around $79 aud.
These mobiles are also pay and go with msn, yahoo, a 2mp camera and all the trimmings.
Me and wifey got one each and when we returned to UK she got her mum one in the Uk priced at £40, so it dont cost a bean and you dont need to top up to use skype, the signal is perfect but most of all ITS FREE to any skype phone or PC.
Make sure you buy yours in Oz tho as 3UK and 3AUS dont take each others sim cards and you cant unlock these.
Go to the 3 network for more info.

Thanks for this as I have been wondering about this as I have a uk skype phone.

Ive read some of the threads about 3 skype and need to point out the following:-

We aint topped any of our fones yet and skype DOES WORK.

Mickey I know their customer services are shit but even if you had free skype for only 1 month its earnt its money im sure youll agree.

We have not registered them yet.

For £40 nicker its a steal!!!!

PS I dont work for 3 network honest!

That’s obvious as your standard of English is good.

They might be ok now, I just remember when I was with them the hassles I had (2 yrs ago), I had to take it further and eventually got all my money and lost costs back. Since then have said I’d never go back and advise everyone I know not to go near them. lol.

Mikey

You can buy from Big W or various vodafone outlets a sim card - mine cost $2 so I even got spares for when family come to stay.

You then top up at your leisure. Vodafone and most have a prepaid CAP plan. I pay $29 which has a month validity and you get $130 worth of calls.

I haven't run out yet and I can even use my spare minutes at the end of the month to call UK and USA. As UK phones tend to be a bit more advanced I think this is a good option.

Good luck.

Hiya

We got our Sim cards from Vodaphone as the texts to the UK are only 25c. As we are on student visas, every cent counts!!!

You can also phone the UK for $3 for 10 minutes with Vodaphone.

Jo x

one thing to be aware of in Oz you pay to recieve texts and calls as well as to send

I'm on the $29 cap too; do you have any problems getting a Balance status? I've tried 3 times over the last couple of weeks and nothing ever materialises. I only know when I top up, what I have left.