Phone Plan for Dad (International Roaming Required)

Lexcusemesir on 31/10/2018 - 12:57
Last edited 31/10/2018 - 12:58

Hi OzBargain community. I need some help picking out a mobile plan for my dad.

Requirements:
Unlimited calls/text
10GB + data
International roaming capabilities (max 1 month/year)

I've tried doing some research. The recent aldimobile deal seems quite good, but it's a bit expensive at $35 per month.

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/412688

The issue is with International roaming as a lot of resellers don't provide this service.

Another option I was thought about was buy a dual SIM phone, then he can have a data sim (kogan) and a call sim for his main number. Then when he does go overseas, port his number to provider that offers international roaming. However, this will be a bit of a hassle.

Your help is much appreciated.

Mobile Prepaid Mobile Plan SIM Only Mobile Plan

Comments

  • dcep on 31/10/2018 - 13:01
    +1

    Boost ?

  • Randxyz123 on 31/10/2018 - 14:05

    Why don’t you get a dual sim phone.

    One sim can be Aussie , one can be local ? Porting numbers in and out is more pain than it’s worth.

    That way he can do internet banking etc and have local calls and data.

    Does he always travel to one place ?

    • knk on 31/10/2018 - 14:33

      When traveling I forward my mobile number to a pbx and use voip for everything.
      I host a 3cx instance and connect to that over whatever 4G / Wifi connection is available wherever I am.

      If it's not for business and you only require basic functionality, look at Siptalk.net.au. Very low minimum spend and a very low cost per DID (for you to forward your mobile to). Outgoing calls aren't the cheapest but since it's only one month a year it's probably not going to be a huge issue. You could even do the same thing with Skype + a call plan on an as needed basis.

      For text messages I use Pulse sms (Android) and leave my usual sim in a spare phone at home. Not the most reliable method but texts aren't crucial for me.

  • elusive on 31/10/2018 - 17:52

    With most plans, receiving SMS while roaming is free. Sending SMS and receiving calls are not free.

    I found Vodafone to be the best option for me. $5/day and you get to use your normal (unlimited calls/SMS, 30+GB data) plan inclusions.

    But if you're trying to optimise cost, these are the things I'd consider:

    • Local network speeds (generally, Telstra > Vodafone/Optus)
    • Convenience (Single roaming SIM is easier than dual-SIM, and much easier than setting up SMS forwarding. Call forwarding is fairly easy with most providers.)
    • Call and SMS frequency - if you don't receive many calls, it may be worth getting data SIM on dual-SIM and just eating the cost of calls when roaming. Again, receiving SMS is free on most plans.
      • From here, consider whether it's better to pay as you go (per call made, for example) vs the fixed price per day.
    • The length of the overseas trips. If it's a single long trip, you can get a long local data SIM (e.g. 15-30 day expiry). If it's many short trips, you'd need a multi-country travel SIM — or just roaming.

    At some point, based on data needed, duration of stays, complexity, etc., you'll find an optimal point. For my upcoming trip, this ended up being Vodafone $5 roaming on the few days I might need calls, coupled with a local data SIM.

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