Scoofy

Hi,

does anyone have experience with using European mobile phones in Oz?
can you use your charger in Australia, do you need a special adaptor to plug it in? does the battery wear out more quickly if you do this?
do Australian mobile providers block their phones for use on their network only?
also, what is the best network for prepaid rates?


thanks

Scoofy

wmoore

Yes!
Yes!
No, just a regular plug adapter will do (unless you want to buy another adapter)
No!
Most do.
How long is a piece of string?**


** Same as anywhere else, it depends on your usage patterns. Best thing I would suggest is to have a look at the web sites of some of the operators to get an idea.
www.telstra.com.au
www.optus.com.au
www.virginmobile.com.au
www.vodafone.com.au

CasG

I was told by someone in an Orange shop that my Nokia 3310 would work in Aus, but later told by someone in Carphone Warehouse that it wouldn't.
Who is telling me porkies??

Cas

Jonahs_mummy

Don't know about phones that are locked to Orange...... but UK Vodaphone phones work in Aus as we took ours last year & bought a PAYG chip in Aus & it worked - plus my mum has "pinched" our old mobiles & taken them home to Aus & they all work......

wmoore

European phones will work in Oz (i.e. they work on the same frequencies, etc) but if they are locked to a particular network then they will need to be unlocked first. If you've had the phone over a year (or beyond whatever contract you signed up to) then you can ask for operator for an unlock code. Alternatively, take it to the guy on the market, hand him a tenner and look away for 20 seconds

Pollyana

Hi Cas,
I've got a 3310, now has an Aussie sim card in it and works fine!

wmoore

Oh yeah, I've got a 3300 and I've got an Aussie Virgin Mobile SIM card that worked fine when I was there.

CasG

Cheers Pollyana
Won't chuck it away then!

Scoofy

[QUOTE=wmoore]Yes!
Yes!
No, just a regular plug adapter will do (unless you want to buy another adapter)


------

thanks! can anyone tell me if the difference in voltage is detrimental to your phone's battery?

wmoore

Your charger is a transformer so it doesn't matter what goes in (within limits obviously), the output to the phone will be the same. So there should be no effect on the battery.