desreb Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 We’re moving to Oz permanently, but will likely keep UK mobiles for whenever we go back to UK, and for those tailing-off services like text codes for HMRC, some services we used to use, etc. Does anyone have any recommendations? I see many only need you to send a text or call once every 6 months to keep active. ASDA seems to keep your number for a year (but lock it after 6 months and drop your credit after 9). Three seems to allow “Go Roam” which gives free SMS receiving when in Oz, but will block your account after two months continuously abroad, which would count them out. Many thanks, D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil-99 Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 You will need to just move onto an Australian provider. I had EE in the UK, they assured me it would work here. It does, but man the charges for some things are beyond madness. If you stupidly send an email in Singapore on the way, it could cost around 30 pounds, for one email. ALDI in Australia has some excellent offers, no mucking around, just go to an Aldi, get a sim and you can have long calls to the UK immediately with no lock ins etc. I don’t work them, don’t get anything for saying this. They also use the Telstra network on 4G and it covers about 98% of Australia. It is a lot to cover. You can check it out online before you leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desreb Posted December 4, 2018 Author Share Posted December 4, 2018 Sorry, I should clarify - I do have Australian SIMs - both Optus. We’ve had them for 8 years and will move back onto them when we move back.That’s a case in point - I used them in the UK for logins for ATO, DHS, WestPac, Ubank - all send you an SMS to login, to an Aussie number only. Hence we kept them, turned them on when needed, and paid for an SMS or three. I had to pay $70 for them to get the prepay package that expires in 6 months - Optus call it Long Expiry. With $10 top up i would have lost the number in a month. I’m basically looking for a UK “low cost, rare use” contract to do the same when I move to Oz. Ideally one that doesn’t get annoyed that I only use it rarely, and “abroad”, and cuts me off. Many thanks, D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desreb Posted December 4, 2018 Author Share Posted December 4, 2018 Actually, this was another interesting thing. I was on Telstra until recently on one card, but damaged the SIM card.Could I get a replacement? No. Not without physically and personally walking into a Telstra shop with ID, in Australia. This was two months ago. I would be locked out of setting up new payees on the WestPac app until I came back.Stupidly, although Telstra won’t give you a new SIM, they will let you move to another provider. So I bought an Optus SIM from a UK eBay seller, activated it, ported my number across, and was back getting SMSs to my number in 15 minutes.All part of living a two-country life. Btw, I will look at Aldi mobile! I didn’t realise they were on Telstra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 (edited) For years I had an O2 payg and as long as I used it for something every few months it stayed in service and cost me next to nothing. It wasn’t enough for regular long term used in UK especially as iPhone have developed because I kept lurching over my data limit but it was fine for holidays. Edited December 4, 2018 by Quoll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amibovered Posted December 4, 2018 Share Posted December 4, 2018 3 http://www.three.co.uk/go-roam#1214306367219 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unzippy Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 On 04/12/2018 at 17:39, amibovered said: 3 http://www.three.co.uk/go-roam#1214306367219 "* Extended periods abroad are not included. Go Roam is designed for UK residents who are on holiday or business trips abroad. See sections entitled 'usage restrictions' on our Support page for more details." Mine 3 sim lasted 3 months in Aus before it was cut off. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted December 6, 2018 Share Posted December 6, 2018 Still have my PAYG TESCO sim, which I top up whenever I go back to UK. Works fine, and I can keep the same UK number. Have had it for over 5 years in Aus. Still works, although I can’t top it up from here it has to be done in UK and the website is awful! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desreb Posted December 6, 2018 Author Share Posted December 6, 2018 Mine 3 sim lasted 3 months in Aus before it was cut off.Thanks, that’s really good feedback. I did consider using a roaming UK SIM in Oz for calls home, so really useful to see there’s a theshold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desreb Posted December 6, 2018 Author Share Posted December 6, 2018 Still have my PAYG TESCO sim, which I top up whenever I go back to UK. Works fine, and I can keep the same UK number. Have had it for over 5 years in Aus. Still works, although I can’t top it up from here it has to be done in UK and the website is awful! Asda has a good deal, but as you say with Tesco, the interest in this service may wax and wane with a non-Telco provider. I’m thinking I should stick with the main telcos as it’s their main