International Roaming with amaysim - Any Catches?

Hi, I am travelling overseas for 6 weeks and am planning on getting a local sim for all data/call usage. While, I have made arrangements with most of my cards/banks for OTP, some of them cannot disable OTP. So I need to have my Australian number on, to receive OTPs. I'm with Amaysim and have activated my international roaming. Receiving SMS is free with them. I have disabled my voicemail to avoid getting charged for voicemails that I receive. And I plan on using a spare phone with my amaysim sim, set to aeroplane mode, turning it on only when I am requesting an OTP. So I won't be using it for calls/texts/data. Is there anything I have missed to avoid using international roaming?

Also, Amaysim tells me that only 'standard SMS' is free to receive, and "if its a special number from bank which usually does, it is considered a 3rd party SMS and will charge a different rate". Is this correct? Has anyone been charged to receive such SMSs?

Lastly, do I get charged for voicemails that I retrieve while on roaming or just any calls that goes to voicemail, whether or not I retrieve them or not?

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Comments

  • Hi,

    As someone that travels on a monthly basis overseas, Amaysim has zero issues in sending sms and you will not be charged for OTPs especially for 2 factor Sms, I've used in canada, usa, india, uae, japan and central america, never been charged for google/banks etc.

    You do get charged for retrieving Voicemails while overseas.

    thanks

  • I have done exactly what you plan to do, with Amaysim, and none of my bank SMSes (ING, UBank) have incurred charges.

    Before you leave, disable Roaming Data for the Amaysim SIM.

    You don't want apps trying to sip data the moment you disable Aeroplane mode when you're waiting for an SMS. You actually don't need Aeroplane mode at all in this case - just make sure you don't answer any calls on that SIM, and obviously don't make any outbound calls/SMS.

    ETA: as a bit of added insurance, IIRC I roamed with zero credit on my Amaysim (prepaid). :)

  • I'm on the $10 unlimited 1GB plan but cancelled this while I was away and just did a $10 premium services credit as you need this for sms to work oversea's. We were away for 4 months and only received incoming sms so the $10 was still there when we returned.

  • +1

    I'd also make sure:
    (1) mobile data while roaming is disabled (2) mobile data is also disabled (double protection in case my phone suddenly goes crazy and starts downloading stuff)
    (3) disable auto recharge
    (4) remove all payment methods from my account

    Btw, I'm using Amaysim overseas for exactly the same purpose and have had no problem. No need to have any credit on my account (it just means that I won't even be able to pick up an incoming call even if I want to but all my sms are still coming through).

    Amaysim is a prepaid service so they can't exactly charge you unless you've credits in your account.

  • I've done the same for the past 5 years, I travel quite frequently and its expensive to maintain a mobile line. My solution is using Amaysim PAYG to maintain my AU number, for OTP or Text from AU numbers with no cost. Just make sure you sign up for Postpaid mode, the longest I've tried is >6 months with 0 cost, but continue to receive text for free

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