getting a phone contract when you first arrive

Hi there,

I am on my last week in the UK, and we are super excited about our new life in Brisbane.

I need a new phone was was tempted to get a 24 month contract with a new handset.

However I am worried as that I may not have a credit score in Australia yet and will be declined.

I know here in the UK if you get declined it is a black mark against your credit score, and I would hate to do that when I first arrive.

Has anyone else go a mobile phone contract when they first arrived?

Yeah I did but they wanted to know I had a job

We are with THREE in the uk and they have a roaming agreement with Australia where your home rates apply and this can be done for up to 3 months at a time. So we plan on using our uk ones for first couple of months then cancelling contract so it ends at the end of third month. That way we have a couple of months to get sorted.

We considered that too, but really no good for job hunting as People in Australia don't want to call a UK Mobile to talk to you.

Good point. There we will be checking out the options on our reccie in two weeks.

I walked in to vodaphone store 2 days after landing. Needed some id. I explained the situation. Guy just said let's give it a go. Went straight through. Most contracts offer you x amount of international minutes (makes calling home easier. Although I had taught my mam to use whatsapp before we left. And the deal I got gave unlimited internet for first month. Unbelievably easier as I had my daughters iPad hotspot ting and giving her internet too.

Mid you're going to use uk phone. Make sure it's unlocked. The little shops (ahem) don't do it here. So I have 2 expensive paperweights

My husband & I walked into a Vodafone store the day after arriving, neither of us had a job & we both managed to get 24 month contracts & brand new phones without any issues at all. We did however take a copy of our bank statements which had a substantial amount of money in so that possibly helped! You will need an address though before they'll let you have one - we used our friends

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Worse case scenario is you get a PAYG option for a few months. Its not a biggie.

Personally I am glad I didn't get a contract straight after arriving as some of the providers are a bit patchy and we moved into the hills a few months later and in a black spot signal wise apart from one or two providers.

I was just worried if I was declined a contract it would show as a black mark on my credit history. But from what you have all said I think I will give it a go.

In Australia a credit history isn't really a "thing" like it is in the U.K.

If you're that worried then PAYG is the way to go. There are heaps of options available to you.

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You can get good value PAYG deals...recommend you don't jump for a contract straight away!

You can get good value PAYG deals...recommend you don't jump for a contract straight away!

Same i use Aldi and buy my phones outright, works out cheaper and more flexible.