G'day from your phone
Staying connected in Australia: the UK traveller's guide
Land in Sydney, switch on, and you're online. Here's how to get there for the least money: roaming costs, real eSIM prices and the checks to do before you fly.
By The SimSift team · Published · Updated
Short answer: for most UK travellers, a travel eSIM is the cheapest way to stay online in Australia: a 3GB for 7 days plan was £5.75 in our latest check, against £30 or more for a week of roaming on the big four UK networks. Check your own plan first, though. Some O2 and Vodafone plans include Australia at no extra cost.
Your three options
1. Roam on your UK plan. The easiest, and free on some plans, but usually £6 to £8 a day. 2. A travel eSIM. Buy before you go, install at home, switch on when you land. 3. A local SIM. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone sell prepaid SIMs in Australia, which can suit a long stay, but you'll need to find a shop after a long flight. For a holiday, options 1 and 2 are the simplest.
What UK networks charge in Australia
| Network | Per day | 7 days | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| EE | £6 | £30 | ROW Zone 1: £6 a day to use your UK allowance, or a 7-day pass for £30 (15-day pass £50). Source: EE pay monthly price guide, 11 October 2026 |
| O2 | £7 | £49 | O2 Travel Bolt On: £7 a day for unlimited calls, texts and data (speeds capped at 2Mbps). Included at no extra cost if your plan has the O2 Travel Inclusive Zone Bolt On, which covers Australia. Source: O2 Travel · O2 Travel Inclusive Zone |
| Three | £8 | £56 | Go Roam Around the World: £8 a day if you joined or upgraded from 18 December 2025 (lower on some older plans). Up to 12GB of your allowance. Source: Three: Go Roam |
| Vodafone | £8 | £56 | Zone C: £8 a day from 14 April 2026. Included if your plan has Global Roam. Source: Vodafone: out-of-bundle price changes from April 2026 · Vodafone: global roaming zones |
Australia eSIM plans today
For a week: £5.75
3GB for 7 days (£1.92 per GB). Enough for maps, messages and social media on a typical holiday week.
See this 3GB planAdFor two weeks or more: £8.25
5GB for 30 days (£1.65 per GB). Lasts 30 days, so it covers a fortnight with room to spare.
See this 5GB planAdIf you don't want to count: £20.75
Unlimited data for 7 days (£2.96 a day). Unlimited data for a week: good for video calls home and hotspot use.
See this unlimited planAdUnlimited for longer trips: £35.25
Unlimited data for 15 days (£2.35 a day). Two weeks of unlimited data.
See this unlimited planAd| Plan | Valid | Price | £/GB | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3GB Australia 3 GB for 7 Days | 7 days | £5.75 | £1.92 | Get planAd |
| 5GB Australia 5 GB for 30 Days | 30 days | £8.25 | £1.65 | Get planAd |
| 10GB Australia 10 GB for 30 Days | 30 days | £12.25 | £1.23 | Get planAd |
| 18GB Australia 18 GB | 30 days | £20 | £1.11 | Get planAd |
| 20GB Australia 20 GB for 30 Days | 30 days | £20 | £1 | Get planAd |
| Unlimited Australia Unlimited Data for 7 Days | 7 days | £20.75 | £2.96/day | Get planAd |
| Unlimited Australia Unlimited Pro Data for 7 Days | 7 days | £25 | £3.57/day | Get planAd |
| Unlimited Australia Unlimited Data for 15 Days | 15 days | £35.25 | £2.35/day | Get planAd |
| Unlimited Australia Unlimited Pro Data for 15 Days | 15 days | £39.25 | £2.62/day | Get planAd |
eSIM prices from Sim Local's official partner API, checked . Prices are before the 10% SIMSIFT code, which Sim Local applies at checkout through our links. The price on Sim Local's site is the one you pay. Ad links: SimSift may earn commission, at no extra cost to you. How we make money.
Before you fly: the five-minute checklist
- Check your phone is unlocked. UK networks have been banned from selling locked phones since December 2021 (Ofcom: mobile companies banned from selling locked handsets), but an older or second-hand phone might still be locked. A travel eSIM won't work on a locked phone, so ask your network to unlock it before you go.
- Check it supports eSIM. Most recent iPhones, Pixels and Galaxy phones do. Our eSIM compatibility guide shows the two-second check.
- Check your phone can call 000 over 4G. Australia switched off 3G in 2024, and phones that can't make Triple Zero calls over 4G (VoLTE) can be blocked from its networks, visitors included (ACMA: ensuring mobiles can reach 000 after the 3G shutdown). Recent iPhones, Pixels and Galaxy phones bought in the UK are generally fine, but older or less common models may not be. AMTA's page lists each Australian network's own device checker (AMTA: device compatibility information).
