Australian Mobile phone providers: For use in AU & overseas.

[serfty]

I have had two trips to HKG recently where I have not bothered, simply turning Mobile Data off. There is so much usable wifi around that it's rare to be out of internet.

Heck, on my last stays in SIN and HKG, the hotel provided each room with an Android device with free call backs to Oz and data when out on the street.

 

[opusman]

I find I almost never need access to the phone network to actually make and receive calls these days when travelling, it's all about data data data.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Vodafone and Red Roaming is best thing since king sized condoms

Heading to Europe on Sat for 3 weeks - 6 countries in total for $5/day seamless operation with existing mobile number worth its weight in gold if you are in business.

 

[levelnine]

Vodafone and Red Roaming is best thing since king sized condoms

Heading to Europe on Sat for 3 weeks - 6 countries in total for $5/day seamless operation with existing mobile number worth its weight in gold if you are in business.

Depending on where one travels, Telstra's $89/month plan, which can easily be obtained for $69/month through Telstra Chat, is superior.

Free roaming (up to 2GB per month), calls and texts in Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovak Rep, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, USA, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam

https://www.telstra.com.au/content/dam/tcom/personal/mobile-phones/pdf/mobile-byo-plans.pdf

 

[Cruiser Elite]

@levelnine - that looks good at first glance - what is the catch? Not like Telstra to be competitive with pricing on any product - are you using this?

 

[VPS]

That Telstra deal does look amazing.

Slightly OT but I'm going to be renting for a while and wondering about what the speed on a mobile for hotspotting is like compared to a dongle

 

[levelnine]

@levelnine - that looks good at first glance - what is the catch? Not like Telstra to be competitive with pricing on any product - are you using this?

There's no catch. Telstra is reasonably priced, especially when you ask an operator via Telstra Chat for any sign-on incentives. They obviously have sales quota targets, so will generally offer you either a discount (typically a $10 port-in credit per month) or extra data (I got both) to sign you up.

You just need to time your sign up to a period when they are already having a sale. So the $89 plan is currently on sale for $69. Ask for a $10 port-in credit and you can get it for $59.

Not all Telstra Chat operators will offer it. If you don't succeed at first, simply close the chat and try again. It's a well-known feature of how Telstra operates.

 

[Daver6]

Main difference between the Telstra and Vodafone deals are Telstra is only 2GB/month while roaming while Vodafone is whatever you have in your plan...ie significantly more data, should that be a concern.

 

[stm1sydney]

Is Voda still the best option for irregular international roaming? I was thinking about getting a new phone but my current $40 plan with access to $5 intl roaming seems to just be the easiest option.

Yes. And RSA is within Voda's $5 per day zone 1.

 

[VPS]

There's no catch. Telstra is reasonably priced, especially when you ask an operator via Telstra Chat for any sign-on incentives. They obviously have sales quota targets, so will generally offer you either a discount (typically a $10 port-in credit per month) or extra data (I got both) to sign you up.

You just need to time your sign up to a period when they are already having a sale. So the $89 plan is currently on sale for $69. Ask for a $10 port-in credit and you can get it for $59.

Not all Telstra Chat operators will offer it. If you don't succeed at first, simply close the chat and try again. It's a well-known feature of how Telstra operates.

Do you have to be with someone else to get this deal - I'm currently on a prepaid with Telstra.

 

[levelnine]

Do you have to be with someone else to get this deal - I'm currently on a prepaid with Telstra.

To get the $89 plan for $69? No it is available to anyone.

To get the additional $10 port-in credit? Probably, though there's no harm in asking via Telstra Chat.

 

[stm1sydney]

I have had two trips to HKG recently where I have not bothered, simply turning Mobile Data off. There is so much usable wifi around that it's rare to be out of internet.

That's a very good point. I've also done that on a couple of trips recently when I have felt I don't need to be constantly contactable. Roaming and mobile data all turned off (and call forwarding to my Skype Number so I can catch any calls when in wifi range - calls go to Skype voicemail when out of wifi range).

 

[amaroo]

I'm on the Telstra $129 plan that provides 1GB/ month Int roaming, works well when combined with hotel and other free wifi. I selected this one because the kids / wife share the 120GB monthly data.

If we blow the allowance it auto tips over to the $10/day .... until the new month rolls over.

 

[zenyattamondatta]

I've been on a version of the Optus 80GB plan for $40/month that gives 4GB/month for use in Zone 1 countries, which for me last month included Japan, Norway, Denmark (including the Faroe Islands and Greenland), and Portugal (including the Azores). Dubai was the only place I went that wasn't covered.

SIM Only Plans & Mobile Phone Plans | Optus

Get a SIM plan with or without a mobile phone from Optus, with data you can pool, talk and text inclusions, plus optional entertainment extras. Find out more.

www.optus.com.au

 

[mrsterryn]

Have Had dual Sim phones for some years for travelling purposes.
Trips are usually between 2 to 7 weeks and having a local Sim made it much easier .
Had to have my local Au number to contactable when my parents were alive.
However still use , as someone else posted , for the data.

When through LHR pick up a 30£ (?) And use it in Europe as well.
In USA I tend to buy the Sim at Target or Walmart for the trip.
Off this weekend to USA and have my T-Mobile Sim ready to load

 

[burmans]

There's no catch. Telstra is reasonably priced, especially when you ask an operator via Telstra Chat for any sign-on incentives. They obviously have sales quota targets, so will generally offer you either a discount (typically a $10 port-in credit per month) or extra data (I got both) to sign you up.

You just need to time your sign up to a period when they are already having a sale. So the $89 plan is currently on sale for $69. Ask for a $10 port-in credit and you can get it for $59.

Not all Telstra Chat operators will offer it. If you don't succeed at first, simply close the chat and try again. It's a well-known feature of how Telstra operates.

Personally I think the Optus plan looks bloody good

SIM Only Plans | Mobile Phones - Optus

Get a SIM only plan with data and entertainment options from Optus when you bring your own compatible mobile phone. Shop online and buy a SIM today.

www.optus.com.au

$40/month for 80 GB data (OZ), unlimited international caling (Oz) annd then 4 GB Roaming, Unlimited talk and text roaming in Level 1 countries. I guess it depends where you want to use roaming but it covers all the places I'm planning to go for the next year.

 

[mrsterryn]

Personally I think the Optus plan looks bloody good

SIM Only Plans | Mobile Phones - Optus

Get a SIM only plan with data and entertainment options from Optus when you bring your own compatible mobile phone. Shop online and buy a SIM today.

www.optus.com.au

$40/month for 80 GB data (OZ), unlimited international caling (Oz) annd then 4 GB Roaming, Unlimited talk and text roaming in Level 1 countries. I guess it depends where you want to use roaming but it covers all the places I'm planning to go for the next year.

Okey dokey sending that deal to husband

 

[N860CR]

Good looking Optus plan. Shame about the country Zones. It leaves Voda with a slight competitive advantage for my travels

 

[suze2000]

Just keep in mind Optus has poor coverage amongst city buildings and has had all those outages recently.

 

[OATEK]

Depending on where one travels, Telstra's $89/month plan, which can easily be obtained for $69/month through Telstra Chat, is superior.

Free roaming (up to 2GB per month), calls and texts in Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovak Rep, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, USA, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam

https://www.telstra.com.au/content/dam/tcom/personal/mobile-phones/pdf/mobile-byo-plans.pdf

Looks like international roaming is being phased out by Telstra: ‘Are they kidding?’: Hidden sting in Telstra’s new mobile plans