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Optus international roaming

Heading overseas get international roaming with optus from $5 a day, with calls, texts and data for use in 100+ zone 1 countries..

In this guide

How does international roaming with Optus work?

What are the international roaming inclusions with optus, what countries are included with optus international roaming, optus international roaming payg charges, compare optus plans with international roaming.

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What you need to know

• Optus offers international roaming packs for both its prepaid and upfront mobile plans
• International roaming on Optus mobile plans start from $5 per day and are available in over 100 countries
• Prepaid international roaming packs start from $5 a day and are available in over 100 countries

International roaming allows you to use your device outside of Australia without needing to change your SIM card or number.

It's more expensive than using your usual phone plan but it's an easy way to get online and stay connected with friends and family back home as you travel around.

If you're with Optus , international roaming is automatically turned on for all eligible services when you start using your device in a Zone 1 destination .

• Watch out for : If you want to turn it off, you'll need to turn your phone on aeroplane mode. From there you'll need to connect to WiFi and go through the My Optus app to turn off international roaming.

Optus has international roaming inclusions across both its prepaid and postpaid mobile plans.

Which international roaming plan you sign up with will depend based on what type of customer you are.

If you are on an Optus Choice Plus, Optus Plus family, Optus Plus Promo, Optus Plus Data, Business Choice Plus, Business Choice Data Plus, Business Teams Plus or Qantas plan you will use Optus' $5 roaming pass.

Those on other plans might need to go on the $10 Optus roaming pass.

$5 Optus roaming pass

• That's the per day cost for Optus Choice Plus customers
• You'll also get 5GB of data each day and unlimited calls and texts
• Can be used in 100+ Zone 1 destinations

$10 Optus roaming pass

• This is the per day cost for the pass
• You get 1GB of data and unlimited national talk and text

If you're on an Optus prepaid plan, you'll have 4 add ons available to you:

$5 Optus roaming

• This a per day cost
• You'll get 1GB of data ,100 texts and 100 minutes of calls
• These are available in Zone 1 destinations

$10 Travel credit

• This is a 14-day plan
• You'll get $10 in credit on international talk, text and international roaming
• You will be charged $0.02/ MB, $0.5/ minute and $0.20/ SMS in zone 1 destinations

$20 data only

• You'll get 10GB of data to use in 10 different destinations (no call or text inclusions)
• Rollover up to 100GB when you recharge before expiry

$35 Optus roaming

• This is the weekly plan
• You'll get 7GB of data, 700 texts and 700 minutes of calls

We've listed the 100+ countries (Zone 1) where you can use an Optus's roaming pass, accurate as of June 2023.

If you're travelling to a country outside of Zone 1, standard roaming rates will apply.

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Czech Republic
• Faroe Islands
• French Polynesia
• Isle of Man
• Korea, Republic of
• Liechtenstein
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Northern Marianas
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Puerto Rico
• Russian Federation
• Samoa (Western)
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• Taiwan, Province of China
• United Arab Emirates
• US Virgin Islands
• Vatican City (Holy See)

You can still roam in the majority of countries not included on the Optus Daily Roaming pass, but you will be charged pay as you go rates (PAYG) for calls, texts, and data which can get expensive.

Standard roaming rates are available on selected postpaid plans (that aren't Choice Plus), giving you the option to pay as you go. You will be charged per minute of calls, for sending SMS, MMS and by the MB of data you use.

It is broken down by the following:

• Keep in mind : PAYG rates vary depending on which country you visit, and costs can quickly add up if you're on your phone a lot. We recommend getting a roaming pack or looking into a travel or local SIM for better value.

If you're not yet an Optus customer but want to take advantage of Optus's international roaming add-ons, check out its range of postpaid and prepaid plans in the comparison table.

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Home » Mobile

The best unlimited international calls plan in Australia

Keep in touch with the world without breaking the bank, thanks to these unlimited international calls plans.

• Best unlimited international calls plan : amaysim UNLIMITED 32GB plan
• Best Optus international call plan : Medium Optus Choice Plan
• Best Vodafone international call plan : Vodafone Medium SIM Only Plan
• Best Telstra international call plan : Telstra $62 Basic Upfront SIM Plan
• Best prepaid international call plan : Lebara Small Plan

For those with friends or family overseas, an unlimited international calls plan could ease your worries so you can talk as much as you want with loved ones without the weight of a hefty phone bill on your mind.

Optus, Telstra and Vodafone all offer a range of popular phone plans with free and unlimited international calls. However, you’ll want to compare the selected international countries that you can call for free. Otherwise, it’s also worth considering one of the many MVNOs that offer some great prepaid deals on unlimited international calls. And of course, if you're looking for the best-prepaid plans for a trip Down Under, check out our prepaid guide for travelling around Australia here .

Let’s take a look at the best phone plans for international calls and unlimited international calls.

What is an MVNO?

Although there are dozens of mobile providers to choose from in Australia, there are only three mobile networks: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Other mobile providers like amaysim, Belong and Lebara offer their plans using these three same networks, but usually at a better price. In the industry, providers like these are called Mobile Virtual Network Operators ( MVNOs ).

Best unlimited international calls plan

Amaysim unlimited 32gb plan.

If you're looking for the best unlimited international calls plan, amaysim is an easy choice.

The $30 recharge gets you unlimited international calls to 28 countries,  including Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, USA and Vietnam.

Most plans at a similar price include a smaller amount of countries. 

If that's not quite what you're looking for, here's a quick round-up of amayism's plans with international calls included:

Best Optus phone plan for international calls

$59 optus choice plus plan.

