[Hack] Make & Receive Australian Mobile Calls When Overseas at a Vastly Reduced Rate via Skype (Mobile Roaming Not Required)

LMotek Benzona on 25/08/2022 - 18:56
Last edited 25/08/2022 - 19:43 by 2 other users

Moved to Forum: Original Link

I just posted this as an answer to a question but its such a cheap hack I'll make an actual thread about it.

It's complicated but cheap to keep your current number active when overseas IF you want to make calls as well as get SMS messages.

You do not need roaming to work for this, in fact for voice and data you can disable it totally if you want before you leave (I kept mine open so I can receive SMS which is free to receive)

Here is what i do IF you need to make calls as well as receive SMS.

  1. Buy a virtual Skype number for one month (aussie one) There are cheaper but I use Skype anyway ($9.02 a month, cheaper if you get it for longer)
  2. Buy a xxx minutes pack for Australia (depending on what you need for the time you are away)
  3. Buy an xxx minutes pack for the country you are visiting (same as above)
    The first pack you buy has a 30 day free trial, so you only pay for one. ( I have 300 minutes for $6.99 to both countries)
  4. When you are at the airport divert ALL calls from your mobile plan to your skype number (the one you paid for)
  5. Buy a local sim on landing ( I pre bought mine on Klook and picked up in Phuket airport 2 x $8)
  6. Divert all your Skype calls via the app to your overseas local number (set the delay to 1 second)

  7. If you have an eSIM make sure you choose the physical sim you insert to be the default for calls messages and data

    Once you do this all calls to your actual mobile will get diverted to your skype number via your service provider then to your local overseas number via skype at the same time and will ring on your handset on the sim you buy when you arrive

  8. Make all calls back to Oz with Skype (enable caller ID and use your aussie number if you want)

It's a very cheap option and beats $5 or $10 a day roaming hands down when going overseas for more than a few days and it beats those SIMs you can buy for whole region access too IF you are going away for more than a few days Outbound calls are dependent on Wi-Fi or data, inbound are not.

The divert to the local number is needed as when you do not have Wi-Fi or data you will still get the calls AND even if you have data it uses none

I have 4 weeks in Thailand right now and i think the whole 4 weeks cost me about $40 or so to set up and it works perfectly including the local Thai sim. If I need to send SMS I can buy another $5 of credit on Skype but who on earth sends SMS anymore? I just receive them and its free, my divert ALL CALLS with Vodafone is free as well. I have been doing it for over 10 years

Don't bow down to outrageous roaming prices if you are going on a decent break. I need to make and receive calls from my Aussie number and with Vodafone it would have been 23 x $5.

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Comments

  • YeemaiI on 25/08/2022 - 18:59

    ill make an actual thread about it.

    This is a deal post

    • Motek Benzona on 25/08/2022 - 19:10
      +1

      1st real starter post and i got it wrong, its been moved by mods

  • Munki Kundi on 25/08/2022 - 18:59

    Terrific! Thanks heaps

  • pennypincher98 on 25/08/2022 - 18:59

    This is great and all, but don't quite a few plans have unlimited/high cap of international messaging/calls these days? Guess if you're not on one of them it's worthwhile, but then again if you're only paying $10/month it's unlikely you'd pay $10 a day roaming.

    Besides, aren't you on holiday? Who you gonna call? (besides ghostbusters)

    • Motek Benzona on 25/08/2022 - 19:11

      Im here for 4 weeks, have quite a few calls to make or return

    • PhilToinby on 25/08/2022 - 19:14

      I use Boost which includes unlimited calls to about 20 different countries (including Thailand), so if you're travelling to any of those you can just use call forwarding to your local SIM, and bypass Skype

      Disclaimer : You might need to know the phone number you are forwarding before you leave…if you have an existing local SIM then it's easy

  • Cucumber123 on 25/08/2022 - 19:01
    +6

    Cheap way to to do it if your Australian phone number is important I guess.

    But you’re on holidays.. Just get the local sim at the airport, pay for some data and use FaceTime or whatever other app to talk to people.
    I can’t think of a time when Ive been overseas and wanted to make an actual phone call. If someone calls your Aussie mobile number.. too bad!

    • bobbified on 25/08/2022 - 20:02
      +2

      The only time you may need your aussie number active is if you need to login something with 2FA (via SMS).

  • Raj09 on 25/08/2022 - 19:02

    Beautiful. Thank you. That would have been helpful few months back. I'll save for next trip

  • President Bartlett on 25/08/2022 - 19:03
    +1

    This deserves to be a deal.

  • tp0 on 25/08/2022 - 19:06
    +1

    There's much easier ways to achieve this.

    eg: on Telstra or Boost you can make and recieve calls/SMS over a second SIM's data connection using Voice/SMS over WiFi.

    • djones145 on 25/08/2022 - 21:09

      don't we all have butlers? I left it with Jennings when I went on my world tour
      he answered my calls

      can just leave phone with family member or friend and they can help with 2FA

  • Motek Benzona on 25/08/2022 - 19:08

    Not everyone is with them though
    My vodafone is $5 a day
    My wifes Optus is $10 a day (old plan) and even the new ones are $5 a day

    If you can get it cheaper i would go for it.

