Mobile phones in Australia work more or less the same as in most parts of the world. Networks provide two basic forms of service:

1. Prepay: Buy a sim-card, pay $15 or $30 upfront, start calling till the money is all finished and buy more `recharge`at supermarkets, news agents or online. Drawback is that If you don't have any credit, you can not call. Benefits are that you can better control your cost, start calling rightaway without signing a contract and if you loose your phone, the thief can only call for the amount of minutes left (credit).
2. Plans or Caps, where you sign a contract with a provider and get a number of call-minutes for a fixed price. If you call more than the agreed minutes per month, you pay more. Beneftits are that you never loose the ability to call/use the phone. Drawbacks are that you have less controll over cost and that thiefs can use your phone virtualy unlimited untill you discover the theft and have informed your provider.

 The following list contains links to the main mobile phone networks:

• Vodafone
• Optus
• Virgin Mobile
• Three
• Telstra Bigpond
• Crazy John's Mobile
• Dodo
• Primus
• Soul

 Phone cards,

Phone cards are very popular among international students because they provide the opportunity to call on any landline, against a low rate to your home country. There are numerous cards available and to find the right card is not easy. Please use our forum to ask other students which card is best for your particular country. Remember that the cost is often stated per 30 seconds, that often a start-fee applies.

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