Planning an overseas trip? Don't forget to make sure how and which of your gadgets will work in another country. It should be easy, but it often isn’t. And it can be pretty expensive, too.
We'll cover the basics of roaming costs and alternatives, and whether you even can use your phone overseas, plus some other factors you might not have considered yet.
Can I use my phone overseas?
'Can I take my phone overseas' is the first question you should ask and, fortunately, the answer will often be 'yes'. But, to know for sure, we'll need to break the question into two parts:
- Is your phone compatible with local networks?
- Is your phone network locked? (It's probably not.)
Is your phone compatible with local networks?
Most premium phones from the last seven years, such as iPhones, top-end Samsung Galaxies, and Pixel devices, should work anywhere in the world. If yours is older or not the cream of the crop, you might need to do a little research to be sure yours will be supported.
Australian phone networks no longer have 3G, but some other countries still rely on it. In Australia, we used the 'GSM' 3G standard, and it's the same for 3G in most countries. All 4G-enabled phones sold in Australia support the 'FDD-LTE' standard, and most support 'TDD-LTE'. 4G phone calls are available in many countries (called 'Voice over LTE'), but you might need to enable them via settings.
There's also network frequency to consider. Most phones sold within Australia operate over all Australian network frequencies, but you'll need to look up other countries to see what the nationally supported frequencies are, and which mobile providers use them. If there are gaps, you might not get full network reception in some areas.
These are the frequencies used by Australian mobile networks:
| 2G | 3G | 4G | 5G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telstra | N/A | N/A |
700MHz (B28) 850MHz (B26) 900MHz (B8) 1800MHz (B3) 2100MHz (B1) 2600MHz (B7) | 850MHz (n5 and n26) 2600MHz (n7) 3500MHz (n78) 26GHz (n258) |
| Optus | N/A | N/A |
700MHz (B28) 900MHz (B8) 1800MHz (B3) 2100MHz (B1) 2300MHz (B40) 2600MHz (B7) |
900MHz (n8) 2100MHz (n1) 2300MHz (n40) 3500MHz (n78) 26GHz (n258) |
| Vodafone | N/A | N/A | 850MHz (B5) 1800MHz (B3) 2100MHz (B1) 2600Mhz (B7) | 700MHz (n28) 850MHz (n5) 1800Hz (n3) 3500MHz (n78) 26GHz (n258) |
Is your phone network locked?
A 'locked' phone will only work on certain networks, like the provider you bought it from (i.e. Telstra, Optus, or Vodafone). These days, locked phones are pretty rare.
If you bought it outright or as part of a postpaid plan, it's almost definitely unlocked. But if you bought your phone with a prepaid SIM, there's it's likely your phone is locked. Telcos sometimes subsidise the price of prepaid phones and, as such, lock them to their networks.
Unlocking a phone is generally easy, but your provider might charge a fee – how much depends on which provider you're with and how long you've had the phone. For more specific information, see our guides on:
- How to unlock your phone from Optus
- How to unlock your phone from Vodafone
- How to unlock your phone from Telstra
Can I use my mobile plan overseas?
Some mobile plans include options for international roaming, others let you pay for an add-on 'Travel Pack', and some don't allow it at all (or will charge you a fortune for PAYG rates).
Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone all have roaming options. If you're with a smaller provider, it's less certain, and it also might be a lot more expensive.
For a quick intro to some of your options, here are a few cheap mobile plans with international roaming:
|
#1
|
Tangerine Telecom
30GB 5G Mobile SIM
$30.00/mth
Min. cost $15
|
|
#2
|
More
30GB 5G Mobile SIM
$33.00/mth
Min. cost $33
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Belong
25GB Mobile Plan
$34.00/mth
Min. cost $34
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Optus
$60 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$39.00/mth
Min. cost $39
|
|
#5
|
Vodafone
$58 Small SIM Only Plan
$45.00/mth
Min. cost $45
|
|
#6
|
Telstra
$84 Essential Upfront Mobile Plan
$74.00/mth
Min. cost $74
Link not supplied
|
And here are a selection of prepaid plans you can add travel packs to:
|
#1
|
amaysim
7-day UNLIMITED 10GB Plan
$10.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Vodafone
$13 Prepaid Plus Recharge
$13.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Boost Mobile
$14 Prepaid
$14.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
|
|
#4
|
Kogan Mobile
Small Monthly Plan
$23.00
Per 30 Day Renewal
|
|
#5
|
Everyday Mobile
Pre-paid Mobile $25 Recharge
$25.00
Per 30 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#6
|
felix mobile
felix 25GB Mobile Plan
$30.00
Per 1 Month Renewal
|
How much does international roaming cost?
