cutgrass

When we land in May I want to be able to switch to an Australian mobile number. I also want to have this number ready before we land (so it's on my CV for example).

My mobile will work in Oz so all I have to do is switch the SIM (the phone is aleady unlocked). So I'm wanting to buy the SIM while in the UK.

I found this company:

http://www.cellularabroad.com/australiappsc.html

and wondered if anyone on this forum had done a similar thing and could suggest other companies.

Ta.

gavo

Telstra prepaid mobile:
http://www.communic8.com.au/

Optus prepaid mobile:
http://www.optus.com.au/Vign/ViewMgm...ew_215,00.html

Vodafone prepaid mobile:
http://www.vodafone.com.au/prepaid

Virgin Mobile (Uses Optus network):
https://www.virginmobile.com.au/stor...hone=nokia2100
(Virgin lets you buy online - may let you post it overseas - but you may have trouble activating it from overseas - you'd have to contact them first).

Boost prepaid mobile: (Uses Optus network)
http://www.boost.com.au/

Telstra is best for coverage, covering 95% of the australian population (NOT LAND MASS - THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE!)

Optus is next best with 94% of the population

Vodafone covers 92% of the population.

I have found Telstra to be the most expensive, followed by Optus, and Vodafone as the cheapest. At the same time, you pay for what you get. Personally I use Optus as the balance between price and coverage.

Hope this helps!

cherry6

A friend of mine in Aus who has an Optus mobile sent me a text and it cost her $1.70, when I replied with my vodafone it cost about a £1. I think Virgin is supposed to be cheapest for texts internationally.

brisbec

I have just recently got back from Brisbane and I have a Vodaphone Sim card if you want it.

All you will need to do is buy credit when you get there.

I bought it at the vodaphone store in Queen St for $30 and got $30 of credit and 60 free texts.

Unfortunately the credit and text is only valid for a month unless you buy more before the time runs out obviously. But you can have the card if you like

Bob Edmunds

hi
I just took a look at the ozzy E`bay site and found a variety of simcards for around $20 ,i expect if you asked the seller nicely they would pop it into an envelope and send to you ??!!

bondipom

International texts should costs the same as domestic texts. What rip off merchants.

From web site.

What you get at Virgin Mobile:

One of the lowest text rates around at 5c Virgin to Virgin.
20c to other mobiles, even to overseas.
Free voicemail.
No nasty exit fees.

Merlot

For future reference keep away from Orange over here - don't use SIM's so phones not transferable to other networks.

The 4 different handsets we have had died before the 24 month plan was up meaning we had to buy new phones, never again!

On Orange you can't call or text overseas, or take the phone away from Oz. We learned the hard way.

We were lulled into cheap calls and 2 for 1 deals!

asciidental

I use Optus pre-paid, and it suits me just fine. Australia tends to have patchy mobile coverage, so it's best to stick with one of the major brands (Telstra, Optus and in some cases Vodafone). If you plan on travelling in country areas a lot, Telstra is your best bet.

As for the link you referenced, I have never heard of them before. So I can't really tell you about it. An established well known carrier is more reliable

Pollyana

Thats a ridiculous amount!! My bloke and I spent 18 months swapping texts across the world - he on Optus at about 25-40c a text, me in the UK on Orange at 20p a text. I now text the UK on Telstra and again its about 20-40cents a go.

bundy

Too true! The only place in Nundle NSW you can get a signal is standing on a gate post at the top of a hill 3km outside town. Bliss, in my view.

Chunky

I'm dead keen on having one of those photo phones so i can send pictures back to my work colleague in the uk ( just to piss him off lol ) but was wondering if i should buy here or wait till we get to oz ?

Vodaphone sound good, plus, i would have thought transferring from one country to the next would be simpler.

Paul