Do I need an Australian number?

[Anonymous]

I will be staying in Australia for 7 months.

Do I need an Australian number or can I stick with my current UK number?

Thanks.

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

You can use Tugo over wifi and keep your UK number but if you want to use your phone anywhere you will be better off with a local sim for day to day use and retain Tugo for calling home (no charge over wifi for calling UK numbers)

http://www.o2.co.uk/apps/tu-go

[jonsie]

IF on contract then use TU over wifi to use your UK allowances.

Personally I would get the phone unlocked before you go and use a local sim. There aren't the same stringent conditions as in Europe to get a local sim, all you need is a 'passport.

Costs here for O2, no O2 Travel.....

Standard Rates

Our Pay Monthly customers will be charged at the following rate when calling or texting from this country.

Making a local call to landlines or mobiles will always be the same price as calling home when you're abroad.

Sending a picture message costs 25p and it's always free to receive a text.

When in:       Calling:  

Making calls - per minute	80p
Receiving calls - per minute	80p
Sending texts - per message	40p

Cost per MB of using data:

Data usage

£6* Standard Rates Our Pay & Go customers will be charged at the following rate when calling or texting from this country. Making a local call to landlines or mobiles will always be the same price as calling home when you're abroad. Sending a picture message costs 25p and it's always free to receive a text. When in:       Calling:   Landlines - per minute 99p Mobiles - per minute £1.49   Receiving calls - per minute 99p Sending texts - per message 49p Cost per MB of using data: Data usage £6

[Anonymous]

No you can either buy a cheap local phone or if you have an unlocked phone you can put an Australian SIM card in or use TU over a wifi connection otherwise the other option is to pay up your contract 

[jonsie]

Be very careful, data at £6.00/MB with an O2 sim. Having been to Australia a few times, TU over wifi, switch off mobile data and use ONLY wifi I'd you don't have a local sim.

Not sure of the exchange rate now but it's less than 2 dollars to the pound since Brexit killed the exchange rates....

https://www.amaysim.com.au/plans/mobile-plans?gclid=Cj0KEQiAtqHEBRCNrdC6rYq9_oYBEiQAejvRl8D74kxv3SHc...

[Marjo]

@Anonymous Hope the above advice is helpful!

On another note, Australia sounds awesome and to spend several months there must be an amazing experience! Maybe when you're back you can let us know how it was.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the responses.

[Anonymous]

Actually I have another question,

Can I use Tu Go to make/receive calls to/from Australian numbers?

I wento to the link and it only says you can make calls to UK.

[MI5]

You can but you pay the full international rates.

[jonsie]

TU is designed to use your UK allowances over wifi. You will be charged as an international call to Australian numbers. Seems to me you really need an Australian sim and you can also use TU without the O2 sim in the phone for calling and texting family and friends in the UK.