The most popular Optus plan that provides free international calls is the $59 Optus Choice Plan. Available on either a 24-month or 36-month handset repayment bundle or as a BYO phone, SIM-only plan, it offers unlimited standard international calls to 35 selected countries from Australia, along with a generous 100GB of data.

Which countries are included in Optus unlimited international calls plan?

There are 35 countries Optus provides free unlimited international calls to from Australia. They are as follows: Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, Columbia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA and Vietnam. Outside of these countries, you'll be paying Pay As You Go (PAYG) rates.

Prepaid customers, on the other hand, have a couple more options. Epic Data plans and monthly Flex plans include unlimited international calls to up to 15 countries: Canada, mainland China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, UK and the USA).

Alternatively, you can pay an extra $5 per month for 300 international minutes to 50 selected international destinations, which include the following: Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam.

Optus international call rates

If you’re on an Optus prepaid plan without the $5 International Talk add-on, your international call rates will vary depending on your specific plan. Typically though, the call rate to most countries will range from 3 cents to $1 per minute. The most common call rate is 10 cents per minute for a majority of destinations.

Otherwise, if you’re on a postpaid plan with Optus that doesn’t include unlimited standard international calls, you’ll be charged PAYG rates . These are typically more expensive, starting at 35 cents per call with an additional charge per second, per 30 seconds or per minute, depending on which postpaid plan you’re on. Usually, you’re looking at charges of around 36 cents to $5 per minute for standard mobile calls, depending on the specific country.

Below are Optus' postpaid and prepaid plans with international calls included. 

Best Vodafone phone plan for international calls

Vodafone medium sim only plan.

The Vodafone Medium SIM Only Plan gives you unlimited calls to Vodafone's Zone 1 countries and 300 minutes to Zone 2 countries. Even if you spend more on Vodafone's Large plan, you won't get any extra international inclusions. 

This plan also be bundled with a new phone.

Which countries are included in Vodafone's unlimited international calls plan?

For postpaid customers, Vodafone’s Zone 1 countries are Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Germany, Guam, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, the United States of America and the Vatican (Holy See).

In Zone 2, you’ll find Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brunei, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Faroe Islands, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macau, Malta, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Northern Mariana Islands, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Reunion, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain Canary Islands, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela and Vietnam.

Vodafone international call rates

For prepaid customers who don’t have international calls included (or do, but are calling someone outside of Zone 1 or Zone 2), call rates vary based on your plan, hovering between 2 cents and $3.60 per minute.

As for postpaid, selected plans include unlimited standard international calls to Zone 1 and limited minutes to Zone 2, however, PAYG rates apply for countries outside of these zones. Rates differ depending on when you signed your contract, but the most recent plans charge a connection fee of 28 cents with a charge ranging between 10 cents to $4.50 per minute.

Here are Vodafone's postpaid and prepaid mobile plans with international calls.

Best Telstra plan for international calls

Telstra $62 basic upfront sim plan.

Telstra doesn’t offer any plans with unlimited international calls out of the box, but its Upfront plans are rather unique in that they let you call ANY country. 

You read that correctly, all Telstra Upfront plans include 30 international minutes each month that can be used to call any standard international number. 

While that's not a huge amount of minutes, the plan could still be a good option if you're trying to call a country that's not typically supported by other telcos. 

You also get unlimited international SMS. 

If you need more than 30 minutes, you can add a calling pack to any Upfront plan. These start at $10 per month. The cheapest option includes unlimited standard calls and SMS to 23 countries. 

There's a $20 per month option which then gives you the aforementioned unlimited calls and a further 200 minutes for an additional 45 destinations. The $30 per month pack increases the number of destinations to 93.

Here is the complete range of Telstra Upfront SIM-only plans. These can also be bundled with a new phone. 

Which countries are included in Telstra's Zone 1 international calling pack?

Telstra's Zone 1 international calling pack includes unlimited talk and text to these countries:

Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the UK, the USA, US Virgin Islands, and Vietnam.

International calls on Telstra prepaid plans

If you need more than 30 minutes of international call time each month, you can look at one of Telstra's prepaid plans. Recharges from $30 includes some international minutes. 

For example, Telstra's $30 recharge gets you 300 minutes to Zone 1 countries, 60 minutes to Zone 2 countries, and 5 minutes to Zone 3 countries. The more you spend, the more minutes you get. 

All Telstra prepaid plans worth $30 and up also include 100 texts to any country. 

Here are Telstra's prepaid plans with international calls: 

Which countries are included in Telstra's international calls on prepaid?

Telstra's prepaid Zone 1 countries are different to its Upfront plan. The destinations you can call include:

Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA, US Virgin Islands, Vietnam

Zone 2 countries include:

Argentina, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brunei, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Faroe Islands, French Guiana, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Greece, Italy, Laos, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, France, Iran, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Mexico, Mongolia, Palestinian Authority, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Peru, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Slovak Republic, Venezuela

Zone 3 countries are as follows:

Austria, Comoros, Croatia, East Timor, Egypt, Fiji, Ghana, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Russia, Samoa, Serbia, Solomon Islands, Surinam, Switzerland, Tonga, Turkey, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe

Outside of these locations, you’re looking at anywhere from 30 cents to $2 per minute.

Telstra international call rates

If international calls aren't included in your Telstra plan, you're looking at hefty charges to call your overseas contacts . You'll pay anywhere between 30 cents to $2 per minute. 

Best prepaid plan for international calls

Lebara $24.90 small plan.

If you’re looking for a budget prepaid option when it comes to an unlimited international calls plan, you might also want to consider Lebara Mobile .

