The good news is that getting your phone working in Australia should be a fairly straightforward process. Following a few simple steps will have you sorted in no time.
You will likely only need to do two things, and one of them can be sorted before you leave. We'll dive into these in more detail further down.
Check that your phone isn't network locked: Depending on where you live and how you bought your phone, it may be locked to a specific network. Make sure that your phone will be able to accept other SIMs while you're overseas.
Buy a SIM and mobile plan: Get a mobile plan in Australia and a SIM to go with it. We cover which plan could be best for you further down. If you're buying a global travel SIM, you may be able to get it delivered before you even leave. Or, you could even opt for an eSIM if you have a compatible handset.
Some plans have data roaming automatically enabled, meaning they'll use data when you're overseas. This data is usually hideously expensive and adds up quickly. Make sure you disable roaming before you go to avoid huge surprise bills.
SIM locking or networking locking isn't as common these days as new rules have been put in place to phase it out.
It doesn't hurt to check with your provider to see whether the phone you have is currently locked to its network.
To unlock your phone from a network, you'll usually need to contact your provider or visit one of its stores, so it's best to sort this out before leaving for Australia.
In some cases, you may need to pay a fee to complete the unlocking process.
Before considering price, data, or call inclusions, it's essential to understand the network coverage you can expect.
Australia has three major mobile network operators: Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone.
The best one for you depends on what you're after. If you're spending most of your time in metropolitan areas, it usually won't matter which network you choose.
Suppose you're planning to travel outside of metro areas. In that case, it's generally recommended to go with a SIM that uses the Telstra network, as it offers the widest coverage - 99.7% if you're with Telstra directly, or 98.8% through a smaller provider that uses its network.
You can either check out our monthly picks for the best mobile plans on the Telstra network, or take our mobile plan quiz to find the right mobile plan for you.
Want a new mobile plan in Australia?
Find the right one with our easy quiz.
Mobile networks use radio frequencies to send signals. These are measured in megahertz (MHz).
Your phone will need to support these frequencies to work in Australia.
Fortunately, most modern phones work with the main frequency bands used worldwide.
But it's still a good idea to check your phone's specs or manual to confirm it supports these bands, so you can connect to local networks without any trouble - especially now that 3G has been shut down in Australia.
We'll cover the main frequencies in a moment, but you can also check device compatibility and other details on the Optus, Telstra or Vodafone websites.
They might not list every single compatible phone, but you'll find most of the popular models there.
| Network | 4G | 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Telstra | 700MHz (B28) | 850MHz (Bands n5 and n6) 3600MHz (Band n78) |
| Vodafone | 850MHz (B5) 1800MHz (B3) 2100MHz (B1) | 700MHz (n28) |
| Optus | 700MHz 900MHz 1800MHz 2100MHz 2300MHz 2600MHz | 700MHz (n28) |
Looking for the best 5G phone in Australia? We’ve reviewed the top models across different price points - from affordable to premium - to help you find the perfect upgrade.
Most providers now offer 5G plans, so finding a great deal is easier than ever. Check out our top 5 picks to get started.
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Hi, I’ve recently arrived from NZ using a Samsung Galaxy S7. My phone was not locked to any network in NZ, but it is not accepting (working with) a SIM that has already been activated in Australia – what can I do to get my phone to work in Australia?
Hi Newman, apologies for the late response. Hopefully you’ve sorted out the issue but in these instance it’s best to go to the Samsung store directly or a phone tech shop.