Best strategy for overseas -> AUS mobile calls

I've been trying to make some sense of roaming access etc. services
provided by Aus-based mobile contracts. Then somebody told me that the
cheapest way to call Aus from overseas is to buy a prepaid (disposable/
rechargeable) SIM whilst overseas and use that to phone home. I might
be in several European countries and the advice I heard was to buy a
SIM as needed, in each country.

What are the views of you guys on this?

Brian

Brian (Groups) wrote

> I've been trying to make some sense of roaming access
> etc. services provided by Aus-based mobile contracts.

> Then somebody told me that the cheapest way to call Aus from overseas is to buy a
> prepaid (disposable/ rechargeable) SIM whilst overseas and use that to phone home.

That is generally best, but not always, really depends on where
you plan to go and how many countrys you plan to move thru.

Not so bad in europe, but can be a problem in SE asia.

> I might be in several European countries and the advice
> I heard was to buy a SIM as needed, in each country.

> What are the views of you guys on this?

There are a few that can be used anywhere in europe.

If you only plan to use the phone in 2 or 3 it can be better to get one in each, but if
its more than that, it can be better to get just one that works anywhere in say the EU.

On Mar 17, 5:45*am, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote:
> Brian (Groups) wrote
>
> > I've been trying to make some sense of roaming access
> > etc. services provided by Aus-based mobile contracts.
> > Then somebody told me that the cheapest way to call Aus from overseas is to buy a
> > prepaid (disposable/ rechargeable) SIM whilst overseas and use that to phone home.
>
> That is generally best, but not always, really depends on where
> you plan to go and how many countrys you plan to move thru.
>
> Not so bad in europe, but can be a problem in SE asia.
>
> > I might be in several European countries and the advice
> > I heard was to buy a SIM as needed, in each country.
> > What are the views of you guys on this?
>
> There are a few that can be used anywhere in europe.
>
> If you only plan to use the phone in 2 or 3 it can be better to get one in each, but if
> its more than that, it can be better to get just one that works anywhere in say the EU.

Thanks again Rod. Not sure of what the itinerary will be, but I'll
look deeper along that path, if that's the way to go.

I have seen SIMs advertised here (milkbar window posters etc.) with
deals that appear to be geared towards specific countries. e.g. "Phone
Lebanon for only X cents/minute". I wonder if such deals exist in
Europe, geared specifically at calls to Australia, and if they're
really cost effective or any good.

Brian

Brian (Groups) wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote
>> Brian (Groups) wrote

>>> I've been trying to make some sense of roaming access
>>> etc. services provided by Aus-based mobile contracts.
>>> Then somebody told me that the cheapest way to call Aus from
>>> overseas is to buy a prepaid (disposable/ rechargeable) SIM whilst
>>> overseas and use that to phone home.

>> That is generally best, but not always, really depends on where
>> you plan to go and how many countrys you plan to move thru.

>> Not so bad in europe, but can be a problem in SE asia.

>>> I might be in several European countries and the advice
>>> I heard was to buy a SIM as needed, in each country.
>>> What are the views of you guys on this?

>> There are a few that can be used anywhere in europe.

>> If you only plan to use the phone in 2 or 3 it can be better to get
>> one in each, but if its more than that, it can be better to get just
>> one that works anywhere in say the EU.

> Thanks again Rod. Not sure of what the itinerary will be, but I'll
> look deeper along that path, if that's the way to go.

> I have seen SIMs advertised here (milkbar window posters etc.) with
> deals that appear to be geared towards specific countries. e.g. "Phone
> Lebanon for only X cents/minute". I wonder if such deals exist in
> Europe, geared specifically at calls to Australia,

Dunno.

> and if they're really cost effective or any good.

Dunno that either.

I dont think its that likely, ours are due to the huge numbers of migrants from those areas.

On Mar 17, 2:29*pm, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote:
> Brian (Groups) wrote
>
>
>
>
>
> > Rod Speed <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote
> >> Brian (Groups) wrote
> >>> I've been trying to make some sense of roaming access
> >>> etc. services provided by Aus-based mobile contracts.
> >>> Then somebody told me that the cheapest way to call Aus from
> >>> overseas is to buy a prepaid (disposable/ rechargeable) SIM whilst
> >>> overseas and use that to phone home.
> >> That is generally best, but not always, really depends on where
> >> you plan to go and how many countrys you plan to move thru.
> >> Not so bad in europe, but can be a problem in SE asia.
> >>> I might be in several European countries and the advice
> >>> I heard was to buy a SIM as needed, in each country.
> >>> What are the views of you guys on this?
> >> There are a few that can be used anywhere in europe.
> >> If you only plan to use the phone in 2 or 3 it can be better to get
> >> one in each, but if its more than that, it can be better to get just
> >> one that works anywhere in say the EU.
> > Thanks again Rod. Not sure of what the itinerary will be, but I'll
> > look deeper along that path, if that's the way to go.
> > I have seen SIMs advertised here (milkbar window posters etc.) with
> > deals that appear to be geared towards specific countries. e.g. "Phone
> > Lebanon for only X cents/minute". I wonder if such deals exist in
> > Europe, geared specifically at calls to Australia,
>
> Dunno.
>
> > and if they're really cost effective or any good.
>
> Dunno that either.
>
> I dont think its that likely, ours are due to the huge numbers of migrants from those areas.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

OK, thanks for the heads.

Brian

"Brian (Groups)" <usspskghws@mailinator.com> wrote:
> I've been trying to make some sense of roaming access etc. services
> provided by Aus-based mobile contracts. Then somebody told me that the
> cheapest way to call Aus from overseas is to buy a prepaid (disposable/
> rechargeable) SIM whilst overseas and use that to phone home. I might
> be in several European countries and the advice I heard was to buy a
> SIM as needed, in each country.
>
> What are the views of you guys on this?

