Australian pre-paid/PAYG SIM cards

[alect]

We are relocating to MEL and so initially would probably get a couple of prepaid/pay-as-you-go SIM cards until we figure out what mobile provider we sign up with.

What are some good value SIM cards/PAYG plans around? Is there a site we can compare at?

Also any tips or recommendations on permanent mobile providers welcome (we will have cable tv and Naked DSL, so I don't thyink bundling mobile with those will work).

TIA

 

[Dave Noble]

With mobiles, the providers now offer capped plans which are fairly decent value; the providers seem fairly similar in many ways

For my payg sim, I use vodafone ; rates are reasonable plus easy to recharge by making a call to the automated recharge line or over the internet


Dave

 

[futaris]

iSIM - www.isim.com.au

 

[StevePER]

iSIM - www.isim.com.au

Yep, iSIM are pretty good and have low call rates (39c/minute, no flagfall) and the call credits last a long time. You can set it up online for automatic recharging and forget about it. But I've been told the capped plans are better for those who do make a lot of calls.

My wife is about to switch to Soul prepaid because they allow international roaming and iSIM don't. You can choose between a cheap call rate (9c/30 seconds) or cheap SMS (9c each).

 

[toowongman]

I use Virgin Mobile's "bean counter" PAYG plan. 10c/minute, 10c/SMS, free voicemail diversion and retrieval, uses Optus network. You buy credit in $25 lumps using a credit card on their website, and credit lasts 45 days if you don't use it. Easy to set up so it adds more credit automatically when your balance reaches a certain amount. Plus if you fly with Virgin Blue you get 5% of the base fare credited to your Virgin Mobile account.

 

[QF WP]

Finally, I can congratulate you on the move to MEL, alect. While I'm at it, congratulations on the impending (July) birth of your twins.

Now it'll be my turn to show up in a car to your hotel, pick you up and take you to a beach for a drink.

 

[alect]

Thanks all for the suggestions. Does number portability work in Australia for mobiles? So if eventually we decided on a provider and went on plans are we going to be able to port our numbers to the new provider? Or do we have no choice and just new numbers?

 

[alect]

Finally, I can congratulate you on the move to MEL, alect. While I'm at it, congratulations on the impending (July) birth of your twins.

Now it'll be my turn to show up in a car to your hotel, pick you up and take you to a beach for a drink.

Thanks Lindsay! As soon as I have plans to come to BNE you're on!

 

[Flashback]

Thanks all for the suggestions. Does number portability work in Australia for mobiles? So if eventually we decided on a provider and went on plans are we going to be able to port our numbers to the new provider? Or do we have no choice and just new numbers?

Yes, number porting is available.

 

[SFSC]

One place to start looking is Phone Choice ( Welcome to Phonechoice ) which purports to provide unbiased information on all the providers.

Edited to add: I've just had a look around this website (which was bookmarked a few years ago) and a lot of the info is quite out of date.

 

[straitman]

Thanks all for the suggestions. Does number portability work in Australia for mobiles? So if eventually we decided on a provider and went on plans are we going to be able to port our numbers to the new provider? Or do we have no choice and just new numbers?

alect,

This is a really good idea.

When choosing providers you will find that there are, often, quite distinct differences between the coverage provided/available. Where I work the coverage provided by most providers is almost zero and Telstra is the only option. Another area nearby and Optus works well and Telstra does not.

Damn nuisance really :!:

 

[alect]

We're enjoying our Virgin pre paid service - excellent rates and good coverage/reception. The onyl downside seems to be that data plans are not available as an add on.

See I am a crackberry addict, and brought my BB with me from the US - even without the data access I love having my outlook calendar and contacts all there with me.

So now investigating more long term plans and providers. Not all seem to offer data/blackberry plans (ie including Blackberry Interent Service) - Tesltra Optus, 3. Is that it?

Am I mistaken in thinking it has to be a specifci Blackberry plan - I am used to my provider in the US providing Blackberry Internet Service which allows email from any POP/IMAP/etc. email account and also browsing the web.

 

[Commuter]

Am I mistaken in thinking it has to be a specifci Blackberry plan - I am used to my provider in the US providing Blackberry Internet Service which allows email from any POP/IMAP/etc. email account and also browsing the web.

Not sure if I'm answering your question correctly, but when I signed up for the Blackberry plan (in my case with Telstra), it was Blackberry Internet Service which allows email from any POP/IMAP etc and web browsing. I think this is the 'personal' plan, basically.

