Dodo uses Optus.
$5 a month will give you unlimited calls/sms. It also includes international sms.
No data, but $10 gets you 2gb.
It might suit people that have dual sim phones (I will use in my iPhone, with an esim that gives me data)
Critical info
https://www.dodo.com/sites/dodo/files/cis/Mobile_Critical_in…
Like catch, kogan which gives 20GB per month for $5
You are spot, but if people don’t need the data it’s the cheapest deal around without the need to constantly port
Yep, need to keep tags to order new sims and port every 3 months, it can be a nightmare if something goes wrong in porting process specially in current situation with limited customer service available in some operators.
@bazingaa: Also you might be setting it up for someone else - having to maintain the plan can be a pain.
If my parents didn't use data I would definitely consider this plan, but unfortunately they need it to send junk mail to all their friends and relatives.
Hi do you have a web link to this deal? Cheers Thanks 🤑🤪😬👍
40GB, not 20GB.
@bazingaa: Oh I get it now LOL. I thought you made a typo and were referring to this: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/515083 which is $4.90 - $3.50 cashback = $1.40 for 40GB.
But I think I beat you. :-)
I use:
So that's $0.83 + $1.40 = $2.23 per month total for 60GB internet, outgoing calls, and a permanent number for incoming calls.
Edit- Oh and I think you get $10 Amaysim credit if you refer one person. So if you refer one person per year you can subtract the $0.83 per month too.
@[Deactivated]: How do you deal with your outbound caller ID changing when you change SIM? A lot of people, me included, generally only answer calls from numbers they know these days and, if I understand you correctly, you're changing your number with each SIM swap?
@kale chips suck: Yeah I just take the new number that comes with the SIM. The Amaysim number is the permanent one for incoming calls. And I mainly call things like businesses, government, etc who don't screen calls. But if I want to phone someone who ignores unknown numbers I just sent them a text first: "It's Abcd on a new SIM. I'm about to call you."
@[Deactivated]: Also do the same.
Hasn't been a problem in over 6 years of doing this. Friends are used to me doing this. Others don't realise I'm changing numbers frequently.
@[Deactivated]: So I had some time tonight and did some messing around on the callerID thing and thought I'd post what I found here as it might be of use to you.
I figured out how to use any SIM and have your CallerID set to the your number. I realise you won't need this often, but it might be of use every now and then.
Anyway, get a free account at crazytel.com.au. They are a Voice over IP provider. Calls are either untimed or timed, depending on the account type you go for when signing up, but it's 5c/minute for to mobile on all plans. Anyway, go to "Sip Trunks" and create a trunk. Default settings are fine. Set your caller ID to your "amaysim" number. There is an automated process to confirm you own this number - they call it and a robot voice gives you a code which you enter into the web interface.
On your phone, install a softphone app - I went with Zoiper, free version. Set it to match the details in you crazytel account. Connect.
When you need to call someone who will only answer on your "real" number, call them from the app. It'll use data but route through crazytel and appear as your actual number. Yell at them for only answering your real number.
All of this assumes a dual SIM phone, btw.
One question you might be able to help with; have you had any pushback from Kogan / catchconnect about the number of cards you've ordered??
@kale chips suck: Thanks for that. :-)
Nope to any whining from them apart from…
The Catch site recently refused to sell me a 5th or 6th SIM (6th one I think). So I just added a dot to my gmail address. For example [email protected] becomes [email protected]
At some point the Kogan site says "provide different payment method" if you try to activate too many SIMs in the same month using the same credit card. So you just pay for the next few using a different credit card. That resets a month later. That is, if you activate a few SIMS using credit card 1, the site requests another payment method, so you use card 2, a month later card 1 can be used again.
@[Deactivated]: Well then, looks like I have a plan for when my current catchconnect annual deal expires early next month 👍😉
@kale chips suck: Hi if someone calls your usual amaysim number goes it go to your amaysim sim or both your sip app
@jes: If someone calls my mobile number, then it connects to my mobile via amaysim, as usual. Inbound calls aren't affected at all.
Had a nightmare once porting to telstra prepaid. Online didn't let me and customer care didn't port with the same number. It took 3 more days and and few more calls to get it done. Not always a pleasent experience.
This might be good for older people who don't use data but use the phone.
I will get this for my grandmother. Unlimited calls for $5 is so much better than Tel$tra’s $25 per month home phone that doesn’t include calls.
Home phone line rental is a joke in this day and age.