The cost of international roaming depends on your plan and provider, but probably the most common option is an add-on Travel Pack.
Travel Packs are an add-on to an existing plan that give you a fixed amount of talk, text, and data to use when overseas for a set number of days. They can be a little pricey, but they're still a more economical option than Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) roaming.
Note: Travel Packs can cost more depending on your destination or might not be available for certain countries or locations.
When it comes to mobile plans that have roaming included, your options once again vary considerably. We'll look at Optus, Vodafone and Telstra's international roaming, as well as a handful of popular smaller providers.
Important: If you're taking your phone overseas and plan to leave your SIM installed, make sure you know how to switch off data roaming and other settings if you want to control your roaming spend. For more information, check out our guide for beating bill shock.
International roaming with Optus
If you're an Optus postpaid customer, you'll use Optus Daily Roaming. This is a $5 per day charge that gives you 5GB of data, plus unlimited standard talk and text. But if you blow through your 5GB within 24 hours, you're charged another $5 for another 5GB, and the 24-hour timer restarts. Optus Daily Roaming starts as soon as you use your phone in a selected destination.
Optus Daily Roaming can be activated through the My Optus app and works in over 150 destinations that Optus refers to as 'Zone 1' countries.
Here are Optus' postpaid mobile plans:
|
#1
|
Optus
$60 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$39.00/mth
Min. cost $39
|
|
#2
|
Optus
$69 Optus Promo Plan
$69.00/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
#3
|
Optus
$70 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$70.00/mth
Min. cost $70
|
|
#4
|
Optus
$90 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$90.00/mth
Min. cost $90
|
If you're on Optus prepaid, the story changes. Customers on Optus Flex Plus can buy a pack that lasts as long as half a year. These are as follows:
| Pack | Expiry | Inclusions |
|---|---|---|
| $5 | 1-day | Up to 25 mins, 50 texts, 1GB |
| $25 | 14-day | Up to 50 mins, 50 texts, 5GB |
| $45 | 28-day | Up to 100 mins, 100 texts, 10GB |
| $75 | 186-day | Up to 100 mins, 100 texts, 15GB |
Find out more in our dedicated guide about roaming with Optus.
International roaming with Vodafone
All Vodafone customers on any postpaid plan can use their monthly talk, text and data allowance in many popular travel destinations under the telco’s $5 roaming deal. This covers over 100 destinations, which you can check here. You’ll pay just $5 extra for each day you use your phone overseas, for up to 90 days per calendar year.
The $5 fee is only charged for days on which you use your inclusions. If you keep your phone on flight mode (enabling Bluetooth is fine) and mooch off public Wi-Fi, you won't pay a thing. Once roaming is activated, it lasts for 24 hours. That means if you use your inclusions at 3pm on Monday, you've got roaming until 3pm on Tuesday.
These are Vodafone's postpaid mobile plans:
|
#1
|
Vodafone
$58 Small SIM Only Plan
$45.00/mth
Min. cost $45
|
|
#2
|
Vodafone
$68 Medium SIM Only Plan
$50.00/mth
Min. cost $50
|
|
#3
|
Vodafone
$78 Large SIM Only Plan
$55.00/mth
Min. cost $55
|
|
#4
|
Vodafone
$58 Small Plan
$58.00/mth
Min. cost $58
|
Vodafone also has roaming packs available for its prepaid customers, but these are bad value. A $5 pack only gets you 200MB with a one-day expiry.
