If you are moving to or even just visiting Australia for more than 2 weeks, a mobile phone is basically a must have. You will end up meeting people you want to contact, making hotel reservations, needing to send a message home. these little babies are a fully integrated piece of Australian culture. I went…horrors… one whole week when I moved here with out a mobile. Now I have no idea how I survived. Cheaper, easier and more mobile than a land line- many people have them as their only phone (including me!).
Text Text Text! Unlike in the States where the latest fad is unlimited talk time- it is friggin expensive to call anyone- to the tune of around a dollar a minute. Not only great for finding people in nightclubs, texting is much less expensive. It is such a high tech world we live in- people text everywhere at all times-the word addiction comes to mind…..
If you are just visiting- bring a tri-band phone with you that works overseas- or purchase/ rent one from the airport arrival Vodafone shop. Don’t bother using you plan from home unless you get a really good overseas rate (unlikely). Upon arrival in OZ you can purchase a sim card that can be placed in any phone. For about $30 you get the card and $30 worth of calls and texts- enough to get you by for a week or so.
You can “top these up” all over the city in grocery stores, newsagents, convenience stores, etc. If you are staying longer- you may want to do one of the $30 sims initially and then search around for a plan that suits you. Hint- Optus and Telstra tend to be a bit expensive. Vodafone has a pretty good pay as you go plan. Three has good rates if you are looking for portable Internet access but they require a contract.
One last note- if you have a Tri-band phone do bring it with you. The actual cell phones are very expensive to purchase here-$200-$1000 AUD+.
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