- Install the eSIM at home, on Wi-Fi. Scan the QR code or use the provider's app the night before you fly, then leave the eSIM switched off until you land.
- Keep your UK number for texts. Bank and app security codes still arrive by text. Keep your UK SIM switched on for calls and texts, and turn data roaming off on it so it can't run up a daily charge. Apple: using Dual SIM with an eSIM and Google: use dual SIMs on your Pixel phone show how to pick which line uses data.
When you land in Australia
- Turn off flight mode and switch the travel eSIM line on.
- Set the eSIM as your mobile data line, and turn data roaming on for that line only: travel eSIMs usually connect as a roaming service, so follow your provider's set-up steps (Apple: use eSIM while travelling internationally).
- Keep data roaming off on your UK line. If your UK network sends a "welcome" text with its daily charge, that's your reminder to check.
- Open a map or send a message to check you're online. If it doesn't connect, restart the phone and check the eSIM line has data switched on.
Coverage: big cities great, the Outback not so much
Australia is huge. Geoscience Australia puts its area at about 7.69 million km² (Geoscience Australia: area of Australia). Telstra, the country's biggest network, says its predicted coverage under the new national map standard is over 2.14 million km², and that Optus and Vodafone report 1.2 million km² each (Telstra: Australia's mobile coverage maps are changing (29 June 2026)). So you'll be well connected in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and along the main coasts, but expect long stretches with no signal on Outback road trips.
- Download offline maps for every region you'll drive through.
- Tell someone your route and expected arrival before long drives.
- Telstra says your phone will connect to any available network to call Triple Zero (000), even without coverage from your own provider.
Sharing data with a laptop or a travel buddy
Personal hotspot works on many travel eSIM plans, which is handy for a laptop or a partner's phone, but every gigabyte you share comes out of your plan. If you'll be sharing, go for a bigger plan or an unlimited one, and check the plan details on the provider's site first, as some limit hotspot use.
Heading over for an Australian summer?
Our winter is Australia's summer, so November to February is peak time for visiting family, Christmas on the beach and New Year in Sydney. Sort your eSIM before you fly and you can message home the moment you land. Check the FCDO travel advice: Australia before you go for entry requirements.
Our honest bit
We're a comparison site and we earn commission when you buy through some links, including Sim Local's. That never changes the prices we show, which come straight from Sim Local's partner data. Roaming with your own network can be the better deal, especially if your plan already includes the destination, and we say so above.
Sources
- EE pay monthly price guide, 11 October 2026
- O2 Travel; O2 Travel Inclusive Zone
- Three: Go Roam
- Vodafone: out-of-bundle price changes from April 2026; Vodafone: global roaming zones
- ACMA: ensuring mobiles can reach 000 after the 3G shutdown
- AMTA: device compatibility information
- Telstra: Australia's mobile coverage maps are changing (29 June 2026)
- Geoscience Australia: area of Australia
- Ofcom: mobile companies banned from selling locked handsets
- Apple: using Dual SIM with an eSIM; Apple: use eSIM while travelling internationally; Google: use dual SIMs on your Pixel phone
- FCDO travel advice: Australia
- eSIM prices: Sim Local partner API, checked 3 Nov 2026, 06:18 GMT.
Questions
Do I need an eSIM for Australia?
Not always. If your plan includes Australia (O2's Travel Inclusive Zone or Vodafone's Global Roam), roaming may cost you nothing extra. Otherwise UK networks charge £6 to £8 a day, or £30 for EE's 7-day pass, while a 3GB for 7 days eSIM was £5.75 in our latest check.
Will my UK phone work in Australia?
Most recent phones bought in the UK will. Australia closed its 3G networks in 2024 and can block phones that can't call 000 over 4G, so check older or unusual models first. Your phone also needs to be unlocked to use a travel eSIM.
How much data do I need for a trip to Australia?
Check how much mobile data you use in a typical week at home (your phone's settings show it), then add some for maps and photos. For a long trip with lots of navigation, video calls or hotspot use, an unlimited plan avoids running out.
Is there mobile signal in the Outback?
Often not. Telstra, the biggest network, predicts coverage across about 2.14 million km² under Australia's new coverage map standard, while the country covers about 7.69 million km². Download offline maps and tell someone your route before long drives.
Can I keep my UK number while using an Australian eSIM?
Yes, on a dual-SIM phone. Keep your UK line on for calls and texts with data roaming off, and use the eSIM for data. Incoming calls on your UK number may still be charged by your network, so check its roaming terms.