International roaming with Telstra
Customers with a postpaid Telstra Upfront plan have access to the company's International Roaming Day Pass. Use your phone for calls, text or mobile data in one of the selected countries, and the pass automatically triggers, and the charge is added to your bill. The Day Pass lasts for 24 hours, after which you won't be charged until you use your phone again for talk, text or (in Zone 1 or 2 countries) mobile data. Rinse and repeat.
If you go over your data allowance within a 24-hour period, you pay $10 extra and Telstra adds 2GB of data to a sort of overage 'bank' on your behalf. This additional data has a 31-day expiry, and you dip into it whenever you go over another 24-hour allowance. But it's strictly to cover your overage use – you'll still pay for the Day Pass again when the time comes.
Telstra's Day Pass pricing and inclusions depend on whether you're in a Zone 1, Zone 2, or Zone 3 country:
- Zone 1 – $5 per 24-hour period for 2GB of data and unlimited standard calls and text.
- Zone 2 – $10 24-hour period for 2GB of data and unlimited standard calls and text.
- Zone 3 – $10 per 24-hour period for data and unlimited standard calls and text.
Check out which countries are in each zone here.
You'll be notified when you've used 50%, 85% and 100% of your Day Pass' inclusions.
Here's a look at Telstra's Upfront mobile plans:
|
#1
|
Telstra
$84 Essential Upfront Mobile Plan
$74.00/mth
Min. cost $74
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Telstra
$84 Essential Upfront Mobile Plan
$74.00/mth
Min. cost $74
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Telstra
$84 Essential Upfront SIM Plan
$74.00/mth
Min. cost $74
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Telstra
$74 Basic Upfront Mobile Plan
$74.00/mth
Min. cost $74
Link not supplied
|
Telstra prepaid customers can purchase international roaming packs with three, seven or 14-day expiries. The packs work in 38 countries and are available via the My Telstra app.
| Pack | Price | Inclusions |
|---|---|---|
| Three-day expiry | $10 | 15 mins, 15 texts, 400MB data |
| Seven-day expiry | $15 | 25 mins, 25 texts, 2GB |
| 14-day expiry | $25 | 50 mins, 50 texts, 4GB |
"If you travel overseas often, you might find an eSIM phone invaluable. Some cheaper phones support dual SIM instead, which can run two SIM cards simultaneously.
Most higher-end and some mid-range smartphones support eSIM. If supported at your destination, an eSIM can make buying a local SIM easier. All you need is WiFi once you arrive.
But the local providers aren't guaranteed to support it, switching to eSIM for your Aussie mobile plan might be best, keeping your SIM card slot for local SIMs.
You can also buy a prepaid travel SIM in Australia. Some of these are eSIM, while others are physical SIM cards.
Whichever you choose, you can reduce roaming costs and keep your Aussie number. Just note PAYG rates can apply to outgoing and incoming calls and texts, so you can still pay hefty fees if someone from back home gives you a buzz."
Alex Angove-Plumb, Digital Content Editor at WhistleOut
Roaming with Tangerine
Tangerine sellls mobile plans on the Telstra network and has some big-value international roaming options via its travel packs. These are one-off purchases that get you a set amount of standard calls, SMS and mobile data. They work up until 11:59PM (AEST) on your last included day and cover over 60 destinations. Here's how they compare:
| Pack | Price | Inclusions |
|---|---|---|
| Seven-day expiry | $35 | 30 mins, 30 texts, 5GB |
| 14-day expiry | $55 | 60 mins, 60 texts, 10GB |
These are Tangerine's plans you can add roaming to:
|
#1
|
Tangerine Telecom
30GB 5G Mobile SIM
$30.00/mth
Min. cost $15
|
|
#2
|
Tangerine Telecom
50GB 5G Mobile SIM
$36.00/mth
Min. cost $18
|
|
#3
|
Tangerine Telecom
75GB 5G Mobile SIM
$42.00/mth
Min. cost $21
|
|
#4
|
Tangerine Telecom
100GB 5G Mobile SIM
$48.00/mth
Min. cost $24
|
|
#5
|
Tangerine Telecom
160GB 5G Mobile SIM
$60.00/mth
Min. cost $30
|
Roaming with Belong
Telstra-owned telco Belong has kept its international roaming easy with one roaming travel pack add-on. The pack activates as soon as you connect to an eligible network, and customers pay just $30 for 3GB of data, unlimited standard SMS, and 150 minutes of standard calls for use over a 15-day expiry period in over 45 destinations. Worried you'll run out early? Easy, just purchase an additional add-on.
