Aussie Cell Phone-SIM Card advice

[glutenhab]

We are from Canada & will be cruising Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific Islands & Southeast Asia for 10 weeks starting on Nov 25/11 and I would like to carry a basic cell phone for emergencies.

I do not want to worry about roaming chargers etc. so I am thinking of buying an unlocked phone to carry with me.

Should I buy one before I leave or when I get there?

Are unlocked phones &/or SIM Cards readily available there & if so can I use the same SIM Card for all areas.

 

Any & all advice would be most welcome.

[bobhsv]

Hi,

Such a good question. Yes, in Oz you can purchase an unlocked phone. May I suggest you have a look at this site that I found recently. It explains a lot about mobile phone useage, the differences in each country etc etc, things I was unaware of, and cheap ways to travel with a phone. They also do sales at reasonable prices. The site is http://www.telestial.com We are thinking of purchasing one for our trip to the states, as using our own is costly.....ie we pay $9 per minute for any incoming calls...wow! Works out costly when the son calls to chat about 'nothing'.....lol. Hence totally understand your excellent question.

Jen

[Kiwi_cruiser]

If you already have a Cell phone, and it has a sim card, then you don’t need to worry about getting another phone, you can just swap out the sim card.

 

One thing you will need to keep in mind is the service provider you go with when you get your sim card, as not all the service providers in Australia, work over here in NZ or South Pacific Islands & Southeast Asia, and also when you go to the South Pacific Islands, not all South Pacific Islands have cell phone reception.

 

One service provider I would recommend for using in Australia, NZ and Asia is Vodafone http://www.vodafone.com.au/ or http://www.vodafone.co.nz/

[goose30]

If you already have a Cell phone, and it has a sim card, then you don’t need to worry about getting another phone, you can just swap out the sim card.

 

One thing you will need to keep in mind is the service provider you go with when you get your sim card, as not all the service providers in Australia, work over here in NZ or South Pacific Islands & Southeast Asia, and also when you go to the South Pacific Islands, not all South Pacific Islands have cell phone reception.

 

One service provider I would recommend for using in Australia, NZ and Asia is Vodafone http://www.vodafone.com.au/ or http://www.vodafone.co.nz/

 

This is not entirely correct. Many service providers in the US, and I will bet in Canada as well, have the phones that they sell locked to their service. Unless it is an unlocked phone putting in a different service providers sim card will do nothing. Sometimes they will unlock the phone for you sometimes they will not.

 

This best way to do this is either get a phone and sim card when you get there or ask your service provider what your options are.

[kuldalai]

The other thing to realize is that basically all the World except the USA uses the same cell phone technology. So if Canada uses the same technology as the USA your cell phone will probably not work in Australia irrespective of what SIM card you have in it .

 

The most common technology used worldwide is called GSM, if Canada has that then your phone will be fine downunder and elsewhere .

 

If you can arrange Overseas Roaming with your service provider in Canada then you are in business, just pre-pay a decent $ amount prior to departure so that your phone account is in credit . You will be OK on the Canadian SIM card normally in your phone at home.

 

Within your phone under Settings>Connectivity you can select Overseas to automatically or manually select a network overseas. the problem with automatic is that your phone may lock onto a network that your Canadian supplier does not have an Overseas Roaming arrangement with . We always manually select a network Overseas till we find one that gives us call access .

 

The other thing that will save you a lot of hassles is to enter phone numbers in your mobile directory in International format. Ask at your phone shop how to do this .

[Kiwi_cruiser]

This is not entirely correct. Many service providers in the US, and I will bet in Canada as well, have the phones that they sell locked to their service. Unless it is an unlocked phone putting in a different service providers sim card will do nothing. Sometimes they will unlock the phone for you sometimes they will not.

 

I thought that only applied to the smart phones (Like the iphone etc..), and not normal phones?

[glutenhab]

Thanks much for all the advice.

 

The phone I have now will NOT work there.

I think my best option is to buy a basic unlocked phone here (GSM, 800,900,1800 quad band) & buy SIM cards when I get there.

The fact that I will need different cards in different countries certainly makes this more complicated than I expected, but we will cruising New Zealand for 2 weeks & in/cruising Australia for about 2 weeks so probably SIMs for those only.

Many of the other countries we visit only once or twice so hardly worthwhile.

 

We plan to carry a netbook for e-mail & give Skype a try as well.

Our intention is NOT to spend our 10 weeks constantly trying to contact home (we are there to get away!) but just knowing that we CAN contact/be contacted if necessary will make us feel more at ease.

 

Again, any other advice/suggestions are more than welcome.

[Sharon2539]

We are from Canada & will be cruising Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific Islands & Southeast Asia for 10 weeks starting on Nov 25/11 and I would like to carry a basic cell phone for emergencies.

I do not want to worry about roaming chargers etc. so I am thinking of buying an unlocked phone to carry with me.

Should I buy one before I leave or when I get there?

Are unlocked phones &/or SIM Cards readily available there & if so can I use the same SIM Card for all areas.

 

Any & all advice would be most welcome.

