Whirlpool

Hi,

I'm taking a short trip to NZ and would like to know if I can use my prepaid Optus mobile there. I couldn't get through to customer service tonight and looking around the website, I've found this page:

personal.optus.com.au/we...am&site=personal

but for it doesn't contain NZ in the list of countries. Surely if roaming works in St Vincent & Grenadines it should work in NZ? Thanks.

If you want pre-paid roaming in NZ, have a look at Vodafone.

suvat writes...

Surely if roaming works in St Vincent & Grenadines it should work in NZ?

Optus Pre-Paid roaming is more limited than post-paid roaming. Having said that, I too think it a little odd that they don't offer it for NZ.

port writes...

I too think it a little odd that they don't offer it for NZ.

There's only one GSM network in NZ - Vodafone. Relations between Optus and Vodafone seem to be rather frosty it seems.

That said, if you want to avoid the high roaming charges, you're far better off buying a Vodafone NZ prepaid sim when you arrive in Kiwi land. The sim costs $30 - $45 depending on the airtime that comes with it (the $30 sim has $5 of airtime). You can get another $10 of airtime simply by registering yourself at the voda nz website.

You are automatically connected to the Supa Prepay plan but you can then convert to the Motormouth plan free of charge. Motormouth allows you to call any landline or vodafone nz mobile for NZ$0.49/min, no flagfall, 1 min minimum, charged per second. GPRS and HSDPA access is also available - get a data pack if you plan to use more than minimal data. Calls to Australia (and USA, Canada, UK) from NZ also cost $0.49/min. Nice.

You can use the sim when you return to Australia on the voda network - calls when in Australia to Australian numbers cost NZ$0.55/min, no flagfall, charged per sec, 1 min minimum. Alternatively, keep it for your next visit to NZ. Recharges last for 12 months.

Telstra have just launched/are about to launch their prepaid roaming. Came after the rest but its least its here (or about to be)

michael j writes...

Telstra have just launched/are about to launch their prepaid roaming.

It was launched a while ago. See www.telstra.com.au/mobil...nat_prepaid.html.

The countries covered are very limited compared with Voda and Optus - possibly a reflection of Telstra's poor standing and consequent inability to negotiate agreements with overseas carriers?

In true Telstra style, the Telstra prepaid roaming charges are huge, especially in New Zealand - A$1.90/minute + 35c flagfall for calls within NZ, A$3.75/min + 35c for calls to Australia. In NZ you're far better off just getting a Vodafone NZ prepaid card and paying NZ$0.49c/min (no flagfall) for most calls within NZ and all calls from NZ to Australia.

(All calls from a roaming Telstra Prepaid sim made in NZ utilise the Voda NZ network anyhow - the high Telstra Prepaid surcharge when roaming in NZ says something about the Telstra's inability to negotiate a satisfactory roaming agreement with a subsidiary of the world's biggest mobile carrier, doesn't it? Either that, or Telstra is just outright gouging its prepaid customers if they choose to use their Telstra Prepaid sim in Kiwiland.)

cable99 writes...

Telstra is just outright gouging its prepaid customers

That would never happen!

cable99 writes...

It was launched a while ago. See www.telstra.com.au/mobil...nat_prepaid.html.

It was only announced to staff this week :-)

Either that, or Telstra is just outright gouging its prepaid customers if they choose to use their Telstra Prepaid sim in Kiwiland.)

Either that or you are just shilling.

michael j writes...

It was only announced to staff this week :-)

Staff are often the last to know!

You can see from Clause 2.13 of this document www.telstra.com.au/custo...s/introaming.pdf that the commercial terms for international roaming were spelt out during Nov 2007 at the latest (the doc was last changed on 20 Nov 2007).

When I was in NZ after Xmas Telstra Prepaid roaming was indeed working fine.

A nice feature of prepaid international roaming is that 3G data charges are the same as in Australia - the casual rate for this is $2/Mb and this rate falls substantially if you purchase data packs.

OTOH, postpaid 3G roaming gets slugged at a rate of $15/Mb and data packs are not available for use o/s.

Either that or you are just shilling.

Just pointing out a massive rip-off when I see it, using data from the websites of the respective companies. I guess you would happily pay the Telstra prepaid voice roaming charge when in NZ rather than purchase an NZ Voda prepaid pack and thereby pay a fraction of the Telstra charge, right? You're obviously in a different wealth league to me if that's the case. Ho hum.

suvat writes...

I'm taking a short trip to NZ and would like to know if I can use my prepaid Optus mobile there

No, you can't.

Optus does not provide services in NZ.

If I am roaming around our globe, people just SMS/call me as if I am in Australia right?

How about me, do I simply SMS/call there numbers as if I am in Australia too?

What will the SMS look like? coming from my Australian number (0404 444 888) or does it appear different?

Thanks.

Adrian writes...

If I am roaming around our globe, people just SMS/call me as if I am in Australia right?

Yes.

How about me, do I simply SMS/call there numbers as if I am in Australia too?

More or less. Numbers should be in the form +61xxxxxxxxx where xxxxxxxxx is the Australian phone number, including area code or '04' mobile prefix, with the leading 0 dropped.

What will the SMS look like? coming from my Australian number (0404 444 888) or does it appear different?

Identical to what your recipients see in Australia. They won't know you are o/s.

Thanks.

You're welcome.