Public Telephones
Australia has an extensive network of Public Phones throughout the country. They are easilly recognized by the orange and blue Telstra emblem. The cost of local calls is 40 cents (AUD) with most phones accepting coins and prepaid telephone cards. Long distance call charges vary depending on time of day and distance. Sundays are an excellent day to make interstate or international calls due to all day discount rates.
The rates for Pre Paid Telephone Cards are $2, $5, $10, $20 and $50 and may be purchased at most Newsagencies and Post Offices.
Contacting Australia from Overseas
To contact Australia, first dial the international code number (usually 0011), then country code prefix for Australia (61) then the area code without the first zero for instance Sydney would be 2 instead of 02, then dial the required number. Example 0011 61 2 9999 3662
Mobile-Cellular Phones
Australia has five main telecommunications companies, Telstra, Optus, Virgin, Vodafone and Three, which provide a digital network that covers the entire country (Telsta has the most comprehensive coverage).
Digital mobile phones will operate in Australia if brought with you from overseas. GPRS and 3G wireless Internet connections are available through all cellular phone networks. EDGE is offered by Telstra only. If you have a 3G/UMTS-enabled phone, make sure it supports the appropriate frequencies: 850/2100 MHz for Telstra and Three, and 900/2100 MHz for Optus and Vodafone.
Worldwide roaming facilities may be offered by your service provider in your home country, but many people utilising this service find themselves getting stung with huge phone bills for the Australian component of the phonecall charges, so be very careful if you take up that option. There are no restrictions on overseas residents getting an Australian prepaid SIM card; it is safer and easier (and often cheaper) to bring your cellular phone with you and buy a pre-paid SIM card for it while you are in Australia. That way there will be no surprise phone bills waiting for you when you get home.
When you go to purchase a pre-paid SIM card, take your passport along for identification in case it is required. Retailers can be found in shopping centres around Australia. Rates for Mobiles vary considerably, please consult a telecommications dealer for details. Most offer 3G access in all major cities on a month by month basis (no contract) with no sign up fee. Expect to pay $39 per month for 1GB down/upload.
Internet
Australia's internet coverage is not yet as extensive as its telephone services, due to the vast distances to be covered and the sparse population across much of the country. The five main telephone carrers all offer internet services, including wireless broadband for use by equipment such as laptop computers, Blackberrys and iPhones. USB connecting modems for laptops are available on long and short terms plans including pre-paid. Rates and coverage varies with each carrier. Telstra are generally the most expensive but offer the widest coverage nationally.
You can check your mail or chat with friends and family from any internet café, found in cities, larger towns and regional centres, or from any local library offering internet access, prices are around $3 to $6 an hour.
Internet cafés abound in most centres of population that normally cost $4-$5 per hour. Many internet cafés have 12-20 computers sharing a single broadband connection, sometimes making the internet painfully slow. If possible ask if you can check the speed of a café's connection before forking out $4-$5 for an hour.
Public libraries usually offer some for of Internet access to travellers, either free or for a small fee. Some restrict access to email, promoting research use of their facilities. Others offer Wi-Fi as well as terminals, with Wi-Fi usually being free of restrictions.
Major hotels offer Internet access, usually for a fee. It is still unusual to find in-room Internet access in smaller hotels and in motels. Most youth hostels and backpacker accommodation have at least an Internet terminal at reception.
Dial-up Internet
There are many small but reliable ISPs offering dialup Internet the $12–$15 per month flat rate range.
There are also several ISPs who have a pre-paid arrangement at about $1 per hour of use. It can be surprisingly difficult to find Australian dialup ISPs with instant online signup, but they do exist, Beagle being one.
You can buy prepaid dialup cards for several ISP's from Dick Smith stores, for around $20 per month unlimited. If moving around, check that your ISP has an access number that can be reached via a local call from landlines nationwide (the access number starts with 13), rather than just in the ISP home city. All prepaid cards that can be purchased from Dick Smith have access from anywhere in Australia for a local call fee.
Wi-Fi
An increasing numbers of businesses in towns and cities across Australia provide either free or low-cost Wi-Fi facilities, which permit access to the internet from laptop computers and other mobile communications devices. An increasing number of cafes in the larger cities provide Wi-Fi service for their customers. More and more hotels and motels across the country, even in smaller towns, are now providing wireless broadband internet facilities for their customers, though additional charges generally apply to use this service.
Postal Services
A full range of local and international postal services (standard mail, air mail, parcels, registered etc) are available through post offices, which are located in the central shopping precincts of all cities and major towns and many smaller towns across Australia. General office hours including Post Offices are 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri; some of them are open on Saturdays too. Stamps are often available at front desks of hotels and motels and at selected retail outlets.
Australia's mail service has a very good reputation, but because of the vast distances, it can take up to a week for mail to be delivered within the country. An express mail service is available, which guarantees next day delivery between capital cities and two-three days to or from region centres. The international mail system is very efficient and secure, and if you are sending something heavy to Europe or Asia the prices are reasonable.
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