Hello all,

I am going to be hunting in Australia this August. I will be spending the week before the hunt in Carins with family. I will be meeting up with some friends from diferent parts of the states over there.

I would like to have a cell phone to be able to help meet up friend and family should we be off seperate. What cell providers from the US (if any) work down under?? Can I just get a pre paid track phone and use it?? Is there a pre paid track type phone that I can buy in advance (so I will have the number before I go) in Australia?? Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

You'll need a sim card.

Might be easier to buy a phone and be done with it.

Probably easier to get someone if you know anyone to buy it for you in Cairns and leave it at the hotel for you.

Buy a sim card on arival at the airport as long as the phone you have is not locked should be ok, just get prepaid version

Might you need a sat phone if deep in the bush?

Thanks for the replies. I don't care about comms in the bush. Just when in town. I got to see if I can get a throwaway phone in advance so I have the # before I go over.

Honkey

We have a number of different carriers in Aus.

I would buy a Telstra phone.

The other two choices are Optus and Vodafone.

I would not buy a Vodafone.

Thanks!

505:
What's your reasons against vodafone?
Friend in NZ has had one for yrs w/o problems.
Is that different over there maybe?
Thanks for the info, I'm just curious mostly.
George

Coverage, probably.

Oz is quite a bit larger than NZ and Vodafone just doesn't reach those hard to scratch bits .... like my house (I'm with Vodafone and reception is not great here).

quote:

Originally posted by georgeld:
505:
What's your reasons against vodafone?
Friend in NZ has had one for yrs w/o problems.
Is that different over there maybe?
Thanks for the info, I'm just curious mostly.
George

It would be coverage. Telstra in Aust has far more coverage and goes further into the bush than any other carrier.

When I go to NZ I have a Vodaphone I get a prepaid sim card for. Cheaper and easier that way and in NZ Voda phone has the better coverage.

George

The two above answered the question.

I'll add that Vodafone in this country doesn't have that good a reputation.

But coverage is what you need, in Cairns and
when out bush.

Do you guys know if they use telcel at all in Australia?

Not that I have heard.