I still have it on for my alarm system that needs to call the hq every day
@Jackson: Newer mobile modules just work on Machine to Machine SMS.
Some units act as a virtual PTSN lines for older boards.
As if ppl still bother with landlines. So 1990s
Get your grandma migrated to to unlimited home for $45 per month if telstra haven't called to do this already. $25 plans haven't been around for almost a decade. Corded handsets might be better as your granny has to remember to keep the mobile charged, deal with messages, reception issues in double brick homes. etc.
Assuming she makes more than $20 of calls each month…..
@Gaz1: $9 Telstra prepaid mobile with buttons @Harvey, just got teach your grand ma to press send after dialing the number which might be challenging lolz yes locked to Telstra and not sure works with MNVOs Telcos
https://www.harveynorman.com.au/telstra-lite-pre-paid-phone-…
@Italkdigital: These cheap $9 button 3G mobiles are useful also as I keep one in my cars glove box as you can dial on these mobiles without a plan or sim to emergency 000 service, battery last months dare i say years if you keep it switched off, yes yes we carry our mobiles on us at all times but imagine if you have an accident in no were land and your mobile gets damaged in the accident, dare I say you can't get out of your vehicle also, certainly a thought for the cost of $9
https://www.harveynorman.com.au/telstra-lite-pre-paid-phone-…
@Italkdigital: that's a good tip.
…until that you realized, that phone sitting in the car is useless, because they turned off the 3G frequency.
one day !
Wow $45 a month when she can just pay a fiver…..No brainer to me
granny has to remember to keep the mobile charged
There are corded phones that connect through 4G, but they're a bit expensive:
https://www.amazon.com.au/Fixed-Wireless-Desk-Phone-Function…
So it doesn't have the problem of battery running flat (if you glue the power cord in place), and it's familiar to them, but it still has SMS messages.
@Russ: I've also been looking at similar items for gramps
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4G-LTE-Full-Netcom-Wireless-Wifi…
That looks identical to the amazon one for half the price, and I have found similar looking ones for as low as $30:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Wireless-GSM-Desk-Phone-SIM-Card…
@naturaldecay: The first one does look identical, but at a much better price.
The second one is 2G only, won't work in Australia, you need either 3G (which will shut down in a couple of years) or 4G (which is probably good for a decade or more).
Just beware, there are a lot of phones that falsely claim they are 4G, like this one:
https://au.banggood.com/Desktop-Telephone-Wireless-Telephone…
The specs say GSM only.
@Russ: Heres a 4G version though doesn't state 4G frequencies ~$35 on ebay, though you can pick up a cheap Android mobile under $40 but I guess suitable for Grandma who has no idea how to use a mobile though note this ain't portable as a mobile 😬🤪🤑
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/372858097797
EDIT: Heading of eBay auction "4G Fixed Wireless Wifi Card,… phone" sneaky fits 2G/3G/4G sim cards doesnt mean its a 4G or even 3G device" won't work if 2G device in Australia,Better teach the Grandma how to use a cheap 3G mobile phone 🥺😬
@Italkdigital: Unless it says "LTE FDD" and states compatible frequency bands, don't trust that it will work here. There are lots of sellers who have no technical skills, and sell stuff they don't understand. Or they might be deliberately misleading, to increase sales.
The back of that phone says CDMA, there are currently no CDMA phone systems in Australia. Telstra had one that finished in 2008.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_CDMA2000_networks
@naturaldecay: I was just looking around for similar items, and I found there are 4G boxes that you can plug an ordinary landline phone into, that dial out over 4G. This is perhaps the ultimate in simplicity for seniors, it uses the phone that they are already used to, unless that phone is really old and has a rotary dial.
Here's an Australian manufacturer of them, but they don't give prices, and possibly don't sell retail:
http://nesscorporation.com/106-250ns.html
I know it says "alarm dialler", but apparently it works with phones too.
Here's a retailer I found with a quick search:
https://www.cheapalarmparts.com.au/NESS-4G-DIALLER-without-S…
It's a bit cheaper on Ebay:
https://www.ebay.com.au/i/123916444503
Here's a similar one I found on Ebay, half the price:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GSM-Wireless-Fixed-Terminal-Alar…
You could mount it on top of a cupboard, or on a wall somewhere close to the landline phone.
Similar boxes are used for many emergency phones in elevators.
@Russ: I use a similar setup for my old man down our holiday place, there is no fixed L/L available so i use an old Ericsson W25 FWT, but it's only 3G, so its days are numbered.. I was thinking of going down the path of a B/B or cable modem/router with SIM failover, but must have a standard phone I/O..
