Best Banks for Long Overseas Stay.

[Renato1]

I was overseas for three months a couple of years ago. ANZ bank is where I keep most of my money, and I was forever zapping cash to other banks' accounts to pay bills and to other banks' credit cards using my smartphone.

It occurred to me that this would have been a far more difficult proposition had I been using my CBA and Westpac accounts, who are forever sending me SMS security codes for such transactions. For starters I would have had to have my Australian phone with international roaming to receive the codes, and to pay a fair amount for each SMS received.

I did once have the situation where I couldn't log onto my ANZ account. In frustration I rang them up from Italy and asked why they were blocking me. The chap said that they weren't blocking me at all, and that I should clear the cache in my Android phone. And sure enough, I logged on after I did that.

Are there any other banks that aren't trigger happy with SMS codes?
Or have you been caught out by the SMS codes when overseas?
Regards,
Renato

 

[drron]

Yes the CBA SMS trick is a real Pain.Basically I have enrolled in online accounts with all the routine bills.Even some who do not have an online portal are happy to send me an email of the account and happy to then accept my CC details for payment-I have a separate CC for this.So talk to the bill issuers and see what you can come up with.

 

[digpomi]

CommBank are no longer using SMS but app generated code

 

[Renato1]

CommBank are no longer using SMS but app generated code

I live in an area with touchy mobile reception, which seems to subsequently confuse my Smartphone. I can assure you that four days ago I was unable to complete a transfer with Commbank on my Windows computer because the SMSs they sent me didn't come through. I went shopping yesterday and the SMSs with the Netcode numbers popped up in the phone.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

Yes the CBA SMS trick is a real Pain.Basically I have enrolled in online accounts with all the routine bills.Even some who do not have an online portal are happy to send me an email of the account and happy to then accept my CC details for payment-I have a separate CC for this.So talk to the bill issuers and see what you can come up with.

Yes, you've experienced the annoyance.

It isn't much of a problem now, because I've reduced my dealings with CBA to near zip, after a big switch to cards that earn flying points. And when I go overseas I shouldn't have difficulty with ANZ paying my various cards off.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[drron]

CommBank are no longer using SMS but app generated code

Believe me they are still using SMS.

 

[opusman]

SMS security is a good thing to be honest.

When I'm overseas I never take my Telstra SIM with me since roaming rates are so ridiculous anyway; I leave it in a cheap android phone at home that's running software to forward incoming SMS messages to me via email.

 

[Renato1]

SMS security is a good thing to be honest.

When I'm overseas I never take my Telstra SIM with me since roaming rates are so ridiculous anyway; I leave it in a cheap android phone at home that's running software to forward incoming SMS messages to me via email.

That's novel. What software is that, please?
Regards,
Renato

 

[opusman]

That's novel. What software is that, please?

I use one called SMS Gateway but I'm sure there are others.

It also lets you configure an incoming email address that it will poll, which lets you send SMS messages via email as well.

 

[Reggie]

I bank with CBA and ANZ. CBA is my credit card and ANZ cash accounts.

Anyway I confirm that CBA still use the SMS for security confirmation, which I like. There are two ways I have used this overseas, first is to ring the CBA and get them to change your contact and online banking number to your overseas number and then the sms will come to your overseas number. The other way is take your sim overseas in a cheap phone and use it to receive sms's. There is no charge to receive a sms, but there is to send. So if you only receive no cost.

 

[medhead]

Nab has SMS codes. But you're able to authenticate regular payees to only require the normal password. NAB does however have some sort of limit on transfers using the app.

I'm surprised about being charged to receive SMS. Telstra don't charge for SMS received, and they normally charge like wounded Buffaloes.

 

[OATEK]

Nab has SMS codes. But you're able to authenticate regular payees to only require the normal password. NAB does however have some sort of limit on transfers using the app.

I'm surprised about being charged to receive SMS. Telstra don't charge for SMS received, and they normally charge like wounded Buffaloes.

I have no trouble with Westpac while travelling. They only use SMS codes for new payees, and I have most of my regular bills sent directly to the bank account, for easy bpay. Sometimes I setup up a bpay for Amex or Visa before i leave based on what I expect to pay at various hotels, and worry about any minor balance to sort out on return.

 

[cove]

We opened bank accounts in London with HSBC and Los Angeles with US Bank. We had to open an account in Perth to make any progress in getting the HSBC account open in London. HSBC is reasonable when transferring funds between accounts in Australia and the UK.

 

[Cynicor]

No one (in AU) charges to receive sms whilst roaming. I just keep my phone on me and active, roaming rarely costs me much.

 

[paxman]

the ANZ app will generate code with my phone in flight mode. so doesn't need to be connected to a network to work. cheers

 

[footy99]

I set up bank accounts in the US, China, England, France and here with HSBC. Altogether cost $0. Each one has their own card and is set up in their own currency so you've only got the one time exchange. But can access them all and transfer between them on a single screen online. For long trips, they're the best I could find at the time.

They have a different security device thing which you need to carry around (it was a little round nub when I did it), instead of smsing.

 

[cove]

We don't have the Big 4 banks take about 4% of the money. I only deal with Westpac dealing room or Bell FX for overseas funds transfers to avoid getting done over.Or HSBC directly.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I have no trouble with Westpac while travelling. They only use SMS codes for new payees, and I have most of my regular bills sent directly to the bank account, for easy bpay.

this!

I've been using westpac for years overseas... bpay is easy with no requirements for verification for existing payees.

 

[RooFlyer]

I use CBA exclusively (personal and business cards, all bill paying etc) and am unaware of any SMS type issue, or any problem in general. I'm away for 3-5 weeks regularly and just carry on as normal. Their phone application I think is sensational.

 

[Renato1]

No one (in AU) charges to receive sms whilst roaming. I just keep my phone on me and active, roaming rarely costs me much.

Maybe I'm out of date, but my recollection was that the last time I took an Australian phone overseas about 10 years ago, I hardly used it and it cost me big time ($400 for hardly any usage). No one in Australia was charging money to receive SMSs, but that didn't mean the overseas carriers weren't charging them. I haven't taken one across since.

Certainly, as I drove around Europe with an Italian SIM card two years back, I had 8 Euros credit in the SIM card, drove through 9 countries, got a welcome SMS in each country, and found my balance suddenly reduced to zero when I go back to Italy.The only use the card had was receiving SMSs - I couldn't use it for phone calls in the countries.
Regards,
Renato