Phone advice please - family trip to Oz

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#1817472 9-Jul-2017 20:23

If you're going the route of Local SIM make sure you take ID with you as well as they have some very strict rules about proving your identity before handing over a SIM.

A passport is suffice, but I left mine in the hotel and had to give my drivers licence details and 2 credit cards I think? They have a strange points based system for what types of ID they accept. But I agree with above, if you're staying there long enough then a local SIM would be far cheaper and stress free than roaming.

Davy

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#1817782 10-Jul-2017 12:42

That's dead right. I just handed over four phones and my passport and the Optus guy popped free SIMs into all of them. The three Spark phones are working fine but after two days we are still waiting for 2degrees to respond with an unlock code. Not a word from them. What's going on with 2D's support these days?

Fred99

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#1819891 11-Jul-2017 20:59

Davy: That's dead right. I just handed over four phones and my passport and the Optus guy popped free SIMs into all of them. The three Spark phones are working fine but after two days we are still waiting for 2degrees to respond with an unlock code. Not a word from them. What's going on with 2D's support these days?

Not sure. I'll actually be in Aus this weekend for a couple of days only, a sim at the airport isn't much use - I need my NZ number etc, but some data access as well.

The Australian Roaming Data Pack wasn't available as an add-on from the 2D app on my phone, and it took me a hell of a long time to find it on their website - it's still there but not linked to in any search.

Very poor IMO.

Batman

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#1819936 11-Jul-2017 21:37

if you want cheap and loads - buy optus SIM, if you want even cheaper, want to make international calls (free/included) and don't mind a bit of hassle - get Virgin

if you want fast-ish broadband - buy telstra

if you don't like internet - buy voda

if you have way too much money and really like a lot of hassle - try roaming

Linux

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#1819948 11-Jul-2017 21:56

@batman VodafoneAU 3G / 4G is fantastic these days and VodafoneNZ $5 daily roaming is great and how is roaming a hassle?

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#1819952 11-Jul-2017 22:16

Ok didn't know VodafoneAU is good nowadays. With roaming i have to remember not to txt, not to call certain people, not to answer certain people's phones, to switch all the apps to not use background data, to minimize cost.

blakamin

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#1819953 11-Jul-2017 22:18

Batman:

if you want cheap and loads - buy optus SIM, if you want even cheaper, want to make international calls (free/included) and don't mind a bit of hassle - get Virgin

Or Amaysim... 7Gb unlimited calls and text to NZ $39.90

There's bonuses for the first month too..

I'm on Amaysim

Mrs is on Virgin. no issues except the original porting, (and she got a free Z5 Premium last year when she signed up).

Wise

Send money globally for less with Wise - one free transfer up to NZ$900 (affiliate link).

richms

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#1819956 11-Jul-2017 22:24

Batman: Ok didn't know VodafoneAU is good nowadays. With roaming i have to remember not to txt, not to call certain people, not to answer certain people's phones, to switch all the apps to not use background data, to minimize cost.

Or pay $5 a day and not have to worry about any of that.

Richard rich.ms

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#1819957 11-Jul-2017 22:24

don't think you can walk into a shop and get amaysim. so i don't consider that an option for a visitor.

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#1819958 11-Jul-2017 22:24

unless times have changed and you can walk out of the airport and buy your amaysim!

blakamin

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#1819959 11-Jul-2017 22:29

Batman:

unless times have changed and you can walk out of the airport and buy your amaysim!

Coles, woolworths, 7/11, AusPost, BigW

Coles and Woolworths both have servos right next to airports .

sbiddle

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#1819963 11-Jul-2017 22:37

Batman: Ok didn't know VodafoneAU is good nowadays. With roaming i have to remember not to txt, not to call certain people, not to answer certain people's phones, to switch all the apps to not use background data, to minimize cost.

Why? The thing about daily roaming is you don't need to change any habits because it costs you exactly the same as it does in NZ.

Linux

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#1819970 11-Jul-2017 22:48

Batman:
unless times have changed and you can walk out of the airport and buy your amaysim!

I have to ask do you actually do any international travel?

PS posting from Iceland on holiday flying to Vancouver later this afternoon

Linux

blakamin

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#1819974 11-Jul-2017 22:56

Linux:

PS posting from Iceland on holiday flying to Vancouver later this afternoon

Linux

Some photos on something (twitter) wouldn't go astray...

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#1819975 11-Jul-2017 23:10

Linux:
Batman:

unless times have changed and you can walk out of the airport and buy your amaysim!

I have to ask do you actually do any international travel?

PS posting from Iceland on holiday flying to Vancouver later this afternoon

Linux

not much. but I lived in Australia and travel to Oz every so often. I've used all the telcos I've posted about. except amaysim (which is Optus anyway, so the user experience should be the same as Optus), which was like skinny - the only way to get the sim is by mail order.

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