Experts! What options are best for me? (Perth)

[Ext User(BlueTongue)]

I'm returning to Perth after a decade in the US. I'm totally unfamiliar
with what has gone on in Australia in the mobile market in the last 8 years.

Question: From a coverage and price point of view, which company offers
the best packages in PERTH?

Thank you.

[icedark]

It really depends on how much coverage you need, and how much you spend per month.

Also, you may need a new mobile, depends if your current one that you use in the US is triband or not.

If your a heavy spender, I suggest one of Vodafones caps.

They have a $49 cap, which gives you $230 worth of standard calls, SMS, MMS and more and you only pay $49 a month. Please note that this cap is only avaliable on Prepay.

They also have a $79 and a $149 cap, which gives you $500 and $1200 worth of standard calls, SMS and MMS and you only pay the cap price. You can choose to pay through Prepay, or just a normal bill in the mail with the $79 and $149 caps. If you say only use $36 dollars one month, you'll only pay $36. But if you use say $100, you'll pay the price of your cap, eg $49. Vodafone also offer normal Prepaid. Vodafone are also good because they charge by the second, not in 30 second lumps. You can check out vodafone's coverage maps on www.vodafone.com.au

If your a light spender, 3 has a $29 cap which gives you $120 worth of calls. 3 has 3G coverage only in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide and soon to be Canberra. Once your out of this coverage zone, you fall back on to Telstra's GSM network, which 'suposedly' has the best GSM coverage in Australia. I'm not sure about this, so please correct me if im wrong. Once your out of 3's coverage, you can only make/recieve voice calls, sms and mms. When your in 3's coverage, you can make video calls, access 3's services, voice calls, sms and mms. The drawback with 3 is that they only have 3G services in the city, and inner suburbs, and you have to buy a phone from them to sign up for the service. Three's website is www.three.com.au. They also offer 3 prepaid.

You can also go on Prepaid, if you prefer not to have a bill. You simply buy a starter kit from say a supermarket, on Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, Virgin Mobile or AAPT. for usually $30. Comes with $30 worth of credit, and a simcard. Pop the simcard in your phone, ring up the number on the pack, give them your details, and your done. When your credit runs out, simply go to a petrol station, supermarket, a mobile shop that sells your carriers mobiles etc, and ask for a recharge. They usually come in denominations from $15 - $100. And you can continue to make calls.

A very good company is iSim and I suggest their prepaid service. They run on Optus' network so you get good coverage, and they offer a cheap call rate. Check out their website at www.isim.com.au. You have to sign up online for iSim. They dont charge flagfall, and calls are charged at at a flat rate of 39c/min, billed per second, 15c SMS and 19c/voicemail retrieval.

Hope this helps,
icedark

[Ext User(budgie)]

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 13:38:55 -0700, BlueTongue <bluetongue@cox.net> wrote:

>I'm returning to Perth after a decade in the US. I'm totally unfamiliar
>with what has gone on in Australia in the mobile market in the last 8 years.

There are three GSM networks, operated by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.
There is one national CDMA network, operated by Telstra.

GSM coverage is aimed at urban areas, gets a tad thin once you get out of the
smog, and despite claims of 90-whatever percentage population cover this
translates to pathetic area cover in the boonies.

CDMA replaced the old AMPS analog service that would have been here in your day.
Boonies coverage has been stepped up but it still has a loooong way to go here
in WA.


>Question: From a coverage and price point of view, which company offers
>the best packages in PERTH?

Coverage: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone in that order - but it obviously varies
from place to place. T & O are fairly close, but V are a fair way down once you
get outside the metro area. Don't believe any of the coverage maps - they are
full of wildly optimistic claims. (Take only after meals, with a bucket of
salt.)

Price: Depends on your usage. For the basic phone/SMS services for a budget
(low outgoing aka "glovebox" user) the current best around is iSim (wholly owned
subsidiary of Optus). One of the (very) few with no flagfall, and 39c/min IIRC
billed by the second. This is a pre-paid plan.

As your volume goes up, there are a veritable raft of alternate plans offering
different features (aka marketing gimmicks). You really need to define your
usage pattern to be able to get much further. Then do the maths to see if a
capped plan gives you a better cost/month than say iSim.

Watch the billing basis - many plans bill by the 30-sec or 60-sec block or part
thereof. When you add flagfall and the "block" cost, there is a dramatic
difference in costs for short call operation - the "Dad, I'm down at the bus
stop, Can you pick me up?" stuff.