All Belong customers also get free access to its basic roaming service to receive all the usual SMS' while overseas and can even use WiFi calling, when on a suitable network.
Below are the Belong's mobile plans suitable for pairing with its international roaming add-on:
|
#1
|
Belong
25GB Mobile Plan
$34.00/mth
Min. cost $34
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Belong
40GB Mobile Plan
$39.00/mth
Min. cost $39
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Belong
100GB Mobile Plan
$49.00/mth
Min. cost $49
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Belong
160GB Mobile Plan
$59.00/mth
Min. cost $59
Link not supplied
|
Roaming with felix
felix mobile has a roaming pack that will set you back just $20 for a massive 365-day expiry. It gets you 4GB of data, 100 international standard texts, and 100 minutes of international talk (incoming and outgoing). While you're travelling, you're able to access internet data at up to 20Mbps (so long as the local network supports this) – slower than you might be used to, but still more than enough to watch HD video.
The downside is felix mobile's international roaming isn't as widely available as other providers, with only a bit over 40 countries on the roaming list. It does include popular destinations though, like the USA, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, India, and China.
|
#1
|
felix mobile
felix 25GB Mobile Plan
$30.00
Per 1 Month Renewal
|
|
#2
|
felix mobile
felix 50GB Mobile Plan
$35.00
Per 1 Month Renewal
|
|
#3
|
felix mobile
felix Unlimited Mobile Plan
$40.00
Per 1 Month Renewal
|
|
#4
|
felix mobile
felix Unlimited+ Mobile Plan
$50.00
Per 1 Month Renewal
|
Roaming with amaysim
amaysim, an Optus MVNO, has four very different travel packs with a one-year expiry, all of which work in more than 100 destinations. Here's a list of their inclusions and how they compare:
| Pack | Price | Inclusions |
|---|---|---|
| Small Talk | $20 | 100 mins, 100 texts, no data |
| The Works | $25 | 50 mins, 30 texts, 2GB |
| Just Gigs | $50 | No mins, no texts, 6GB |
| The Epic | $70 | 100 mins, 60 texts, 9GB |
Each is different, some with data-only or others with no data at all. But you can stack multiple together to achieve the inclusions you want.
You'll also need to be on a currently active amaysim mobile plan to purchase these travel packs. Choose from a selection of amaysim plans below:
|
#1
|
amaysim
7-day UNLIMITED 10GB Plan
$10.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
amaysim
UNLIMITED 15GB Plan
$30.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
amaysim
UNLIMITED 42GB Plan
$35.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
amaysim
UNLIMITED 80GB Plan
$40.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
amaysim
UNLIMITED 95GB Plan
$45.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#6
|
amaysim
UNLIMITED 120GB Plan
$50.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#7
|
amaysim
UNLIMITED 150GB Long Expiry
$150.00
Per 184 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#8
|
amaysim
UNLIMITED 240GB Long Expiry
$199.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#9
|
amaysim
UNLIMITED 200GB Long Expiry
$270.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#10
|
amaysim
UNLIMITED 350GB Long Expiry
$350.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
International roaming with Boost Mobile
Continuing with the Telstra MVNO trend, Boost Mobile also has three International Roaming Packs of its own. Boost Mobile customers have three roaming choices. Here's how they stack up against one another:
| Pack | Price | Inclusions |
|---|---|---|
| Three-day expiry | $20 | 15 mins, 15 texts, 2GB |
| Seven-day expiry | $30 | 30 mins, 30 texts, 5GB |
| 14-day expiry | $40 | 60 mins, 60 texts, 7GB |
And here are Boost Mobile's compatible plans:
|
#1
|
Boost Mobile
$28 Prepaid
$28.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
|
|
#2
|
Boost Mobile
$39 Prepaid
$39.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
|
|
#3
|
Boost Mobile
$49 Prepaid
$49.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
|
|
#4
|
Boost Mobile
$59 Prepaid
$59.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
|
|
#5
|
Boost Mobile
$74 Prepaid
$74.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
|
International roaming with Kogan Mobile
Kogan Mobile offers three international roaming packs for use in about 30 countries. While this doesn't seem like many, it luckily includes some popular destinations like New Zealand, Canada, China, the UK, USA, Singapore and Indonesia. Here's how they compare:
| Expiry | Price | Inclusions |
|---|---|---|
| One-day expiry | $10 | Up to 50 mins, 50 texts, 1GB |
| Three-day expiry | $25 | Up to 100 mins, 100 texts, 2GB |
| Seven-day expiry | $45 | Up to 150 mins, 150 texts, 5GB |
Call minutes and SMS (text only) include standard calls to and from the selected countries and standard numbers in Australia.
