Do phones from England work in Oz?

Rubbish question I know!

Landline/cordless : no.

Mobile, usually yes provided it is "unlocked".

You will also need to hold them upside down - the speaker and microphone are the other way around in Oz.

My Scottish mobile worked!

Yes, as long as they are unlocked.

Our cordless landline phone works and has been said, get your mobile unlocked before you leave.

You're mobile will still work if, even if it hasn't been unlocked.

The point about it being locked to a network is that when in Oz it will be locked to an Oz network (UK mobile networks will have agreements with Oz networks) that will charge you sky high rates as a tourist from the UK.

So yes get your phone unlocked before you come to Oz, then you can sign up to any Oz network at normal rates.

My landline and cordess phones work beautifuly!

Charlie

HOwever according to the regulations governing the import of telecommunication devices into Australia, unless they have the Aus tick of approval then they are illegal
http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_1784 scroll down to cordless phones.

..because of the Southern hemisphere versus Northern hemisphere factor, right? And what happens when lying down? Will it work then?

Only if you are on the equator

Wouldn't the speaker and microphone have to be stacked on top of each other then?

Oh dear, better throw them away then!

Charlie

Yes, this is because Australia's cordless phone industry is important to our economy, and we can't risk foreign phone diseases being brought into the country.

It may be to do with the radio frequency reserved for cordless phones not being the same.