Activation of Australian SIM before arrival in Australia

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GGJohnstone

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#239459 19-Jul-2018 10:12

I have booked an apartment in Australia that does not have internet therefore I need coms with generous internet. Some attractive deals exist including a Vodafone that only failed when my New Zealand location was deciphered by my credit card numbers days after purchase. Most of the virtual networks were excluding themselves by my location or useless because of timing so their good looks are without usability.

I have managed a Vodafone promotion that is designed to trap locals into a ludicrously expensive $50 a month renewal. I only want the startup 35 days and possibly a month reload on another trip before the natural expiry of the SIM. My New Zealand cell phones are prepay and not sensible for roaming. Huge cost for data.

Does anyone here know if it is possible to "Activate" the SIM cards I have on line before I arrive in Australia. They are Prepay.

ben28

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#2058715 19-Jul-2018 11:06

Can't you just activate them while your plane is taxiing to the gate when you arrive in Australia?

sbiddle

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#2058721 19-Jul-2018 11:22

The answer is yes and no. My last experiences were a couple of years ago testing a lot of SIM cards for this exactly so it depends on the SIM and the network.

Obviously you need to ensure you have 100 points of ID to activate it.

GGJohnstone

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#2063899 28-Jul-2018 08:20

I had a couple of Chat sessions with Vodafone AU. First encouraged me to use the online system because it will or will not work without spoiling the Sim Card. I failed because the site did not appear to want International Passport information. The second Chat, with my permission, had a go dredging up possible historical connections from email addresses. Then used my provided information from my Passport. This also failed.

I suspect that Vodafone is not privy to electronic Passport information. I certainly hope that is the case. Too bad if I have lost my documents to Pakistan.

My wife and I will have to hold hands and not get lost in the big city until we have met with a Vodafone Shop who will set us active so easy I am told.

If this seems like a lot of bother. The upside if it all works is 32 G of LTE data unlimited Australia calls and txt a thousand minutes to many countries expires after 35 days. Downside any recharge costs A$50. Start kit was a very special cost of A$10 ea so therefore the bitching and grizzling will not extreme if it is a no progress.

sbiddle

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#2063938 28-Jul-2018 10:26

Validation in a store is no different to online. 100 points of ID are required, and if you don't know what is required for 100 points I suggest you Google it - a passport by itself is insufficient.

Some providers prevent online registration from outside Australia to prevent abuse and illegal use of Australian SIM cards.

GGJohnstone

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#2064187 28-Jul-2018 16:11

I will let you know if I can sneak in with my NZ Passport, NZ driving license, Gold Card, Greypower Card, 3 Credit Cards, Flybuys Card all signed. Also a rental car agreement with credit card, physical address, age, drivers license, and dates of tenure.

If that is not enough I have an account with "The Lott" that has been verified to its required points level and sited and endorsed by a NZ Police Constable to allow for the collection of cash prizes. An anti money laundering measure for Tatts Lotto. I will print a copy of my account detail just in case.

Then I could give blood perhaps.

It will be worth bitching about if this is all constructed to cause delay and annoy.

blakamin

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#2064193 28-Jul-2018 16:26

100 points of ID is a bit of BS really... Last weekend, in Adelaide, I walked into a JB HiFi and got a new phone, ported my number, and got a contract and all I actually showed was my drivers licence.

They asked if I had all the ID, but never actually looked at it.

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GGJohnstone

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#2064195 28-Jul-2018 16:32

Damn. Rental car company employees are not in the list of persons able to certify 100 points of identification. I could be in trouble.

Linux

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#2064199 28-Jul-2018 16:46

NZ passport is all that is required I have used about 5 prepaid SIMs in AU in the last year

John

empacher48

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#2064280 28-Jul-2018 17:29

I’m currently in Cairns and use an Optus mobile wifi device. I bought it from Optus at the airport in Melbourne when I was here in May. The reason for Optus was it cost $99 for the device and SIM with 50Gb data.

Activation was all done online and easy, only required my credit card. I just top it up when I’m coming over. I was in Cairns two weeks ago and topped up with 25Gb of data before I even left NZ and have been able to use it both trips.

sbiddle

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#2064282 28-Jul-2018 17:42

I stand corrected on the 100 points, that is only for an on account plan with any telco.

To activate a prepay SIM a passport (any country) meets minimum ID requirements. You will also need to supply an Australian address.

The VOdafone website is pretty clear with their requirements https://www.vodafone.com.au/support/prepaid/activate-sim

KrazyKid

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#2064400 28-Jul-2018 22:25

Last time I arrived in Brisbane I purchased a sim at the airport before picking up my retail car. They were happy with my NZ passport and holiday accommodation address. Could choose from the 3 major Telcos at the airport. All had booths.
It was actived on the spot.

I believe all the main AU airports have these booths aiming some and phones

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#2064412 28-Jul-2018 23:46

Just landed in Sydney $10 5GB and loads of minutes $10 on Optus took 2 minutes to sort out

John

old3eyes

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#2064432 29-Jul-2018 08:25

Linux: NZ passport is all that is required I have used about 5 prepaid SIMs in AU in the last year

John

Yep that's all I had to show last time I got an Optus $2 per day SIM. I see it's going up to $3 per day soon.

Regards,

Old3eyes

KrazyKid

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#2064491 29-Jul-2018 11:52

Look for the free Spotify or Netflix bundles. Take a chomecast and something to cast from, use your phone as a hot spot and Boom! - you have movies every night 😎. Spotify and hire cars also work well if you are driving about.

GGJohnstone

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#2067222 3-Aug-2018 07:25

Activated by Vodafone shop in Pacific Fare. They accessed Vodafone computers directly. Input Passport detail and my other required info. Offering the physical exchange but they were so busy I did it myself and both phones quickly fired up with 32 G data unlimited txt & minutes AU, 1000 minutes overseas selected countries Blah Blah...

Very disappointing there is no Vodafone OOL Airport presence as suggested via chats.

I do not know why the use of Passport info via the earlier chat session failed. It must have been too soon after my failed attempts which may have been Geo Blocked or there is no data exchange of Passport info to the phone companies.