Non-expiring Australian SIM

rp_aust · **0ne year validity -** 10-08-2012, 13:59

Living in Australia, I want to minimise my mobile phone expense, while keeping my number alive for inwards calls. I selected Vodafone and recharge according to their 365 Day Recharge prepaid plan. This means that any recharge I put on the phone will stay alive for 365 days. I can put $20 on, and then keep the phone alive for a year, as long as I don't run the credit down to zero. Any unused credit rolls over when a new credit is made, so I don't have to worry about losing credit. The credit also comes with a certain number of minutes of "vodafone to vodafone" calls to other vodafone mobiles. This means that I can use the phone for calls to and from my daughter (who also has a Vodafone SIM) without eating into the basic dollar credit. The only downside is that Vodafone is still suffering from underinvestment in its network, with signal strength that is sometimes patchy. Still, suits me at the moment. I think this SIM and recharge plan is really what you are looking for.......

NFH · 10-08-2012, 14:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by rp_aust

I think this SIM and recharge plan is really what you are looking for.......

No, it's not because it requires a periodic top-up (i.e. increase the balance) every 12 months. In other countries (e.g. the UK), SIM cards remain active as long as you use them (i.e. decrease the balance) periodically.

Lycamobile Australian SIM cards require chargeable usage every 80 days to remain active, which is a much better policy, although they don't seem to offer data yet.

rp_aust · **Australian SIM cards -** 10-08-2012, 15:40

My apology. I should not have presumed to judge what you would find "suitable". That is for you to decide. Addressing the questions you posed - I am not aware of an Australian plan that extends validity by use (as do the UK Vodafone SIMs I have). Rather, Australian plans are similar to those in many other countries (eg Germany, Italy, France and New Zealand) in extending validity by a topup. I pointed out an Australian plan that extends validity by 365 days, which is certainly longer than the 90 day plans you quoted in your original post. Whether this is "suitable" is your call, and would depend on how long you want to keep a number alive between "infrequent" visits, and how much you spend on calls during your visits. I would rephrase my conclusion to say that, to me, of the available plans the Vodafone 365 Day Recharge would seem to be the easiest and cheapest for a foreigner to keep valid for infrequent visits.

NFH · 10-08-2012, 15:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by rp_aust

My apology. I should not have presumed to judge what you would find "suitable".

My original main question was "Are there any Australian SIM cards that don't expire as long as they are used periodically?" and Vodafone, which I had already looked at, doesn't fit these criteria.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rp_aust

I am not aware of an Australian plan that extends validity by use

Lycamobile, as I have since discovered.

	(#1)
rp_aust (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 14 Join Date: 17 Jan 2005 Location: Melbourne Country:	0ne year validity - 10-08-2012, 13:59 Living in Australia, I want to minimise my mobile phone expense, while keeping my number alive for inwards calls. I selected Vodafone and recharge according to their 365 Day Recharge prepaid plan. This means that any recharge I put on the phone will stay alive for 365 days. I can put $20 on, and then keep the phone alive for a year, as long as I don't run the credit down to zero. Any unused credit rolls over when a new credit is made, so I don't have to worry about losing credit. The credit also comes with a certain number of minutes of "vodafone to vodafone" calls to other vodafone mobiles. This means that I can use the phone for calls to and from my daughter (who also has a Vodafone SIM) without eating into the basic dollar credit. The only downside is that Vodafone is still suffering from underinvestment in its network, with signal strength that is sometimes patchy. Still, suits me at the moment. I think this SIM and recharge plan is really what you are looking for.......

	(#3)
rp_aust (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 14 Join Date: 17 Jan 2005 Location: Melbourne Country:	Australian SIM cards - 10-08-2012, 15:40 My apology. I should not have presumed to judge what you would find "suitable". That is for you to decide. Addressing the questions you posed - I am not aware of an Australian plan that extends validity by use (as do the UK Vodafone SIMs I have). Rather, Australian plans are similar to those in many other countries (eg Germany, Italy, France and New Zealand) in extending validity by a topup. I pointed out an Australian plan that extends validity by 365 days, which is certainly longer than the 90 day plans you quoted in your original post. Whether this is "suitable" is your call, and would depend on how long you want to keep a number alive between "infrequent" visits, and how much you spend on calls during your visits. I would rephrase my conclusion to say that, to me, of the available plans the Vodafone 365 Day Recharge would seem to be the easiest and cheapest for a foreigner to keep valid for infrequent visits.