Hold onto your legacy plans if they include free roaming

[serfty]

The worse part of the Optus $5 per day roaming is that it doesn't let you use it in Countries where the $5 per day roaming doesn't apply.
...

For my part, the worst thing about Optus $5 roaming was it triggering the $5 charge when data was off and no calls/SMS were being received/ made.

I could fix it with long and often frustrating chats with frequent HUACA, etc. Then you had to keep an eye out for the account credit over the next months.

 

[serfty]

I never use roaming. Always cheaper to get a local Sim but I can get calls and text while I’m travelling

This was true but over the last 18 months the proliferation of eSIM providers has changed the game.

A USD30 Eskimo 10GB eSIM has a validity of 2 years. Combined with hotel wifi and other freebies (such a Frewie giving 3 days at no cost when travelling SQ) I have used 4GB in 14 months.

 

[SYD]

For my part, the worst thing about Optus $5 roaming was it triggering the $5 charge when data was off and no calls/SMS were being received/ made.

That was definitely a PITA - especially when it pinged twice within a few minutes…. I wonder if it’s still coughe?

But not roaming at all, is really bad.

We had a week in Uruguay. Optus didn’t connect at all. So couldn’t even receive an SMS. I needed to do some business online banking and couldn’t until we got across to BA.

I suspect if I’d stayed with Optus, I’d similarly would have had zero connectivity at sea on and off for the last few weeks - but amaysim has worked flawlessly.

 

[VPS]

This was true but over the last 18 months the proliferation of eSIM providers has changed the game.

A USD30 Eskimo 10GB eSIM has a validity of 2 years. Combined with hotel wifi and other freebies (such a Frewie giving 3 days at no cost when travelling SQ) I have used 4GB in 14 months.

Good point - I have an ongoing UK eSIM that I need for banking so that normally covers most of Europe and then get others when necessary