Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
#1
Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Folks,
We are validating our visa next week and will be in Oz for about five weeks.
Two questions:
We have two unlocked phones - Apple 3GS and a bog standard Samsung bought in Oz a few years back. Any recommendations about which company to go with? Not going far off the beaten track - essentially just travelling Sydney to Cairns.
Secondly we have a two year old Vodafone USB mobile broadband modem. Do the new USB modems offer any advantage or are the new packages any better?
Your input would be much appreciated
Bezza
We are validating our visa next week and will be in Oz for about five weeks.
Two questions:
We have two unlocked phones - Apple 3GS and a bog standard Samsung bought in Oz a few years back. Any recommendations about which company to go with? Not going far off the beaten track - essentially just travelling Sydney to Cairns.
Secondly we have a two year old Vodafone USB mobile broadband modem. Do the new USB modems offer any advantage or are the new packages any better?
Your input would be much appreciated
Bezza
#2
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,806
Re: Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Folks,
We are validating our visa next week and will be in Oz for about five weeks.
Two questions:
We have two unlocked phones - Apple 3GS and a bog standard Samsung bought in Oz a few years back. Any recommendations about which company to go with? Not going far off the beaten track - essentially just travelling Sydney to Cairns.
Secondly we have a two year old Vodafone USB mobile broadband modem. Do the new USB modems offer any advantage or are the new packages any better?
Your input would be much appreciated
Bezza
We are validating our visa next week and will be in Oz for about five weeks.
Two questions:
We have two unlocked phones - Apple 3GS and a bog standard Samsung bought in Oz a few years back. Any recommendations about which company to go with? Not going far off the beaten track - essentially just travelling Sydney to Cairns.
Secondly we have a two year old Vodafone USB mobile broadband modem. Do the new USB modems offer any advantage or are the new packages any better?
Your input would be much appreciated
Bezza
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 237
Re: Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Vodafone mobile broadband coverage is pretty patchy, you might be better off with Telstra, specially once you get away from the cities. Same with the phones - I'd avoid vodafone, go for optus or telstra, and if you ahve two phones i recommend that one get one of each, gives more complete coverage then
#4
Re: Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Vodafone mobile broadband coverage is pretty patchy, you might be better off with Telstra, specially once you get away from the cities. Same with the phones - I'd avoid vodafone, go for optus or telstra, and if you ahve two phones i recommend that one get one of each, gives more complete coverage then
Better to go with the Optus network, since that uses the 900/2100 frequencies that you have. It's not a widespread as the Telstra NextG network, but it will give better service for your phones. Personally I'd say get a Virgin Mobile SIM - works on that network, gives you data, and you don't have to deal with the poor customer service of Optus.
And although Sydney to Cairns shouldn't be considered off the beaten track, it IS as far as the poor state of Australian mobile coverage is concerned:
#5
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,038
Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Avoid Vodafone completely.
Very poor coverage, very inconsistent, terrible customer service, over charging on bills all the time.
Has been dubbed Vodafail in Oz.
www.vodafail.com
Very poor coverage, very inconsistent, terrible customer service, over charging on bills all the time.
Has been dubbed Vodafail in Oz.
www.vodafail.com
#6
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,768
Re: Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Avoid Vodafone completely.
Very poor coverage, very inconsistent, terrible customer service, over charging on bills all the time.
Has been dubbed Vodafail in Oz.
www.vodafail.com
Very poor coverage, very inconsistent, terrible customer service, over charging on bills all the time.
Has been dubbed Vodafail in Oz.
www.vodafail.com
Vodafone are best in the UK, but certainly not here.
Telstra is the ONLY way to go if you want to be able to actually use the phone. Pisses all over all the other networks with coverage AND data downloads. We've tested Telstra, Optus, and Vodamoan and web pages / downloads fly with Helstra compared to others ...
#7
Re: Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Thanks guys - looks like it's the Telstra store for me.
Bezza
Bezza
#8
UK migrant now in Oz
Joined: Apr 2006
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 56
Re: Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
How about Amaysim?
The sim worked perfectly in my unlocked UK Phone, you top up either online or in store, and you can buy the sim at 7/11, Coles, Woolworths etc which are everywhere and the call charges were much, much cheaper than Telstra.
The sim worked perfectly in my unlocked UK Phone, you top up either online or in store, and you can buy the sim at 7/11, Coles, Woolworths etc which are everywhere and the call charges were much, much cheaper than Telstra.
#10
UK migrant now in Oz
Joined: Apr 2006
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 56
Re: Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Well what they say is:-
On their website they provide a map so you can see if there is coverage in your area. I've always had a good signal. I've travelled with the phone around Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.
Being connected where you are in Australia is important. Your amaysim SIM card is powered by the Optus 3G dual band network (and where 3G dual band coverage isn’t available, Optus’ 3G single band and 2G networks). Optus covers 97% of the Australian population. So your amaysim SIM powered phone works in more places.
#11
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,768
Re: Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Next time you're with someone who's with Telstra, and in an ideal world the same phone (our case as all have iPhone 4's). Run some tests. Open webpages, tab from pages. DL some files and watch the DL speeds. Google Earth loads new pages in less than a seconds, and mate with Optus takes easy 3 - 4 seconds to do the same. Other on Vodafone comes off worst to Optus, but 'in our experience' Telstra seriously pisses over the rest.
Let alone when I have signal and they don't ...
I'm a phone tech and curse Telstra OFTEN, but credit where it's due! ...
#12
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,806
Re: Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Work colleague is with Optus and trust me it's a diff league from Telstra.
Next time you're with someone who's with Telstra, and in an ideal world the same phone (our case as all have iPhone 4's). Run some tests. Open webpages, tab from pages. DL some files and watch the DL speeds. Google Earth loads new pages in less than a seconds, and mate with Optus takes easy 3 - 4 seconds to do the same. Other on Vodafone comes off worst to Optus, but 'in our experience' Telstra seriously pisses over the rest.
Let alone when I have signal and they don't ...
I'm a phone tech and curse Telstra OFTEN, but credit where it's due! ...
Next time you're with someone who's with Telstra, and in an ideal world the same phone (our case as all have iPhone 4's). Run some tests. Open webpages, tab from pages. DL some files and watch the DL speeds. Google Earth loads new pages in less than a seconds, and mate with Optus takes easy 3 - 4 seconds to do the same. Other on Vodafone comes off worst to Optus, but 'in our experience' Telstra seriously pisses over the rest.
Let alone when I have signal and they don't ...
I'm a phone tech and curse Telstra OFTEN, but credit where it's due! ...
#13
Re: Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Telstra customer service is the pits, if you run into issues you will be done for.
Vodaphone has a shocking reputation with regard to coverage.
Optus has exceptional customer service and from what I know, great coverage. For sure I'd pick Optus. Enjoy your trip
Vodaphone has a shocking reputation with regard to coverage.
Optus has exceptional customer service and from what I know, great coverage. For sure I'd pick Optus. Enjoy your trip
#14
Re: Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Bizzarely my Vodafone Huwaei connection is up and active after two years of no use so we will wait and see.
Writing this from Coogee Beach and will pick up two sims from Optus/Telstra tomorrow.
Many thanks all.
Bezza
Writing this from Coogee Beach and will pick up two sims from Optus/Telstra tomorrow.
Many thanks all.
Bezza
Last edited by bezzanbob; Jul 10th 2011 at 5:27 am.
#15
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,806
Re: Pre-paid phones and mobile broadband
Enjoy the trip