job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sualg Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 Hi. ‘I researched this endlessly, in the end I took out a three £25 per month sim only deal which I have had in Aus for 13 months now. They have not cut me off but my usage is marginal. On reading other forums three do not appear to bother if your data use is low and your paying the monthly fee. When I travel out of Australia I use this phone as it has the excellent data roaming option included in my unlimited data package. (This for me justifies some of the expense)My Optus sim and most other Auz telco’s do not appear to offer internroaming data as a package. so you can have a U.K. mobile in Auz but it’s going to cost you money every month, doesn’t appear to be a way around it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desreb Posted December 7, 2018 Author Share Posted December 7, 2018 Hi. ‘I researched this endlessly, in the end I took out a three £25 per month sim only deal which I have had in Aus for 13 months now. so you can have a U.K. mobile in Auz but it’s going to cost you money every month, doesn’t appear to be a way around it.Whoa! That’s like £300 a year! I don’t want it that much :-)I did keep my old number with O2 the entire 6 years I was in Oz previously, on prepay, and it only cost me around £20 a year through ad-hoc top ups - so it’s not too bad. It used to cost me when I came back to the UK and I burnt through the prepay data, but there’s often some “unlimited” package for a certain amount per day. D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted December 7, 2018 Share Posted December 7, 2018 (edited) I only top up my TESCO sim when I go to UK, no monthly requirement. I then buy a data and call package to suit with the top up, I ended up going into a TESCO to sort it last time as it isn’t obvious how to do it and I forget! £20 gets you more than enough data and calls for a holiday, especially now wifi is more accessible. The number doesn’t seem to lapse though and I had no credit on mine for over 6 months, hubby had just over £2. In fact it is the same number I had on a contract in the UK, I just transferred it to the PAYG option before leaving. Edited December 7, 2018 by rammygirl 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GC Matthew Posted December 8, 2018 Share Posted December 8, 2018 @desreb You can use 3 for more than 2 months in oz, its just the "free go roam" bit that stops working so you will be charged at the international rates - or at least I was with them and that was how it was explained to me, but I chose to switch to giffgaff.com (part of o2) and the reason for that was they have online account management so I can topup by paypal or card on their internet site easily when needed and when going back to the UK you don't get stung with massive payg prices as you just buy a 1 month package for that month as a one off which is good value. Most UK networks just require you to send a text before 6 months so you aren't cut off and you are right that you will need it for security codes etc. Put the 6 months in your diary as you don't get a warning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desreb Posted December 26, 2018 Author Share Posted December 26, 2018 On 08/12/2018 at 09:52, rammygirl said: I only top up my TESCO sim when I go to UK, no monthly requirement. I then buy a data and call package to suit with the top up, I ended up going into a TESCO to sort it last time as it isn’t obvious how to do it and I forget! £20 gets you more than enough data and calls for a holiday, especially now wifi is more accessible. Thanks! I checked them out - luckily I have an unregistered free SIM card with them already. However, I contacted them on Twitter and they say they don't do call forwarding. That's pretty useful in case someone who's unaware we're in Australia or who can't call our Australian number (often UK Gov services, etc) want to get hold of us. Carrying a second phone with the SIM to check occasionally is a hassle, so what I did was register a SkypeIn number in the UK, and then divert the UK mobiles to that, and it would ring Skype on my AU phone or laptop. Virgin (wife's current contract) also don't do call forwarding, so for the moment I'll get a free Vodafone SIM sent to the grandparents for when they come out in Feb, and move her contract to Voda once I get the SIM. D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 Never been an issue. People e message, e mail Facebook message or what’s app. If they need me they can easily find me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desreb Posted December 26, 2018 Author Share Posted December 26, 2018 Never been an issue. People e message, e mail Facebook message or what’s app. If they need me they can easily find me. Yeah; we had the shippers complain they had tried to contact us several times. True that it’s rarely needed, but it’s always something important where you find they’ve been leaving you voicemails and it’s your fault you didn’t listen to them.Ordered 2 free SIMs on Voda easy as. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted December 26, 2018 Share Posted December 26, 2018 Give people an e mail address for such things, honestly just plan for it and call forwarding shouldn’t be needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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