What Are Cheapest Ways To Call Overseas From Australia?

What Are Cheapest Way To Call Overseas From Australia?

Calling overseas has become a necessity in the lives of many Australians as family members, friends and important people in their lives go abroad for various reasons.

Fortunately, there are many ways to call overseas from Australia.

Internet-based Calling Apps

If you’re frequently calling overseas from Australia you’ll definitely want to find the cheapest way to do it. The least expensive options is to download a free app, like WhatsApp, Skype or Google Hangouts to use over Wi-Fi.

Online apps might seem like the perfect solution, but there are some limitations:

  • Both the caller and the receiver have to use the same app. For example, Skype calls will need to be made to another Skype account – unless you use their paid service.
  • Apps offer unpredictable audio quality depending on your internet connection.
  • There are fewer countries you can call. For example, you can’t use Facebook Messenger call to China because it’s blocked. Instead, try WeChat.
  • You can’t call without an internet connection on both sides of the call. For countries where the internet connection is less predictable, it might become more difficult to have a good quality call.

In this modern time you’ll probably not find the above much of a problem though. If you’re making data calls regularly without a Wi-Fi connection, it might be good to look into an unlimited data plan.

Prepaid and Postpaid Phone Plans

There are also various offers from providers now offering plans for calling overseas. Mobile service providers almost always have some option to include international calling time from Australia to specified countries. Prepaid plans seem to be best for those who only need to make a few calls monthly. There are postpaid plans where you add only $5 or $15 to enjoy reduced rates or unlimited calls to specified countries.

There’s a wide range of overseas call plans, so it might take some research to find one that would be the cheapest for you. However, if you make regular calls overseas, doing your homework could save you a significant amount of money.

Things to consider in choosing a phone plan for overseas calls

  • Is the country you’ll be calling covered in the plan?
  • Are there enough included international minutes, or do you need unlimited calls?
  • Does the plan include international SMS?
  • Are the calls to mobile phones, landline phones or both?
  • Is a prepaid or postpaid plan better for you?
    A prepaid plan allows better control over what you spend for overseas calls but if you need more time and want to avoid being cut off if you run out of credit, choose a postpaid plan.
  • Does your plan offer any other inclusions you could use when not calling overseas?

The cheapest way for you to call overseas will depend mainly on the countries you need to call and how often you need to call. Check the rates with the provider before you commit to signing up.

How Do I Call an International Number from Australia?

If you’re old school and are still on the landline, you’ll need to dial 0011 to “exit” the Australian phone system. On a mobile you just tap + or press and hold 0. Then enter the country code and the number.

Note: If the number you are calling starts with a 0, you’ll need to leave that out of the number.

If you were calling the New Zealand number 09 123 4567, you’ll need to key in 0011 64 9 123 4567 and on mobile it would be +64 9 123 4567

Phone Plans that Include Overseas Calls

Here are some of the phone plans offered by the different telcos. Plans may vary from time to time, so check their respective sites for the updated list and complete offers.

1. Telstra  

International Saver: You’ll get discounted call rates to fixed lines and mobiles in 72 countries for $5 per month.

International Ultimate: For $15 per month on your home phone service and get unlimited calls to home phones in 35 countries, unlimited calls to mobiles in 17 countries and discounted call rates to 37 countries.

  • Telstra Pre-Paid Extra
    For a $40 recharge, you can make unlimited overseas calls to 10 standard numbers in specified destinations.

2. Vodafone

Users on a plan
Vodafone has two plans for its Plus Plans, selected Red, SIM Only and Business Advance Plans:

  • 3000 standard international minutes from Australia to 20 zone 1countries
  • 300 standard international minutes from Australia to 70 zone 2 countries

Visit the Vodafone site for the list of Zone 1 and Zone 2 countries as these could change from time to time.

3. Optus

Optus has overseas call plans for prepaid and postpaid customers. Its $85-per-month mobile phone plan subscribers get Unlimited Standard International Talk & Text.

4. Other Companies’ Overseas Call Plans

Staying in Touch

There is no single plan that represents the cheapest way to call overseas from Australia. It really depends on your needs and considerations. Avoid the high cost of keeping in touch with your family and friends overseas by taking the time to check the various plans available from different telcos, so you can focus more on your loved ones and less on your phone bill.

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