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Old April 13th, 2009, 02:07 PM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Frank Slootweg
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Posts: 275
Default Mobile phones in Australia

Alfred Molon wrote:
In article me.nl,
lid says...
Alfred Molon wrote:
[...]

If you need to make a lot of phone calls back to the UK, the best is if
you use Skype (bring a netbook or another cheap and light notebook with
you).


And how would that help?


Many hotels now offer free WLAN access in the room.


But, unless stated otherwise, it's unlikely that the OP is (only)
staying in hotels. And even if he does, if he has to pay in only one or
a few of them, the other options are probably already cheaper.

You still need an Internet connection. That Internet connection is
either non-mobile (i.e. Internet-cafe, wireless hotspot, etc.) or mobile
(i.e. via a mobile phone/modem). If non-mobile, then you might as well
use a normal (non-mobile) phone and a pre-paid calling card.


No idea how much prepaid billing cards cost, but Skype calls to Europe
cost 2 cents/minute. Hard to beat that.


2 *what* cents? If 2 Euro cents, then pre-paid calling cards are a
wash, i.e. about the same price. If AU$ cents, then they're just a bit
more expensive, 2.3 US$ cents. However they are much more versatile,
because they work from *any* phone.

Since you will need Internet access when travelling for emails and other
stuff in any case, it would seem logical to use skype or other VOIP
providers.

A callback scheme may be cheaper.


Cheaper than 2 cent / minute?


I don't know. I said I don't have pointers/URLs, didn't I.

And why did you silently snip the third option? Because it's too cheap
to fit with your agenda?

Anyway, there is no "one size fits all", i.e. also not in this area.
We give the OP several options and he takes his pick(s).

FWIW, on *my* upcoming trip to/in Oz, mainly in outback areas, I will
have two mobile phones/SIMs and two pre-paid calling cards, and I will
use the most fitting solution per situation.