Assuming you have returned sans handset, most operators provide numerous plans
with bundled handsets. Not always the best way - often to buy outright at a
competitive price and bring the handset into a SIM-only plan is noticeably
cheaper. Also most operators' bundled handsets are network locked or SIM
locked, with a penalty for leaving their network.

Just my 2.2c worth - which raises one last point. Aus has a 10% Goods &
Services Tax introduced on 1/7/2000 which will in most cases be added on to
whatever plan/call prices you see. Very few operators actually quote the
tax-inclusive price, preferring to have a small asterisk leading to an even
smaller footnote which says "plus GST".

Welcome back to sunny(?) Perth

[Ext User(Giles)]

> If your a heavy spender, I suggest one of Vodafones caps.
> They have a $49 cap, which gives you $230 worth of standard calls, SMS,
> MMS and more and you only pay $49 a month.
[snip]
> You can choose to pay through Prepay, or just a normal bill in the
> mail. If you say only use $36 dollars one month, you'll only pay $36.
> But if you use say $100, you'll pay the price of your cap, eg $49.

Reasonable advice, but note that Vodafone's $49 Maxi Cap is only available
on prepay (not postpaid). Also, to maintain the Maxi Cap offer, you have to
recharge with $49 - thus if you make calls worth only $36, you still pay
$49.

=-=-=
http://www.vodafone.com.au/rep/redSim.jsp?gs=foryou&hd=mobiles&st=promo280803

$49 Maxi Cap
Get $230 worth of standard calls, TXT, PXT and more and pay no more than $49
each month.

Choose from 3 payment options:
Prepay*, Auto Prepay* or Capped Monthly* [all prepay options]

[icedark]

Thanks giles, i didnt realise that the $49 cap was avaliable only on prepay, i fixed it up anyway.

icedark

[Ext User(John Phillips)]

On Sat, 23 Jul 2005, at 13:34:23 [GMT +1000] (13:34:23 Saturday, 23 July
2005 where I live) "icedark" wrote:

> Also, you may need a new mobile, depends if your current one that you
> use in the US is triband or not.


Even if triband, will still need a new mobile to pick up GSM1800

--
Ability is like a check, it has no value unless it is cashed.

[Ext User(BlueTongue)]

budgie wrote:
>
> Welcome back to sunny(?) Perth

Thanks, all of you, for this excellent advice! I will probably go the
iSIM route. I already own a new 900/1800 Nokia phone, bought here in the
USA *unlocked*.

Quick question: when I get back, short of enrolling for iSIM with the
whole rigmarole that it involves (and I don't have all the ID
requirements they need yet), is there a quick way to get my phone
temporarily working by simply walking into the nearest shop and buying a
generic SIM card for this phone? If so, what's the cheapest/best?

Ta!

[icedark]

Probably the best option is buying a prepaid sim card from a supermarket or a post office or something. All you need is usually a drivers licence, passport or something. I recomend Vodafone, as the cheapest. Just grab a Red SIM with some credit on it and your good to go. You will need some form of ID for this though, and you will need ID when signing up for any mobile service. You dont need too much though for prepaid, as I said just a drivers licence or something. Costs $29.95 and comes with $30 worth of calls, sms, mms, wap (internet) and so forth. You can also pick a value bundle when you sign up, Free TXT (60 free sms when you sign up and more when you recharge), Night Talker (2 hours of free calls 8pm till 8am seven days a week), or Talker (Cheap call rates to anyone, 24/7). Then once your credit runs out, or youve had enough you can sign up with who you want.

icedark

[TA 2000]

GSM coverage is aimed at urban areas, gets a tad thin once you get out of the
smog, and despite claims of 90-whatever percentage population cover this
translates to pathetic area cover in the boonies.



Not really, coverage is reasonable Telstra's GSM network covers around 7% of Land Mass.

[icedark]

And Telstra's GSM network covers 96% of the population. So I guess that means 96% of the population all live on that approx 7% of land mass? I find Telstra's GSM coverage pretty good.

I cant say about WA, but here in Victoria, coverage is pretty good out in the sticks. But Vodafone's coverage isnt by far as good as Telstra's and Optus' coverage in the country. When I had Optus, and now have Telstra, I usually get coverage where ever I go. Except of course when your out on a block of land out in the middle of no-where smack bang between 2 small towns. Which I have had happen a few times before.

