Hi OzB brains trust,
I am going overseas for what's expected to be 2 years; would like to know if there are any cheap methods to retain my current mobile phone number until my return.
Thanks!
Mod note: As this is often a recurring topic, with users asking "What is the best long expiry SIM Plan to keep a number on?" this forum topic has now been pinned as a megathread & related topics have been merged.
Please make sure to read the comments below before you start a similar topic
@Colin2905: People preferring Telstra and on the 12 mths plan are willing to spend $20 per month. Talking about different levels of spending.
No more bonus data on these Boost olds since March as I am still activating them one by one, preferably to $40 SP now for the 10GB more. Previously 45GB versus 55GB, now 20GB versus 30GB. The last time I got bonus data was in December and I didn't activate them in Jan or February, possibly no more bonus data since the start of this year.
@Neoika: The lack of bonus data on the old $30 packs doesn't bother me. I seem to be averaging about 3GB per month, so 20GB is more than enough.
I double-checked my remaining stash and most of them are actually $35 packs. Of the three $30 packs I have left, one of them has an expiry date beyond the $35 packs, which is a little odd. Between those and an $80 Belong pack, it'll keep my main number going until around March next year. After that, I might have to start paying, heaven forbid! :D
@Colin2905: It matters when home internet also is incorporated into the scheme. Obviously, it needs an organised management of some permanent and disposable numbers. When doing so can cut mobile plan cost, why not cut the internet cost as well? 3GB usage on the phone for a month means you or your family has home internet bill to pay.
@Neoika: Yep, I'm paying for a 50/20 FTTN connection. Unfortunately, cutting it or downsizing it isn't an option. Going off topic, so I'll leave the reasons for another thread at another time.
Currently my partner and I are on Boost and Telstra, so we can get OTP text while overseas.
The plans are expiring, is Telstra casual plan the best way to go?
Wondering if anyone has a better suggestion for us.
Also, has anyone tried switching from boost to Telstra while overseas, will that work? I can see the eSIM option for the casual plan in the Telstra app.
Any help is appreciated.
Do you only need the mobile services to receive SMS overseas? If so, I'd save yourself some money (and hassle) and simply port to Amaysim.
They have a $10 per year casual plan with easy to install eSIM and global roaming enabled by default for receiving SMS overseas.
Most providers these days have roaming enabled by default, Aldi is one exception where it needs to be turned on in their portal.
Hi everyone,
I thought this one might be a good one for ozbargain!
My father passed away and we want to keep his number alive for as long as we can, partly for sentimental reasons, partly for the random accounts we are sorting out. Ive ported it across to my telstra account as a prepaid but, that expires and I have to keep topping it up.
Any thoughts on how the cheapest way to keep it alive? We don't neet to make any calls or have data.
Thank you in advance!
Ask Telstra
Yea I did twice. They said the couldn't.
Thanks all I posted this without seeing the thread!
grab urself amysims starter pack which currently on sales at coles/wollies..$10 for $30
I write here instead of open another topic.
My Australian Christmas escape is coming to the end but I’d like to keep my oz number active after I left in case I need to receive some OTP SMSs. From what I’m getting here, the main methods are Amaysim or Aldi mobile. The second just require to go on Aldi portal to enable the roaming manually. Cost should be 5$ for Aldi mobile and 20/30$ for the Amaysim starter pack which usually goes at 10$ at Coles/Wooly. (Why not Lebara?)
Now, I’ll be out of Australia for, let’s say, a couple of years, so I’ll need to recharge before the end of the first year. From what I see, Aldi now requires at least 15$ recharge, which means 5$ the first year and 15$ for the 2nd (can I buy 2x 5$ SIM cards and switch them instead of recharging? I don’t think so…) total 20$ for 2 years. What about Amaysim?
Any other suggestion?
Thank you!
Hi guys!
I know it's a recurrent topic and there's a thread for that but I tried to write there a couple of days ago and no one replied.
My Australian Christmas escape is coming to the end but I’d like to keep my oz number active after I left in 'cause I might need to receive some OTP SMSs.
From what I’m get, the main methods are Amaysim or Aldi mobile.
The second just require to go on Aldi portal to enable the roaming manually.
Cost should be 5$ for Aldi mobile and 20/30$ for the Amaysim starter pack which usually goes at 10$ at Coles/Wooly but, apparently, not this/coming week. 😡 (Why not Lebara?)
Now, I’ll be out of Australia for, let’s say, a couple of years, so I’ll need to recharge the SIM before the end of the first year.
From what I see, Aldi now requires at least 15$ recharge, which means 5$ the first year and 15$ for the 2nd (can I buy 2x 5$ SIM cards and switch them instead of recharging? I don’t think so…) total 20$ for 2 years. What about Amaysim?
Any other suggestion?