You can purchase the international roaming pack via the Kogan Mobile app, use your online account or call customer support, or test "ROAM" to 12612 from your mobile. Given the pricing, we'd advise getting a local SIM at your destination instead for most trips.
|
#1
|
Kogan Mobile
Small Monthly Plan
$23.00
Per 30 Day Renewal
|
|
#2
|
Kogan Mobile
Medium Monthly Plan
$29.00
Per 30 Day Renewal
|
|
#3
|
Kogan Mobile
Large Monthly Plan
$40.00
Per 30 Day Renewal
|
|
#4
|
Kogan Mobile
Small - 365 Day Flex Plan
$149.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
|
|
#5
|
Kogan Mobile
Large - 365 Day Flex Plan
$179.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
|
|
#6
|
Kogan Mobile
Medium - 365 Day Flex Plan
$190.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
|
|
#7
|
Kogan Mobile
Extra Large - 365 Day Flex Plan
$300.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
|
Roaming with Everyday Mobile (Woolworths)
The telco formerly known as Woolworths Mobile, Everyday Mobile, has two "global" international roaming packages that work with its SIM-only and prepaid plans. The first only has data, while the second also has talk and text. Both cover 69 destinations. Customers who get the data-only plan will still receive SMS at no extra charge.
| Price | Inclusions | Expiry |
|---|---|---|
| $20 | 2GB data | 7-day |
| $45 | 30 mins, 30 texts, 5GB | 7-day |
Everyday Mobile also has three cheaper "destination" specific packs that all also have a seven-day expiry. There's one for the Pacific with 1GB for $6, one for Asia with 1GB for $9, and for North America with 2GB for $6. Check out the full details here.
Here are Everyday Mobile's prepaid plans:
|
#1
|
Everyday Mobile
Pre-paid Mobile $25 Recharge
$25.00
Per 30 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Everyday Mobile
Pre-paid Mobile $30 Recharge
$30.00
Per 30 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Everyday Mobile
Pre-paid Mobile $35 Recharge
$35.00
Per 30 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Everyday Mobile
Pre-paid $130 Long Expiry Recharge
$130.00
Per 180 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
Everyday Mobile
Pre-paid $250 Long Expiry Recharge
$250.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#6
|
Everyday Mobile
Pre-paid $320 Long Expiry Recharge
$320.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
How much does Pay-As-You-Go roaming cost?
No matter the provider, PAYG international roaming is extremely expensive and should be considered a last option. If you plan on using your phone on local networks while travelling overseas, you're probably better off creating a new, separate mobile plan with a provider that sells decent travel packs than you are risking PAYG, then cancelling the plan once you get back to Australia.
Depending on which carrier you're probably paying between $0.50 and $3 per MB of data, which can add up very quickly. Keep in mind there are 1000MB in 1GB, so that's between $500 and $3,000 per 1GB of data.
