Hi,
Can anyone recommend a product that bundles phone sales and plan provision that will satisfy the following requirements?
*I want two new phones.
*I want free calls between these phones.
*Almost no other calls will be made from these phones except to check voice mail.
*The phones should take all incoming calls for free.
*I want a very cheap plan, pre paid is OK if that gets me the cheapest.
*I am stingy and want the phones only for communicating with my wife (and visa versa), receiving calls and SMS, sending the odd SMS making the VERY occasional call to someone other than my wife.
*I want decent coverage (mainly NSW east coast)
*I don't want to deal with a dinky little company and the associated rotten service and hassles that often go with such outfits.
*I have a Tesltra basic home line and Internode is my ISP (not sure if this is relevant)
*I currently have one Virgin Mobile phone that is now falling apart (NEC) and use their cheapest pre paid plan.
Thanks.

Not sure about the other carriers, they can most likely do it cheaper, but if coverage is important have a look at:

2 x Telstra Mobile Phone Plan 20's with Free 24/7 option for 24mths.
Free 3 min calls to each other.
Each mobile costs $20/mth and incl $15 of calls/TXT per month
Base call rate of 49c/30seconds, 27c flagfall, 25c/SMS.
A few phones to choose from, the only one worth looking at is the Samsung A412.
Also gives you NextG coverage.

Maybe try Telstra. Don't know how cheap you want to go. You have to spend something to get free handsets.
We have 2 x 3G Capped plans ( most come with some form of handset ) on a Business Cap
- this allows you a "group saver" which gives you 10mins free between services and includes
"Rewards Option" that has other discounts SMS etc- Also you'll get a discount by putting them on a "Single Bill" with you land line.
I think there may be other Options but the main benefit is the "Group Saver".
Hope this helps to get you started.

The Mobile Select Plan might be suitable
www.telstra.com.au/busin...ricing/index.htm

Harold T writes...

*I currently have one Virgin Mobile phone that is now falling apart (NEC) and use their cheapest pre paid plan.

Seems to me that it would be worth your while to just buy cheap phones (eg Nokia 1209 for $75 from somewhere like Techoni, www.techoni.com.au/default.php?cPath=37), and not have them locked to any network, and stick with Virgin, where you can get free voicemail, with any of the prepaids... or get a cheap plan for virgin which will cost you $x per month and get you free calls to other virgin mobiles.. $20 a month each with $50 value... or maybe the free to v prepaid which works out a bit cheaper at $29/60 days and gets you free talk and text to virgin.

can only recommend what i use, and am happy with

2x phones = over 10 phones to choose for free on 3's 29 cap
29 cap = $20 min spend, 2x = $40
standard call rate = 35c/30sec+25c FF
sms rate= 25c
free calls 3 to 3 = 100mins, 24/7
voice mail retrieval = 15c/30sec no ff (however this can be overcome for free, by setting up 3email on your phone. voicemail gets stored on the server so you can dl the file)

Go on the Optus 19 Cap or Yes 19.

19 CAP:

$50 of call/sms credit (Including international SMS's)
FREE 20 Minute Calls, Optus 2 Optus 8pm till Midnight, 7 Days A week.
FREE 5 Minute Calls to Optus Mobiles on the same account 24/7.

Yes 19:

$14 of Calls
$5 of Data
FREE 5 Minute Calls to Optus Mobiles on the same account 24/7.

PLUS THE CHOICE OF:

- FREE 5 Minute Calls to 5 Optus Numbers of your Choice 24/7 (Landline or Mobile).

- 100 Free SMS's Every Month to anyone on any network.

- FREE 20 Minute Calls, Optus 2 Optus 8pm till Midnight, 7 Days A week.

- Cheaper Call Rate on your Phone Calls and SMS's

Both of those plans will also give you a Nokia 6300 for $0 on a 24month commitment if you would like.

If you already have 2 phones you like, you can go onto a M2M commitment with Optus, meaning you are NOT locked in for 24 months.

go to www.optus.com.au for more info on the plans if you want, but I personally think they are great value for money.

Why not go on Virgin and get free calls to eachother?

Thanks, I shall investigate. Virgin is looking the goods on the $15/180 days plan with Virgin to Virgin @ 5 cents/minute. Seems to be the cheapest way to put a phone in your hand. Have to decide whether to buy own phone first or get one from Virgin.