Cheap Setup for International Travel?

DonWilson on 16/03/2019 - 17:42

Looks like I'm going to be spending a bunch of time in Indonesia in the near future helping set up a business.

Back home in Aus I currently run an uber small sole trader business that requires me to be able to answer and make phone calls pretty much 24/7. Right now I have an old landline that I ported to VoIP currently sitting in SIPTalk and just forwarding all calls to my mobile which is prepaid with Kogan, current prepay running out mid April, no international roaming/pack at the moment.

All of the international roaming options with Aus plans I've seen seem to be pretty expensive to use in this situation so I'm trying to figure out the best way around it.

I'm going to get an Indonesian SIM if only for local calls and internet while I'm there. Probably with Telkomsel because that seems to be the most consistent provider over there.

I need advice on the best method of handling receiving calls to my Kogan mobile and SIPTalk VoIP numbers and making calls to Aussie mobiles and landlines while in Indonesia. I'm fine with switching providers for everything if it gets a better deal. Advice on the Indonesia SIM/plan also welcome.

Mobile

Comments

  • crentist on 17/03/2019 - 01:24

    I haven't used VoIP much, but it sounds like you basically have a VoIP number that is used for calling in and out by your business. The number exists online, not connected to any device. You have set it up to forward to a particular mobile phone number that is not the business number, and you are wondering how to take this mobile number overseas?

    I may have misunderstood, but this seems silly. The online number can be accessed from anywhere in the world, that's one of the benefits of VoIP. Forwarding to a mobile number might be convenient, but you could use the business number directly from any device that can run VoIP software and has internet access, such as a laptop, or even a mobile phone with internet access. You could just set up your phone to log in to SIPTalk directly, and then you wouldn't need to do anything but pop in an Indonesian data sim.

    If you ALSO need the kogan number to work, that's probably much harder. A simple backup plan could simply be to set up a voicemail asking people to dial the other number. Maybe you could try to port this number to SIPTalk or another VoIP?

    • DonWilson on 17/03/2019 - 11:00

      The mobile number is the number people primarily use.

  • Iam12 on 17/03/2019 - 09:16

    Data sim, make a skype number, forward Aus calls to your skype number

    calling to australia is cheap as as well through skype

    https://secure.skype.com/calling-rates?language=en

    • DonWilson on 17/03/2019 - 11:05

      I've had ongoing problems with Skype either draining the battery very quickly or if it isn't just not keeping an active connection open so you can't receive calls. Making calls has been fine but it seems like an unreliable way to receive them. I suppose I'm likely to run into a software problem like that regardless of VoIP provider though, so Skype might be the way forward.

      Not much point getting a data only SIM on top of the Telkmosel one, right?

      • Iam12 on 17/03/2019 - 11:18

        I guess you have to make the best out of a sticky situation. No point in 2 sims yes, just data oriented sim or recharging regularly, powerbank so you don't run out of battery too often etc.

        • DonWilson on 17/03/2019 - 11:52

          Just thinking out loud here. How about this:

          Aus Mobile forwarded to SIPTalk VoIP
          SIPTalk VoIP forwarded to Telkomsel number

          For calls to Telkomsel numbers SIPTalk seems to charge $0.0771 per… uhhh… unknown. Per minute? Possibly $0.0771 USD? Their website isn't great. https://siptalk.com.au/international-rates.php?init=I

          Then from Indo I can call Australia either using the SIPTalk number if I can find out how to set that up on my Android which might take some effort considering how bad the SIPTalk website is and they only seem to have software for Win/OSX. Or buy a Skype pack for outgoings.

          Is there an obvious flaw there? Would forwarding to SIPTalk then chaining that forward on to Telkomsel work?

          • Iam12 on 17/03/2019 - 12:02

            @DonWilson: Not sheriff siptalk rep shilling the company :D Obvious flaw is why go through all the hassle when you could do it in literally minutes through Skype like the rest of the world. Then again you do you boo.

            • DonWilson on 17/03/2019 - 12:10

              @Iam12: Because I've never found Skype reliable for receiving calls. I've frequently had problems after a phone software upgrade or a Skype app upgrade. It burns through battery or it just doesn't receive calls.

              That'd all be fine for going on holiday but this is for receiving work calls that would cost me money to not receive. Like potentially wipe out my business levels of money, if people think I'm not reachable.

  • crentist on 18/03/2019 - 19:28

    One thing you might want to set up ahead of time, is teamviewer or similar on android. If you leave a phone in Aus to receive calls and forward to a voip or skype number, you'll wanna be able to remote control it

  • johnt107 on 23/03/2019 - 21:02
    +1

    If incoming Aus mobile calls are that important just get a mobile plan with included international calls/minutes and forward directly to the Indonesian mobile number. Eg Belong include calls to Indonesia for $10 plus $5 international calling pack. No mucking round with VOIP for the important calls.

    • DonWilson on 27/03/2019 - 17:08

      I had no idea there were any unlimited international call options. This is perfect. Thanks!

    • DonWilson on 27/03/2019 - 19:30

      Mildly concerning thing with Belong - this is their help page on call forwarding: https://www.belong.com.au/support/mobile/manage-service/call…

      Since I know the method of setting up call forwarding varies by carrier (e.g. Telstra is * 21 number # and Optus is * * 21 * number * * rings #) would this mean the call forwarding would require the SIM+phone to be in Australia, with a signal and on to work?

      -edit- oh wait, the Optus version seems to be the same for Telstra. I guess there's no harm in trying Belong for a month and testing it out.

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