Travelling Overseas (Global Roaming)
When travelling overseas, it is possible to remain contactable on your current phone number by using Global Roaming, an optional setting on your mobile phone account which enables you to use other countries' carriers.
This means that you are still able to be contacted on your Australian mobile phone number while overseas. Roaming also enables you to continue to make calls on your Australian phone and SIM card.
Data Roaming
If you have both a data plan and roaming activated on your mobile phone account, you will be able to use data networks provided by carriers in other countries. This will mean you have uninterrupted access to your University email, if you have access to it via your phone.
Before you travel
At least a week before you leave, confirm with Optus that roaming is activated on your phone. Contact Optus on 1300 133 334 or the Helpdesk on extension 16000 to enquire.
If you do not have global roaming enabled, please contact the Helpdesk to request it be activated.
You may also need to check the handset settings for your device.
Calling Cards
Optus calling cards are available through ICT, which provide significantly lowered costs while overseas. Please see the Calling Cards page for further details.
Things to note
- Roaming Costs - the costs for global roaming are significantly higher than standard phone costs. It is very easy to run up a large phone bill while roaming. The roaming costs for University owned phones via Optus can be found on this page
- Another option instead of pay as you go you can request Bridge Alliance to be activated and that gives you $40 for 15MB for the countries listed in the Alliance
- Incoming Call Costs - while you are roaming, you can be contacted on your normal phone number, and a person doing so will be billed for a normal call. Your account will be billed for the international and roaming charges. All incoming phone calls and other services, such as SMS, will result in large charges on your phone bill.
- Data Costs - Data services are charged by the local carrier, not by your own. You will not be able to use data included in your plan while roaming. Roaming fees will be charged on data as well, meaning that having your phone automatically checking your email can lead to significant costs.
- Delayed Billing - Roaming charges may not show up on your account immediately, as the bill needs to be passed to Optus from the international carrier. This means that you may not be charged for the roaming costs for up to three months in some cases.
Handset settings
Some handsets require specific settings to be changed for roaming purposes:
Apple iPhone - to use data roaming, you will need to enable data roaming on the phone itself.
Tap Settings -> General -> Network, and set the Data Roaming slider to ON.
Blackberry Handsets - no special settings are needed for Blackberries. It may be a good idea to turn off automatic email checking, however, and only check email once or twice a day, manually. This will reduce your roaming costs significantly.