Mobile phone query
 

Hi all,

With Xmas coming up we find ourselves in a bit of a dilemma!!
All our worldly goods are being packed in to a container next week; so when it comes to buying pressies for our 2 girls we need to make sure that whatever we buy will be small enough to fit into the suitcases when we make our one way trip to Oz in January.

"I know what to buy" i thought "we can upgrade their mobile phones" both are getting a bit dated and tatty (Phones not my daughters).

Here's my questions:

Do the same companies operate in Oz as here in the uk?
Does the reception vary much throughout Perth?
Will i be better buying in Oz (most people are telling us to buy everything whilst still in the uk)
What do i need to look out for - with regards to the technology?
Is it just a case of buying a say virgin mobile here and then buying a virgin sim when we're in Oz? I mentioned virgin because that's who we're with now.

Many Thanks, and hope to see some of you in Perth in 2010.

Mark n Tracey

Re: Mobile phone query
 

Nope, it is a foreign country with its own telcos.

Some of the companies have the same names but not instant switchability with their UK counterparts. There is Virgin, Vodafone and 3 for starters but the biggest players here are Telstra and Optus

Reception varies according to the coverage of the company you go with and most have coverage maps on their websites.

If you need new phones then I would get them here unless you have something swanky and unlocked.

Re: Mobile phone query
 

Damn.
Any suggestions for an xmas pesent for a couple of girls this xmas? thought i'd cracked it with the mobile idea:(

I can see our cases being a little overweight!!!

Mark

Re: Mobile phone query
 

We have just bought our boys a Samsung Tocco Lite touch screen phone each for christmas from Tesco direct for £69. when i googled them in Australia they are $230 . Even if i pay £10 to get them unlocked for any network it is still a big saving, and they get to open something on christmas day before we start thinking about the packers coming on 7th Jan

Re: Mobile phone query
 

Hi fellow kent friends, thanks for the reply.

I think you're right, i'll do the same, not sure whether to buy an unlocked phone here or buy one from Virgin or Orange and then see if i can swap the sim over in Oz.

How's the rest of your plans going?
Where are you moving to?

Regards,
Mark n Tracey from Sittingbourne

Re: Mobile phone query
 

Also be aware that there are networks in Australia (the ones have the best coverage) that operate on Frequencies/bands not used in the UK. These are 3G 850 (Telstra NextG) and 3G 900 Optus/Voda (and a phone that works on 2G 900 won't necessarily work with this). So UK model handsets are less likely to support these (and there is often variants of the same handset to support different frequency ranges in different countries).

So unless you are know exactly what you are buying or are not to concerned about coverage outside of the CBD its safer to buy in Oz.

Re: Mobile phone query
 

Just buy them unlocked mobile phones. You can use any SIM card you like then when you are in Australia and and SIM card you like when you are in the UK.

Don't worry about the frequency etc. A triband or better still a quad band phone will do fine. A tri band phone will work with Optus/Vodafone/3/Virgin here. A quad band works with all of those and Telstra.

Re: Mobile phone query
 

Thank you my friend..... you have made my xmas a lot easier and a happier xmas for my girls. now i just need to get the phone right!!!! I daren't ask the girls.... they'd only pick something like the iphone or the latest Sony.

Re: Mobile phone query
 

No worries! At least this way they get to use the new phones on Christmas Day as well as in Australia.

Re: Mobile phone query
 

Hi Marc n Tracy

Is'nt the exchange rate a worry? We fly to Perth on 11th Jan, how about you?
We've started buying new stuff to take in the container, because the weak pound makes any initial purchases so expensive in Oz.

Pete

Re: Mobile phone query
 

Not correct... This stuff can make a major difference if you head out of the cities (or need it for emergencies etc.)

If your only ever intending to be in the cities and burb's then I would agree it makes little difference..

So Tri band or quad band GSM's are kind of not the point as these are extra GSM operating frequencies for the US. Dual Band GSM only is needed for Australian GSM, but GSM does not have the coverage in Australia of 3G.

Uk Frequencies = 2G 900, 2G 1800, 3G 2100
Australia = 2G 900, 2G 1800, 3G 850, 3G 900, 3G 2100

Best coverage in Australia is on 3G 850 or 3G 900

Quad Band Branded Phone usually = 2G 850 900 1800 1900
See here for more info.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quad-band

Re: Mobile phone query
 

Hi Pete,

I know what you mean about the xchange rate; I keep remembering about the 2.4 we got to the £ a few years back.

We move to Perth the day before you; we are flying on the 22:05 from Heathrow, flying with Singapore airlines.
Where abouts in Perth are you headed?

Mark

Re: Mobile phone query
 

The phone my daughters interested in is a LG KS360, the spec states "GSM EDGE Triple-band (900/1800/1900) " she will not be using it very much, unlike her sister who seems to be onher phone all the time.

So what do you reckon? I can buy it at the moment with a tenner credit and unlocked for £59. And she'll be able to open something nice for xmas.

Re: Mobile phone query
 

Hi marc

We're heading SOR. booked a short term rental in Warnboro, 1 street back from the beach, which gives us 5 weeks to find a long term rental in settlers hill, hopefully.
We've liked so many areas on our previous visits that it gets so difficult deciding where to settle.
Have you got a job to go to? I'm a carpenter and will start looking for work when my tools arrive.

Pete

Re: Mobile phone query
 

Hi Pete,

Rather than filling this thread up with general chat and boring anyone interested in the mobile query; i'll send you a PM with my home email address.

Regards,
Mark