Mobile Phones and Internet in Sydney

Once you arrive in Sydney, one of the first things to do is to organise a phone, so you can navigate the new streets of the city and hit the ground running, allowing you to organise the details of your employment, housing, banking, and social life. It may be worth getting a pre-paid SIM card (available from newsagents, convenience stores, and supermarkets) initially and then transferring to a long-term solution when you’ve done your research.

Here’s your guide to mobile phone and internet service providers:

Mobile Phones in Sydney

Most mobile phone companies will not allow you to enter into a contract unless you are a permanent resident of Australia, so it may be worth negotiating with your employer to have your phone contract included as part of your relocation package or benefits. (Note that Virgin has done away with contracts, however.) If going through your workplace is not an option, the following mobile phone companies offer pre-paid mobile phone plans:

It is advisable to shop around before deciding on your mobile service provider as the costs vary between providers. If you get a contract, you may choose to get a new phone via your contract provider; if not, you’ll need to provide your own handset. You can compare mobile phone plans here.

If you prefer to deal in person, you can usually find a storefront for one of the bigger mobile phone companies in shopping centres.

Landline Phones and Internet

After you’ve found a place to live in Sydney, you’ll also want to get a home internet plan. There are two major Australian internet providers: Telstra www.telstra.com.au and Optus www.optus.com.au, both of which also provide mobile services – you may prefer to streamline your telecommunications by bundling your mobile plan in with your internet and home phone.

There are also several other internet service providers in Sydney, some of which offer internet only. Your options include ADSL and ADSL2+, ‘naked’ DSL (internet without a telephone number), wireless internet, and the National Broadband Network (NBN). Other internet providers include:

To compare broadband internet providers, different costs, and different services available in your area, visit consumer ratings website Canstar.

It can take some time to organise your home internet, so make it top of your list once you know your permanent Sydney address. It’s also possible to get a USB dongle that enables pre-paid wireless internet via a SIM card – there’s no ongoing commitment so you don’t have to worry about breaking a contract. Most mobile phones also allow you to create a WiFi hotspot, meaning you use your phone data to generate a WiFi signal for any nearby machines (your desk top computer, for example).