Hi OzB brains trust,
I am going overseas for what's expected to be 2 years; would like to know if there are any cheap methods to retain my current mobile phone number until my return.
Thanks!
Mod note: As this is often a recurring topic, with users asking "What is the best long expiry SIM Plan to keep a number on?" this forum topic has now been pinned as a megathread & related topics have been merged.
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I am not sure, but wouldn't prepaid Telstra do the job? Why would they stop SMS being sent to you? As long as you are not sending and just receiving, it shouldn't cost them anything
Have you checked with them ?
Edit:. You are correct, their website explicitly says you cannot use their prepaid service while overseas for anything. Their explanation is so cocky as to why they are removing so many features from prepaid.
Amaysim seems to be the "boost" of Optus. Their plans keep a lot of people happy
Travelling overseas next month, hopefully Boost will work with VoWiFi. I have tested VoWiFi calling in Australia with Airplane mode turned On and only connecting only with WiFi. Both calling and SMS worked over VPN connection to US & UK.
Can you confirm if Boost VoWiFi worked for you?
I am planning to travel overseas for 2 months so wanted to know. I need to be able to make and receive calls while I am overseas. I don't need data as I would have access to WiFi at all times.
Other option that I know is get $40 Vodafone plan and get $5 roaming per day.
I was overseas a few months ago and boost does not work. Aldi Mobile however does
@Chippy47: Did Aldi support SMS receiving without having to pay for roaming? Prepaid or post? Thanks
@TooSerious2: AFAIK, no AU providers charges for SMS reception while roaming. Unless a providers requires that you buy roaming add-ons providers don't charge for roaming just for usage overseas which doesn't include incoming SMS but does include incoming calls and data including data for MMS reception and weirdly calls that are conditionally diverted (e.g. divert to voicemail on no answer.) Aldi is prepaid, so would have roaming available in fewer countries than a postpaid provider.
@TooSerious2: I just used an Aldi $5 prepaid sim. No additional charge for roaming/receiving SMS overseas, you just need to activate roaming on your service:
https://www.aldimobile.com.au/blogs/using-and-managing-your-…
Yes, worked fine in Singapore and India. I could call International numbers for the first couple of days however It got restricted to calls to/from Australia only. SMS worked fine too on Samsung S21.
Another option would be Vodafone prepaid. I.E Pay and Go, where you can get a $30 credit sim card that will last 180 days, this credit can be used to receive/make phone calls as well as to send SMS. Receiving SMS's are free of charge. Once the credit expires, you can continue to use it to receive SMS, not sure how low the number will remain active with Vodafone between recharges, but I believe is 1 year.
The cool thing about this is that is E-SIM compatible, so can be set as a second number/line on a compatible phone.
Link to the Pay and Go information: https://www.vodafone.com.au/prepaid/plans/pay-and-go
Thanks for your comment .Have you tried receiving sms while oversea ?
No problem. Yes, I received SMS while overseas recently with the above mentioned pre paid long expiry sim without any issues for all the usual two factor authentication sites/apps.
not sure how low the number will remain active with Vodafone between recharges, but I believe is 1 year.
Yes, I think it used to be some strange number of days (395?) that's more than 1 year. But a while ago they have shortened it to 120 days: https://www.vodafone.com.au/support/prepaid/transfer-credit
Does anyone know an option where you can receive SMS overseas but also divert calls to another number?
My phone is used for both business and personal use. I need SMS while overseas for personal use (i.e., mobile banking). But I also need to divert calls so that people at work can call me as normal.
For call forwarding I had set up a second Australian number in Skype that I forwarded calls to. As long as I had the Skype app open on my phone, Skype would then ring on my phone overseas as-is they were calling me directly. If the Skype app was closed and/or I wasn't available, I could also receive VM on Skype.
I had done the call-forwarding a few years ago when I was on a long-term Telstra plan. I'm now on pre-paid and haven't been able to find anything that does this and can also receive SMS when I pop the sim.