@Bunsen: Just be aware that broadband plans with SIM failover, are only data for the failover. All phone calls through the modem will be VOIP calls, at your ISP's call rates, which are usually high.
If you want unlimited calls plus a little bit of data, the Netcom phone mentioned above looks like it does both phone calls over 4G, and acts as a 4G wifi modem as well. So you could buy a SIM with some data (probably not from Dodo), and get both unlimited free phone calls, and data for web browsing. It will be a lot cheaper than any broadband plan you can buy, unless you need a lot of data.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4G-LTE-Full-Netcom-Wireless-Wifi…
@Russ: Nah, was just talking H/W options not plans, already have the 80GB boost SIM sorted for calls/data, was more looking at H/W options for an aging Ericsson W25 3G FTW device.. So my requirements are WifI (WLAN) with PSTN capability & external antenna for 3G/4G & 12v power…
That's why I was thinking of a VDSL modem, or similar, with the SIM failover as it will never be connected to a hardwired network (NBN), always on SIM..
FREE Calls for Eligible Pensioners on Telstra Home Phone Plans (Till 30 June)
Unlimited free Calls to Local/ National/ 13/1300/ Aust. Mobile
If you're really determined and don't need a lot, then the SMS function can technically be used to access data. There used to be an app for android called SMSmart that could do it.
I have this for both my teenager kids.
Sounds like a good deal for an oldie who doesnt use the internet
Oh i actually thought it was good for the teens who are on tiktok and snapchat all day. Thanks for the heads up.
This deal is also great for GPS tracking devices. Cheaper than any alternative if you update your location more frequently than 5 times a day (at 4c an sms).
Thanks for the post OP
I"m curious to know about this. I didn't know you could use sms to do gps tracking? How do you use/do that?
I use offline maps, but to use GPS, it always - ALWAYS - wants a data connection. I don't need live tracking for it, just a 'where the hell am I on this map' function..
If your GPS always wants a data connection, something is wrong. Having a data connection means you'll get a position much faster, as the internet gives an approximate location, and your GPS can download the orbital parameters for the satellites much faster than receiving them directly from the satellites. But a modern GPS receiver should be able to give you a position within 2 minutes without any data connection.
Does your mapping application have ads? Perhaps it wants a data connection for those.
Cheaper than any alternative if you update your location more frequently than 5 times a day (at 4c an sms)
If your tracker can use data, Lebara's $10 "PAYG" plan has 365 days expiry (but it's listed with the 30-day plans), and data is really cheap - the CIS says "Data charged at $0.02/MB. Charged in KB increments."
https://www.lebara.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Lebara-…
Thanks to Kururii for the info about the Lebara plan: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/8691725/redir
No MMS, wtf?
MMS requires Data to work, would be more attractive for elderly, kids with no data requirement (lol), or ppl with separate data sim.
MMS requires Data to work
Doesn't necessarily require mobile data.
I just did a test, with mobile data turned off, and connected to the internet through home WiFi. I asked my partner to send me a photo MMS, and it came through correctly.
My phone plan is through an Optus MVNO, connected via 3G (but data turned off). Ancient version of Android (KitKat).
Dodo not providing MMS is just attempting to get you to pay more. Looks like they want to offer a $5 plan, while forcing almost everyone to be $10/month or more.
Requires data, not specifically Mobile data. WiFi = Data. Just getting it from a different source, if you disable both the Mobile data and your WiFi you won't get the MMS.
@Cousin IT: The point is that although you should be able to receive MMS through WiFi, Dodo apparently won't let you, unless you pay extra to be on a data plan. It looks like Dodo have deliberately crippled this plan, to encourage users to buy add-on packs. Which then makes Dodo uncompetitive when compared with many other carriers at $10/month or $10/28days.
@Russ: I see your point now, I explained it because you wrote Mobile data, and explained it with WiFI where @pone simply wrote data.
In saying that, could you not use say an Optus or other carrier's APN settings with WiFi?
could you not use say an Optus or other carrier's APN settings with WiFi?
That's a confusing question - APN has nothing to do with WiFi. APN is a communication between your phone/modem and your telco, telling the telco which "data plan" to use. It can't be sent over WiFi.
@Russ: I'm pretty sure that you still need the MMS APN so that the WiFi connection can connect to the MMS Server, else nothing will happen as it won't know where to go. Seeing that it's on the Optus Network, you could try the Optus settings (Optus Guide) they might need some tweaking to get working. This Link shows the settings without the authentication and other details, that might work.