Thank you!
the main methods are Amaysim or Aldi mobile.
Amaysim works out cheaper because there's no $15 recharge needed after 60 days like Aldi.
Also if you buy a starter pack on special at bricks & mortar store you get more credit.
So, if I buy the 30$ starter pack, can I activate the 0gb/10$ on that SIM and I'm ok for 3 years?
@WatchNerd: So get the cheapest Amaysim starter pack (right now is the 25$ at 10) and recharge it before the credit expires, covering almost 2 years with 10$, is the best bargain, right? Thank you very much! Didn't expect was that easy!
@MatteCar: Kind of, however once credit expires after the 1st year there's a grace period which might be 6 months or longer, I can't remember.
In other words you can still receive calls & sms after the credit expires for a period of time.
@WatchNerd: All done but I have an issue.
I did everything, my number is now Amaysim but I always get no service since I left Australia.
I tried activating datas, roaming and 4G but I always get no service.
I also tried to login in the portal and the international roaming was off (despite this should happen on Aldi, not Amaysim), I enabled it and I set to receive the "international roaming updates" both via SMS and email but I still get no service and I'm not receiving SMS on phone nor email.
What am I doing wrong?
@MatteCar: I contacted Amaysim support and the procedure is not that "plu&play":
To be able to use your connect to a network overseas, Kindly follow these steps:
1.Turn on the International roaming on the amaysim account.
Here are the steps to enable roaming on amaysim account:
Go to SETTINGS page:
• Click on 'International Roaming'
• Toggle 'International Roaming'
to enable (disabled by default).
2. Turn on Data Roaming in the device settings
3. Reset the network settings on the device:
Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Tap “General.”
Scroll down and tap “Transfer or Reset iPhone.”
Tap “Reset.” You will be given various reset options.
Choose “Reset Network Settings.”
4. Restart device
5.Manually connect to our Roaming partners
To connect to the local network you can try these steps:
• Go to Settings.
• Click on Cellular/Mobile Data.
• Press Network Selection.
• Press the indicator next to "Automatic" to turn automatic network selection on or off.
• If you turn off the function, press the required network.
but then it works!
Hi buddy, how could we activate the 30$ starter pack as the 365 days plan?
Does it give us the option on activation? Also does eSIM works in this way?
I am looking at this plan, https://www.amaysim.com.au/sim-plans/28-day-sim-plans/unlimi…
Thanks
Does one get a sms warning when its about to expire?
in all my research; i concurred that that'd be the best if you have zero usage requirements.
second would be aldi for $15/year. but no esim option for this.
has anyone tried to port into Amaysim on this plan with eSIM from physically being outside of Australia ?
I am on Telstra 365 pre-paid (eSIM) with its expiration coming soon so i am looking to also lock into a cheap year/365days plan. Don't need calls/data but will want to be able to receive text for OTP auths. Just wonder if anyone has discussed on moving providers on eSIM whilst physically out of the country, or anyone has direct experience care to share?
Looking for a provider to park my number while overseas and use for occassional OTP sms purposes and wifi calling Australian numbers while roaming.
Aldi mobile has served me well so far. Only $15 PAYG with 365 days expire. It allows wifi calling while roming as well since it is using Telstra network. I believe amaysim using Optus geo blocks wifi calling while roaming.
Is there any other provider similar to Aldi mobile using telstra network that allows for long expiry reasonable PAYG cost while roaming and with eSim?
i couldn't really find anything as cheap as a aldi with an esim. You may have to convert any other lines to esim and use the physical slot for aldi, (or a spare phone)
Amaysim at least offers low cost 365 day international roaming packs
yeah amaysim is almost perfect except it geoblocks the wifi calling whike roaming.
Even with an active roaming pack?
@sumyungguy: yes. entire optus network geoblocks wifi calling. only telstra and telstra wholesale network is generally ok
I am moving to NZ in June but would like to somehow keep my AU number active.
Any suggestions on the best way to do this?
best way to do this?
Keep paying
My wife and I are moving overseas indefinitely but wi come back to Australia one day and want to keep our numbers. From what I can see there are two main PAYG providers, Amaysim and Aldi that people use to park numbers and receive SMS’s for OTP etc.
We are not planning to make any calls or send any text messages from our AUS numbers overseas.
What is the process to get Amaysim to work? I keep seeing that may need to turn on roaming and that if I receive a call it may use my credit?
I am keen to use Amaysim over Aldi as it supports eSIM.
@Neoika: I didn't have any issues going from Boost > Telstra ($2 SIM) > Boost when I did it a couple of weeks ago and unless something more suitable for me comes up beforehand, I'll do it again in another two weeks. I still have several of the old Boost $30 starter packs left that are approaching their expiry dates so doing it this way is the most cost effective for me.