 

 

Hello, if you haven't already found a sim I was researching for one recently and found onesim international. It looks to have great rates and is now available in Canada from bestbuy and futureshop online. Check out their website... it's free to receive calls & sms which is a big plus.

Regards,

Sharon

[glutenhab]

Hello, if you haven't already found a sim I was researching for one recently and found onesim international. It looks to have great rates and is now available in Canada from bestbuy and futureshop online. Check out their website... it's free to receive calls & sms which is a big plus.

Regards,

Sharon

 

Thanks very much for that. What is sms?

I will ask at Future Shop & Best Buy but do you know if the SIM Cards work in all of Australia, New Zealand & S/E Asia & if so will I be charged roaming charges anywhere?

[bobhsv]

sms is another word for a text message.

Jen

[lily40au]

I work in the Australian telecommunications regulator and I thought I'd add my two cents worth, despite others advising you.

 

Unlocked phones are easily obtained here and for as little as $2 Australian at a Woolworth's supermarket you can pick up a SIM card and add it to any phone. If you have an unlocked GSM in the US of the same GSM standard in use here (ie 900 and 1800 MHz) you'll be able to use that phone and a SIM card from here.

 

You'd also have to make sure that you activate international roaming on the Australian SIM ypu pick up.

 

I hope that helps.

[campingman]

For Cheap Overseas Usage from Australia i can recommend,

 

http://www.lebara.com.au/

 

Although they use the Vodafone network which is not know to be fantastic in Australia,i use one as a second phone and it is great for phoning cheap calls overseas.

 

Check Out the website above

[jayteeaitch]

I work in the Australian telecommunications regulator and I thought I'd add my two cents worth, despite others advising you.

 

Unlocked phones are easily obtained here and for as little as $2 Australian at a Woolworth's supermarket you can pick up a SIM card and add it to any phone. If you have an unlocked GSM in the US of the same GSM standard in use here (ie 900 and 1800 MHz) you'll be able to use that phone and a SIM card from here.

 

You'd also have to make sure that you activate international roaming on the Australian SIM ypu pick up.

 

I hope that helps.

 

I recenly bought a $2 start up pack with a new sim card and free $30 worth of calls ( my contract had run out) - and it definitely includes International roaming and I never had a problem with a Telstra phone anywhere in Europe or Asia.

you might have a look here http://www.telstra.com.au/latest_offers/switchtous/

[campingman]

I recenly bought a $2 start up pack with a new sim card and free $30 worth of calls ( my contract had run out) - and it definitely includes International roaming and I never had a problem with a Telstra phone anywhere in Europe or Asia.

you might have a look here http://www.telstra.com.au/latest_offers/switchtous/

 

 

The only reason not to use a Telstra Phone overseas is paying the Ultimate bill? Telstra is my principle phone but BEWARE of CHARGES.

 

http://www.lebara.com.au/

 

 

Lebara charge 5 cent per minute call to the US

[glutenhab]

I work in the Australian telecommunications regulator and I thought I'd add my two cents worth, despite others advising you.

 

Unlocked phones are easily obtained here and for as little as $2 Australian at a Woolworth's supermarket you can pick up a SIM card and add it to any phone. If you have an unlocked GSM in the US of the same GSM standard in use here (ie 900 and 1800 MHz) you'll be able to use that phone and a SIM card from here.

 

You'd also have to make sure that you activate international roaming on the Australian SIM ypu pick up.

 

I hope that helps.

 

Thanks for chiming in...it does help.

 

How much would a basic cell cost me there & where is a good place to pick one up?

Does it matter the brand/make? I know I need GSM standard (ie 900 and 1800 MHz).

Will the SIM card I buy there work all over Australia, New Zealand, The Islands & up to Hong Kong?

And what kind of rates am I looking at (approx) to call Canada?

Won't roaming charges eat the time up very fast?

[jayteeaitch]

Hi glutenhab - see you on the 9th - meanwhile - since only you know exactly what you want - and I certainly dont want to give you advice that might lead you up the garden path.- - and knowing your rough itinerary - I suggest that maybe this URL may be of some use - and note the section on Int Roaming at the bottom of the page.

 

http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/

There is a telstra shop at the airport - follow the find a store leads - also 2 on the main st in the Sydney CBD - ie George St ( under the tall telstra tower) - and 2 on Pitt St - the other main St - both of them on the free circular bus.

 

In my book - there are lots of phone packages and suppliers - but TELSTRA is the biggest - and accurate. I have this particular Telstra/samsung - ( $59 on the PP page) - for the last 4 years and used the international roaming in the UK - Europe and SE Asia without any heartaches - and although I have not used it in NZ - there is little difference between our countries - tech wise - and outside of major cities - telstra has 95% coverage when you are touring.

As for extra cost - well - thats up to the value only you can place on your call.

 

Sooooh !!!! - you can shout me a beer on the 10th @ 11am at RC - or :confused::confused: - kick me in the shins :eek:

 

John

[glutenhab]

Seems like telstra rates are close to $2.50/min to Canada while lebara is $0.05/min. Can that be right?