[TA 2000]

I cant say about WA, but here in Victoria, coverage is pretty good out in the sticks. But Vodafone's coverage isnt by far as good as Telstra's and Optus' coverage in the country. When I had Optus, and now have Telstra, I usually get coverage where ever I go. Except of course when your out on a block of land out in the middle of no-where smack bang between 2 small towns. Which I have had happen a few times before.

Vodafone's Coverage can be good, depending when you are in some place and highways it out performs the others and i'm not talking about coverage that was on the highways project.

I find Telstra's good for me, though I don't live in WA. I wonder if they'll try and match optus's new coverage areas.

Cheers
Tom

[icedark]

True, Vodafone is good along highways, and it really does depend where you are, but when im not on a highway, and really out in the bush, I do find Telstra and Optus better. Although I did find one time, in one remote spot, Vodafone had 3/4 coverage, and optus and telstra had none. Just depends where you are.

Also, Vodafone does now roam onto Telstra GSM but only if you are on a plan. http://www.vodafone.com.au/rep/coverage/national_roaming.jsp?gs=foryou&hd=coverage&st=australian&ss=national_roaming

[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

budgie <me@privacy.net> wrote:
> On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 13:38:55 -0700, BlueTongue <bluetongue@cox.net>
> wrote:
>
>> I'm returning to Perth after a decade in the US. I'm totally
>> unfamiliar with what has gone on in Australia in the mobile market
>> in the last 8 years.
>
> There are three GSM networks, operated by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.
> There is one national CDMA network, operated by Telstra.
>
> GSM coverage is aimed at urban areas, gets a tad thin once you get
> out of the smog, and despite claims of 90-whatever percentage
> population cover this translates to pathetic area cover in the
> boonies.
>
> CDMA replaced the old AMPS analog service that would have been here
> in your day. Boonies coverage has been stepped up but it still has a
> loooong way to go here in WA.
>
>
>> Question: From a coverage and price point of view, which company
>> offers
>> the best packages in PERTH?
>
> Coverage: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone in that order - but it
> obviously varies from place to place. T & O are fairly close, but V
> are a fair way down once you get outside the metro area. Don't
> believe any of the coverage maps - they are full of wildly optimistic
> claims. (Take only after meals, with a bucket of salt.)
>
> Price: Depends on your usage. For the basic phone/SMS services for
> a budget (low outgoing aka "glovebox" user) the current best around
> is iSim (wholly owned subsidiary of Optus). One of the (very) few
> with no flagfall, and 39c/min IIRC billed by the second. This is a
> pre-paid plan.
>
> As your volume goes up, there are a veritable raft of alternate plans
> offering different features (aka marketing gimmicks). You really
> need to define your usage pattern to be able to get much further.
> Then do the maths to see if a capped plan gives you a better
> cost/month than say iSim.
>
> Watch the billing basis - many plans bill by the 30-sec or 60-sec
> block or part thereof. When you add flagfall and the "block" cost,
> there is a dramatic difference in costs for short call operation -
> the "Dad, I'm down at the bus stop, Can you pick me up?" stuff.
>
> Assuming you have returned sans handset, most operators provide
> numerous plans with bundled handsets. Not always the best way -
> often to buy outright at a competitive price and bring the handset
> into a SIM-only plan is noticeably cheaper. Also most operators'
> bundled handsets are network locked or SIM locked, with a penalty for
> leaving their network.
>
> Just my 2.2c worth - which raises one last point. Aus has a 10%
> Goods & Services Tax introduced on 1/7/2000 which will in most cases
> be added on to whatever plan/call prices you see. Very few operators
> actually quote the tax-inclusive price, preferring to have a small
> asterisk leading to an even smaller footnote which says "plus GST".

Bullshit.

[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

BlueTongue <bluetongue@cox.net> wrote

> Thanks, all of you, for this excellent advice! I will probably go the iSIM
> route. I already own a new 900/1800 Nokia phone, bought here in the USA
> *unlocked*.

> Quick question: when I get back, short of enrolling for iSIM with the whole
> rigmarole that it involves (and I don't have all the ID requirements they need
> yet), is there a quick way to get my phone temporarily working by simply
> walking into the nearest shop and buying a generic SIM card for this phone?

Yes.

> If so, what's the cheapest/best?

The vodafone red sim has some advantages for a temporary.

[Ext User(budgie)]

On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 20:33:04 +1000, icedark
<icedark.1smbpc@no-mx.forums.eyo.com.au> wrote:

>
>True, Vodafone is good along highways

only in the east coast and SE of Oz where they had the subsidy/contract to
provide exactly that coverage. When it comes to WA and the arteries exiting
Perth that statement is utter nonsense.