I guess you are really saying your current provider doesn't offer call forwarding. I don't think Vodafone prepaid is an option. Possibly, you're saying Telstra prepaid isn't either. I have no idea about them. Optus MVNOs do allow it though you should confirm just in case with your chosen provider. Amongst the Optus MVNOs, amaysim would offer you a year of service on PAYG for $10. Another option would be to port your number to a VoIP provider that supports both calls and SMSs to virtual mobile numbers. With a VoIP softphone there would be no forwarding charges. Crazytel is one such provider and they offer voicemail. The numbers works out to be slightly cheaper per month on their Whirlpool DID Saver offer assuming it is still available. You could also consider Crazytel to host your Skype-in number. Their more recent Crazy Saver WP offer reduces the price for geographic 'landline' numbers.
If you don't want to port you'd have to look at a hardware solution where a device receives an incoming mobile call and either makes an outgoing call to wherever that call should be forwarded, probably via VoIP, or acts like a SIP server for VoIP softphones. You'd do something similar for SMS probably converting them to email and using the appropriate email protocols unless you wanted to keep them as SMSs or convert them to another format.
Here's my setup, FWIW.
I'm in Europe and have dual sim phone with local SIM used for everything and Australian Amaysim (PAYG $10/year) used for incoming SMS only, mostly for Internet banking.
For calls I registered account with Crazytel and bough local DID number, $1/month. Then I setup call diversion from Amaysim to Crazytel DID and connected Zoiper Beta client on mobile to Crazytel SIP account (their own SIP client is a spectacular garbage). Incoming calls are not free, you pay 35c/min to Amaysim, but cheaper than direct calls to my mobile in roaming ($1/min to receive call) plus you can easily direct calls where you need them to go in Crazytel interface. You can also use your Crazytel DID landline number for incoming calls. Outgoing calls - you pay Crazytel tariffs only.
For comparison, Optus prepaid direct charges 10¢/min for diversions to AU numbers with no option to divert to international numbers. amaysim appears to allow diversion to international numbers, all diversions have a 20¢/min surcharge applied on top of the (PAYG) calling rate which is where the 35¢/min above comes from.
@Stingo: From https://www.amaysim.com.au/help/mobile/manage-account/manage…
We don’t support call diversions to international numbers.
However they say in other document that diversion to international numbers will be charged according to their roaming fees. Go figure. I don't see any point in diversion to international.
@[Deactivated]: I just looked at their rate table. Admittedly an old copy. Looking at the portal it says Australian numbers only, makes sense given Optus don't allow it for their own direct customers. Looking at the page you linked via web.archive.org amaysim changed their policy between 2018 and 2019. Anyway, its irrelevant to the OP's question.
why not just port your number to Cazytel and bypass call forwarding entirely?
@nsonha: Because I want receive SMS in real time to the phone even if I don't have data connection (have you ever been to the airport that wants send you SMS to allow use Wifi?) and it's $22 a year instead of $95.40. Also Crazytel app does not work well on my S21, it just does not receive calls when it's closed.
@[Deactivated]: good to know, I'm asking because I'm weighting between those options. It sounds like even the call forwarding is pretty useless because you wont likely have the app on when there is a call.
@nsonha: Well, it's my experience and it might work differently on your phone, but on mine Zoiper Beta reliably receives calls (at expense of a quite significant battery drain) and Crazytel's softphone with allegedly push technology doesn't. Don't know why exactly is that.
@nsonha: You don't need to use the Crazytel app or any other app. You could set up the virtual number to forward calls to an overseas number. Likely that would be a better rate than forwarding from an Australian SIM but not necessarily
I've looked at the Amaysim and Optus Flex options and I can't see ANY $1 options for 1 year or $10 options for 1 year? Am I missing something?
