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Telephone TipsAs an international student, you will become intimately acquainted with telephones as a method of communication. You are in a foreign country, most likely on the other side of the planet from where you came, separated from your nearest and dearest. Most international students wish to call home as soon as possible. However, if you are not careful, you may spend unnecessarily large sums of money on so doing. In the last five years, the Australian telecommunications industry has
become very competitive since it was deregulated. The consequence of this
is that there are dozens of companies offering services to the public.
With a little research and careful choices, an individual can save large
sums of money. This article is designed to shorten the amount of research
that you will need to conduct. Given that prices change constantly - and
usually for the better - no figures are included. It is better that you
ring the companies directly or check their web sites, which are listed
at the end of this text, for their latest prices.
When you first connect your phone, you can do so with a variety of companies. The main companies that provide network servicing and local phone calls are Telstra, Optus, AAPT and Primus Telecom. They all vary in price, so it is worth finding out about it. Once you have connected with one of them, all your phone calls will be billed with that particular company. To take advantage of cheaper deals with other companies, you have to first register with the company or other companies you have chosen and then dial a 4-digit number before the phone number you are planning to dial. If you want, you can use a different company for every country you are ringing. The only problem is that you will receive many different phone bills monthly. There are also companies that operate on a phone card or account system. This means that you register with the company and then pay money into an account or you buy a phone card from a shop. This is very convenient if you live in a residential college or in a homestay situation. It also means that you will not overspend on phone calls because once your money runs out, you cannot make any more phone calls until you make another payment. Most large newsagents have a variety of cards, from which to choose. Bear in mind that the phone cards may be more expensive than home connections, and that there can be hidden costs such as connection fees and surcharges, in addition to the rate per minute. When you choose the company that you want to sign up with, remember to consider all the details of the offer. Most companies allow you to choose one or two countries that you will call most frequently, which will actually reduce the cost further. Some carriers such as Optus and Telstra have time offers. This means that you pay a fixed amount of money for every half hour you talk on the phone. Before the time is up, it will let you know with a series of beeps. Some carriers also have an option that allows you to talk for up to three hours at no extra cost, once you have been connected for a minimum period. Please beware that there can be many hidden costs associated with telephone calls. Connection fees, flagfalls, interest fees and late penalties if you pay your bill late, and so on are just a few of the issues that you need to consider. Remember to read and understand all the fine print associated with the contract. Australian Telephone Carriers
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