Best Travel Sim card?

[ramboflyer]

On our last overseas trip in 2015 I purchased an Australia Post travel sim card which I have kept active. With this sim you are allocated a Estonian (sounds like something out of Dilbert) phone number.

It worked out ok but I wonder if there is a suitable alternative where you can keep your own number? This can be helpful for those back home you didnt give your Elbonian number to and sometimes you give airlines and hotels contact numbers and out of habit you give them your normal mobile number.

I was told in the past that Vodaphone have a sim you can use for $5 a day. You are charged if you use the phone and then only a maximum of $5 a day. I dont know if I misunderstood or if it has changed but having a look at the Vodaphone web site it seems that you have to sign up to a plan and then your $5 gets you access to your normal phone and data usage.

I dont want to sign up to a plan as I am very happy with the Aldi prepaid deal that I currently have.

We are heading overseas again later this year (Italy & Greece) and I wonder if there is a sim where I could keep my own number and not cost a fortune. Data is not that important as there plenty of free wifi to use these days.

 

[Dr Ralph]

I was told in the past that Vodaphone have a sim you can use for $5 a day. You are charged if you use the phone and then only a maximum of $5 a day. I dont know if I misunderstood or if it has changed but having a look at the Vodaphone web site it seems that you have to sign up to a plan and then your $5 gets you access to your normal phone and data usage.

'Estonian' or 'Elbonian'???

I use the Vodafone (sic) deal. It is as you say $5 a day when you use your phone overseas. You might be surprised how cheap a plan is -even for a limited period whilst away from Australia. There is a maximum of 90 days per year to this though. You also get to use all of the allowances you have in Australia whilst overseas.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

'Estonian' or 'Elbonian'???

I use the Vodafone (sic) deal. It is as you say $5 a day when you use your phone overseas. You might be surprised how cheap a plan is -even for a limited period whilst away from Australia. There is a maximum of 90 days per year to this though. You also get to use all of the allowances you have in Australia whilst overseas.

I just enquired about the Vodaphone plan too as off to the UK in 3 weeks, you can do a plan for $50 a month to month so no contract, in the end though I have gone with Giff Gaff in the UK and a 6gig data plan for one month for about $50 all up so much cheaper.

 

[Denali]

....
I was told in the past that Vodaphone have a sim you can use for $5 a day......

You dont change your sim, its an additional charge to your account. My husband uses this with no problems.

Have you also tried Sim Corner as Ive used them (Sydney airport has a kiosk) a couple of times. We carry an extra phone so install the sim in an unlocked phone: https://www.simcorner.com/uk-prepaid-simcard.html

 

[Austman]

I was told in the past that Vodaphone have a sim you can use for $5 a day. ... I dont want to sign up to a plan as I am very happy with the Aldi prepaid deal that I currently have.

For the Vodafone offer you do need to be on an eligible plan - I don't think prepaid is eligible.

 

[ramboflyer]

Have you also tried Sim Corner as Ive used them (Sydney airport has a kiosk) a couple of times. We carry an extra phone so install the sim in an unlocked phone: https://www.simcorner.com/uk-prepaid-simcard.html

I had a quick look at the web site. It's not clear if you can keep your own number or not?

 

[Austman]

I'm finding the need for a data SIM is getting less and less these days.

With free wifi just about everywhere, I'm finding that I need mobile data just to fill-in the time between the free wifi spots.

On Telstra prepaid you can buy International Roaming Browse Plus Packs from your recharge credit (funny money). Starting at $29 for 100 MB. It works in a huge number of countries. 100 MB is not that much perhaps, but I found that in my last 2 weeks away in SE-Asia, Asia and Europe I only used about half of it.

That was enough to book some ubers, read emails, download an area map, do a bit of browsing. You need to be frugal and keep your mobile data off most of the time but it was do-able for me - and so much simpler than getting data SIMs, extra phones etc.

 

[yld200]

I"ve been looking for something similar to use in Europe later this year and came across the three sim. I was planning to buy one when we arrive in London as it's only 20pound ~$35 compared to the $55 quoted on simcorner.

 

[Denali]

I had a quick look at the web site. It's not clear if you can keep your own number or not?

Got a new number. We carry extra phones so hubby has his vodofone plan with $5 extra per day for OS and a Sim Corner phone for local calls/emergencies and data (which I use as a hotspot for other phones/laptop ect).

Otherwise, we go to a local sim place when we land to secure data/phone.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

Got a new number. We carry extra phones so hubby has his vodofone plan with $5 extra per day for OS and a Sim Corner phone for local calls/emergencies and data (which I use as a hotspot for other phones/laptop ect).

Otherwise, we go to a local sim place when we land to secure data/phone.

