What should I do about a mobile phone in Australia?
I'm going to Australia for a year in July but my current contract runs out in September. What's the best thing to do? Should I get it unlocked (if so, how?) and get a pay and go sim card out there, or get a new handset or....? I won't need to use it for talking to people back in the UK, just within Australia. Any advice is appreciated, thanks.
This question was asked by Rebekah Boreham from The University of Exeter , asked on 13th May 2015 and has been read 4097 times.
Answers (1)
Hi Rebekah,
There are various options when it comes to mobile phones.
One would be to get your phone unlocked and to get a new SIM card once you're in Australia.
Another option would be to renew your UK phone contract, and then buy a cheap handset and PAYG SIM in Australia. That way, you can use the apps etc on your UK phone when you have wifi, and keep your Australian phone to talk to people where you are.
You don't mention your UK provider, but you might be interested in the 3 Mobile Feel at Home scheme. If you choose the second option and renew a contract with 3 Mobile, their Feel at Home scheme gives you free roaming for 30 days. This means that you could use your UK phone as you would at home for the first month of your stay, whilst you sort out an Australian SIM card.
Hope that's helpful!
The TYA Team
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