This Vodafone MVNO has a wide variety of plans with unlimited international calls, the cheapest being their popular $24.90 Medium Plan. You’ll get unlimited international calls to 26 selected countries plus 100 minutes to Zone 1 countries (200 to Bangladesh, India and Pakistan) and 30 minutes to Zone 2 countries.

For comparison, here are Lebara's other plans with unlimited international calls: 

What countries are included in Lebara's unlimited international calls plan?

Lebara offers unlimited international calls to these destinations on its $24.99 per month Small plan:

Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Germany, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Lebara's Zone 1 countries, which most plans have minutes for, are as follows:

Afghanistan, American Samoa, Austria, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Cambodia, Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Venezuela, Vietnam

And lastly, Zone 2 countries are as follows:

Croatia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria

The exact make-up of unlimited, Zone 1, and Zone 2 can vary on each Lebara plan, so be sure to check the fine print if you go with a different option. 

Other providers with an unlimited international calls plan

Of course, the above plans aren't your only options for calling overseas. Plenty of providers offer plans with international calls included as a standard feature. Boost Mobile, Tangerine, ALDI Mobile, Coles Mobile, Dodo, and iiNet all have international calls on select plans, to name a few. 

Here's a look at the most popular plans with at least some international calls right now. Be sure to check exactly what destinations are included if you're looking to call specific countries. 

The best international roaming plans in Australia

Going overseas instead of calling overseas? You may want a plan with international roaming.

Which providers have unlimited international calls?

Many providers include unlimited international calls on select plans, but you'll be limited by the number of destinations you can dial. You'll typically need to spend a minimum amount to get unlimited international calls.  

Boost Mobile offers unlimited international calls to 20 countries as a minimum of all of its 28-day recharges, for example. 

amaysim has unlimited international calls to 28 countries on $30 recharges and up. 

Other providers that offer unlimited international calls on select plans include Vodafone, Optus, Woolworths Mobile, ALDI Mobile, Lycamobile, and Lebara. 

Just double check the plan you're interested in supports the destination you want to call before you commit to it. 

Check out the widget below for a round-up of the cheapest unlimited international calls plans from our database with a monthly price of no more than $60.

How to call an international number from Australia

Now that you've got a plan that includes international calls, you might be wondering how to call an international number from Australia. If you're more used to FaceTiming or Skyping your overseas friends and family, all those country codes might seem a little confusing at first, but it's actually very simple.

You only need three things to call an overseas number: The exit code, the destination country code, and the phone number.

The Australian exit code is 0011, or on a mobile, you can simply press and hold 0 to dial +. Find the destination country code below (for the sake of our demo, we'll use the UK, whose country code is 44). After that, enter the phone number you want to call (dropping the first 0 from the area code, if it starts with one) and press call. Putting this all together, that would look like +44 20 8765 4321 if you're calling from your mobile or 0011 44 20 8765 4321 from a landline.

What to look for in a plan with an international calls plan

There are several things to bear in mind when looking for a mobile plan that has international calls.

Generally speaking, we look at plans that include calls to the ten most searched calling destinations; the usual suspects. The UK, NZ, USA, Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

But if you need to make calls to a country that is not on that list, then it's important to double check whatever plan you're looking at does indeed include the country/countries you wish to call. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter as much whether your provider has the most international destinations on the list as much as it does the required ones.

If you're planning to call home often, it's also worth considering whether a plan has unlimited international calls or not. Even if 300 minutes of calls a month might sound like a lot, you might go through them faster than you expect. Unlimited international calls means zero worries about running up against the limits of what your plan includes.

How we choose the best plans with international calls

As above, when choosing the best plans with international calls, we look at plans that offer calls to the most popular countries that are searched for. Outside of this, we look at things like value for money and additional perks, including plans with enough data and those that are competitively priced.

While we're pretty confident that most consumers will be satisfied with our choices for the best phone plans with international calls cover, sometimes a mobile plan that's the right pick for us may be the wrong fit for you. For that reason, we also include some of the other options available from a given provider.

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From $21.99 $17.57

*Pricing and deals only accurate as of last page update. 

Unlimited international calls plan FAQ

How can i call overseas for free.

If your plan doesn't include international calling inclusions or it doesn't support the country you want to call, the best option is to use an over-the-top app like WhatsApp. 

The likes of WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, FaceTime, and Skype all support voice and video calls. Since they don't use traditional phone networks, there are no fees for calling overseas. You'll just need to ensure whoever you want to talk to also has the same app. 

Do Telstra SIM-only plans include international calls?

Telstra's SIM-only Upfront plans all include 30 minutes of calls to any destination each month. They also have unlimited SMS to any standard international number.

If you need extra minutes, you can add on an international calling pack starting from $10 per month. 

The $10 per month option gives you unlimited standard calls to 23 destinations. 

How much do international calls cost on Vodafone?

Many Vodafone plans include unlimited calling or international minutes for a large number of destinations. If your plan doesn't include these or you want to call a country not that's not an eligible international calling destination, you'll be up for pay-as-you-go rates. 

The exact rate depends on your destination. They can start at little as $0.10 per minute, but you can pay as much as $4 per minute in some cases.

You can find Vodafone's pay-as-you-go rates for international calls here .  

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International calls & texts: finding the best international mobile plan

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Luckily, it’s easier than ever to compare mobile phone plans with international minutes attached, so you can stay connected wherever you are.

Let’s break down everything you need to know about international calls and data roaming, and which providers could offer some pretty top deals.