@discounthunter2022: Optus Flex is $1/per day. Service expires 186 days after last subscription. Yes, they have stopped advertising the $1/day option but it is still available as a recharge subscription option, Worst case is that you sign up on another plan then change plans. Cheapest is Flex 5G at $2/day or $0 for 7 days on Flex 4G if you opt for an eSIM (change back to a physical SIM after if required) I haven't signed up to amaysim recently but if they no longer offer it for purchase you could use a similar strategy or buy a $2 SIM at the supermarket and see whether you can apply AYG as a recharge.Looking at the site just now, I found a link for it hidden under the students category so you can still sign up directly.
Dead thread, but still applicable… I've been using Aldi mobile. 15 bucks a year, can renew it online. Basically keeps my banking alive while I'm overseas. Works fine. Ridiculously expensive roaming charges, but that's only applicable if you send messages, or receive calls. Been on Aldi for three years overseas, no drama.
I'm currently overseas and coming back to Australia for short trip of 3 days. I'm moving to Canada for a new project and I'll be away for 3 years at least. I want to keep my number active all this time, I'm currently with 50$ Optus plan as it offers me free international roaming but soon I wouldn't need that.
I just need to keep my number active so I can keep getting All the OTPs ( One time passwords for 2FA) and secondly some option to call maybe once in 6 months like having some credit which I can use to call, otherwise I don't need an active plan.
Any recommendations? Thanks in Advance
Aldi PAYG? $5 for 365 days, top up if you ever use it?
unfortunately Aldi "Excludes all use overseas." - no otp sms delivered
try https://www.amaysim.com.au/plans/mobile-plans/as-you-go/
$10 inc. renewals each year
Wow, I didn't knew about that! Perfect
SMS Send 50c/each Receive Free
Calls Make $1.00/min Receive $1.00/min
unfortunately Aldi "Excludes all use overseas." - no otp sms delivered
That is a weird way of you interpreting "Excludes all use overseas."
That is supposed to mean mobile plan inclusions excludes overseas use. Any overseas use will deduct from payg credit.
For the record , yes you can receive sms (no cost) and send sms (with cost) whilst roaming overseas.
Aldi does accept SMS/OTP for free while roaming overseas. I’ve been doing it for several years.
Optus - both with roaming included
Optus Flex E-sim (subscribe for the day plan at $1, then cancel - number stays active for 6 months free with inbound roaming activated) - subscribe via the app
Amaysim 10$/year esim - on their website
Telstra any prepaid or boost - vowifi activated overseas allowing you to call/receive - send/receive sms - on telstra website
Does it mean you can subscribe for $1 every six months and keep doing it indefinitely?
Yes - I have this since they released Optus Flex and works great !
Thanks for the different options. I have been looking for this info since I am having issues receiving SMS's on my overseas number from NAB (worked fine before).
I just wanted to add that I have Aldi Moibile number (got it recently from OZ) and my wife has been using Aldi Mobilefor years overseas with no issues. Recently the Wifi Calling option popped up on my phone (Galaxy S22 Ultra) and it seems I can make and receive calls at local rate (haven't tested it properly yet).
I wanted to get an esim to not free a sim slot and be able to get a new sim if anything happens and I loose the sim. downloaded the Amaysim app and got a number. I have not been able to get Wifi calling. I spoke to the guys over the chat and they said VOLTE and VOWIFI are actitve. I don't know if it's a matter of time.
Has anyone been able to get the Wifi Calling working on Amaysim by any chance?
Unfortunately, VOLTE/VOWIFI are not activated overseas for Optus-based carriers.
It still works using roaming.
What you could try is set-up a modem with a built-in VPN to Australia and connect the phone to it to see if Optus allows vo-wifi on it - but unsure.
Best bet is to use Telstra Prepaid / Boost or a Telstra MVNOs for vowifi when overseas.
Telstra somewhat restricts vowifi overseas for mvnos (all except boost and telstra's own prepaid and postpaid services) (can't receive calls on vowifi - you can just call) —
Can I make a Wi-Fi voice call from overseas?
'Yes, but only Wi-Fi voice calls from overseas back to Australia will be permitted. These calls will be charged at the Australian Domestic rate.'
