On the road in Australia, being able to communicate is first and foremost a question of security. Breakdowns are not a problem on a route that is busy enough to see people pass by several times a day, provided you have water and some food. But the phone greatly simplifies and speeds things up in remote areas.
The phone will also allow you to keep a social link, with family and friends. Even if it will be constrained by time zones.
The data package becomes essential, to make reservations and to prevent the failure of memory cards by saving movies and photos.
So, to summarize, you need a device with full network coverage, fast throughput, great autonomy, lightweight, space-saving and cheap. And since it doesn’t exist (surprised?) let’s see the options.
Satellite communication
Its advantage is its coverage of the entire territory. At least when you’re outdoors. With some limitations for Thuraya compared to Inmarsat and Iridium.
A satellite communication system is however really slow: on the order of a few tens of Kbit/s (up to 650 Kbit/s for one of the Inmarsat packages), but especially with a latency is close to 10 times that of a terrestrial communication. It is actually not exceptional to wait for a message (a few characters) several tens of seconds. And it is also an expensive communication, with a monthly fee of around 20 €, plus a cost per minute of more than 1 €. It is therefore unsuitable for surfing the Internet. So as for saving videos…
This communication can only be considered for relief. No need to buy a compatible phone, also expensive: around 1000 € new, and used between 300 and 500 €. It is possible to rent them, but it is not interesting for long periods. Fortunately, there are smaller devices that allow you to send SMS and SOS.
Garmin’s InReach Mini2 is the best known. It is a lightweight terminal (100g) that connects to the Iridium network to exchange interactive messages with emergency services or SMS with any phone number. In addition to the 360€ of the terminal (I bought a model of the previous version for 210€ used), there is an annual registration of 60€ and a subscription of 20€ for 30 days which includes 10 free messages and pre-selected messages (0,55€ the additional message). For the same price, Globalstar’s SpotX is twice as heavy but incorporates an input keyboard. Its global network is more limited, but in Australia it allows to communicate all along the route.
To further reduce costs and weight, the solution is to take only a backup beacon. The Australian government details this option. As an example, the rescueMe PLB1 is small, has a battery that lasts several years and unlike previous systems, does not require a subscription. If these beacons can only be considered as a complement to another communication system, they are available for rent for about ten dollars a day which makes them interesting for small stays.
The phone
For short periods of time and staying in large cities, a French phone with international coverage may be enough. In other cases, it is better to turn to local suppliers.
Three operators offer a mobile network: Telstra, Optus and Vodaphone. The coverage is adapted to inhabited areas, leaving large white areas in the center and north. No need to make any effort: even Telstra, which claims the best network, is absent subscribers on hundreds of kilometers of highway. No more drivers who call while driving.
Be careful to check the network. For example at Telstra there are actually two: Telstra, used by Telstra and Boost, but also Telstra wholesale, used by Telstra partners and whose coverage is significantly lower, especially in rural areas.
Let’s finish with good news: there are data packages without commitment at reasonable rates. Telstra offers prepaid offers at $60 per 40Gb with a 28 days expiry. And Boost does even better because a little cheaper with $40 per 30Gb and international communications are unlimited. Be careful though: Boost’s prepaid offer can only be used in Australia and units not consumed when returning will be lost.
Those options are only available in Australia, as the law requires the operators to collect evidence of your id.
Wifi
In Australia, Wifi access points offer to communicate on the road in many places: chain restaurants and cafes, shopping malls, libraries, parks, transport hubs… Large cities like Brisbane often publish a map. But the best is to install dedicated phone applications, like Wifi Finder and Wifi Map. Not only they can work offline, but they also give you a hint about the speed of the connection.
These accesses are usually free and are a valid solution, but only for emergency. Because they do not guarantee any confidentiality or performance. But also because it is a city exclusive. As displayed on the map of the Wifi finder application, in remote places they are as common as oases in the desert.