[TA 2000]

Also, Vodafone does now roam onto Telstra GSM but only if you are on a plan. http://www.vodafone.com.au/rep/coverage/national_roaming.jsp?gs=foryou&hd=coverage&st=australian&ss=national_roaming

I wouldn't worry about roaming agreement with Telstra as it only very limited areas of Vic and Tas.

[Ext User(A User)]

On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 00:27:03 -0700, BlueTongue <bluetongue@cox.net>
wrote:

>budgie wrote:
>>
>> Welcome back to sunny(?) Perth
>
>Thanks, all of you, for this excellent advice! I will probably go the
>iSIM route. I already own a new 900/1800 Nokia phone, bought here in the
>USA *unlocked*.
>
>Quick question: when I get back, short of enrolling for iSIM with the
>whole rigmarole that it involves (and I don't have all the ID
>requirements they need yet), is there a quick way to get my phone
>temporarily working by simply walking into the nearest shop and buying a
>generic SIM card for this phone? If so, what's the cheapest/best?
>
>Ta!

Same rigmarole on any Prepay or post pay, where ID is concerned, it's
a government requirement.

[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

A User <serge-newnew2715@mailblocks.com > wrote:
> On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 00:27:03 -0700, BlueTongue <bluetongue@cox.net>
> wrote:
>
>> budgie wrote:
>>>
>>> Welcome back to sunny(?) Perth
>>
>> Thanks, all of you, for this excellent advice! I will probably go the
>> iSIM route. I already own a new 900/1800 Nokia phone, bought here in
>> the USA *unlocked*.
>>
>> Quick question: when I get back, short of enrolling for iSIM with the
>> whole rigmarole that it involves (and I don't have all the ID
>> requirements they need yet), is there a quick way to get my phone
>> temporarily working by simply walking into the nearest shop and
>> buying a generic SIM card for this phone? If so, what's the
>> cheapest/best?

> Same rigmarole on any Prepay or post pay, where ID is concerned,

Nope, most obviously with stores that dont bother to check with prepaid.

> it's a government requirement.

Yes, but widely flouted with prepaid.

[Ext User(A User)]

On Mon, 25 Jul 2005 04:28:07 +1000, "Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>A User <serge-newnew2715@mailblocks.com > wrote:
>> On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 00:27:03 -0700, BlueTongue <bluetongue@cox.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> budgie wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Welcome back to sunny(?) Perth
>>>
>>> Thanks, all of you, for this excellent advice! I will probably go the
>>> iSIM route. I already own a new 900/1800 Nokia phone, bought here in
>>> the USA *unlocked*.
>>>
>>> Quick question: when I get back, short of enrolling for iSIM with the
>>> whole rigmarole that it involves (and I don't have all the ID
>>> requirements they need yet), is there a quick way to get my phone
>>> temporarily working by simply walking into the nearest shop and
>>> buying a generic SIM card for this phone? If so, what's the
>>> cheapest/best?
>
>> Same rigmarole on any Prepay or post pay, where ID is concerned,
>
>Nope, most obviously with stores that dont bother to check with prepaid.
>
>> it's a government requirement.
>
>Yes, but widely flouted with prepaid.
>

It's an interesting point, though. What do visitors need to activate?

[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

A User <serge-newnew2715@mailblocks.com > wrote:
> On Mon, 25 Jul 2005 04:28:07 +1000, "Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
>> A User <serge-newnew2715@mailblocks.com > wrote:
>>> On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 00:27:03 -0700, BlueTongue <bluetongue@cox.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> budgie wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Welcome back to sunny(?) Perth
>>>>
>>>> Thanks, all of you, for this excellent advice! I will probably go
>>>> the iSIM route. I already own a new 900/1800 Nokia phone, bought
>>>> here in the USA *unlocked*.
>>>>
>>>> Quick question: when I get back, short of enrolling for iSIM with
>>>> the whole rigmarole that it involves (and I don't have all the ID
>>>> requirements they need yet), is there a quick way to get my phone
>>>> temporarily working by simply walking into the nearest shop and
>>>> buying a generic SIM card for this phone? If so, what's the
>>>> cheapest/best?
>>
>>> Same rigmarole on any Prepay or post pay, where ID is concerned,
>>
>> Nope, most obviously with stores that dont bother to check with
>> prepaid.
>>
>>> it's a government requirement.
>>
>> Yes, but widely flouted with prepaid.
>>
>
> It's an interesting point, though. What do visitors need to activate?

Nothing much, just the passport will do fine.