If so, can I easily buy a phone at the airport or CBD & have it activated on Lebara? And will that work when I go to NZ, Asia etc?

 

Buying a basic phone for under $100 there & having it activated at a good rate looks like the the way to go.

[campingman]

Seems like telstra rates are close to $2.50/min to Canada while lebara is $0.05/min. Can that be right?

If so, can I easily buy a phone at the airport or CBD & have it activated on Lebara? And will that work when I go to NZ, Asia etc?

 

Buying a basic phone for under $100 there & having it activated at a good rate looks like the the way to go.

 

My number one Mobile phone is a Telstra because i travel a lot in my RV to out of the way places in Australia however through being caught with big bills from Telstra whilst overseas and being caught with miss leading and not up front rates which Telstra and most phone companies in Australia adhere to quite well i have found that by using the Lebara sim card in major centres to call overseas is cheap,yes 05 per minute.

Lebara is not available in NZ.

What is wrong with bringing your unlocked GSM phone with you?

 

(note. im not a phone techno,i just try to search well, the best deal)

 

As well as prepaying my onboard gratuities this time on a couple of RCCL ships in Australia im about to board i thought as a nice in appreciation gesture i would buy some Australian Lebara Sim Cards to hand out.

[Pushka]

I tried buying a pre paid phone from the Post Office and had to go through all sorts of hoops to prove my id. Should have just picked up a second hand phone. But remember that the sim you buy for Australia will be very expensive if you use it outside Australia.

 

Do not buy Vodafone, their coverage outside the CBD areas is poor. While more expensive, Telstra is the most reliable in Australia. But Texting is by far, the best way to go and we use this all the time when overseas and avoid making phone calls at all costs.

[Kiwicruiser25]

Hi, Not sure if this will help. We were going on a cruise to NZ and I purchased a dual sim Nokia C1-00 phone for $49 in Harvey Norman in Australia. This phone takes 2 sim cards, but you can only use one at a time. If you google Nokia C1-00 you will can read the manual or just get the details about the phone.

 

Then at the wharf in NZ in a small convenience shop I brought a $5 sim card with $29 credit included free its called a (2Degree) They sell them almost everywhere in NZ even petrol stations, anyway very easy to get one.

 

Used it to call back to Australia from NZ still had some credit left when I got back to Australia.

Then back in Ausi when I turned the phone on it new I was now in Australia and gave me the call rates to ring back to NZ.

So try a google on 2Degrees and you will get all the rates etc and the information on this brand of Sim card. Says its International as well.

Cheers

[campingman]

Hi, Not sure if this will help. We were going on a cruise to NZ and I purchased a dual sim Nokia C1-00 phone for $49 in Harvey Norman in Australia. This phone takes 2 sim cards, but you can only use one at a time. If you google Nokia C1-00 you will can read the manual or just get the details about the phone.

 

Then at the wharf in NZ in a small convenience shop I brought a $5 sim card with $29 credit included free its called a (2Degree) They sell them almost everywhere in NZ even petrol stations, anyway very easy to get one.

 

Used it to call back to Australia from NZ still had some credit left when I got back to Australia.

Then back in Ausi when I turned the phone on it new I was now in Australia and gave me the call rates to ring back to NZ.

So try a google on 2Degrees and you will get all the rates etc and the information on this brand of Sim card. Says its International as well.

Cheers

a

 

Thank You.This is the Sim card i am looking for for my up coming NZ Voyage.

[Sharon2539]

Thanks very much for that. What is sms?

I will ask at Future Shop & Best Buy but do you know if the SIM Cards work in all of Australia, New Zealand & S/E Asia & if so will I be charged roaming charges anywhere?

 

 

Hi again, if you go onto their website they have a list of countries and the charges for each.

 

Sharon

[glutenhab]

Hi again, if you go onto their website they have a list of countries and the charges for each.

 

Sharon

 

Tried them both & they say they do NOT sell them here in Canada, so I guess I will have to pick them up there.

Sure wish I knew which to buy!

[kahtrav]

I've not yet tried switching SIM cards - though we travel a lot - we really only use the phones for emergencies. We do have quad band phones, which work most places at a variety of different roaming rates, but regardless of the phone and/or company, I suspect the roaming rate while on the ship (when not in port) will be very high. NZ/AU/S. Pac seem pretty high anyway, but the rates onboard were worse. Text roaming looks like the best option.

[Zpete]

I live in NZ, travel heaps in OZ and S.E.A.

N.Z.Telecom here is my supplier. Roaming charges are no great deal, txts all seem to be 20c from Philippines Thailand, Malaysia and S'pore

Neva needed to change sims,:o

Automatically knows what country one is in. Sometimes I may spend a month or more in Thailand and Philippines, then I buy a local sim.

Mate had a Vodaphone, but was unreliable, dunno why.

I have a cheap Nokia XT system world roaming phone, covers over 80 countries and bills to my home line account, no recharge worries, cheaper too.

Brilliant, even dried out and works after being drenched in monsoon..:eek:.......lol, took 3 days :p.