Recommended mobile provider in Australia

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curlynz

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#81219 9-Apr-2011 16:16

In a couple of months my partner and myself will be jumping the ditch to Oz.

Can anyone recommend which of the providers will give us the best service and maxium use out of our current phones. We both currently have vodafone handsets and I definetly don't want to give up my galaxy s

Cheers

NickiB

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#457038 9-Apr-2011 17:04

Basically you're picking from the worst of a bad bunch. I'm with Vodafone, it's forever dropping the data connection and searching for the network, although most of the time when it says searching I actually can make and receive phone calls and texts. I hear Telstra is the most reliable, though maybe a tad more expensive than Vodafone and Optus. I will be switching to Telstra when my contract is up in August. I'm in Melbourne.

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NonprayingMantis

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#457070 9-Apr-2011 20:14

I believe Telstra have an 850 network, so your vodafone phones may not work on Telstra 3G unless they are quad band 3G (which I think they aren't)

NickiB

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#457131 9-Apr-2011 23:15

NonprayingMantis: I believe Telstra have an 850 network, so your vodafone phones may not work on Telstra 3G unless they are quad band 3G (which I think they aren't)

Looks like you're right, but they pretty much give phones away here, so if the OP wanted to go with Telstra, you could just pick up a new galaxy here.

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Batman

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#457148 10-Apr-2011 00:39

since you already have phones go prepaid. try optus turbo prepaid. $40/mth gives $700 worth of calls sms mms etc anywhere in the world and 1GB data per 30 days.

or amaysim.com.au $10 1gb data and cheap calls.

watch out for "flagfalls" ie a charge to connect your calls. many postpaid plans give huge amounts of $$$ worth of calls but excludes international calls.

not sure of the others - tri, vodafone, virgin, telstra (considered most expensive player), etc smaller ones too

curlynz

16 posts

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#457494 11-Apr-2011 14:01

Cheers for the replies, looking into it some more looks like Optus might be the way to go, Vodafone too unreliable and Telstra too expensive and not 100% compatible with our phones.

Not too sure on how long we will be in Oz at the mo either so 24month contract not so attractive even tho they virtually giving out decent phones with them.

Chris

ajw

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#457515 11-Apr-2011 14:36

Check out these prepaid offers from Optus.

http://personal.optus.com.au/web/ocaportal.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=Template_woRHS&FP=/personal/mobile/prepaidmobile/callingoffersandrates/DollarDays&site=personal

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Batman

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#457529 11-Apr-2011 14:59

i've just found that optus turbo cap plus have upgraded the data on $30/30days - used to be 200mb now 500Mb. sounds like the $30 cap for $300 worth + 500Mb data is the way to go. unless you call overseas alot then get the $40 cap. with that data you can use on the go google maps to find your way round.

welcome to Oz!

lxsw20

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#457555 11-Apr-2011 16:23

I had my iPhone on Optus for about 2 weeks over new years in Melbourne, found it reliable and cheap enough. Only issue was it seemed to remote the tethering option from my phone.

Rickles

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#458283 13-Apr-2011 15:48

Check out Crazy John's (www.crazyjohn.com.au) .. I use them for both mobile data and mobile calling whenever I'm over there. Essentially a Voda re-seller but great deals.

They also sell SIM cards only which is good for bring-your-own phones/T-sticks.

R.