Visiting OZ - any advice on pay as you go SIM cards?

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Is anyone up to speed with PAYG SIMs? - We will be visiting in December and could do with some local SIMs to avoid the ludicrous charges from UK companies

All phones are unlocked so can take any SIM - will need 4.

Internet would be useful as would free texts / calls on same network type benefits - any advice appreciated

[bosc0]

I'm unaware of deals using PrePaid sims, but i'd suggest using Telstra as their network is far superior at this time.

[arrow224]

Amaysim have great rates. Runs off the Optus network, providing approx. 92% coverage of Australia's population.

Telstra is the other one, their Prepaid Talk and Text Encore option is great, free calls to any standard Australian numbers between 6pm and 6am. Coverage is approx. 98.8% of Australia's population. May sound small difference to Optus, but equals about 6 million square kilometres.

[Mat04]

Yup definatly go with telstra. I have a Vodafone and Optus iPhones and they suck compaired to Telstra coverage. Getting one let alone 4 without an Australian license might be abit tricky though. maybe orgainise 4 seperate people to get a Telstra prepaid sim card for you would be the best bet.

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Yup definatly go with telstra. I have a Vodafone and Optus iPhones and they suck compaired to Telstra coverage. Getting one let alone 4 without an Australian license might be abit tricky though. maybe orgainise 4 seperate people to get a Telstra prepaid sim card for you would be the best bet.

Really??? When we last visited I'm sure we just bought a SIM pack in a mall over the counter

What about cheapo pre paid mobile phones?

The trouble with getting people to get them for us is that we are not meeting our friends until more than 1/2 way through the trip...

[Ric]

...Getting one let alone 4 without an Australian license might be abit tricky though. maybe orgainise 4 seperate people to get a Telstra prepaid sim card for you would be the best bet.

I don't think you need a license for a prepaid SIM, only for post-paid accounts.

[Mat04]

Every prepaid I have had I've had to register with the carrier

[Ric]

https://onlineshop.telstra.com.au/prepaid-mobile/

I just tried to do a dummy purchase, and it DOES ask for an Australian driver-licence or passport. I'm just asking them now how tourists can buy one.

Edit: The answer was.

They will be able to purchase sim cards in a Telstra shop, Coles, Dicksmith, Woolworths, JB Hi-fi ect by presenting their passports.

Edit #2. Final answer was:

There is also a Telstra shop at the airport. It is located at Shop 1.15 Qantas Melb Domestic Airport, Departures Level 1st Floor, Airport Drive Tullamarine, VIC 3045

[kiahatsiu]

Just do what us locals do and stand in the street and shout cooeee. Those mobile phone gadgets will just fill with the red dust that blows around over here. And what if a kangaroo hops away with it. Stone the crows, you'd be buggered.

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LOL @ kiahatsiu

Ric - thanks for checking that out for me - very helpful info

[Ric]

What are your movements straight after you arrive?
(I actually live only 5 minutes from the airport. )

I'm still trying to find a map of terminal T1 showing the shop location. The Melbourne Airport website has maps of all the other terminals, but they referred me to QANTAS for T1.
They just referred me to this page on the QANTAS website: http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airline ... /global/en
and QANTAS haven't replied to my request for an actual map yet.

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Hi Ric - thanks

After getting off the plane and getting squirted with bug killer collecting luggage and doing passport control - my beloved wife has booked us a nice hotel to overcome our jet lag for a few days - then we're back to the airport to head off for Adelaide...

[Rome_BRZ]

Depending on how long you are here for, Optus has a $2 per day prepaid deal where you buy the credit for a certain number of days, say $20 for 20 days, and on any day that you actually use the phone it costs you $2 but you get unlimited texts, calls and internet usage.

Just a thought

[Graphite]

Depending on how long you are here for, Optus has a $2 per day prepaid deal where you buy the credit for a certain number of days, say $20 for 20 days, and on any day that you actually use the phone it costs you $2 but you get unlimited texts, calls and internet usage.

Just a thought

Yes thanks, I did see that one actually - and it does seem that the area we are visiting - Melbourne, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Mount Gambier is all within Optus network range