[FYI, I live in The Netherlands.]

Calling *to* Australia will be very expensive. More on this later.

Being called *from* Australia is free of charge, provided that the SIM
is not roaming in another country. I.e. a call from Oz to a Dutch SIM in
The Netherlands is free. If the Dutch SIM is for instance in Germany, a
call from Australia will be treated as a call from The Netherlands to
Germany, i.e. a charge applies.

The SIM-per-country problem can be partially solved. For example if
you buy a *Dutch* pre-paid Vodafone SIM (in The Netherlands), you can
enable 'cheap' roaming, called "Vodafone Passport" [1]. If such a SIM is
roaming in Europe, the charges will be:

Incoming call: EUR 0.23/min without Passport
EUR 0.79/*call* with Passport

Outgoing call: EUR 0.51/min without Passport
EUR 0.79/*call* + EUR 0.30/min with Passport

You can switch Passport on and off, depending on your call profile.

For calling *to* Australia, the cheapest way is to use a prepaid
'phonecard' and use that from a *fixed* phone.

Alternatively you can use 'SMS-Call' from comfi [2].

SMS-Uses a special prepaid phonecard to 'connect' any two phones by
sending an SMS message. For *both* phones, the call will be an
*incoming* call. So if your 'European' SIM is in its 'home' country, you
will only pay the SMS-Call callrate. If it's in a non-home country, you
will also pay the SIMs charges for an incoming call.

I hope this helps.

[1] Vodafone Passport is a *Dutch* Vodafone feature, i.e. for a Dutch
Vodafone SIM. Don't assume that other European countries will have the
same or similar features.

[2] <http://www.turbocall.com/reference/SMSCall>

"Brian (Groups)" <usspskghws@mailinator.com> wrote:
[...]
> I have seen SIMs advertised here (milkbar window posters etc.) with
> deals that appear to be geared towards specific countries. e.g. "Phone
> Lebanon for only X cents/minute". I wonder if such deals exist in
> Europe, geared specifically at calls to Australia, and if they're
> really cost effective or any good.

Deals geared specifically at calls to Australia are probably only
available in the UK. Other countries have no special ties with Oz. :-)

Also such deals might not be available to non-residents. For example
Vodafone in The Netherlands has such plans for other (than Oz)
countries, but these require a (real) Dutch living address.

But don't take my word for it. I have only experience with *some*
providers in *some* European countries.

A prepaid SIM is cheaper than copping a roaming fee away from Oz. Even the
call to Oz is cheaper on a SIM from a local (O.S.) provider is cheaper than a
roaming call charge.
Another method if you are up to it is to use VOIP - then call home from your
voip service on your mobile by connecting to a wifi hotspot in maccas, a
local unsecured wifi service or whatever. You can receive calls from home by
people calling your home voip number as well.- just a local call guys!


"Brian (Groups)" <usspskghws@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:78df89e5-a54e-4394-8eb9-29aed898fce9@a31g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
: I've been trying to make some sense of roaming access etc. services
: provided by Aus-based mobile contracts. Then somebody told me that the
: cheapest way to call Aus from overseas is to buy a prepaid (disposable/
: rechargeable) SIM whilst overseas and use that to phone home. I might
: be in several European countries and the advice I heard was to buy a
: SIM as needed, in each country.
:
: What are the views of you guys on this?
:
: Brian

Jock wrote...

> A prepaid SIM is cheaper than copping a roaming fee away from Oz. Even the
> call to Oz is cheaper on a SIM from a local (O.S.) provider is cheaper than a
> roaming call charge.

Yep. When in the US last year the missus slotted an AT&T SIM into her N95. Paid
for pre-paid. I think she spent about $50 all up and was able to use it locally
and call home on the odd occasion.

She did the same in Pommyland but with a Vodaphone SIM which cost her 20 quid.
Lasted her for the week that she was there, including making a couple of video
calls to me at home, just to see how it worked.

A few years earlier, when with Telstra she got Int'l Roaming activated. She
didn't use the phone that much but when we got home, the bills started rolling
in. 3 months later, when the last one came through, it totalled to around $500.

Resurrecting this old thread... The best thing in my opinion for price
is find a cheap VoIP retailer like Pennytel or MyNetFone and take a
mobile with you that is capable of SIP software. Then for each
region/area get a sim that offers good data quotas and speed.

On 17/03/2010 1:02 AM, Brian (Groups) wrote:
> I've been trying to make some sense of roaming access etc. services
> provided by Aus-based mobile contracts. Then somebody told me that the
> cheapest way to call Aus from overseas is to buy a prepaid (disposable/
> rechargeable) SIM whilst overseas and use that to phone home. I might
> be in several European countries and the advice I heard was to buy a
> SIM as needed, in each country.
>
> What are the views of you guys on this?
>
> Brian

Tsunami Australia wrote:
> Resurrecting this old thread... The best thing in my opinion for price
> is find a cheap VoIP retailer like Pennytel or MyNetFone and take a
> mobile with you that is capable of SIP software. Then for each
> region/area get a sim that offers good data quotas and speed.

Or do the voip over wifi if you are likely to be doing the calls where the wifi is likely to be good.

Corse that mainly works for outgoing calls rather than incoming.

> On 17/03/2010 1:02 AM, Brian (Groups) wrote:
>> I've been trying to make some sense of roaming access etc. services
>> provided by Aus-based mobile contracts. Then somebody told me that
>> the cheapest way to call Aus from overseas is to buy a prepaid
>> (disposable/ rechargeable) SIM whilst overseas and use that to phone
>> home. I might be in several European countries and the advice I
>> heard was to buy a SIM as needed, in each country.
>>
>> What are the views of you guys on this?
>>
>> Brian