International roaming allows you to use your existing mobile phone and number to make and receive calls and texts when travelling overseas. If your mobile service provider has an agreement with a service provider in the country you are visiting, your mobile is compatible with their network and is equipped with international roaming capability, you will be able to use it as you normally would in Australia.
You will continue to be billed by your home network provider, but the cost of using the overseas network is agreed between your provider and the overseas provider. This cost is passed on to you in your usual bill.
Be warned: using your mobile overseas often costs a lot more than using it at home in Australia and you may come home to find some very expensive mobile bills.
So while it may be convenient to be contactable on your usual mobile number, make sure you understand all the costs and the other alternatives before you decide to use international roaming—don’t let the fine-print cost you!
You usually have to ask your provider to activate the international roaming service. Before you leave Australia, it is important to check whether you mobile will work in the country you are visiting. Your provider must also have an agreement with a local network for you to get mobile service.
Asking a few questions before you leave will help to ensure that you can be contacted on your mobile when you are overseas. Ask your provider whether:
your handset will work in the country or countries you will be visiting
all the features available on your mobile will function while you are travelling
they have an agreement with a network provider in that country or countries
the overseas network provider has coverage in the area of the country you plan to visit?
These questions are important to ensure that your phone will work overseas. Not all handsets will work with the networks in your destination country because technologies can differ.
Also make sure you:
turn off international call barring with your provider
check your phone’s manual to see whether you have to manually ‘log on’ to the network or whether it will automatically scan for service
make sure you know the international format for telephone numbers by adding the international call codes.
International roaming can be expensive and different providers have different billing arrangements. Ask your provider:
if there are any surcharges applied by them or the overseas network
how much it will cost to:
make calls to a number within your destination country
make calls to Australia or any other country
receive calls from a number within the destination country
receive calls from Australia or any other country
send and receive SMS, MMS or email
access the internet and download material to your phone.
Important note: you may be charged for receiving calls at the same rate as making them.
Remember that you may be charged as if you were making an international call on your mobile when you receive a call, as well as any surcharge and timed charges applied by the overseas network for a mobile call made within that country.
You will have to pay charges for:
the international leg of the call from Australia to the country you are visiting
the domestic leg inside that country at the overseas network’s rate.
International roaming can be expensive. The following suggestions can help you to minimise your bill:
Tell your friends and family how much it costs you when they call you overseas.
Use SMS rather than phone calls to keep in contact and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Turn off any voicemail diversions you have, like voice messaging or paging services.
If you miss a call while overseas you will probably be charged international rates for:
receiving the call
having the call diverted back to the message service in Australia
retrieving the message.
Turn your phone off when you are not using it to avoid calls from people who may not realise you are overseas (e.g. dental appointment reminders).
Turn off the 'always on internet' connection service.
Consider setting up unconditional diversion before you depart; this means:
all calls from Australia will go to a message service in Australia and not to your phone, avoiding the international call rates
you can collect these messages when it is convenient for you and return the important calls
Remember, you will be charged roaming rates to retrieve these messages from your mobile phone—as an alternative, ask your provider for the landline number to retrieve your messages.
Can I call someone on their mobile when they are overseas?
You can call someone who is roaming overseas using their usual mobile number, without the need for the international dialling code. You will be charged the usual cost of a call to a mobile within Australia.
Remember that the other person will be charged international call rates.
Contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman on 1800 062 058 if you have an unresolved complaint with your provider about incorrect charging on your mobile bill.
