I am having to change my phone plan and as I have always been with telestra since being on the road and am looking at other options.
Is anyone using Optus? We need coverage for NSW,QLD and WA
Apparently Optus has a new phone out that is so much better with calls and data.
One phone will be telestra and the other will be Optus? Not confirmed.
Could I have feed back please as I have to make a decision by Friday as our plans run out.
I am open to prepaids or a plan.
if you can let me know where you are and what carrier you are using.
Thanks Sue
Grey fox said
10:27 PM Nov 9, 2015
Hi Sue.
In our case we have both, wife has optus works well at home and have better plan incl nbn, keep my mobile with telstra for travelling have a modified S4 with external antenna on roof of tug signal most places mind you some places there are none.
BT
Peter_n_Margaret said
10:43 PM Nov 9, 2015
Boost which is Telstra.
Cheers,
Peter
Meredith said
12:40 AM Nov 10, 2015
Telstra, or Boost which is the only other company that uses their full coverage system, has by far the best coverage. But depending on where you are travelling you may not find it an issue. In WA Optus coverage is basically limited to the south west. Take a look at the coverage maps from https://www.telcoantennas.com.au/site/coverage-checker-all-australian-networks to see if the Optus coverage will work for you. It wouldn't be any use for us for much of our travels so we have stayed with Telstra
Desert Dweller said
05:37 AM Nov 10, 2015
If you travel extensively Telstra are still the best option. At the present time they are anyway.
Ozzie_Traveller said
06:41 AM Nov 10, 2015
G'day Sue
Like others here we use both systems
we are NSW home based, and do 75% of our touring thru eastern Oz
We have Optus as their rates offer is more suited to us that Telstra
We also have a Telstra fone with the $140 x 12 months pre-paid deal
We find that wherever we pull up at night -
Optus has about 90% coverage of those places
Telstra has about 90% coverage of those places
but - often one gets a signal and the other does not get a signal ... ie: carrier priorities etc
thru the day as one goes thru towns, it's a 50/50 bet as to who has coverage
It is a different matter west of Longreach and across to Broome
Telstra has 90% coverage again
Optus has 50% coverage - more of the big towns
However, the Telstra coverage disappears once you've hit the 100km/h speedo sign, not to be seen until you meet the next 60 km/h sign
Phil
NeilandRaine said
07:35 AM Nov 10, 2015
Just because your plan has run out doesn't mean you have to get a new plan. If you are happy with what you have just keep going and change nothing
Krusty said
08:47 AM Nov 10, 2015
I've got the $50 a month 8GB unlimited phone and SMS plan. No problems with coverage. I only travel along the coast of QLD and NSW though.
sandsmere said
09:01 AM Nov 10, 2015
We do a lot of outback travelling. I don't like Telstra, but their coverage is much better than any others in remote areas.
TommyG said
11:37 AM Nov 10, 2015
We just did a 9 month trip around Australia using Telstra (not a fan) mostly good reception and in many places where you wouldn't think there would be service.
We frequently noticed other people in frustration trying to get a signal. If we asked them often the answer was they were using Optus or Virgin.
We reckon the best Telstra deal is the $140 X 12 months deal.
gollymolly said
07:45 PM Nov 10, 2015
Thanks everyone for your contribution, gives me a better idea.
delatite said
09:49 PM Nov 10, 2015
Check out the Aldi sim card. Very competitive and uses the Telstra system. 3 of my family use them with no problems whatsoever. Prepaid and have the choice to change your usage month by month if you wish.
Aus-Kiwi said
04:50 PM Nov 11, 2015
We kept with Telstra just for the coverage .. I must say though .. We've been out Kandos way , no reception for us . But my son's phone had reception through Virgin .. Did he give me some about that ! Lol
-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Wednesday 11th of November 2015 04:51:54 PM
robo24 said
06:51 PM Nov 11, 2015
Having just returned from doing the great lap,DO NOT rely on Optus over in the west.Virtually no coverage.We travel with two phones one with Optus and the other Telstra.Even so,often on the west coast,we have no service.Same goes for dongles for laptop.One of each if you rely on the internet.
gollymolly said
08:00 AM Nov 13, 2015
Robo 24
What Optus phone did you have?
RosieW said
12:24 PM Nov 14, 2015
We were with Virgin (run through Optus) until we moved to Imbil - now we HAVE to be with Telstra, otherwise we have no coverage. At Tin Can Bay, Virgin was iffy, and non-existent at Rainbow. WIth Telstra, he is on the long-life plan ($100 for use over 12 months), and I am on - can't remember he name, $700 calls/texts to *standard* Telstra numbers & 1.3G data a month for $30. Both pre-paid.
Bryan said
02:20 PM Nov 14, 2015
Desert Dweller wrote:
If you travel extensively Telstra are still the best option. At the present time they are anyway.
I am having to change my phone plan and as I have always been with telestra since being on the road and am looking at other options.
Is anyone using Optus? We need coverage for NSW,QLD and WA
Apparently Optus has a new phone out that is so much better with calls and data.
One phone will be telestra and the other will be Optus? Not confirmed.
Could I have feed back please as I have to make a decision by Friday as our plans run out.
I am open to prepaids or a plan.
if you can let me know where you are and what carrier you are using.
Thanks Sue
Hi Sue.
In our case we have both, wife has optus works well at home and have better plan incl nbn, keep my mobile with telstra for travelling have a modified S4 with external antenna on roof of tug signal most places mind you some places there are none.
BT
Cheers,
Peter
Telstra, or Boost which is the only other company that uses their full coverage system, has by far the best coverage. But depending on where you are travelling you may not find it an issue. In WA Optus coverage is basically limited to the south west. Take a look at the coverage maps from https://www.telcoantennas.com.au/site/coverage-checker-all-australian-networks to see if the Optus coverage will work for you. It wouldn't be any use for us for much of our travels so we have stayed with Telstra
Like others here we use both systems
we are NSW home based, and do 75% of our touring thru eastern Oz
We have Optus as their rates offer is more suited to us that Telstra
We also have a Telstra fone with the $140 x 12 months pre-paid deal
We find that wherever we pull up at night -
Optus has about 90% coverage of those places
Telstra has about 90% coverage of those places
but - often one gets a signal and the other does not get a signal ... ie: carrier priorities etc
thru the day as one goes thru towns, it's a 50/50 bet as to who has coverage
It is a different matter west of Longreach and across to Broome
Telstra has 90% coverage again
Optus has 50% coverage - more of the big towns
However, the Telstra coverage disappears once you've hit the 100km/h speedo sign, not to be seen until you meet the next 60 km/h sign
Phil
We do a lot of outback travelling. I don't like Telstra, but their coverage is much better than any others in remote areas.
We frequently noticed other people in frustration trying to get a signal. If we asked them often the answer was they were using Optus or Virgin.
We reckon the best Telstra deal is the $140 X 12 months deal.
We kept with Telstra just for the coverage .. I must say though .. We've been out Kandos way , no reception for us . But my son's phone had reception through Virgin .. Did he give me some about that ! Lol
-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Wednesday 11th of November 2015 04:51:54 PM
Having just returned from doing the great lap,DO NOT rely on Optus over in the west.Virtually no coverage.We travel with two phones one with Optus and the other Telstra.Even so,often on the west coast,we have no service.Same goes for dongles for laptop.One of each if you rely on the internet.
What Optus phone did you have?
My sentiments too