How to choose the best mobile phone plan with international calls

What is data roaming, which mobile plans have international calling/roaming, international calls for telstra, optus, and vodafone, popular mobile phone deals with international minutes.

The best mobile phone plan will ultimately depend on your needs and budget. For international calls, the best plan will also depend on which countries you’d like to contact.

Generally speaking, international calls tend to have more options available on postpaid mobile plans, whether it's handset included or  SIM-only – though some prepaid plans include overseas calling as well. 

Prices will vary for different destinations, too, including SMS (text) and MMS (picture, video) message rates.

There’s also country codes and overseas networks to consider, as this can sometimes change what you get billed for (depending on the telco). 

Many mobile providers will also state their plans include “standard international numbers” only. This just means your international calling rates/costs/allowances typically only apply if you’re dialling:

• Mobile phones.
• Certain 13/1300/1800 numbers (varies depending on plan/provider).

Providers usually exclude the following international numbers:

• Satellite numbers .
• Premium numbers such as competition and voting lines, calls where you purchase or receive a service, and machine answered calls.
• Any international numbers not included in your mobile plan’s call pack (which may include certain country codes).

But we do more than just make calls with our mobile phones these days. What happens when you’re travelling abroad and need data? 

‘Roaming’ is the fancy term mobile providers use to describe network access while you're travelling overseas. Essentially: how you get data and reception in foreign countries if your mobile plan is Australian.

For most mobile plans, roaming is automatically switched on when you touch down on a foreign runway. But before you jet-set, you’ll need to check your plan’s roaming inclusions so you can get the most of your mobile services abroad. Some might cap your data at certain speeds or amounts, while others might switch off your roaming after a period of time. 

With all this in mind, it’s time to start comparing mobile plans!

Good news! All big three telcos in Australia include international calling as a perk on a selection of plans, while many of the smaller (often cheaper) mobile providers offer it, too, though inclusions can vary and come with strings attached. 

International data roaming, however, is almost exclusively available through the major providers like Vodafone, Optus, and Telstra.

How do Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone compare for international minutes and roaming? 

NOTE: Always check that your intended calling destination is included in your plan through the network provider website before purchasing.

As the biggest mobile provider in Australia, how does  Telstra  stack up when it comes to international calling/roaming?

At the moment, Telstra offers 30 minutes per month of standard international calls/SMS/MMS from Australia to all countries on their new upfront mobile plans (which is their term for a fixed postpaid plan). 

Once you’ve used up all your included calls, you can add an International Calling Pack for additional minutes to selected countries. Packs range from:

• $10 Pack:  Unlimited standard calls to Zone 1 (23 countries).
• $20 Pack: Includes additional 200 minutes to Zone 2 (45 countries).
• $30 Pack: Includes additional 200 minutes to Zone 3 (93 countries).

This gives customers a total 116 possible countries to call. Note the $20 and $30 packs also include the features of the $10 pack. 

Unfortunately, the big caveat is that if your intended destination isn’t listed in any calling pack and you’ve used up your standard 30 minutes, you won’t be able to call that destination again until your minutes reset the following month.

Meanwhile for international data roaming, select plans offer 24 hours of unlimited standard talk/text plus 500 MB of data when you first touch down in one of over 70 eligible destinations and start using your service.

However, if you need more data, you’ll need to get a Day Pass pack, which tops up your data with 1GB per day (with conditions). Day Pass packs range from $5 per day (New Zealand only) to $10 per day for Zone 2 and Zone 3 countries. If you go over your 1GB daily allowance, you can SMS Telstra to top it up with another 1GB for an additional $10, valid for 31 days from the date of purchase.

As Australia’s second largest telco, Optus sometimes balances out Telstra and Vodafone as the best of both worlds, with cheaper plans overall than Telstra but more extras and coverage than Vodafone. But how do they compare for international calling/roaming? 

Basic postpaid SIM-only Optus plans don’t include international talk and text as a feature, but others include unlimited talk and text to standard numbers for up to 35 countries (called ‘Group 1’ countries with Optus). 

You can purchase additional add-ons for more calling destinations and minutes (Group 2 and 3 destinations, with up to 200 minutes for up to 142 countries). International text is unlimited no matter which add-on you purchase. 

As for international roaming, you’ll need to purchase roaming data as an add-on for your SIM-only plan and activate it once abroad through the MyOptus app. 

Postpaid roaming add-on packs include 24 hour and 7 day options starting at $10, which could get you 1GB of roaming data and unlimited talk & text in over 90 countries depending on the pack (conditions apply).

Often considered the most affordable of the major networks, Vodafone offers highly competitive value on its mobile plans. 

Vodafone has recently overhauled their postpaid offerings , which includes adjustments to the international minutes on offer. New customers signing up to an Infinite data plan will need to opt for the Medium or Large plans to get international calls. 

For eligible plans, users could get standard international minutes to 36 Zone 1 countries.

Depending on the plan, you could also get up to 300 standard international minutes to Zone 2 countries (54 destinations). Vodafone warns that countries included in these groups can change, so always check whether your chosen destination is included before making a call. 

If your Vodafone plan doesn’t include international minutes, or you want to call a country outside of the 90 possible destinations offered, you can check their Pay As You Go rates. 

For international roaming, Vodafone offers a highly competitive $5 per day roaming in over 100 foreign countries (maximum 90 days per calendar year, other T&Cs apply). Data allowances will depend on your plan and usage, so check before you travel what your needs will be. If you plan to visit a country where roaming isn’t available, you can opt for Pay As You Go roaming rates. 

Compare mobile SIM-only plans with international minutes included under $30.