@parisian: I do have an OZ VPN AP at home but it didn't work either. I must add that my Aldi Mobile was activated in Australia and it is a normal sim card and the Amaysim is an esim activated overseas and never used in Australia (I was actually surprised that I was able to activate it directly from here).
I can also confirm that yesterday I asked my friend to call me while I was connected to Vowifi and spent about 40m talking and it did not cost anything and was just like a normal call. I think Aldi Mobile is probably the best since you can receive and call using wifi calling + SMS. I only wanted the esim one so hopefully they will start supporting this option soon
Is there anything in particular that has to be activated for Amaysim or Optus Flex to receive SMS internationally? Does that mean that when you're overseas and have dual sim in your phone you could have the aus sim just set to receive calls and messages and leave it on and have a local (ie. UK) sim to also receive calls, making calls and data? I'm heading over to the UK soon and wondering what is best pracitse.
Is there anything in particular that has to be activated for Amaysim or Optus Flex to receive SMS internationally?
You might need to turn on International Roaming. Check the respective portal for the current setting.
Does that mean that when you're overseas and have dual sim in your phone you could have the aus sim just set to receive calls and messages and leave it on and have a local (ie. UK) sim to also receive calls, making calls and data?
Incoming doesn't require any special set up other than possibly enabling roaming on the phone itself. Dual SIMs all have some mechanism(s) for choosing which SIM is used for outbound traffic. If you want more protection there is outbound call barring but I suspect Optus don't support that, alternatively Optus do support fixed dialling which will restrict calls on that SIM to a list you have entered plus AU emergency numbers. Your phone probably has some way of restricting mobile data usage but if it is not per SIM you could ask amaysim/Optus to disable internet. Once upon a time at least this was the default.
I'm heading over to the UK soon and wondering what is best pracitse.
You should disable conditional diversions e.g. divert if unanswered. Either set up an unconditional diversion to voicemail (or an Australian VoIP virtual number) or have no diversions. Some phones apparently can be set to use different ring tones depending on which SIM is used for an incoming call. That seems a good idea to set up if you choose to receive incoming calls on your Australian SIM.
BTW, you might check out the eSIM.me if your phone is an Android one and does not support eSIM. eSIM is one way of making sure you have SIM before you arrive and some offers are eSIM only. The eSIM.me does not work with providers who require you to use their app to provision the eUICC. Use their app to check phone compatibility do not trust their model specific pages for compatibility information.
Which option on the Optus Flex page is this?
I assume you subscrube to the 7BG / 7 days (Free 7-day trial) option?
Optus no longer offers the $1/day for new customers.
You can still do the same method with the $7/1 week option.
@parisian: OK thanks. So you'd just get this $7/1 week SIM and then just before the 6 month period is up, add $1 credit to the account and keep doing so every 6 months?
@mikeadwell: There's a posting on Whirlpool that $7/7 days is the minimum subscription for new customers on Flex 4G so it can't be recommended any more for low cost number parking.
@parisian: Given that there are ongoing $10/365 day offers from the likes of amaysim and Lebara (standard plan) Optus Flex @ $14/year only makes sense if your annual spend with the other providers would be $14 or more and concentrated within 2 7 days periods 186 days apart. There's also Aldi's offer of $5 for the first year/$15 ongoing. Ideally, pick a provider that you want to use when you resume active use so you can make use of the credit from recharges already applied and rolled over. If there is no intention of doing that providers that take a long while to expire accounts after credit has expired can be considered. Do any of the repeated free monthly/cash back provider offer reasonable account expiry periods and overseas SMS delivery after credit has lapsed without purchase of a roaming pack? If you're OS you'd probably also want one that supported eSIM.
@Stingo: Oh absolutely!
Optus Flex's advantage is that when you stop topping up your service, the line stays active albeit restricted for 186 days - (great to receive SMS overseas).
Now that the min recharge is 7$ - their offer is less attractive for new customers - 7x more expensive on a 2 recharges/year pattern.
