Best mobile network?

[LukeM]

Hi all

 

Wondering what the best mobile network is? I've only ever taken my phone out of the UK (which was on o2 at the time) to "roam" on the Gold Coast, and it ended up costing me heaps on PAYG!! I spent about £50 in the space of 10 days... plus it kept swapping between networks (Telstra and Optus) so I always had full coverage!!

 

Which is the best network out of Optus and Telstra? I think Vodafone is overly expensive and no matter how cheap they are etc 3 are terrible and have been terrible for me in the UK!! I heard from my cousins who use 3 in Aus that it's terrible there too.

 

My mum will want to get a new PAYG handset, my dad will be forced to buy a phone (as he only has a contract from his current job), brother should be ok and I will be unlocking my phone soon and looking at either Optus or Telstra!!

 

Which is really cheapest/best value, and which has best coverage on the north side of Brisbane and Gold Coast? :biggrin:

 

Cheers :jiggy:

[Quoll]

Both companies' websites have coverage maps and for metropolitan areas they are going to be much of a muchness really. Telstra is acknowledged to have the best coverage but it also has the highest fees (not known as Helstra for nothing!). Optus and Virgin share the same towers and coverage is the same. Virgin tends to be a bit cheaper than Optus and also includes international calls in your cap (for when you go on contract) which Optus does not. Whirlpool Forums is the place to go for discussions on the individual providers.

 

Get your phone unlocked in UK before you leave because it is nigh on impossible to get it done here.

[chalkyhill]

I have looked at virgin - they offer unlimited calls to other virgin mobiles

[heyyu]

I have looked at virgin - they offer unlimited calls to other virgin mobiles

 

i think virgin are operated by optus,unlocked a virgin phone via optus

[abz123]

I use Vodafone in Perth.

 

A $29 top up (which you can buy with 10% off at Dick Smith and a couple of other places - Coles?) gives you $150 credit to use on texts, Australian and international calls.

 

You also get free Vodafone to Vodafone (Oz only) minutes (about 2 hours worth, I think) so makes sense for you to all go with the same provider. I think they all do free calls on their own networks.

 

Can't say that Vodafone are dearer than anyone else and other posts suggest decent coverage.

 

Telstra have best geographic coverage acknowledged fact) but if you are not going to venture deep into the outback take the advice above and don't pay their rates!

[Eera]

If you're outside of major towns, forget anything except Telstra; the maps that Optus put out as to what their coverage is, are a long way from reality in my experience. The only phone that comes near to working out bush is the Telstra Country Phone (with the aeriel), plus a high-gain antenna on your car helps too.

 

If you're in a city anyone will work, though I found Vodaphone only had coverage to dial out if I stood at the end of my driveway.

[Guest GeorgeD]

I used 3 when I was in Brisbane recently. I bought a PAYG and a $29 top up. The HUGE benefit of using 3 was SKYPE. The internet pack which came as part of the package meant I could talk to any other SKYPE user anywhere in the world for an unlimited time free of charge.

 

I used it to talk to my wife in Brisbane who has a 3 phone...and 3 in the UK have the same thing...so buy a 3 PAYG in the UK and you don't even need to ever top it up for it to be used as a SKYPE phone! I used it to call my family in the UK for lengthy chats. My 75 year old father bought a 3 SKYPE phone in the UK for £30 and he set it up and uses it quite happily. Unfortunately you can't take a UK 3 phone to Australia and vice versa, and the SKYPE service only works in your home country...but all that means is I now have 2 mobiles...one I use when in the UK and one I use when in Australia.

 

I found 3's coverage to be absolutely 100% in and around Brisbane. I also had 250Mb of internet access and was playing online games on a sub $100 Nokia phone. All for $29 top up per month. I think I had $150 dollars of credit for calls/texts/international calls as well...but remember the key thing is UNLIMITED SKYPE CALLS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD ARE FREE as long as you have the internet pack (which can be selected as your add on to the $29 top up at no extra charge)

[LukeM]

Sadly I'm now on Vodafone with a BlackBerry that is absolutely rubbish. Contemplating buying a new unlocked BlackBerry off eBay and just using that (providing I use the BlackBerry Browser it won't charge me excess/unmetred data usage). Vodafone customer services have been rubbish, only the people in the stores are any use but they can't give authorised handset swaps so I might toddle off to eBay in the coming weeks!! :cute:

[Bobbsy]

I've had both Telstra and Optus.

 

I have to say that I was unimpressed by Telstra in terms of cost and customer service--but now that I'm on Optus I realise that the Telstra coverage is streets ahead, especially when you get out of the major capitals.

 

I wish I could say that one was a definite winner--but you'll have to decide whether your priority is coverage or price.

 

Bob

[LukeM]

Like O2 in the UK you mean lol for coverage O2, for "value" 3. To meet those two mid-way would be awesome.

 

We use Telstra where I work, just switched all over from Optus. One of my first jobs is bound to involve getting rid of all the old Optus gear.

[Quoll]

I'm quite happy with Virgin - uses the Optus towers but at least you get a bill in plain English unlike Optus where you need a degree in billology to understand what they are charging you for. Virgin is also much cheaper than Optus - their customer service can be a bit of a challenge but it has improved a bit. Telstra coverage is undoubtedly the best although Optus does come close but Telstra is so much more expensive (commonly known as Hellstra which may give you a clue). Personally wouldnt touch 3 as I go out of major metropolitan areas too much and I never really give Vodafone a thought - no one I know is with them.

[nevsm]

telstra for coverage , optus does not get coverage it says on maps.

[Guest the terry's]

We used a 3 network when we came over to do our reccie, however it was also a skype phone which was brill as you don't pay anything, so we had one with us and left our other one with my mum and dad, all totally free, although as we were assured that 3 had their network all over Oz, they were sadly misleading and to be honest rubbish, phone kept darting between Optus and Telstra although Optus was there 9/10 times when we turned on our phones on in the morning.

 

Helenx

[Guest brooksey]

I'm on optus but been told to swap to telstra before i move to Karratha as it's the only one that will work. Checking out tarrifs tis afternoon as i've only had payg sofar.