Who we are and how we get paid

Our goal at Mozo is to help you make smart financial decisions. The products listed in the comparison table are presented by our partner WhistleOut Pty Ltd. As a marketplace business, we do earn money from advertising and this page features products with Go links where the provider pays us a fee if you go to their site from ours, or you take out a product with them. You do not pay any extra for using the comparison tool.

WhistleOut Pty Ltd maintains a broad list of providers to help you compare, and covers at least the top ten providers in every category. For more information or to understand how WhistleOut Pty Ltd earns money from advertising, please visit the WhistleOut Pty Ltd website.

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Evlin DuBose

Evlin, RG146 Generic Knowledge certified and a UTS Communications graduate, is a leading voice in finance news. As Mozo's go-to writer for RBA and interest rates, her work regularly features in Google's Top Stories and major publications like News.com.au.

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We Broke Down Optus’ $5 Roaming Deal to See if It’s Worthwhile

Unlike Vodafone’s add-on, Optus’s take on $5 per day roaming gets you 5GB of data that you can use overseas. That data expires after 24 hours and is available to customers with a postpaid Optus Choice Plus, Optus Plus Family, or Optus Plus Kids plan. When it comes to Optus’ new add-on, you can also pay $35 upfront and get 35GB to use over the course of a week. 

Customers on an older Optus plan will have to use the previous Roaming Pass instead, which costs twice as much and only includes 1GB of data plus overseas calls and texts in select destinations. All told, Optus’ updated arrangement isn’t quite as generous as Vodafone’s is. However, you could end up with many more inclusions in the plan itself, and that alone might make up for it. 

For example, Optus’ $89 Promo Plus is currently discounted to $69 per month. This plan includes 500GB of excess charge-free data, standard calls and text, 5G coverage where you can get it, unlimited international calls to 35 destinations, a discounted rate on Optus Sport and the ability to save on other subscriptions via the provider’s SubHub platform. 

Our pick of the lot here is Felix Mobile. While most MVNO providers offer poor value packs, expensive pay-as-you-go rates or nothing at all, Felix’s roaming add-on costs just $20. That sum scores you 4GB of international data, 100 texts, and 100 minutes of talk. Best of all, it comes with a 365-day expiry. 

Felix Mobile’s roaming offer doesn’t cover as many countries as what you get on Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone: it only works in 40 destinations. You should be fine for most popular destinations, though, and if you’re the kind of traveller that can sniff out public WiFi wherever you are, 4GB could be enough for your entire international getaway.

You can find a widget with the complete breakdown of Felix plans, which are eligible for international roaming below: 

Fergus Halliday is a journalist at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison website

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Optus mobile plans review

How does australia's second largest telco stack up to telstra and cheaper alternatives.

Tom's Guide Verdict

While there's no denying that Telstra clearly has the lead amongst Australia's three major telcos, Optus isn't that far behind, boasting the country's second-largest network and the title for fastest 5G download speeds. It's also far more affordable than Telstra, with fairly priced plans that offer plenty of data. Of course, the telco has a long way to go to regain Australia's trust after suffering one of the worst cyberattacks in our history, alongside a nationwide outage that lasted more than half a day.

Plans offer good value

Fast 5G download speeds

Great roaming add-ons

Reputation in the toilet

Speeds capped on pre-paid plans

Still uses off-shore call centres

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

Since its commercial arrival on the Aussie telco scene back in 1992, Optus has maintained its position as Australia's second-largest network operator, with Telstra consistently holding onto the number one spot in terms of number of subscribers.

A subsidiary of Singaporean telecommunications giant Singtel, Optus offers a range of mobile plans which offer big data at reasonable price points. It has both pre-paid and post-paid choices, as well as plans which include a handset.

Although Optus comes in second to Telstra with regards to its overall network coverage, the telco is still able to claim that its 3G and 4G networks reach 98.5% of the Australian population. 

And while Telstra seems to have a significant lead when it comes to 5G coverage (based on nPerf's independent coverage maps ) and is claimed to now reach 85% of the Australian population, it's worth nothing that OpenSignal has awarded Optus the 5G Download Speed crown for the last 4 years running. Of course, most users probably won't reach those top speeds unless they're right next to an Optus tower, and the network is relatively uncongested.

As for customer service, Optus still uses off-shore call centres in India and the Philippines, though it does operate local call centres in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, too. 

However, the real elephant in the room is that Optus has had a rough couple of years — in 2022, Optus experienced one of the biggest cyberattacks in Australian history , resulting in the personal information of roughly 10 million customers being exposed. 

This was followed by a nationwide outage in 2023, which lasted approximately 12-13 hours, once again affecting around 10 million customers, including 400,000 businesses.

So while Optus has the second-largest network and a range of decently priced mobile plans, the question remains as to whether the telco can regain the trust of its customers — both existing, and potential.

Optus mobile plans and pricing

• Optus SIM-only plans far more reasonably priced than Telstra
• No lock-in contracts for Optus SIM-only plans

Of the three main network operators in Australia, Optus arguably sits in the sweet spot between Telstra and Vodafone when it comes to price and value. 

Telstra undoubtedly has the best coverage, but is by far the most expensive. And while Vodafone offers the most monthly data at prices which are on par with Optus, it ranks third in terms of coverage and download speeds. 

That leaves Optus with a range of plans which are well-priced and still data-generous, with coverage that's quite decent despite falling short of Telstra's reach. In other words, Optus is probably the telco that Goldilocks would choose.

Optus SIM-only plans start at AU$49 p/m for the Small Optus Choice Plus Plan , which comes with 30GB of monthly data, which means you're paying about AU$1.63 per GB. 