I'd pay a bit more to be on Telstra Prepaid or Boost - allowing free wifi calls and sms to Australia with voWIFI if I was to be away from Australia for a while.
I haven't investigated Felix but apparently is a great offer overseas if the line is paused in Australia + a roaming pack is activated.
I'd pay a bit more to be on Telstra Prepaid or Boost - allowing free wifi calls and sms to Australia with voWIFI if I was to be away from Australia for a while.
Your usage might be sufficient to justify the higher flat pricing. I would just use a VoIP VSP for outgoing usage. Most of them are able to make calls or send texts presenting your Australian mobile number or any other number once verified. For receiving calls over WiFi or forwarded to a foreign number a cheaper "local" (geographic) number will often suffice. If an Australian M(V)NO with cheap forwarding to Australian numbers exists you have the elements of a cheap roaming solution. With high forwarding costs it might be cheaper just to port the number to a VSP or pay for roaming. It's a personal matter whether going from a plan with $0/month charge to one with a higher monthly charge with international VoWiFi is worthwhile. Successfully, fooling the other carriers that you were still in Australia might work out cheaper though.
Optus Flex to receive texts as above. If you want to make calls or send SMS from OS use an Australian VoIP provider that will allow you to use a verified Australian number if that's what you want displayed to avoid buying to roaming credit from Optus. Crazytel is cheap. They also have a Whirlpool offer if you want a cheap(er) AU virtual landline number for people to call but their regular offer has cheaper call rates to mobiles.
Optus flex no longer do the $1 per day. Bummer. Do you now what is next best?
Probably amaysim AYG or the Lebara standard plan if you prefer cheaper data than cheaper calls both are $10/year.
Still Amaysim for keeping number active while overseas (and receive OTP’s)?
Optus roaming can be a bit hit and miss it seems. Lebara and Aldi would be worth considering. Check which supposedly cover the countries you'll be visiting. amaysim customer service is probably better than Lebara's. I've no idea how Aldi's compares for customer service. Aldi and other Telstra MVNOs have the benefit that the service can be used for OS via VoWiFi with a compatible phone so not only would you be able to receive SMS via VoWiFi when in a country where Telstra has no roaming you can use the service for calls and texts just as if you are in Australia when you are not roaming either by configuration or situation via WiFi or possibly via the mobile data of a another SIM in some phones. Aldi PAYG is $5/year more expensive than the Lebara or amaysim equivalents plus another $5 for the initial 60 days with the SIM.
any suggestions for the most economical eSIM option to keep a mobile number active long-term, mostly to be used for receiving ota codes for logging into banks, social media accounts etc. also receiving calls.
thanks
Amaysim $10 starter pack
Didn't realise Amaysim does e-sims?
yep, i have one… $10 per year.
literally from their website
Can I use an amaysim eSIM with my wearable or smartwatch?
Not yet, but watch this space. Or better yet, follow us on our social channels to stay up to date with new announcements.
Please don't think you know better than everyone just because you can read a website. Sometimes they are wrong.
I'm stuck choosing between amaysim, boost, and woolworths at the moment. I'm mostly inner metro so not too fussed about Telstra vs Optus coverage, just want the easiest/most flexible deal
Catch? <$100 a year
Or you mean just for incoming calls like OP?
The cheapest 365 day expiry amaysim plan seems to be $170. Kogan also do esim and the small 365 day pack is only $120
The cheapest 365 day expiry amaysim plan seems to be $170.
Nope. Pay as you Go is $10 per year.
Fair enough. I didn't look hard enough on the website. Just those little links at the bottom of each plan page to the payg plan.
Definitely is the best option then and one I'll probably use in the future
@quietsarcasm: I use it mainly for receiving calls on a second number on my phone.
Best part is that your credit rolls over if you top up before it expires so currently have around $100 in call credits on that number.
If you want to use it to make calls, you can switch to the 'Talk and text only' plan.