If it doesn't work, you could always use an app like Signal/Telegram/WhatsApp/Fb Messenger, etc. to get picture messages over WiFi. Admittedly both users need the app for this to work.
MMS can be added for only $5/mth if you want
Unlimited MMS for $5/mth
(Needs a plan that includes mobile data)
The table of info says no mms even on the data plans?
it used to give you one gig
Who do you get data through with esim?
I signed up for the iPad Air 3 via Optus. The esim gives me 25gb a month. I don’t know if I will have always this arrangement as I use much less data, but suits me for now.
Ah ok, so just trying to utilize what you're paying for elsewhere rather than doing it this way because it's cheaper. I've been looking for a cheap esim with at least 20gb of data but the cheapest out there is Optus. Might as well pay the extra $10 and get 100gb with Amaysim
I'm going to use this to swap out my kids' sim cards. Then sit back with popcorn and watch the show as they realise they no longer have data…. Hahahaha…. Might inspire them to get a job and pay for their own phones instead of bank of Dad.
They will use your phone as hotspot then
Yeah nah… Locked phone. I'm not that silly..
At home they got WiFi… But dinner at the pub (when we're allowed again)….. They'll have to talk to me instead of stare at their phones.
You Sir, have my vote!
They'll have to talk to me
Surely they'll be texting? Probably texting each other about you.
Ahhha
Think data is not included and this is after all not a prepaid phone. You might be charged for the NON-included data usage. Then your kids will have the last laugh.
Are there any Data-only sims? even the cheapest ones I can find are $10 bundled with unlimited calls/texts.
Aldi Mobile have data-only SIMs:
https://www.aldimobile.com.au/plans/data-plans/
Or if your data needs are very small, just use their PAYG option, nothing included, no monthly charge but your credit expires in 12 months. Data is 5c/Megabyte (=$50/Gigabyte), so only saves money if your data usage is less than 100MB/month (=$5/month):
https://www.aldimobile.com.au/plans/15payg/
100MB is a fair number of MMS messages, if that's all you want the data for. When in range of home or work WiFi, you can turn off mobile data and receive MMS messages through that.
Edit: Looks like the Dodo plan doesn't allow MMS, unless you buy a data add-on from them as well.
Got this a few months ago as it's the perfect plan for my grandmother who does not want data.
whats the cheapest with international calls? dont care about data
Which countries?
india
Belong $10 + $5 international add-on for unlimited calls and text.
Lycamobile PAYG rates are $0.01/min + $0.29 flagfall, $0.15 SMS.
Lebara PAYG is $0.02/min, no flagfall. I can't find the SMS rates. This is probably the optimal plan if you do less that 12.5 hours of calls to India each month.
@Russ: Sorry, I should have been more specific.
Under the 30 Day Plans, at the bottom is the Standard Plan. The credit also lasts 1 year despite it being under the 30 Day tab.
Here's the CIS
https://www.lebara.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Lebara-…
I still can't find information on SMS, I wonder if they don't do international SMS anymore.
Great for 3G Alarms
Is there a e-sim prepaid or low monthly plan?
I have an IPhone 11, got my work SIM card in it, but would like a low monthly esim (or better yet a prepaid esim service)
Looks like most pre-paid services and low monthly plan services only offer a physical sim.
Telstra Prepaid has esim
That’s a new addition then, I had to go Vodafone to get eSIM to work on prepaid a few months back.
You have to go in store to switch to an eSim with Telstra Prepaid
The cheapest would be the tablet esim from Optus ($15 a month).as far as I know
Telstra Mobile Broadband Plans can be provisioned on esim's.
$15 for 5GB at full speed, then unlimited at 1.5Mbps under Telstra Peace of Mind.
Excellent for people with the KISA phone. Thanks for posting.
Depending on your call volume you could also have a look at the Aldi 365 Pay as you go Plan.
This. I found the ALDI 365 plan with $15 top up would last for a year (recharge expiry), as it was primarily used for incoming calls rather than outgoing…
Good deal for people who don't use internet. But sadly they'll not be able to see it since they don't use the internet.
Long running deal , had this from early last year. Not sure why it's being brought up now lol
Been $5 for ages. Old news. They should start including at least some data. Guessing this is just another 6 monthly post for the newbs
How is dodo service in term of call centre, porting etc
for $5/mth..what do you think?
There are better deals around with data if you're willing to port a few times a year.