Mobile phone for temporary usage
Nov 10th 2009, 12:33 am
#1
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Herts to CA for nearly 10 years and now MD
Posts: 351
Mobile phone for temporary usage
Hello
I am Brit currently living in California. However I've just discovered that we'll be taking an extended trip to Sydney for 6-8 weeks while husband sorts out his Australia office. How much fun is that? His company pays for me and our 2 year old to have a holiday in Australia while he has to work! Ha, that'll teach him.
Anyway, I haven't even started to figure out accommodation and car options. We'll probably end up in some corporate long term apartment somewhere near downtown—so much for my vision of a nice house on the beach!.
Anyway, two questions for you locals:
1. He'll be commuting to downtown every week day and I'll probably stay local during the week but I'd like to think that we can rent a car for weekend trips. Any recommendations on the best/cheapest car rental agencies?
2. What phone option for me? Husband will bring his regular iPhone from the US since his work pays for that but what should I do? I don't really want to use my US phone since roaming/international charges are expensive; what is the best option for me? Are there cheap Pay as you go phones? i'll mostly be calling my husband's US phone so what are international charges like from these phones? i'll only be using it for 8 weeks so don't want to pay through the nose but am not sure what's best.
Advice appreciated.
I am Brit currently living in California. However I've just discovered that we'll be taking an extended trip to Sydney for 6-8 weeks while husband sorts out his Australia office. How much fun is that? His company pays for me and our 2 year old to have a holiday in Australia while he has to work! Ha, that'll teach him.
Anyway, I haven't even started to figure out accommodation and car options. We'll probably end up in some corporate long term apartment somewhere near downtown—so much for my vision of a nice house on the beach!.
Anyway, two questions for you locals:
1. He'll be commuting to downtown every week day and I'll probably stay local during the week but I'd like to think that we can rent a car for weekend trips. Any recommendations on the best/cheapest car rental agencies?
2. What phone option for me? Husband will bring his regular iPhone from the US since his work pays for that but what should I do? I don't really want to use my US phone since roaming/international charges are expensive; what is the best option for me? Are there cheap Pay as you go phones? i'll mostly be calling my husband's US phone so what are international charges like from these phones? i'll only be using it for 8 weeks so don't want to pay through the nose but am not sure what's best.
Advice appreciated.
Nov 10th 2009, 1:14 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Mobile phone for temporary usage
How does this sound...
$130 worth of included Call Value for $10 per month
No Minimum Contract Term
No Connection Charge
Calls to USA are 30c per 15 seconds with a 30c flagfall
so $10 would get you 20 x 5 minute calls to the USA per month.
This is not a 'Pay as you go' plan though, so if you exceed the $130 cap your credit card will be charged more than $10.
You could buy two cheap phones, one each and go with something like the Vodafone Pay as you go Plan that allows calls between the two for 35cents each. There is a $30 plan that allows 200 minutes of Vodafone to Vodafone that lasts 60 days. There is that 35c call connection charge though.
$130 worth of included Call Value for $10 per month
No Minimum Contract Term
No Connection Charge
Calls to USA are 30c per 15 seconds with a 30c flagfall
so $10 would get you 20 x 5 minute calls to the USA per month.
This is not a 'Pay as you go' plan though, so if you exceed the $130 cap your credit card will be charged more than $10.
You could buy two cheap phones, one each and go with something like the Vodafone Pay as you go Plan that allows calls between the two for 35cents each. There is a $30 plan that allows 200 minutes of Vodafone to Vodafone that lasts 60 days. There is that 35c call connection charge though.
Nov 10th 2009, 1:30 am
#3
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Herts to CA for nearly 10 years and now MD
Posts: 351
Re: Mobile phone for temporary usage
You could buy two cheap phones, one each and go with something like the Vodafone Pay as you go Plan that allows calls between the two for 35cents each. There is a $30 plan that allows 200 minutes of Vodafone to Vodafone that lasts 60 days. There is that 35c call connection charge though.[/QUOTE]
So the two cheap phones sound interesting.
We recently returned from a year in China and this is what we did there (all part of our "lets live on every continent" plan!) We had two iPhones for work and then two cheap vodaphones with pay-as-you-go just to chat and (more typically) locate each other.
So any idea how much two cheap Aussie phones would set us back? And any recommendations on where to go to buy these. We'll be landing at SYD and living somewhere central CBD (sigh).
So the two cheap phones sound interesting.
We recently returned from a year in China and this is what we did there (all part of our "lets live on every continent" plan!) We had two iPhones for work and then two cheap vodaphones with pay-as-you-go just to chat and (more typically) locate each other.
So any idea how much two cheap Aussie phones would set us back? And any recommendations on where to go to buy these. We'll be landing at SYD and living somewhere central CBD (sigh).
Nov 10th 2009, 1:34 am
#4
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Rockingham
Posts: 40
Re: Mobile phone for temporary usage
You could also try a 'Lebara' sim - the sim is free and you just top it up with as much credit as you want. A call to US is 5c a minute to a landline - not sure how much to a mobile but all the info is at this site: http://www.lebara-mobile.com.au/en/
There is no contract but you will have to ask for it specifically in the phone shop as it's so cheap they don't really promote it.
Good luck!
There is no contract but you will have to ask for it specifically in the phone shop as it's so cheap they don't really promote it.
Good luck!
Nov 10th 2009, 6:57 am
#5
In melbourne
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 263
Re: Mobile phone for temporary usage
How does this sound...
$130 worth of included Call Value for $10 per month
No Minimum Contract Term
No Connection Charge
Calls to USA are 30c per 15 seconds with a 30c flagfall
so $10 would get you 20 x 5 minute calls to the USA per month.
This is not a 'Pay as you go' plan though, so if you exceed the $130 cap your credit card will be charged more than $10.
You could buy two cheap phones, one each and go with something like the Vodafone Pay as you go Plan that allows calls between the two for 35cents each. There is a $30 plan that allows 200 minutes of Vodafone to Vodafone that lasts 60 days. There is that 35c call connection charge though.
$130 worth of included Call Value for $10 per month
No Minimum Contract Term
No Connection Charge
Calls to USA are 30c per 15 seconds with a 30c flagfall
so $10 would get you 20 x 5 minute calls to the USA per month.
This is not a 'Pay as you go' plan though, so if you exceed the $130 cap your credit card will be charged more than $10.
You could buy two cheap phones, one each and go with something like the Vodafone Pay as you go Plan that allows calls between the two for 35cents each. There is a $30 plan that allows 200 minutes of Vodafone to Vodafone that lasts 60 days. There is that 35c call connection charge though.
I would suggest pay as you go (you can get similar deals). I think this type of thing is lebaras sweet spot. Lots of shops sell the sim, just bring an unlocked gsm mobile or buy one (probably cheaper in the US http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=...qid=1257839706 ).
Nov 10th 2009, 11:28 am
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 34
Re: Mobile phone for temporary usage
In terms of the phone handset you can pick up a reasonble one in Telstra shops for $99 - I am sure you can get them cheaper than this if you tried elsewhere.
As you are only here for a short time you will have to go pre-paid rather than a plan. The deals on offer vary from month to month and so you would be best waiting until nearer your arrival before deciding.
As you are only here for a short time you will have to go pre-paid rather than a plan. The deals on offer vary from month to month and so you would be best waiting until nearer your arrival before deciding.