$60 per year, unlimited talk and text (but no data)
@jv: I'd probably use it in a similar way to you just to continue receiving verification texts overseas
Amaysim have a $60/365 day plan that includes unlimited national calls and SMS (and like all Amaysim plans is available as an esim). Comes with zero data, but it suits me fine given my other SIM has a data plan,
$20 for a Vodafone prepaid starter pack (nominal $40) , activate on "pay and Go", valid 12 months, then convert to eSim.
$15 at Coles.
edit: I just check Amaysim, and that looks much easier than I thought. Just download the app and purchase an eSIM for $10, valid 1 year.
Advantage of Voda is 1GB data ($40 credit / 4c/MB) , but you don't seem to be able to buy from app.
Vodafone online chat activated a new mobile number with my $40 starter pack. However, they said no way to convert to esim nor get the QR code as it is not a postpaid service and also told me that I must pay extra for Numbersync.
The starter pack was purchased from Big W, so no way of refunding back through Big W. They ended up issuing $40 credit to the new mobile number so that I can port over my existing mobile number in order to use that $40 credit. Hopefully, the $40 credit will still be there when my existing mobile number with belong expires in few weeks time.
I did try asking Vodafone either post me a replacement starter pack or refund $40 to my bank account, however they denied both requests.
Wasted me hours!
All you had to do was google.
https://www.vodafone.com.au/support/device/replace-sim
You do need postpaid for numbersync, but thats a whole other thing. A regular esim and prepaid works on phone or android watch.
@bargaino: Vodafone told me the only way is numbersync, otherwise it wouldn't work.
What method did you use?
Fyi, my mobile phone is not esim compatible, hence I want the esim to connect straight to my Samsung Watch 6.
If you didn't need an existing number ported, I wonder if an international eSIM might work?
https://my.bnesim.com/pricing_ext.php
$40 for 3Gb of data isn't too bad when you consider it's offering unlimited expiry. I'm curious if this might work on say a smartwatch if you don't need the app. Amaysim won't issue a QR code so their app is the only way to activate and thus won't work on a smartwatch.
I am very curious if there are other international eSIMs that might be better value…
Interesting. Would save porting to a new starter-pack every 12 months.
But on a watch, you really want to be able to receive (diverted) incoming calls, and make the occasional outgoing, no?
Something like that would be good for remote sensing, trackers, etc, if only they took eSIM.
I was just needing data-only for fall detection alerts etc, for my particular use case. Even then it'd only be when out of wifi range AND phone range, which is very rare nowadays. An M2M SIM with like 20Mb of data would be ideal, but I don't really need a fleet of 100 of them to meet the minimum quantity!
Wouldn't want to make any actual calls from a smartwatch as you'd drain the battery in minutes I'd think.
@Switchblade88: another option, which provides QR code for watch, (not Apple) in case you missed it:
https://www.lebara.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Lebara-…
I don't really understand… can I activate any eSim in a smartwatch?
For example looking at the amaysim website it is stated:
Can I use an amaysim eSIM with my wearable or smartwatch?
Not yet, but watch this space. Or better yet, follow us on our social channels to stay up to date with new announcements.
can I activate any eSim in a smartwatch?
No.
Can I use an amaysim eSIM with my wearable or smartwatch?
Maybe. You'll find instructions for Samsung watches on this forum.
I actually risked it this morning, purchased a pay as you go amaysim eSIM and activated it on my google pixel watch. It worked well and Im pretty stoked actually.
Now I m trying to understand whats the best way to redirect calls to the watch when the phone is off (easy) and when the watch is not connected to the phone bluetooth (not sure it can be done) - in alternative Ill simply redirect the call to the watch when unanswered.
@liongalahad: Cool. Did you need to activate hidden features like on Samsung?
For divert on loss of bluetooth, you could probably use a 3rd party automation app, e.g. Macrodroid. But that assumes you are wearing the watch at all times, and it is on. Maybe possible to check that Android Wear is still connected, but not by BT.
