iPhone 12 mini - moving to Melb need to keep NZ number for 2FA etc but also need to have a regular day to day Oz number too

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › iPhone 12 mini - moving to Melb need to keep NZ number for 2FA etc but also need to have a regular day to day Oz number too

MissAnonamiss

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#317725 9-Nov-2024 20:50

Hopefully someone can 'Explain like I'm 5' to me :)

I'm moving to Melbourne for work in January and as this is a long term move I will be getting a regular Australian mobile number for day to day, but I also need to keep my NZ number for 2FA (& for contacts and for when I come back to NZ), I have an iPhone 12 mini currently on a 2degrees monthly plan but have read to change it to a prepay before I leave.

My question is - what is the best/easiest way to do this?
Have 2 separate phones 1 for NZ and 1 for Oz (this seems silly but...)
Dual sim - 1 NZ sim and an esim for Oz... (don't know much about esim)
Any other way?

Basically I need to have an australian number to use for work, and signing up to services etc but only need the NZ number for receiving 2FA texts (mainly my bank as will be keeping it open and sending money over)

Many thanks!!

jackyleunght2002

392 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3307364 9-Nov-2024 22:26

now our nz sim card network can go to e-sim, so why don't you just transfer your current number to an e-sim?

so when you are in Australia, go and arrange a simcard. Again, when you are at Australia, it can also be e-sim as well

it is now so convenient to sign up for e-sim nowadays.

Jacky

Handle9

11386 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3307365 9-Nov-2024 22:28

We do this with a physical NZ sim and an eSIM in the UAE. Given you will be resident in Australia having that sim an eSIM makes sense if anything goes wrong and you need support.

Just make sure top up your NZ sim before it expires. With skinny it’s an annual top up of any value.

cokemaster

Exited
4927 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3307366 9-Nov-2024 22:31

Welcome to the dark side!

We made the leap over to QLD a while ago and its been fun. Our household all have Australian postpaid plans but what differs is between myself and my wife:

For my setup, I have a 2D or Vodafone prepaid number (both allow Wifi calling overseas) which I flick on time to time for 2FA. SMS is free to receive whilst roaming. If I needed to make a call or do anything, I'd use Wifi calling to do so.
All of my data, calling, sms etc are done via my Australian number which has materially better pricing (eg. free) for calling, sms and mms. I only top up once a year.
For my wife, she still does work with a number of NZ branches so she has a One NZ postpaid mobile with roaming disabled. Effectively it means that it will only attach via Wifi calling or Wifi calling over Mobile data.
I have not been able to get 2D and Voda prepaid connections to have roaming disabled. Her NZ mobile forwards to her AU number.

When I visit NZ - the kids will usually use Wifi calling, the wife will use her NZ sim, and I use the $5/day roaming.

A few callouts:

Most of your NZ banks will allow you to SMS verification to Australian numbers, but you need to call the contact centres (your milage may vary app to app).
I only keep the NZ number for any 2FA that I've forgotten about and in the odd chance that we relocate back to NZ.
Most AU plans will include some or unlimited calling to NZ and most will also allow you to call NZ 0800 numbers.
Optus eSIM has gone off a cliff lately. Best to go in store. Voda and Telstra's is much less broken.
Your iPhone 12 mini will work fine in AU, it isn't impacted by the recent purge of non-voice-over-LTE or E000 incompatibility.

webhosting

Loose lips may sink ships - Be smart - Don't post internal/commercially sensitive or confidential information!

Mrcutiepatootie

47 posts

Geek

ID Verified

#3307381 9-Nov-2024 23:12

jackyleunght2002:
now our nz sim card network can go to e-sim, so why don't you just transfer your current number to an e-sim?

so when you are in Australia, go and arrange a simcard. Again, when you are at Australia, it can also be e-sim as well

it is now so convenient to sign up for e-sim nowadays.

Jacky

Not quite. While OPs phone supports dual SIM, it doesn’t support dual eSIM unlike the later models that followed it.

MissAnonamiss

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3307434 10-Nov-2024 09:51

Hahah - yep!! I'm in healthcare (not a nurse though) so it's definitely considered the dark side ;)

Thanks heaps for all the info and thanks to everyone who has replied, I really appreciate it!
I figured it was do-able, but my brain just was like no???

Have now been reading about the wifi calling and dual sims - which all makes sense now! (always wondered where the wifi calling etc would come in play!)

Roll on the move - currently organising selling bits and flights - Jan I've discovered is the WORST time to fly... prices from a 'regional' airport oooof!! (transit to auckland... then melb)

cokemaster

Exited
4927 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3307462 10-Nov-2024 11:56

Just worth also calling out:

Telstra & Telstra Wholesale Mobile connections do allow Wifi calling overseas.
Vodafone & Optus Wifi calling is geolocked to AU. If you go overseas, you either have to roam or do some VPN trickery to tunnel back to an Aussie IP.
Getting an AU drivers license + medicare card makes things much easier to change services, even when overseas (your NZ passport turns into a pumpkin for authentication when you're outside of AU). Its also the easiest ways to get the 100 points of identification.
Some of the banking/telco apps are restricted to the AU App stores, so if you can't find them... you might need to change your app store location.

On the banking front:

AU has quite diverse banking. Suggest looking at Ubank (owned by NAB, currently offering 5.5% on first $100K, also no foreign currency fees), Macquarie (offers generous interest rates, even on transaction accounts and no foreign currency fees) or HSBC (offers 2% cashback on <$100 paywave transactions on their debit card, also no foreign currency fees on their debit card) etc.
Your main banks (eg. ANZ, Westpac, Commbank) often charge 3% foreign currency, $5 monthly account keeping (waived if you drop money in) and offer lower interest rates.
If you have your Medicare and AU drivers license - 99% of the time, sign ups etc can be done fully online. They'll offer an Apple Pay or Google pay card straight away.
Most places will charge some form of card surchange, regardless of whether you're paying EFTPOS, Debit, or credit.
If you do decide to get a credit card, have a look at finder... some of the joining offers give you a huge headstart if you're chasing reward points.
Wise is usually the way to go in terms of transferring cash across.

I also did the move during January, although flew out from Auckland. I did fly to a smaller airport in AU which was slightly cheaper... I did get some special attention in Aucklands security when they xrayed my carry on and found that I had the top part of my Dyson vacuum cleaner (I was at the 40KG limit already). They said that they've seen pots and pans but this was the first time they saw a vacuum cleaner.

webhosting

Loose lips may sink ships - Be smart - Don't post internal/commercially sensitive or confidential information!