Use of phone in Australia and contract

[LIW88]

Hello!

I'm currently living in Australia but plan to return to UK . I have an Australian phone but need to keep UK phone to . Whilst back on UK in January I upgraded my phone and was told contract was the same and I would continue to be able to use my UK phone without additional charges. However, since returning to Australia this is not the case and I was charged £21 to make a UK call. From my own research it looks like I need to change my contract to unlimited SIM only and it includes use in Australia. To do this I need to pay off device before I can change which will be £500 . Before I do this is this the only way I can change my contract? Is there a way without paying off device too? I'd rather continue paying it monthly rather than upfront.  I'm paying £40 per month and not able to use my UK phone .

Thanks 

Thanks 

[pgn]

If you bought from O2 direct, you will be on a Refresh tariff, with separate device and airtime components.

Have you tried to flex up your tariff? https://www.o2.co.uk/refresh/flexible-tariffs

Also roaming limits you to 63 days of use outside the UK then you need to pay for calls or be back in the UK for a period of time with (some months, I think?) the phone on O2's network, to reset your roaming allowance. There is no way around this that I can see.

The info on what options you have available to you are here, if you choose Australia as your destination:   https://www.o2.co.uk/international/using-your-phone-abroad

Take note of the section in the Roaming in the UK (or anywhere now, really) called "roaming limit". There is no easy way to use a UK contract phone on O2 outside of the UK for any longer than about 63 days before O2 will start to charge you, @LIW88.

[Enlli]

Well an O2 Travel Bolt On would cost £7 a day, but only on  the days you used it. 

Suppose you could keep it switched off on the days not needed.

I assume you are on a Flex tariff the £40  your handset so your total loss is really just the airtime element of that.

So maybe Flex to the lowest tariff that will allow O2 Travel.

But as stated O2 can charge if you go over the permitted roaming period.