SIM Cards
 

Does anyone have experience of using a pay as you go simcard from
www.simcardguru.co.uk whilst travelling in Australia ?

I gather this is purchased before leaving the UK but can be topped up in
Australia.

Thanks

Peter

SIM Cards
 

In article , PJT says...
Does anyone have experience of using a pay as you go simcard from
www.simcardguru.co.uk whilst travelling in Australia ?

I gather this is purchased before leaving the UK but can be topped up in
Australia.

You can easily buy a SIM card upon arrival in Australia. Just don't get
a Vodafone card and make sure that the place where you buy the card
activates the card for you (ask before buying the card).
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe

SIM Cards
 

PJT wrote:
Does anyone have experience of using a pay as you go simcard from
www.simcardguru.co.uk whilst travelling in Australia ?

I gather this is purchased before leaving the UK but can be topped up in
Australia.

I would only consider this option if you *have* to know your
Australian mobile number *before* you arrive in Australia.

In all *other* situations, I would *not* use this option.

You can buy prepaid SIMs 'everywhere' in Oz and the main brands
(Telstra, Vodafone, etc.) can be activated over the (mobile) phone, so
activation isn't a problem.

For *me*, coverage is the most important. If you also want/need to use
your phone in smaller/rural towns, then the Telstra *network* is the
only option. This (www.simcardguru.co.uk) SIM uses the Vodafone
network. Vodafone itself will not let you roam onto other networks, so I
doubt that this SIM will. Vodafone network means less/no coverage.

I also doubt that recharge vouchers for this SIM are widely available,
unless it also accepts Vodafone vouchers.

OTOH, the rates to call (from Australia) to other countries seem
rather attractive, so if you intend/need to do that a lot, this SIM
might be a good choice.

OTOH2, considering the low price of this SIM (4 pounds), you probably
can do *both*, i.e. buy this SIM before you go and, if needed, buy a
'better' one at you leisure after you arrive.

FYI, I use a Telstra pre-paid SIM. Higher rates, but the best
coverage.

SIM Cards
 

"Alfred Molon" wrote in message
...
In article , PJT says...
Does anyone have experience of using a pay as you go simcard from
www.simcardguru.co.uk whilst travelling in Australia ?

I gather this is purchased before leaving the UK but can be topped up in
Australia.

You can easily buy a SIM card upon arrival in Australia. Just don't get
a Vodafone card and make sure that the place where you buy the card
activates the card for you (ask before buying the card).
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe

Why not a Vodafone card? I've found their rates better than many of the
others, and coverage sometimes superior.
They had the contract to do major highways. If you're travelling within
major population centres the GSM network is fine, for a lot of country work
the Telstra Next G is more expensive but gives better coverage. If you go
remote outback you'll want a satellite phone.

You can buy sim cards all over the place, from supermarkets, Post Offices
and service stations. If you buy from a Woolworths or Dick Smith store
you'll get a 10% discount. But make sure your phone isn't locked to a
particular network before you leave the UK - my cousin didn't check that out
and found his phone useless when he arrived.

Regards

David Bennetts
Australia

SIM Cards
 

In article ,
David Bennetts says...

Why not a Vodafone card?

See here what happened with the Vodafone card:
http://www.molon.de/travelogues/Aust...art2.html#0101

Compare it with Malaysia, where after purchasing the SIM card I could
make phone calls after 10 minutes (in the meantim the store clerk would
activate the card). With the Vodafone card in Australia I wasn't able to
make calls on the first day.
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe

SIM Cards
 

Alfred Molon wrote:
In article ,
David Bennetts says...

Why not a Vodafone card?

See here what happened with the Vodafone card:
http://www.molon.de/travelogues/Aust...art2.html#0101

That's not normal, and without the specifics (*which* number (for
activation) did not work?) the complaint is rather meaningless.

And BTW, in most *any* country - probably also in Germany :-( - you
will have to give a local address. Most of the time, we give the first
logical address we have (hotel, car rental, etc.).

[...]

SIM Cards
 

In article me.nl,
Frank Slootweg says...
Alfred Molon wrote:
In article ,
David Bennetts says...

Why not a Vodafone card?

See here what happened with the Vodafone card:
http://www.molon.de/travelogues/Aust...art2.html#0101

That's not normal, and without the specifics (*which* number (for
activation) did not work?

Both numbers listed in the travelogue.

) the complaint is rather meaningless.

