Phone, internet and staying in touch

Get an Australian SIM on day one: you need a local number for rental applications, banks and employers. Home internet comes through the NBN and takes a little longer to set up.

Your first SIM

Prepaid SIMs are widely sold. You pay up front, which suits newcomers with no Australian credit history. By law you must prove your identity to activate one: ask the shop which documents it accepts, such as your passport. Postpaid plans send a bill at the end of each month.

• Most plans now include unlimited calls and texts within Australia; you choose by data allowance
• Check a provider’s coverage map with your postcode before you commit, especially outside the cities
• Before signing a contract, read the Critical Information Summary: it shows the length and any exit fees
• Make sure your UK handset is unlocked so it works with an Australian SIM

The networks

Smaller brands, often called MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators), rent space on these networks and are often cheaper. Coverage is the same as the network they use.

Home internet: the NBN

The NBN is the national broadband network, built by the government company NBN Co. You don’t buy from NBN Co. You check your address on its website, then order a plan from a phone and internet provider.

Ask the agent at the inspection what NBN connection the home has. Speeds depend on the connection type, so check before you sign. See Finding a home to rent.

The time difference

The UK and much of Australia change their clocks on different dates, and in opposite directions. Australia’s daylight saving starts on Sunday 4 October 2026 and ends on Sunday 4 April 2027. UK clocks go back on 25 October 2026 and forward on 28 March 2027. Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory don’t use daylight saving.

For a few weeks in October and late March the gap is in between. In practice: an early-morning call in Sydney is the previous evening in the UK, and a Sydney evening is a UK morning. Weekends are the easiest time to catch family.

Calling home and your UK number

• Internet calling and messaging apps over wifi are the cheapest way to call the UK
• Roaming on a UK SIM can be expensive outside Europe: check your UK provider’s rates before you fly
• Many UK banks send security codes by text. Decide whether to keep a cheap UK plan or move the bank to app-based security before you go
• Your Australian provider must port (transfer) an Australian number if you change provider. Don’t cancel the old service before the move completes

If something goes wrong

Complain to your provider first. If it isn’t sorted, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman is free: call 1800 062 058.