Hi everyone
Want to port across my number so I can still get bank/credit card SMS's when I am overseas (planning on going for a while). Don't plan on any other usage on that SIM.
Anyone know the cheapest option?
Cheers :)
Travel SIM for Receiving Banking/CC SMS's Only
Lruntoparadise on 16/10/2016 - 13:02
Comments
Except Telechoice, who are completely incompetent with roaming, unable to make it work as expected without multiple follow ups while I was away. Useless, and they charged a $100 bond too!
Am trying to avoid this type of bond, for TPG it is $500!!!!
Vaya has no roaming option!
Optus SIMs registered to the $2 a day when you use it plan have global roaming turned on that works without any hassles. SMS cost around 50c to send, and free or around 50c to receive depending on the country.
I had a lot of trouble receiving SMS for banking on a previous trip, so I urge you to have a back up credit card or similar in case you have issues.I have a backup CC or two so that's all good. Optus is not overly clear how long the $2 service will remain active if I don't spend on it… as I might be gone for over a year
I vaguely remember 180 days validity on the $30 sim pack, so a $10 recharge now and again would get it done.
Maybe check out lycamobile, they are an international company (originally UK). I haven't used their Australian services, but I have a US lycamobile SIM and have been able to keep my US number and also roam internationally for a few years now.
It looks like they only have plans from what I can see :/
You don't need a plan/bundle. You can PAYG. They don't make that obvious.
You can see PAYG rates here, scroll down a little: http://www.lycamobile.com.au/en/nationalrates
Telstra prepaid is free to receive IIRC
My issue is if I do pop back in the country the call rates are crazy high and min $70 for 12months recharge. Amaysim seem to be a reasonable bet so far with their As You Go plan (no min recharge, 365 day and most importantly no bond like TPG/Telechoice/etc)
Buy a $30 starter kit. These are often on sale for half price or less and come with a $30 recharge. Put the sim on the long life offer. This will give you a 6 month expiry. Then switch to the simplicity offer. You will be able to use the $30 credit at Simplicity rates whilst maintaining the 6 month expiry. Just make sure you don't accidentally enable data whilst overseas as this will use all your credit.
I leave my Sim in Australia on old android phone and use PhoneLeash app to forward any SMS to my email.
This seems pretty cool. I suppose it just has the timelag of your normal email service and gmail is pretty snappy. Although could logistically be a bit of a headache as I'd want that SIM when I fly back into the country and I might be in the wrong city.
Didn't know this existed, thanks.
If you have an iphone, you can use imessage to get your SMS's and Texts that go to your sim.
I am going overseas in few days and would be great to be able to receive SMS while I am overseas. I think I can use Telstra Prepaid to receive SMS for free but that will be with new number.
What are my options to receive SMS on my own number (without porting it out and without enabling international roaming - TPG requires $500 deposit)? I don't think that TPG has SMS forwarding service and I am not comfortable leaving a phone connected to a charger while I am away. Thanks.
I don't see how you can get international roaming without paying TPG their deposit, or porting out. Are you not able to port out, and port back in when you return? Is this for bank/CC? If for people to contact you, use any one of the chat apps.
With TPG (as it is not like normal pre-paid) it is a hassle to port out and port back in as there is some deposit involved and I am sure the SIM card wouldn't be free when I port back in.
Yes it is more for bank/cc or airline reservation when there are some changes etc.
I guess I will just have to use temporary number from a pre-paid account like Telstra pre-paid.
Airlines you can put your temp number for contact as it will be only for the trip. Banks and CC providers will take more work to change and revert on return.
@greenpossum: Yep … I don't think I will bother to change the contact details for banks and cc.
How about Uber? Do I need to have the number I used to register to be active when I am using Uber app?
Just a quick update to this - Amaysim let you turn on global roaming for free - you just have to have a prepaid credit balance above $0 with the pay-as-you-go option. Worked a treat.
International roaming for free (except for usage charges) is pretty much standard when offered. TPG is the outlier here. Incoming SMS is always free.
If you're going for up to a year to a single destination it may be less of a headache if you register a foreign mobile over the phone with your bank once you've settled in. Thus no need for dual SIM phone or switching SIMs.
Amaysim at $5 for 365 days sounds great though. Might consider this even for short trips :) But they'll probably stuff up activation with my luck…
I have an app on my phone called 'Push Bullet'. I put my SIM in an old mobile and leave it plugged into power at my place. When a text comes in, my computer tells me about what it is.
Free and easy.
Nice - someone above mentioned they were using something similar (PhoneLeash). I dunno if its just me but I like to have the SIM ready to make calls when I land back at the airport and someone is picking me up. Generally only want the SMS's for when I have to do some online banking anyway (so just pop in the SIM at those moments). Nobody else texts me using SMS's anymore its all whatsapp/viber/line/fb messenger/wechat/skype etc.
Just activate International Roaming before you leave and use it for Bank/Credit Card SMS only, only cost 70 Cents per SMS.