  • AustriaBargain on 25/08/2022 - 19:29

    You still need to pay data charges right? If you're just calling friends and family you may as well use Facebook messenger call feature, or FaceTime, or anything like that. If you need to call a business in Australia or someone you don't have social details for/who doesn't own an iPhone, then this might be useful.

    • Motek Benzona on 25/08/2022 - 19:36

      My local thai sim included 15gb for 14 days ( i topped up) and had free social media use that did not count. I included this in my $40 price

  • TThomas on 25/08/2022 - 19:36
    +2

    This fits me perfectly, I have been working overseas and could only receive calls when I had my phone connected to WiFi. I already have a SIM so now I can just receive calls to my skype number wherever I am.

    And sounds like I don't need skype credits/minutes to receive calls, just to make calls?

    • Motek Benzona on 25/08/2022 - 19:40
      +1

      You need skype minutes for the country you are in IF you divert your calls to a local number (which sounds like you need to do) but NOT if you just rely on Skye (then you wont get the calls if you have no wifi or data)

      1st "pack" is "free" for 30 days on most subscriptions

      I have 300 minute to Australia $6.99 (to return calls)
      and 300 minutes to thailand $6.99 (but it was free, to receive calls and bypass the Skype app)

      Unlimited is $13.99 a month but 300 min is 5 hours and that is plenty

      • TThomas on 25/08/2022 - 19:49

        Thanks mate that's awesome. I'm just going to use the Skype app and data on my local SIM rather than forward it to my OS number.

        I might start putting my Skype number on my work email signature so people call me on that from now on.

  • BJReplay on 25/08/2022 - 19:55
    +1

    If you can't use WiFi calls (with Boost, for example) this is a great option. With Boost, grab a local data only SIM (or even better a cheap eSIM) for data, and you're set for calls and SMS just like you're at home. Just used this all over the world on Boost and it was great. But travelling with people who were on Optus, even though they could - in theory - enable WiFi calls, it didn't work.

    I also used the Skype 60 minutes free to around 60-odd countries that comes with Microsoft Office Family for a few calls to the countries not covered by Boost for a few calls that I needed to make to overseas numbers, so Skype credit is useful.

    Facetime / WhatsApp is great for friends and family, but if you have to call businesses / hotels / car-hire etc. sometimes you need to be able to call real numbers, and that's when paying $40 bucks for a month of calls is a lot better than $5 or $10 a day!

    Great post OP.

    • afoveht on 25/08/2022 - 20:38

      Sorry can you please clarify how. You have 2 sims, use boost for calls, the local one for data, and it automatically does WiFi calling via the local network?

      • BJReplay on 27/08/2022 - 19:04

        WiFi via data via the local network, yes.

  • bobokingdom on 25/08/2022 - 21:48
    +1

    Telstra also has VoWIFI. I disabled Roaming before leaving for overseas , then as soon as the Phone can find a WIFI, it can receive and make Australian Calls and receive and send SMS.

    • President Bartlett on 25/08/2022 - 22:16

      Yeah, with Belong, and I received a text on the airplane (domestic). Airplane mode was on, but connected to in-flight wifi. Was confuzzled for a bit.

      • bobokingdom on 26/08/2022 - 08:52

        Just a reminder for everyone who wants to use VoWIFI, the phone has to be on the "approved" list before it will connect. For example, here is the list from Telstra: https://www.telstra.com.au/support/mobiles-devices/telstra-w…

        • BJReplay on 27/08/2022 - 19:05

          Nope, used to be true, no longer. I think that went out the window with bushfires, floods and COVID

        • BJReplay on 28/08/2022 - 09:51

          I can confirm that OnePlus 5 and OnePlus 6T both worked fine on VoWiFi and both are definitely not on the approved list.

  • El cheepo on 25/08/2022 - 23:37
    +1

    Amazingly specific niche post. I was actually trying to think of ways to do this and hadn’t got around to researching it and you just dropped it into my lap.

    Thank you good sir.

  • idonotknowwhy on 26/08/2022 - 00:02

    Bookmarked this for next year when the 3G networks shut down (local telcos didn't whitelist my phone for VoLTE).
    Edit: Does this work for SMS?

    • Motek Benzona on 26/08/2022 - 00:38

      you can receive sms if you have roaming on for free but if you want to reply to them you have to via skype and need extra credit for that.

  • solace on 10/01/2023 - 12:23

    Tried this for SMS 2-Factor authentication purposes. Diverted an Optus MMO to a Skype number which forwarded voice calls but no luck with SMS.
    https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA34884/how-do-i-receive-sm…
    Don't think this works for SMS as OP suggests based on the Skype FAQ, only US Skype numbers can receive SMS

    • Motek Benzona on 10/01/2023 - 14:56

      You receive SMS on your phone with your normal sim with roaming switched on (no data, no charge) and you reply via the skype app after buying an extra bit of credit for SMS and choose to show your number as your actual aussie mobile number.

      It works 100%. This is not really part of the hack as it is free to receive SMS on roaming anyway, just an add on.

      • solace on 11/01/2023 - 08:19
        +1

        Thanks - Vaya (Optus) does not have international roaming but on reading your original post this wasn't clear.
        It should perhaps read for voice calls only, SMS needs international roaming

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