How to use Telstra Pre-Paid for international calls

In today’s interconnected world, staying in touch with friends, family, and business contacts across the globe is easier than ever with a Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile plan. Our Pre-Paid Mobile plans give you capped standard international call minutes to 93 destinations, plus 100 texts to any country - yes, even those that aren't included in the international calls allowance.

So there's no need to buy separate pre-paid international SIM cards for international calls and texts. Just use your Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile plan. 

No surprise bills with Telstra international calls pre-paid

Nothing takes the joy of the day away faster than a big phone bill that you weren’t expecting. That’s where a Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile plan can help you manage your costs.

By paying in advance, you know exactly how many minutes you have for international calls. So you’re always in control of your spending and you can top up when you need to if your minutes are getting low.

Which means you can relax and chat away knowing you won’t get a bill with a nasty surprise.

Pre-Paid Mobile plan or Pre-Paid Mobile Casual?

Telstra includes international call minutes on both our Pre-Paid Mobile plan and our Pre-Paid Mobile Casual plan. So what’s the difference and which should you choose for international calls?

If you use your mobile phone often, for both local and international calls, then a Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile plan is probably best for you. 

While a Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile plan costs more, they include a much higher allowance of international call minutes.

So if you make a lot of international calls, a Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile plan could offer you better value. It also includes 100 texts to any country, plus unlimited calls and texts to standard Australian numbers.

On the other hand, if you only use your mobile occasionally, you could consider a Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile Casual plan, which has a 6-month expiry period. But the number of included international call minutes and texts is much lower, and the included destinations are more limited. 

For a detailed comparison of all Pre-Paid plans available and their inclusions, please click the link below. 

Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile Information

Get started with Telstra Pre-Paid

It's easy to get up and running with a Pre-Paid SIM from Telstra. 

• You can bring your own phone and buy a Pre-Paid starter kit or buy a Pre-Paid phone with a SIM starter kit included.
• Then, activate your SIM online and choose a Pre-Paid Mobile or Pre-Paid Casual plan that suits you best ¹. 
• Recharge either through the My Telstra app or online. 
• Once that's done, simply dial the international number from your Telstra Pre-Paid mobile.

 ¹ Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile $12 plan does not include international calls. 

What about eSIMs?

If your device is eSIM compatible, you can also purchase an eSIM starter kit instead of a physical SIM card. eSIMs allow you to store your network service in a digital way on compatible devices, removing the need for a physical SIM card.

Choose from the same Pre-Paid Mobile and Pre-Paid Casual plan recharge amounts, which each have a capped amount of international call minutes. Simply activate your service through the My Telstra app, and dial the international number.

Please note that eSIM is not yet available for customers who wish to keep their number when switching from another provider. For customers wishing to keep their number when switching their service to Telstra, please purchase a physical SIM instead.

You can call so many places

Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile plan includes international call minutes to 93 destinations across the world.

And why do we call them destinations and not countries? Well, most of the places you can speak to with Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile international calls are countries in their own right. But to give you even more choice, we’ve included various territories and regions like Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Hong Kong and the Faroe islands.

Our destinations are divided into three zones, depending on the number of international minutes they’re allotted. And the included destinations are subject to change. 

Customers on Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile Casual can call Zones 1 and 2. Customers on Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile plans can call all three destinations. 

• Zone 1 Destinations: Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Puerto Rico, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA, US Virgin Islands, Vietnam.
• Zone 2 Destinations: Argentina, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brunei, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Faroe Islands, French Guiana, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Greece, Italy, Laos, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, France, Iran, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Mexico, Mongolia, Palestinian Authority, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Peru, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Slovak Republic, Venezuela.
• Zone 3 Destinations: Austria, Comoros, Croatia, East Timor, Egypt, Fiji, Ghana, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Russia, Samoa, Serbia, Solomon Islands, Surinam, Switzerland, Tonga, Turkey, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe.

All on Australia's best mobile network

A Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile plan doesn’t just let you make calls to lots of international destinations. 

Our network coverage also means you can make calls in more places in Australia.

The Telstra Mobile Network offers 4GX in all major and regional cities and in over 1600 towns and communities around Australia. In other coverage areas around Australia, you’ll automatically switch to our fastest available 3G. You can check the coverage at telstra.com/coverage.

The Telstra mobile network covers more than 2.5 million square kilometres - that's 1 million square kilometres more than any other mobile network in Australia.

All of this makes it easier for you to call overseas from cities, towns and regional areas right around Australia.