Maggiemoo

Hi there,

From reading these threads I understand that the best thing to do when we reach Aus is to buy a payg phone to use but to keep our contract phones from the UK for a short time. Hope I understood this correctly???

Can anyone tell me if you can just buy PAYG sim cards as we have spare phones to bring with us - would they have to be sim free or is this a service you can get done to the phone when you get there?

Many thanks for what is probably a very silly question!
Mags

Rideaway

There are a number of things you can do but if you wish to keep your existing phone you may need to get it unlocked. This can be done but your searching the internet for 'make/model unlock code', some-one on a market stall or for a higher rate your existing network provider. It depends on the model etc.

You can also get a travelling sim via www.sim4travel.com or other alternative companies.

Once unlocked, the best and probably cheapest option is to buy a PAYG sim card from one of the providers such as Virgin - depends on the coverage in your area.

Hope this helps

mariandyok

We got ours unlocked here fo $25au. Then got a sim card for $10 and the got a prepaid Cap recharge for $29 which gives you $150 of call time but has to be used in 30 days. I also used the number here www.aussiecall.com to ring uk.

The first thing I would do is buy a SatNav ours has been invaluble.

good luck

Andy

benlast

You can just buy a PAYG SIM from any of the providers here. On our first day we went to the Vodafone shop in the local mall and picked up three of them. The prepay systems here can be rather different to the UK, so it pays to read up first.

As n_n_d said, you should get your phones unlocked before you come (cheap and easy to do at many smaller mobile phone shops).

Now I just make and receive one call on each of the UK SIMs every couple of months to keep the numbers live. However, we converted the UK accounts from contract to PAYG (keeping the numbers) rather than continue to pay for contracts we don't need.

Cheers
b

NigelWaring

Savvytel is the best prepaid for us, its yours as long as you have credit and your credit never expires. They run it on the Vodaphone network though and it doesn't have the best coverage. Call rates are similar to others.

Maggiemoo

thanks for all the replies. I will probably keep my contract phone for UK and just try to change it to payg so that I can keep the number and then just buy a payg sim card when I get there until I can get things sorted. i can get a couple of old phones unlocked before we come over.