@bargaino: no it just worked fine from the get go, just scanned the qr code through the Pixel watch app and it just worked.
Ive been trying using Tasker, Ive set up call forwarding to my watch number when my number is unreachable and got tasker to put my phone in airplane mode (except for bluetooth) when my watch disconnects from it (and vice versa upon reconnection). Everything was working as planned and I was so excited until I have tested it and found out stupid Kogan does not allow any kind of call forwarding. So basically I have no way to forward calls to my watch in any ways. Damn Kogan I want to leave them so much, if only I didnt just renewed the 365 day plan literally 2 weeks ago!! aaargh
My son is travelling to Europe for an extended period (8-10 months) next month and will buy local SIM cards whilst overseas. His current Australian phone plan is an annual plan with Kogan which will expire in July.
Thanks in advance.
What is the best (most economical) way of keeping this account open, so that he retains his Australian phone number during his absence?
Amaysim…
$10 PAYG plan… Lasts 12 months.
Any suggestions for any Aust mbl plan that will allow his Aust SMS msgs to be forwarded to an overseas SIM service?
Also you can port to ALDI mobile's PAYG plan - a year for $5 iirc. I guess they'd charge for sms forwarding though
Cheapest is Amaysim $10 PAYG for 12 months. I use this on a second cheap phone I keep as a spare.
You shouldn't need any forwarding service, i know Telstra (and i suspect any other phone provider with roaming - but confirm this with your chosen provider) doesn't charge for receiving sms messages while overseas.
Recently on an overseas trip I used local eSims, and then kept my telstra sim in the phone to receive texts from my australian number
Edit: ozbargain comments suggest Amaysim supports receiving Sms messages while overseas for free.
I want to keep my current number but don't need to use it for at least a month.
I plan to port out to a $2 SIM (Optus, Vodafone, Amaysim, etc.) before next billing cycle, and port out to another SIM in a month time. Will this plan work? How long will the number stay before Telco disconnect it? Cannot find them sold online, cannot find any information on the websites.
Just chatted with Vodafone online. One said 7 days, the other said 90 days. So confused.
Lebara have $4 sim card with credit at Woolies/Coles all the time, get one and you'll have credit for the next month, and 2 months grace period. that'll last you almost 90 days.
Most $2 SIM cards require you to part with more money during the activation process. One of the few exceptions is a Telstra $2 SIM; scroll down past the plans offered and select "Continue without recharging". It'll warn you that you won't be able to make calls (well, duh, although you can call 1800 numbers), and that you'll only be able to receive calls and text messages for seven days. The latter rarely seems to be enforced and you'll typically have six months, but YMMV.
As for Lebara, my local Coles (Chisholm, ACT) doesn't have the $14.90 starter packs for $4 at this point in time, but they do have the $24.90 starter packs for $6. Alternatively, they also have the Vodafone $10 starter packs for $4.
I think I also read somewhere on here (but I can't find it now) that a Lebara $2 SIM can be activated without adding additional funds if you call them up rather than doing it online, and those SIM's are currently $1 at my local Coles.
Can't find another OZBer who is equal or more dedicated. I can't be bothered to contact CS, just spend a few dollars on a proper plan for a starter cycle.
If Telstra always has their $2 starter SIM, is there any benefit to not just using Telstra? I just want to port out so I can reconnect to Boost and I don't want to have to pay more to add credit or talk to customer service. I only plan on doing this at most once a year.
Edit: I realised that porting out and back to Boost will require me to switch networks so Telstra SIM won't work. I guess I need to try Lebara or Vodafone
It seems you are on a Boost 12 mths plan. Work out what's the cost per month and then pick a 28 day starter plan at the close cost as the transitional period, e.g. the same network Telstra 28 day $35 starter pack for $15 or $17. I don't think there's an issue from Telstra to Boost and pointless to buy this $2 SIM in most cases.
@G-Bard: Hey @yao1993 would you be able to let me know if receiving SMS on Wi-fi calling worked as well ?