Only Non-Free plans are available from ATM, starting at $8/month.
Are there any cheaper deals to port to, ATM (Optus preferred, but we're flexible)?
(We want to keep our number, ideally
in a very low cost "holding pattern" until an [expected] new deal surfaces OR Zero' has Freemium SIMs, if ever…
Actually, we only need In-Bound call service.)
Thanks.
Thanks 4 all that.
Wow! Telcos can sure dream-up some T+Cs!
I managed to get some Kogan SIMs for $5 from 7/11.
I'm also looking for a cheap SIM with unlimited text and dont care about calls or data - so far found churning every 30 days to be the cheapest option; not very easy though.
The Zero freemium would have been perfect if I knew about it. :(
Freemium's still show'g, so maybe they'll restock SIMs someday soon.
If you just want incoming, then go with Amaysim's Pay as you go plan. $0 every month unless you make outgoing calls or sms or use data.
Lycamobile had a $1 promotion on their lowest end plan (1GB data, unlimited calls + texts) during end of financial year sales, but they don't offer that anymore.
Amaysim have rotating promotions that usually change every month. They did offer $0 on their lowest end 1GB plan at one point, but I doubt that is coming back anytime soon, since it was probably abused a lot by people looking for disposable numbers.
I would look out for deals like this in the future if you don't urgently need to port out right now.
If you do, then the best option I can find at the moment is the Amaysim 8GB plan. It is currently on promotion for $8 (first 28 days only, subsequent renewals are $20), making it cheaper than their undiscounted 1GB ($10) and pay as you go (also $10, but credit lasts a year instead of 28 days).
If you use Cashrewards, click through them to Amaysim to get $3.50 cashback, reducing the total cost to $4.50.
If you choose to go through with this, remember that Amaysim ship SIMs preactivated if you choose a new number, but allow you to activate whenever you want if you're porting (Amaysim's Ts&Cs say 3 months from purchase, which is better than most other prepaid telcos).
Once you activate the SIM, either log onto their website or download the Amaysim mobile app and disable autorenewal. You might get some survey spam from them asking why you're disabling autorenewal and maybe extra incentive to reenable autorenewal like discounts or extra data. If all you want is to receive phone calls, then you can just ignore all of that. Amaysim deactivate SIMs 1 year from when their plan expires.
So if you were to go through with this, your number will be cancelled in 1 year + 28 days if you disable autorenewal immediately. I'm not aware of any other prepaid telco that allows you to receive calls + texts only with no credit for this long.
For reference, Lycamobile will cancel your number 90 days after your last outgoing call or text (so ~3 months if you call or text on the last day), Catch Connect cancel 186 days from plan expiry(scroll down to page 13, under "(f) Additional period") and Kogan stop letting incoming calls + texts through after 20 days and cancel after 90.