Calls can cost as much as $4 per minute, and a text (received or sent) will typically set you back between $0.50 and $0.75. These rates vary from provider to provider, but below is what you'd pay if you were to PAYG as an Optus customer.
| Indonesia | New Zealand | United Kingdom | United States | Thailand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to call Australia per minute | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Cost to send a text message to Australia | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| Cost of data | $0.50 per MB | $0.50 per MB | $0.50 per MB | $0.50 per MB | $0.50 per MB |
It's worth noting PAYG roaming rates can vary depending on whether you're on a prepaid or postpaid plan, and between country to country from the same provider.
Unless it's an emergency, we'd advise against PAYG roaming. Merely browsing the Facebook app, for example, can use around 1.5MB per minute, so even a casual ten-minute scroll of your social media feed could cost $45 or more. But you also need to consider all the background uploads and downloads your phone automatically handles, which will definitely set you back.
Check them out:
- Best phone plans for travelling in Europe
- Best phone plans for travelling in the UK
- Best phone plans for travelling in the US
- Best phone plans for travelling in New Zealand
- Best phone plans for travelling in Bali
- Best phone plans for travelling in Japan
- Best phone plans for travelling in South America
- Best phone plans for travelling in China
What are the alternatives to international roaming?
Although cheaper than it once was, international roaming is still an expensive proposition, especially if you're travelling for more than a week. Fortunately, there are a few alternatives. You could buy yourself a travel SIM card, a local SIM card, or just leave the SIM at home and take advantage of free WiFi. Here's the low-down on each option.
Travel SIM cards and eSIM
A travel SIM is a SIM card or eSIM you buy before you leave for your trip and load with roaming credit for talk, text and data. Roaming rates on travel SIMs are significantly cheaper than roaming with an Australian phone plan.
Travel SIMs tend not to be as good value as buying a local SIM card at your destination. However, travel SIMs do offer a number of advantages over local SIMs. In many cases, you get to know what your overseas number will be before you leave, so you can give it to family and friends, record a Voicemail, and just generally get set up for overseas communication ahead of time.
If you're travelling to multiple countries, you get to keep the same phone number wherever you go rather than buying a new SIM every time you cross a border. Plus, a travel SIM is likely to offer customer service in your language and is specific to the particular needs of travellers.
One Travel SIM provider we recommend is Airalo, which offers a range of travel eSIMs across multiple destinations worldwide with various inclusions at a selection price points to suit your timings, needs and budget.
Buy a local SIM card
Buying a local SIM card is sometimes the cheapest way to use your phone overseas. You can get big data inclusions and usually unlimited local talk and text – all with no contract and low per-month costs. If you shop around for a deal that has good international rates as well, you can spend hours calling or texting home without paying through the nose.
If your phone supports eSIM, and they're available at your destination, then all you need is a WiFi connection to buy one online once you arrive.
You can usually buy a local SIM card once you arrive at the airport of your destination. Alternatively, they're usually available at convenience stores. Make sure you get one that's prepaid or no-contract to avoid paying for longer than you intend to stay.
The downsides are that you don't keep your normal mobile number, and will need to buy a new SIM or eSIM for each country you travel to. If you're only spending a few days at each destination, it can end up costing more than a travel pack.
Use free public WiFi (securely)
By far the cheapest option for using your phone overseas is to hop on the free public WiFi networks available in hotels, cafes, attractions and city centres of many countries. But it's not without risk.
Mooching off WiFi lets you talk and text people via apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and even WiFi calling. You can also download local maps on Google Maps for offline use in many locations.
You'll also want to make sure your phone is in flight mode (enabling Bluetooth is fine) to stop any accidental calls, texts or data usage that could trigger exorbitant roaming charges. Automatic uploads and downloads, in particular, can trigger international roaming costs.
You can check out maps of available WiFi through sites like WiFiCafeSpots, or download an app such as Wiman or Instabridge to help you connect on the go.
The problem with public WiFi is security. While not as risky as it once was, it's still a good idea to use a paid VPN service when connecting to any free WiFi network – even in Australia. Modern WiFi security standards make you safer than you would have been a few years ago, but there's no guarantee each WiFi network you join will be up to date, and it's still potentially possible for criminals to snoop on your internet traffic. But beware of free VPNs. On the whole, they have a well-earned dodgy reputation.
Alex Angove-Plumb
Digital Content Editor
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