That's followed by the Medium Optus Choice Plan , which costs AU$59 p/m for 100GB of monthly data (a cost of AU$0.59 per GB). That's double what Telstra offers in terms of data on its entry-level Basic Upfront plan, which is more expensive at AU$62 p/m for 50GB (or AU$1.24 per GB).

Next is the Large Optus Choice Plus Plan , which costs AU$69 p/m for 220GB of monthly data, or around AU$0.31 per GB. Yes, you heard right: for a mere AU$7 extra p/m, Optus gives you 170GB more monthly data than Telstra's aforementioned 50GB Basic Upfront plan.

If that still isn't enough data for you, Optus also offers an Extra Large Optus Choice Plus Plan , which costs AU$89 p/m and includes 360GB of monthly data (about AU$0.25 per GB). 

Additionally, Optus currently offers an Optus Plus Promo Plan , which gives you 500GB of monthly data at AU$69 (a tiny AU$0.14 a gig) for the first 12 months, after which the price goes up to AU$89 p/m (a still very-reasonable AU$0.18 per GB). Note that this is technically a special offer, and while there's no end date on it at the time of this review, it will only be available until withdrawn.

Also worth noting is that there are no lock-in contracts on any Optus SIM-only plan, and each one brings uncapped 5G network access in selected areas (excluding Northern Territory), unlimited standard talk and text within Australia, and unlimited standard international talk and text to 35 selected destinations. You can also share your data across eligible plans on the same account, and donate your unused monthly data to Australians in need.

Although there are no lock-in contracts on any of the above Choice Plus plans, Optus also offers a range of prepaid Flex Plus plans for those who don't want to risk extra charges, or only need service for a fixed period of time.

Optus Flex Plus plans with a 28-day expiry period start at AU$35 and come with fluctuating amounts of data. For instance, new customers on this plan get 40GB of data along with a bonus 20GB of data for those first 28 days. After this, the plan loses the bonus data on the second and third recharge (a total of 40GB), then drops down to 20GB from then on. That means after the introductory period you'll be paying AU$1.75 per GB.

Similarly, a AU$45 Flex Plus plan provides 60GB + 20GB of bonus data (80GB in total) during the first 28 days, losing the bonus data on the second and third recharge, before landing on 30GB after that (or $1.50 per GB ongoing). Alternatively, you can opt for a plan which costs AU$55 for 80GB on the first three recharges, which then drops down to 40GB after that (a rate of AU$1.38 per GB).

Of course, there are other long-term 186-day and 365-day options for those who don't want to think about recharging for a while, though you'll have to pay a larger sum upfront.

Note that there is one caveat with Optus's Flex Plus prepaid plans; while all will get you access to the telco's 3G, 4G and 5G networks, download speeds on these plans are capped to 150Mbps across the board. It's also worth mentioning that every Flex Plus plan includes data rollover up to 200GB, which will be applied as long as you recharge before expiry or have an active auto-recharge set up.

Optus mobile coverage

• Excellent 3G / 4G coverage, but lags behind Telstra in 5G reach
• Optus awarded fastest 5G download speeds by OpenSignal

Given that Optus operates the second-largest mobile network in Australia, it probably comes as no surprise that it also offers the second-best coverage. 

Where Optus is closest to Telstra is in its 3G and 4G reach, with a claimed 98.5% of the Aussie population covered. However, while Telstra's 5G mobile network is said to currently reach roughly 87% of Australians , Optus doesn't currently make any specific percentage claims — and if nPerf's coverage maps are any indication, it still has a lot of catching up to do.

During our rundown of the various mobile plans offered by Optus, you may have noticed that 5G network access was only available in selected areas, and excluded Northern Territory entirely. Sure enough, a closer look at nPerf's coverage map for Darwin shows a complete absence of Optus 5G network coverage, and only a small 3G and 4G presence. 

Simply put, if you live in the Top End, you're better off going with Telstra or Vodafone — both of which offer a far greater 3G, 4G and 5G presence in NT. That said, if you live in any of Australia's major cities along the east coast, you should be OK. Optus does offer 5G network access in Perth, though the rest of the west coast is fairly barren in terms of coverage.

Optus mobile plans: Extras, perks and offers

• Big discount on Optus Sport access
• Discounts on streaming subscriptions with SubHub

In terms of extras, Optus postpaid SIM-only customers receive 3 months of Amazon Prime for free when they sign up via Optus SubHub. The latter lets you manage and pay for subscriptions in one place, which are added to your regular phone bill. 

Additionally, customers can save up to 10% on streaming subscriptions when they add three or more eligible subscriptions to SubHub. Supported services include Netflix, Amazon Prime, Binge, Paramount Plus and more.

Best of all, sports-lovers who sign up to Optus Sport via SubHub get a huge discount on the service's monthly subscription cost, bringing it down from AU$24.99 p/m to just AU$6.99 p/m.

Optus also offers very competitive international roaming add-ons — for AU$5 per day, you get 1GB of data, 100 minutes of talk and 100 texts per day to use in over 90 Zone 1 destinations.

Optus mobile plans: customer service and community reviews

• Support team still has call centres in India and the Philippines
• Optus reputation at an all-time low

While Telstra has drastically decreased its use of off-shore call centres since 2021, switching over to a mostly Australia-based support team, the Singtel-owned Optus still relies on call centres located in India and the Philippines. 

Of course, Optus also has call centres in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, although you probably won't know whether you're connected to one of those or someone from an overseas branch. 

