Porting While Overseas

LJoeyJoeJoe on 28/04/2016 - 13:34

I've recently entered the world of porting between discounted starter SIM packs. In fact, I just took advantage of the latetst $15 for the $30 Telstra starter pack at Woolies (bought 5 of them). I'm currently on Amaysim PAYG.

My question relates to porting while overseas. I expect to be overseas when it's time for me to port, which I can't see as a problem since porting is now a fully automated system online via various Telco/reseller activation portals. But if I do so while overseas, does this pose a problem? Since I may be roaming on a local provider's network, does this impact the process?

And finally, I've read in other threads that it seems to be smoother and much faster to port from different major carriers, as opposed to within the same major carrier. In that case, to activate each of my Telstra prepaid SIMs at expiry, should I just get any Optus/Voda $2 prepaid SIM? Does everyone else just buy them from a supermarket or dept store?

Mobile

Comments

  • pyramid on 28/04/2016 - 13:37

    I suspect porting won't work while overseas. For example, you are on voda n roaming in US and you request to port to Telstra. But telstra Sim is not on roaming as yet since it's not activated. So porting will fail as your overseas network won't identify telstra Sim.

  • Diji1 on 28/04/2016 - 14:02

    Not sure about overseas but …

    I've read in other threads that it seems to be smoother and much faster to port from different major carriers, as opposed to within the same major carrier. In that case, to activate each of my Telstra prepaid SIMs at expiry, should I just get any Optus/Voda $2 prepaid SIM? Does everyone else just buy them from a supermarket or dept store?

    You cannot number port to a SIM with the same carrier so it must be from a different carrier. Any Australian provider will work. If you haunt Kmart mobile section they sometimes clear out $2 SIM cards for ridiculous prices like $0.05. Ensure you check the expiry dates although all providers are moving to no expiry as I understand it. Otherwise any $2 SIM is fine: there is a $1 vodafone sim but I forget where it is.

  • geek001 on 28/04/2016 - 17:05

    Hmmm.. I have had the exact same situation before. I ended up didn't port out till I came back from overseas, as I won't be using my phone plan while overseas anyway. So why not stretch it out and only port over when you come back?

    One time when I was porting into Telstra, I was waiting for the email from Telstra saying that I have been ported over, but it never came. It only came when I put in my new sim into my phone. This could happen to you when you come back, which is not a problem as such, just something to be aware of.

    I still have a bunch of Telstra $30 sims and Optus $30 sims from last year. I think I should be good to port between them till the end of this year.

  • jpv on 28/04/2016 - 18:52

    Porting should take 7 minutes but can take longer depending on the time. As long as you have the sim with you while you are overseas, it should be seamless. You may have to activate international roaming which can be done online.

    You shouldn't port numbers over in a short period of time as it can cause errors. If you port out too quickly, the Telcos will not have you in the system correctly and may not activate your sim properly.

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