Sure, go to Australia and enjoy a Vodafone SIM card.

And BTW, in most *any* country - probably also in Germany :-( - you
will have to give a local address. Most of the time, we give the first
logical address we have (hotel, car rental, etc.).

No local address needed in Malaysia, China and Vietnam - just to name a
few examples.

Requiring a local address from a foreign traveller is idiotic. At best
the traveller can give the local address of the first hotel where he is
staying - if the traveller has a booking.
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe

SIM Cards
 

Alfred Molon wrote:
In article me.nl,
Frank Slootweg says...
Alfred Molon wrote:
In article ,
David Bennetts says...

Why not a Vodafone card?

See here what happened with the Vodafone card:
http://www.molon.de/travelogues/Aust...art2.html#0101

That's not normal, and without the specifics (*which* number (for
activation) did not work?

Both numbers listed in the travelogue.

Nope. You mentioned two numbers in the part about *recharging*, no
number for *activating*.

BTW, you *did* use your *mobile* phone (with the Vodafone SIM in it)
to call the activation line, didn't you?

) the complaint is rather meaningless.

Sure, go to Australia and enjoy a Vodafone SIM card.

Thanks. I did go, actually seven times. And I *did* enjoy my Vodafone
SIM card, that's why I said your experience is not normal.

And BTW, in most *any* country - probably also in Germany :-( - you
will have to give a local address. Most of the time, we give the first
logical address we have (hotel, car rental, etc.).

No local address needed in Malaysia, China and Vietnam - just to name a
few examples.

As you said, in Malaysia the *shop clerk* activated the phone, so you
have no way of knowing whether or not a local address was required and
if so whether (s)he just gave *their* address, which many shops do. The
other countries are probably the same.

Requiring a local address from a foreign traveller is idiotic. At best
the traveller can give the local address of the first hotel where he is
staying - if the traveller has a booking.

Yes, it's idiotic. *Governements* are often that way. Your *point*
being?

Bottom line: You had a bad experience for whatever reason. ****
happens. But bashing Vodafone for *one* event, which probably wasn't
even their fault is rather silly.

SIM Cards
 

In article e.nl,
Frank Slootweg says...

Nope. You mentioned two numbers in the part about *recharging*, no
number for *activating*.

One of the numbers is the hotline through which in theory you are able
to activate.

Thanks. I did go, actually seven times. And I *did* enjoy my Vodafone
SIM card, that's why I said your experience is not normal.

The problem with Vodafone was that apparently their hotline is only
functional during working days. It did not work on Jan. 1st, as the
kiosk owner confirmed.

In addition, the retail partner Vodafone chose refused or was unable to
perform the activation. Very poor choice of a retail partner.

Then the Internet activation page required a local address which I
didn't have and attempts at entering dummy data failed. I was only able
to activate when a friendly local fellow gave me his address.

BTW, Internet charges for the activation totalled AUD 8.

And last, even after activation I was not able to make phone calls with
the phone, because apparently there was some technical problem with the
IT systems or network of Vodafone.

But what was really irritating was that the kiosk owner was not
supportive at all. In all other countries where I have been the person
who sold the SIM card always managed to get the card working for me.

As you said, in Malaysia the *shop clerk* activated the phone, so you
have no way of knowing whether or not a local address was required and
if so whether (s)he just gave *their* address, which many shops do. The
other countries are probably the same.

No.

I can confirm that the clerk in Malaysia did not request any local
address from us. Same in China and Vietnam.

Which makes a lot of sense, because it is pointless to request a local
address from a foreign traveller. Even if you give the address of the
first hotel where you are staying (assuming you have a booking), you'll
have a new address in a few days, if you travel around the country.

Bottom line: You had a bad experience for whatever reason. ****
happens. But bashing Vodafone for *one* event, which probably wasn't
even their fault is rather silly.

No. Here is what is wrong with Vodafone:

1. Customer hotline not working on public holidays - impossible to
activate over the phone, forcing people to use the Internet.
2. Poor choice of retail partners (can't activate SIM cards, don't know
what they are selling).
3. Requiring a local address for activation from a foreigner.
4. Their network had technical problems on the first day.
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe

SIM Cards
 

[Default] On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:03:56 +1100, "David Bennetts"
offered the following words of wisdom:

Why not a Vodafone card? I've found their rates better than many of the
others, and coverage sometimes superior.

You're obviously not talking about New Zealand where Vodaphone's
coverage and service are a disgrace.