Thankfully, Optus has a huge retail presence in Australia, with over 350 branded Optus Yes outlets across the country, making it relatively easy for customers to receive face-to-face service.

Still, not everyone is happy with Optus, with the telco receiving mostly negative online reviews on sites like Product Review and Trustpilot , where it has earned overall customer satisfaction scores of 1.3 and 1.2, respectively. 

With that in mind, it's important to note that both Telstra and Vodafone have achieved similar scores, which goes to show that most customers will only bother reviewing something if they've had a bad experience.

Even with that disclaimer, there's no denying that the telco's reputation is at an all-time low, following an immense cyberattack in 2022 which left the information of over 10 million Optus customers exposed.

This was not helped at all by a nationwide outage which occurred the following year, leaving 10 million customers and 400,000 businesses without mobile or internet access for around 14 hours. Not only did the outage leave vulnerable Australians without the means to contact anyone for help, it also left business owners who rely on EFTPOS twisting in the wind for an entire working day.

Given the extreme public backlash that followed these two disasters, it's no wonder that Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin went on to resign in November 2023.

However, the telco still has a long way to go in regaining Australia's trust — the market research company Roy Morgan named Optus as Australia's most distrusted brand in March 2024, suggesting the telco's black eye is going to linger for a while.

Optus mobile plans: Bottom line

Is an Optus mobile plan worth your money? In terms of value, Optus mobile plans are far more competitively priced than Telstra's, with SIM-only offerings that deliver big data and worthwhile perks. 

As Australia's second-largest telco, it's no surprise that Optus falls behind Telstra in terms of coverage. That said, its reach is still significant — particularly when it comes to 3G and 4G coverage.

Of course, there's no denying that Optus has made some significant blunders with regards to customer security and service over the last couple of years — some of which are hard to forgive. Optus has posted an open letter to customers that includes a commitment to "do better", but is that enough?

If you're willing to forgive Optus, you can at least rest assured that its mobile plans are good value and will likely satisfy most customers (outside of the Northern Territory).

• Best Australian phone plans with international roaming

Stephen Lambrechts is the Managing Editor of Tom's Guide AU and has written professionally across the categories of tech, film, television and gaming for the last 15 years. Before Tom's Guide, he spent several years as a Senior Journalist at TechRadar, had a brief stint as Editor in Chief at Official Xbox Magazine Australia, and has written for such publications as APC, TechLife Australia, T3, FilmInk, AskMen, Daily Telegraph and IGN. He's an expert when it comes to smartphones, TVs, gaming and streaming. In his spare time, he enjoys watching obscure horror movies on physical media, keeping an eye on the latest retro sneaker releases and listening to vinyl. Occasionally, he also indulges in other non-hipster stuff, like hiking.

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Early educators covered by placement payment, Clare says

Taking questions from reporters, the education minister, Jason Clare , said early educators were also covered by the new placement payment:

If you are an early educator doing a teaching degree, you are covered by this. If you check out last year’s budget, there is funding to provide support for early educators doing a Tafe or vocational qualification as part of their prac … The accord said this is where we go first … They said look at teaching, early education, nursing, midwifery as well as social work, so that’s where we’re focused first.

PM speaks about new payment for student teachers and nurses

The PM has also been detailing a move to address “placement poverty” in the upcoming budget, as we flagged earlier .

Anthony Albanese said the funding for student nurses and teachers was aimed at encouraging people to take up those professions.

No one, I don’t think, becomes a teacher because they look forward to getting gigantic salaries … They do that out of their commitment to help their fellow Australians, particularly young Australians achieve the opportunity that comes with education. I said on election night I wanted to widen the doors of opportunity … [These courses are] very satisfying and that is a good thing, but we should also make sure that people who want to do a course – want to become a teacher, want to become a nurse – don’t go, “I would really like to do that but I just can’t afford to do so”. That is why this measure is practical and so important.

You can read all the details about the measure below:

Albanese speaking about budget to media in Canberra

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking to the media from Canberra, flagging what to expect in next Tuesday’s budget:

Our budget will be focused on three things: cost-of-living support and giving support where we can, but doing it in a way to affirm our second priority, which is putting that downward pressure on inflation; looking at measures that will make a difference without adding to inflation, making sure that fiscal policy works with monetary policy; and the third priority is our national interest – a future made in Australia, making sure that we learn the lessons of the pandemic, that we are a more resilient economy, we take advantage of the opportunities that are there to grow into the future.

He is also speaking about the federal government’s move to cut around $3bn in student debts through a key change to the Hecs and Help programs. Caitlin Cassidy has all the details on this below, in case you missed it:

Westpac profit eases as mortgage stress rises

Westpac has recorded a sizeable jump in the number of mortgage customers falling more than 90 days behind on their repayments, as elevated interest rates and rising living costs put pressure on households.

The major bank reported a jump in mortgage delinquencies to 1% in its half-year results released today, up 32 basis points from a year earlier. Delinquencies refer to households which are more than three months behind on their mortgages, representing those at higher risk of having homes repossessed.

Westpac chief executive, Peter King , said that although there were signs of increased mortgage stress, the overall economy was proving resilient.

While we’ve seen an uptick in stress in our loan books, this is to be expected given the large increase in interest rates, high inflation and taxation.

Westpac reported a $3.34bn six-month profit to the end of March, down 16% from a year ago. Its chief gauge of profitability, net interest margins, eased slightly to 1.89%.

King said the bank’s margins were helped by more subdued mortgage competition among lenders during the last six months.

Australia’s major banks have been enjoying a period of share price strength and profitability, despite the recent pullback in profit margins.

