Taking an iphone to USA - and Optus

[Brooke01]

Hi all,

I will be ringing Optus about this on Monday - but thought someone may be able to advise in the meantime.

I am going to the U.S in July - plan on taking my Iphone, but have heard horror stories about huge bills etc even when turning off roaming/push email and the like. I only want it so that I can receive calls and sms whilst I am away - if needed. Will not be using other features.

So, I am on a 2 year plan with Optus - about a year in to it. What I am hoping to do is tell them I want to continue the plan whilst I am away (no change) - but get an Optus pre paid card to put in the phone whilst I am away so I know exactly what I am spending etc and won't come back to any nasty surprises. Doesn't matter if I have to have a different number with the pre paid.

Anyone know if this may be possible ??

TIA

Brooke

 

[samh004]

If your phone is unlocked you should have no troubles using a prepaid SIM from any provider, but might I suggest using a US SIM, as it’ll be cheaper for all your needs then, just not attractive to anyone trying to call you

 

[Brooke01]

Thanks for the reply samh004 - the thing is that my phone isn't unlocked, I am probably 1 year into a 2 year contract.

I am more than happy to keep the contract going whilst I am away - but would just like to put a pre paid in whilst i am away. Thought if I told Optus that I wanted an Optus pre paid that they may be more receptive to this.

So effectively - I would have my contract as per normal with my current number, but would like to take that SIM card out and replace with an Optus Pre Paid whilst i am away - with a different number if needed.

Cheers,

Brooke

 

[samh004]

I guess, seeing as it’s still an Optus SIM it would work, though they’d have to confirm that for you, I don’t think anyone here could. However the costs would be the same, albeit you wouldn’t go over budget, you’d simply run out of credit.

Give them a call, see what they say.

 

[Mal]

Optus will apparently unlock your iphone for free as you are on a post paid contract:

If you connect the iPhone 3G to a Post-Paid (on account) contract you are able to unlock the handset by calling Optus Customer Service. No unlocking fee is applicable.

So then you shouldn't have any dramas with using any prepaid sim card in it.

Also there is this other thread which discusses how to switch off the international data when overseas: http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/open-discussion/using-iphone-when-overseas-21847.html

I presume you know the cost of receiving calls while roaming overseas? On an Optus post paid plane, it's $1.45/minute to receive calls in the U.S. They're not cheap. May be a much better idea to divert all calls to message bank or similar. (It's also $3.50 / minute to make calls from the U.S back to Australia).

 

[winfred]

My advice is to:

- call Optus to unlock phone
- get a US sim when you are in the US
- divert all calls to your mobile to your US no. that came with the new sim. You can easily do this on the iPhone or call Optus to do it for you.

When people call you on the Aus no, you pay for the calls to the US no which is a lot cheaper than $1.45 per minute.

 

[notzac]

My advice is to:

- call Optus to unlock phone
- get a US sim when you are in the US
- divert all calls to your mobile to your US no. that came with the new sim. You can easily do this on the iPhone or call Optus to do it for you.

I'd do all of the above, except for the last point. E-mail the US number to anyone that needs it when you get the number -- that way you're not being stung for the cost of forwarding calls from .au to .us.

ISTR there's a thread around here somewhere that mentions how to get 3G data on an AT&T prepaid SIM; normally speaking it can't be done. Do note the T-Mobile network uses an incompatible frequency, so you can only get EDGE data rather than 3G if you decide to go with a T-Mobile SIM.

 

[straitman]

This all depends upon how many Oz based called you expect to make or receive. If it is not many then I would keep the iPhone intact and just turn it on for a short while each day to check messages etc. I would then use a separate phone whilst in the US for any local stuff.

 

[Dave Noble]

- divert all calls to your mobile to your US no. that came with the new sim. You can easily do this on the iPhone or call Optus to do it for you.

When people call you on the Aus no, you pay for the calls to the US no which is a lot cheaper than $1.45 per minute.

I wouldn't do this; I would put a voicemail on telling callers that are overseas and if important to call the US number +1 xx_ xx_x xx_x ; that way the caller can be hit for the international call if they really want to call and the recipient is only being charged for the minutes used on the call as a normal US rate

Dave

 

[Dave Noble]

ISTR there's a thread around here somewhere that mentions how to get 3G data on an AT&T prepaid SIM; normally speaking it can't be done. Do note the T-Mobile network uses an incompatible frequency, so you can only get EDGE data rather than 3G if you decide to go with a T-Mobile SIM.

I have used GSM on T-Mobile with no issues at all using a phone from Australia; was there for 4-5 months using T-Mobile prepaid and had no issues with calls or data

 

[Maca44]

I do what straitman and Dave Noble have said. At the airport, prior to leaving Australia I put a voicemail recording advising callers I am overseas, but tell them to send an SMS and that I have access to them every couple of days; and that I will reply. Then, when I arrive in the US I purchase a pre-paid phone from one of the department stores, and it will surprise you how long one of these phones last for about $49 but if say you consider AT&T check to see whether you will be travelling through their coverage.

