Boost Mobile resumes international roaming as Aussies jet off for the summer
Boost Mobile is the latest Australian telco to offer international roaming as holidaymakers dust off their passports.
Despite rising travel costs, more than seven million international trips are expected to be booked from Australia in 2023. New Zealand remains the most popular international destination, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, followed by Indonesia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Fiji, India, Singapore, Thailand, Italy and Vietnam.
Australia’s three mobile network operators – Telstra, Optus and Vodafone/TPG – all offer their customers international roaming packages to ensure they don’t rack up astronomical “pay-as-you-go” bills when they travel. For a few extra dollars a day, customers can continue to use their Australian mobile phone and phone number for calls, texts and data when overseas.
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Unfortunately, the option to use your phone outside of Australia is more hit and miss when it comes to customers of mobile resellers, also known as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). Especially when it comes to prepaid customers.
Without access to international roaming, one alternative is to temporarily transfer your number to another Australian telco that offers international roaming. The other option is to buy a local SIM card with a different phone number when you arrive at your destination, swapping it for your Australian SIM while you’re abroad.
Boost Mobile is the latest Australian MVNO to support customers on the go, introducing three new international roaming packages covering over 40 countries.
The small $20 international roaming package lasts for three days and offers 1GB of data, 15 minutes of calls and 15 texts. The $30 Medium package increases that to seven days, with 3GB of data, 30 minutes of calls and 30 texts. For those traveling longer, the $40 Large package lasts 14 days and includes 5GB of data, 60 minutes of calls and 60 texts.
It’s a bit more expensive than some of the prepaid options from the big telcos, but Boost’s packs generally provide more data than the likes of Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.
International roaming packages can be purchased via the My Boost Mobile app. Boost Mobile recommends that travelers wait and purchase packages when they land at their first international destination, as the inclusions of each package become active immediately upon purchase.
Last month, Boost Mobile launched the Boost Trade-In app, which offers a streamlined way to recycle older cell phones in exchange for cash. International roaming with competitive prices is the latest offering from the MVNO to help users save money.
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