The reason I went with Giff Gaff was they have good reviews but also you can get the number you are going to use prior to leaving Australia

 

[trippin_the_rift]

You guys are crazy. Just get a local sim and pop it in your phone. Despite what you think - You do not need your aussie# connected 24/7 while overseas, and if you do - get a dual sim phone which man are better than iphones anyway.

 

[Isochronous]

You guys are crazy. Just get a local sim and pop it in your phone. Despite what you think - You do not need your aussie# connected 24/7 while overseas, and if you do - get a dual sim phone which man are better than iphones anyway.

Listen to this oracle.

 

[theblank]

On Telstra prepaid you can buy International Roaming Browse Plus Packs from your recharge credit (funny money). Starting at $29 for 100 MB. It works in a huge number of countries.

Should be all countries
Thats exactly what I do, haveiing the ability to book an Uber et al on arrival without stuffing around with free wifi is a plus. Then if I need a more data I just grab the local sim whatever works.

I also have a Singapore Happy prepaid, which is a good deal for roaming on most of the countries I go to, about $15 for about 2Gb a month.
Warning: No tethering nor Singapore local data included in the roaming data pack! found that out the hard way.
Happy Roam Data Roaming Service | StarHub Mobile

you got to a but sim card savvy/cough/adhd to manage this prepaid and keep it alive, its not for 12:00 flashers. Otherwise just buy a roaming pack from your own telco.

 

[ermen]

Should be all countries
Thats exactly what I do, haveiing the ability to book an Uber et al on arrival without stuffing around with free wifi is a plus. Then if I need a more data I just grab the local sim whatever works.

I also have a Singapore Happy prepaid, which is a good deal for roaming on most of the countries I go to, about $15 for about 2Gb a month.
Warning: No tethering nor Singapore local data included in the roaming data pack! found that out the hard way.
Happy Roam Data Roaming Service | StarHub Mobile

you got to a but sim card savvy/cough/adhd to manage this prepaid and keep it alive, its not for 12:00 flashers. Otherwise just buy a roaming pack from your own telco.

I second the Starhub prepaid sim.

But no - the pack you buy INCLUDES local data (technically, you buy a local data pack, and it is free roaming to those countries as provided for in the link above... so you can use it both in Singapore and the roaming countries)

 

[Austman]

The simplest solution, by far, for a non-plan user is to buy a Telstra International Roaming Browse Plus Packs - on Telstra Prepaid.

No data SIM, no extra phone, no dual SIM phone, you keep your own phone and number working, no lining up at counters to buy the SIMs, no tracking their validity dates, no checking they will work in the countries you are going to.

It's certainly simple! And has worked everywhere I've been, even before getting off the plane.

But you have to be able to make the 100MB (or whatever pack size you purchase) last the distance! With free wifi now abundant, that's not so hard to do IME. You can always buy another Browse Plus Pack of course.

But it's not for everyone.

 

[TonyHancock]

It's certainly simple! And has worked everywhere I've been, even before getting off the plane.

Which is about when I will have used the 100MB.



Wot tripping_the_rift said!!

 

[Denali]

I know people say "free wifi is now abundant", but I worry about using it.

 

[Austman]

Which is about when I will have used the 100MB.



Wot tripping_the_rift said!!

Yep - as I said, it's not for everyone. But it is by far the simplest data roaming I've ever found if you can limit your mobile data use until hotels, airports, lounges, cafes etc etc provide the free wifi.

I've now been doing this for about a year and I take 1 or 2 international trips per month. I even travel with friends who do the same thing and seem to manage to do it.

Mind you, that can be helped with a few smart phone settings - to reduce mobile data gobbling - which can be useful even back home. Google can help you find out which ones to adjust.

And of course, no video using mobile data!

 

[Austman]

I know people say "free wifi is now abundant", but I worry about using it.

Sure but I think that's a different argument. I think most are happy to use free wifi in most places.

 

[Vic]

OP asked about keeping their own number.

Own number is limited to your service provider, if you are with aldimobile then the only option to keep own number is to pay aldimobile charges for international roaming.

You can port that number to a telstra prepaid, I guess. Then you can buy the international roaming data packs. But will have to pay telstra call rates for the rest of the year. the data packs are only valid for 30 days, and cost $29 for 100 MB with higher pricing for more data. But OP said they don't need data as they use wifi. To get calls you then need a telstra travel pass, that might be available on pre-paid. I've only used this product on post paid. The cheapest is $30 with 225 MB and valid for only 3 days. Have used this for a 3 day trip away.

then there is the vodaphone red plans. Again simple to transfer own number of vodaphone but only on a plan. The cheapest month to month plan (not contract) is $35. But I recently signed up to the $50 monthly plan for a long trip as that includes 300 mins to international numbers. This cost something like $85 for a multi week overseas trip, used phone and data like a local and much cheaper than telstra option. After trip just log into vodaphone account and change to a prepaid plan for use in australia.

I have used local sims as well. but the $5 a day is worth the extra cost especially when the tax man is making a contribution.