Phone advice please - family trip to Oz

Forums › Travel (planes, train, cruise) › Phone advice please - family trip to Oz

Davy

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#216674 7-Jul-2017 12:09

Any advice for a family of four going to Oz for two weeks? We want to be able to keep in touch while we are there and have a cellphone each (two Spark monthly prepays, a 2D prepay and a Spark contract phone).

What's the best way to set up our four phones so that we can txt/call/message each other without incurring big costs over the two weeks?

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#1814330 7-Jul-2017 12:09

Allow me to introduce you folks to our new travel community: TravelTalk NZ.

We hope to see you there!

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#1814366 7-Jul-2017 13:25

An Optus SIM for each family member. Cheap as chips options. I've used this plan.

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

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kiwicam

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#1814414 7-Jul-2017 13:41

I always get a 2Degrees "Aussie Data Roaming Pack" on my Prepay and use Viber/iMessage/Facebook. Pretty good value and no stuffing about with SIMs and different numbers... but that only solves the problem for one of those phones.

https://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/mobile/mobile-data/ (right at the bottom)

Fred99

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#1814415 7-Jul-2017 13:49

Don't forget to add +64 prefix - if it's not already there - to other family members phone numbers in address books - or you'll likely just connect to a message saying that the number doesn't exist, and texts won't be going anywhere. Had me going "WTF doh?" until it clicked.

kiwicam

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#1814417 7-Jul-2017 13:51

Good point @Fred99. I too got caught out by that years ago. I had no idea that some places didn't use 00 for their international access code.

Fred99

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#1814443 7-Jul-2017 14:05

Spark have similar data roaming packs - theirs include some voice/text:

https://www.spark.co.nz/roaming?country=AUS

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Davy

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#1814451 7-Jul-2017 14:22

Thanks!

tripp

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#1814458 7-Jul-2017 14:33

Bloody hell, just look at some of their plans over there. 22gigs for $60 unlimited calls/text. Makes my 4gigs seem really small

surfisup1000

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#1814474 7-Jul-2017 14:53

Optus had a stand outside the Gold coast arrivals gate - from memory we paid around $16 each for 4 sims loaded with 6gb data each and free calls to optus numbers (i think , or at least it had enough minutes for us to call each other without running out).

I believe they said this was a deal not offered through their website.

MikeAqua

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#1814479 7-Jul-2017 15:02

If its contacting each other within Australia just buy some a local SIMs and pop them into your phones.

Mike

KrazyKid

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#1814494 7-Jul-2017 15:46

I'm about to head there for 4 weeks and plan to by a sim.

Boost is offering a $40 per month plan.
8G data,
Bonus 1G additional free data over the weekends.
Unlimited calls and texts to Aussie and NZ land lines and mobiles (excludes 0900 etc numbers)

They use the Telstra network.

http://boost.com.au/plans/

Edit: just looked at the optus plans -$40 = 14G plus limited calls and free Spotify. Might try that - thanks for the heads up

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tukapa1

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#1815872 8-Jul-2017 13:50

I was there in October.

All the major airports have stands with ridiculous deals on sims and they will set them up for you on the spot.

Form memory it was $19 for a sim with 6GB data and heaps of calling and texting included.

Some of the group we were with had set up roaming and wished they had just gone with the sim at the airport. Heaps cheaper.

Chuck your normal sim in before you leave the airport in Aussie to head home and you're good to go again when you land in NZ.

cadman

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#1815891 8-Jul-2017 15:21

Roaming is a rort. Local SIM with plenty of data is the way then use Skype or Viber or similar to make your international calls.

Davy

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#1817467 9-Jul-2017 20:04

I'm here now in Oz. We've gone down the Optus local SIM option. There is indeed an Optus stand right at the airport and they swap out the SIMs for you on the spot.

The SIMs are free and it's 30AUD for 15 days including a GB a day.

Two worked straight away but two did not - the phones were locked to Spark and 2degrees so I need to get them unlocked. Spark was brilliant in this regard and I did it in about 10 minutes with the help of a fantastic person at Spark using online chat. Still trying to sort out the 2degrees ones though and not getting much response as yet.

Overall it's good to have a proper local SIM and to have access online services such as maps without worrying about data.

tardtasticx

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#1817471 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.

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