When I looked last time, about 6 months ago, Blackberry plans cost around $39.95-$49.95/month from memory. Some may charge this in addition to the mobile (voice) plan. But the cost may have come down a bit.

Vodafone also offer Blackberry plans.

An alternative you may wish to consider is 3's X-series, although I don't think you'll be on your Blackberry for that (however, many of their 24-month plans will give you a free X-series mobile).

 

[alect]

Not sure if I'm answering your question correctly, but when I signed up for the Blackberry plan (in my case with Telstra), it was Blackberry Internet Service which allows email from any POP/IMAP etc and web browsing. I think this is the 'personal' plan, basically.

When I looked last time, about 6 months ago, Blackberry plans cost around $39.95-$49.95/month from memory. Some may charge this in addition to the mobile (voice) plan. But the cost may have come down a bit.

Vodafone also offer Blackberry plans.

An alternative you may wish to consider is 3's X-series, although I don't think you'll be on your Blackberry for that (however, many of their 24-month plans will give you a free X-series mobile).

Yes I think you are answering my question. Seems that each of Optus/Telstra/Vodafone have blackberry internet service - though I can't find on their sites the plans. I can see normal plans with data which would be fine as long as I can sign up for the BIS.

The other question is - say Vodafone offers BIS, and I go with a reseller (looking at ThinkMobile) who uses the Vodafone network. Could I as a ThinkMobile customer register for the Vondafone BIS?

Obvisouly this is getting detailed and beyond the realm of AFF - so if anyone can point me to another online forum specialising in Australia mobile plans etc... would be appreciated.

BTW - I have been "warned" off 3 - either explicitly or by many people complaining about them - many more than any other provider.

 

[Flashback]

Hi Alect,

Try "Whirlpool", they have a mobile phones section now.

 

[Commuter]

Yes I think you are answering my question. Seems that each of Optus/Telstra/Vodafone have blackberry internet service - though I can't find on their sites the plans. I can see normal plans with data which would be fine as long as I can sign up for the BIS.

I'm fairly sure you'll need a specific Blackberry plans, not just a normal plan with data. Anyway, for Blackberry plans, see links below:

Telstra's Blackberry page (click on Step 2, Step 3 half way down the page to see the available plans)
BlackBerry - Telstra

Vodafone's Blackberry pricing:

Pricing

Optus's Blackberry plans:

Optus - Personal - Plans & Rates: BlackBerry

The other question is - say Vodafone offers BIS, and I go with a reseller (looking at ThinkMobile) who uses the Vodafone network. Could I as a ThinkMobile customer register for the Vondafone BIS?

Can't answer that question reliably, but I get the feeling that you might find it more straight-forward to walk into a Vodafone shop, than to go through a reseller that uses Vodafone network.

BTW - I have been "warned" off 3 - either explicitly or by many people complaining about them - many more than any other provider.

It used to have a lot of problems (and I mean 'a lot'), although I personally haven't had any trouble with them (touch wood). It just happens to be very handy for me due to "3 Like Home" service where roaming is very cheap in the UK and some other countries.

 

[bazzam]

We are relocating to MEL and so initially would probably get a couple of prepaid/pay-as-you-go SIM cards until we figure out what mobile provider we sign up with.

What are some good value SIM cards/PAYG plans around? Is there a site we can compare at?

Also any tips or recommendations on permanent mobile providers welcome (we will have cable tv and Naked DSL, so I don't thyink bundling mobile with those will work).

TIA

I like the Optus Turbocharge prepaid plans. You get allot of call credit and can call overseas for very reasonable rates. That's the main reason I like it since with the time difference btwn Oz and Europe/USA I am always away from home when everyone overseas is awake. This way I can call from my mobile on the way to/from work or any time during the day. You can also nominate 5 Optus numbers to which you get extra free (or included, nothing in life is free) call credit. So you and your partner nominate each other and get free calls between you. Downside is that call credits only last 30 days, but you can roll them over if you recharge in the 30 day period. Not sure what their Crackberry rates are like or if you can use data since I only use it for voice.

 

[Baysider]

Virgin Mobile use the Optus network, so if Optus offers Blackberry plans then I'm sure Virgin Mobile can.

On the re-seller question, I can tell you that phones locked to Optus work with Virgin SIMS and phones locked to Virgin work with Optus SIMS. This suggests that some flexibility does exist.

 

[alect]

I ended up going with ThinkMobile which are a Vodafone reseller. They seemed to have the best plans for my usage and allow add on of Blackberry Internet Service on the Vodafone network.

Customer Service so far has been great and very personal.