In Reply to: sims in bali posted by jayz on Thursday, 5. January 2006 at 18:29 Bali Time:
As we are regulars to Bali and about to become expat's..We see the problem so often on the streets... Specially with the Young ones, they take their Pre-paids, to Bali. Depending on where they purchased them thu-out the world, they quite often dont work. Then they think, they will just buy a sim card and change over the cards. They quite often havent looked into it. If you have a prepaid Mob you need to get it unlocked before leaving your country of purchase. There are two ways, if you have purchased enough prepaid credits (Approx $80) for your phone, or you have paid the extra fee, which is generally around $80.00 with most companies in. Australia. You need then to call your provider, being, telstra, Optus, Virgin, etc and actually request for it to be unlocked for use overseas, they will then go thru a series of prompts with you, until yr phone is unlocked.
Please if this can help someone you know travelling to Bali, please pass it on, It has cost us a fortune in the past,(letting people use our phones) but when kids have been desperate to ring their folks as their phones havent worked and we have felt that they have needed to ring home,.specially in a time of need. What can one do... The phone companies dont advertise any of this either, they just like to take the kids monies and run...
So please pass along, specially to the young ones, whos parents are expecting them to ring home...