Australia eSIM

Staying connected in Australia

Australia covers about 7.7 million square kilometres, but its population is highly urbanised and concentrated on the eastern seaboard. Install a travel eSIM at home and switch it on when you land. AirOva sells Australia plans from $1.49, with a fixed amount of data or unlimited, all data only, with no call minutes, SMS or local phone number. GB plans run on Optus and unlimited plans on Optus, Telstra and Vodafone, with 4G and 5G where available; each plan card lists its network.

Which Australia plan to choose

GB plans suit city breaks and shorter trips, since maps, messaging and ride apps take little data. Unlimited plans give unlimited data with no data cap and no fair-usage limit; you only choose the number of days, which suits long road trips and remote work. For region-by-region tips, read our Australia eSIM guide.

Telstra, Optus and Vodafone

Australia's three major mobile networks are Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, which is run by TPG Telecom, formed when Vodafone Hutchison Australia merged with TPG in July 2020. Telstra says its network covers more of Australia than any other. Vodafone says it more than doubled its coverage in early 2025, from around 400,000 to 1,000,000 square kilometres, still a fraction of the country.

Arriving in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth

Sydney Airport (SYD), about 9 km south of the city centre, is Australia's busiest, followed by Melbourne (MEL), about 22 km northwest of the city. Perth (PER), about 10 km east of the centre, is the fourth busiest, and Brisbane (BNE) has the third most domestic connections. After landing, turn off airplane mode, switch the eSIM line on, choose it for mobile data and enable Data Roaming for that line; the plan is prepaid, so roaming adds no charge.

Uluru, Kakadu and the outback

At Uluru, Ayers Rock Resort in Yulara is well served by all three networks, but inside Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park coverage is patchy: Telstra has the most reliable signal there, and even it has black spots, especially around Kata Tjuta. Parks Australia recommends downloading guides onto your phone before you enter. Kakadu lists the places where it now has mobile coverage, among them Jabiru, Cooinda and the Bowali Visitor Centre, so check that list before you set out.

Tip: download offline maps of every remote leg before you leave town, and do not treat your phone as your only safety plan in the outback. Carry a power bank, and keep your home SIM in the phone for bank codes with its roaming off.