Westpac announced today it was increasing its share buyback program by $1bn, a measure used to return excess capital to investors, and that it would also pay a special 15 cent dividend to shareholders.

Telstra announces it will push back closure of 3G network by two months

Telstra has announced it will delay the closure of its 3G network by two months, from 30 June to 31 August, allowing people more time to update their devices.

The telecommunications company has been working towards the change for nearly five years and described it as a significant step, leading to improved connectivity for Australia.

Everyone using devices that rely on 3G for either data, voice or emergency calls need to prepare to stay connected when it switches off.

Customers can check if their handset will be affected by the upcoming closure by texting “3” to 3498, Telstra says.

Stephen Rue appointed as new Optus CEO

Stephen Rue , who is currently CEO of the NBN, has been appointed as the new CEO of Optus .

His appointment will take effect from November, a statement published this morning said. Optus chairman Paul O’Sullivan said:

We’re extremely pleased to have someone of his calibre to lead the next chapter at Optus. His experience in setting up the digital backbone of Australia will serve us well as we reinvigorate Optus as Australia’s leading challenger telecommunications brand. We expect Stephen’s operational and financial background to lift service standards significantly for the benefit of our customers.

Rue said he was “honoured and excited to be given the opportunity to lead Optus”.

My job will be to take care of Optus’s customers, people and business and to provide strong competition and choice.

His appointment coincides with a new governance model where the Optus CEO and executives will report to the Optus board – with Rue joining the board and reporting to the chairman.

Members of the Optus board include chair Paul O’Sullivan , Yuen Kuan Moon , John Arthur , Lim Cheng Cheng and Michael Venter .

Until Rue begins his role as CEO, Venter will continue as interim CEO.

Only five of 148 promised frontline workers employed in NSW: Jodie Harrison

Jodie Harrison was also asked about funding from the commonwealth to states like NSW to provide about 500 family violence frontline workers.

Yesterday the minister for women, Katy Gallagher , said just 30 had been delivered nationwide so far:

Asked about this on ABC News Breakfast, Harrison said “about five” of the state’s promised 148 have been employed so far. She said:

We’ve been working with the federal government to make sure that we comply with what they have already committed to in local areas, and we’ve been doing a lot of work to analyse where gaps are so that we can make sure that the balance of those 148 workers are actually put into the areas that they are most needed. We’ve been consulting really heavily with people who work in the domestic and family violence space, and looking at the crime statistics as well, and we are in the process of procuring those workers right now.

Is only five employed so far good enough? Harrison responded:

Look, it would be really wonderful if we could have moved faster on this. Certainly, the domestic and family violence sector are saying and have been saying that they need additional resources. But we want to make sure we’re putting the workers into the areas where they’re most needed.

Ankle monitoring for DV offenders on bail ‘on the table’, NSW minister says

Jodie Harrison , the NSW minister for the prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault, was speaking to ABC News Breakfast earlier about the $230m emergency package unveiled today .

She was asked if NSW would be in favour of attaching ankle bracelets to domestic violence perpetrators on bail. Harrison said:

We’re certainly looking at all of the options that are on the table [and] really keenly looking at the experience in South Australia. We know that they’re also really having a hard look at domestic and family violence at the moment through their royal commission – we’ll be keenly looking at what comes out of that, but also looking at their experience in relation to ankle monitoring and electronic monitoring.

So is that something the NSW government would be favourably disposed to? Harrison responded: “ Nothing is off the table right now for us. Everything is on the table. ”

Qantas to pay $120m in penalties and compensation

Qantas will fork out $100m as a civil penalty and pay out $20m to customers in compensation, after striking a deal with the consumer watchdog over a landmark action for allegedly selling tickets to flights that had already been cancelled in its system.

Qantas today announced it had come to an agreement with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to resolve the court proceedings lodged in August last year, alleging it had advertised and sold tickets for more than 8,000 flights that it had already cancelled in its internal system , revelations which precipitated the early retirement of former CEO Alan Joyce .

In a statement, Qantas said it will “commence a projected $20 million remediation program for impacted passengers, with payments to customers ranging from $225 to $450, and subject to the approval of the Federal Court of Australia, will pay a $100 million civil penalty”.

The ACCC and Qantas will shortly seek approval of the proposed penalty by the Federal Court. However, Qantas intends to commence the remediation program in advance of the Court approval process.

ACCC chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb , said that as part of the settlement, Qantas had admitted that it misled consumers:

Qantas’ conduct was egregious and unacceptable. Many consumers will have made holiday, business and travel plans after booking on a phantom flight that had been cancelled.

Qantas CEO, Vanessa Hudson , said: “Today represents another important step forward as we work towards restoring confidence in the national carrier … we have since updated our processes and are investing in new technology across the Qantas Group to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

Qantas will facilitate payments to 86,597 consumers who, between 21 May 2021 and 26 August 2023, booked or were re‑accommodated on a domestic or international flight scheduled to depart between 1 May 2022 until 10 May 2024 after Qantas had already decided to cancel it.

Of customers affected, 94% were flying on domestic or trans-Tasman routes, with the remainder flying on the international network. The financial hit of the penalty and remediation program will be recognised as an expense in the group’s statutory income statement for the current financial year.

Search for person overboard continuing

The search for a person overboard a cruise ship in waters off Sydney, as we reported just earlier , is continuing.

Here is a photo of the flight path of a rescue helicopter that was sweeping a section of water off the coast:

And here is the path of the P&O Pacific Adventure , whose scheduled arrival into the harbour at 6am was delayed so the ship could take part in search and rescue efforts:

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