 

[Brooke01]

Wow ! Thanks so much for the replies everyone ! I really appreciate it.

I will be calling Optus tomorrow to try and get the phone unlocked.

The reason I want to take the phone with me and have it switched on for receiving calls etc is that I need to be able to be contacted in an emergency (elderly dogs in kennel situation) - so would probably just get a pre paid SIM from Optus and use that. I hopefully have no need to actually make calls on the phone - but if I do, well I know what the charges will be (hideous ).

Just another question - and yes, I know Optus will be able to answer it - but what do people dialling my mobile number FROM Australia need to call ? Just the mobile number - or do they need prefixes etc ?

Also, if a friend needs to call me whilst I am in the U.S and they are also within the U.S - what would they call in this case ?

Thanks again everyone - greatly appreciated

Cheers,

Brooke

 

[Dave Noble]

The reason I want to take the phone with me and have it switched on for receiving calls etc is that I need to be able to be contacted in an emergency (elderly dogs in kennel situation) - so would probably just get a pre paid SIM from Optus and use that. I hopefully have no need to actually make calls on the phone - but if I do, well I know what the charges will be (hideous ).

If you have to be contacted and you have left a voicemail message with the details of your USA number and then they can call you that way

If you do go for a roaming approach then the caller will just call as normal and the call will be diverted to USA

Someone in the US would have to call your number in Australia ( international call rate from US of course ) amd then the call will be diverted back to you in the USA . That way you both end up with v expensive calls

 

[Mal]

Just another question - and yes, I know Optus will be able to answer it - but what do people dialling my mobile number FROM Australia need to call ? Just the mobile number - or do they need prefixes etc ?

Also, if a friend needs to call me whilst I am in the U.S and they are also within the U.S - what would they call in this case ?

For a caller in Oz, they would just call your mobile number. They won't notice any real difference (except perhaps your groggy voice when you've been woken up at 2am in the morning and a slight lag when chatting to you )

For a caller in the U.S, they would call +61 <your mobile number removing the first zero> (from a mobile), or <their international access code> <61> 41xx_xx_xx (ie your mobile number removing the first zero).

 

[htchapman]

Optus will unlock if you call them. All you need to tell them is that you are travelling and wish to get an overseas SIM. I've done this with various iPhones with Optus.

You need to plug the phone into your computer and create a back up (select the phone in iTunes and right click and select back up).

Once done you need to restore the phone.

This will then give a message saying the phone is unlocked.

Then go back and select the options "Restore from Backup".

Dependent on duration of my trip, time zone I'm going to and if I'm expecting anything semi-urgent I usually leave my Optus SIM Card in but turn off data. As a general rule it costs about $100-150 per week I'm overseas to keep the phone running.

 

[winfred]

If you have to be contacted and you have left a voicemail message with the details of your USA number and then they can call you that way

If you do go for a roaming approach then the caller will just call as normal and the call will be diverted to USA

Someone in the US would have to call your number in Australia ( international call rate from US of course ) amd then the call will be diverted back to you in the USA . That way you both end up with v expensive calls

If you get a US sim, people in the US will call your US no. One thing I can't figure out is how to change your voicemail greeting while in the US after getting the US sim to tell people to call your US no.

 

[Mal]

If you get a US sim, people in the US will call your US no. One thing I can't figure out is how to change your voicemail greeting while in the US after getting the US sim to tell people to call your US no.

You would call your messagebank (or whatever Optus calls it), and re-record your greeting. Most of the systems have a "3rd party phone" access ability (ie you call the message number and enter your mobile and a pin number to get to your messages) or you could use the Optus sim to call from the U.S (at the horrid roaming rates).

Another option is using Ebay to buy the sim online. You should then know the number before you leave for overseas (assuming enough time to allow for shipping!).

 

[straitman]

Another option is using Ebay to buy the sim online. You should then know the number before you leave for overseas (assuming enough time to allow for shipping!).

There is another thread here somewhere where a forum member (drewbles) has posted (non commercial) details of getting overseas sims whilst still in Oz.

 

[HardieBoys]

If you're not keen on getting a US SIM, but just want to limit data and roaming costs on your AUS iPHone, ensure the following steps are taken:

1. cancel all diverts to voicemail: if people call your phone with voicemail off, you'll get a missed call number if the number isn't blocked, and you can simply text them.

2. in Settings, turn off Location Services

3. in Settings, turn off Data Roaming

4. In Mail etc, turn off 'Push', and set it to manual


Cheers
5. you may wish to turn of 3G, as the standard 2G will kick in and is perfectly fine for receiving calls and SMS