In Reply to: Buying and unlocking mobile phones here posted by Inindo on Saturday, 23. March 2013 at 20:47 Bali Time:
Just got back and below are 2 replies to a post that I put on BTF on Wednesday 6 March 2013..the whole post is still there if you scroll down to the date,
My Samsung S11 is locked but I could still make calls, use internet, send photos' and even video to video calls ALL at no cost.
If your phone is locked there are several things you can do to:
1) You and your preferred contacts download the Viber app, Tango app and /or Skype.
2) Make sure that you "deactivate data" (turn off data), and also turn off "data roaming".
3) Use the free WIFI in your hotel, cafes , bars , restaurant etc. sometimes this can be slow for the Internet so just move to somewhere with a faster WIFI....WIFI is everywhere!
4) Viber to Viber and Tango to Tango are free and only use the data supplied by the free WIFI...Tango also has video to video calls similar to Skype.
5) Skype to Skype is also free but if you pre load your Skype with $ you can make normal phone calls. Calls to mobiles are dearer than calls to landlines e.g. I made a 4min 30 sec. call to a landline back in Oz cost was 29 cents.
I would suggest that you and you contacts download Viber and Tango and get use to using it before going to Bali..you will be surprised how easy it is.
Se posts below:
Took laptop and 2 smartphones
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Posted by hoolz on Wednesday, 6. March 2013 at 06:15 Bali Time:
In Reply to: Wi- Fi question posted by Permisi on Wednesday, 6. March 2013 at 05:39 Bali Time:
(phones one each) and although not with Bigpond we were able to hook up with WIFI anywhere (with passwords) and access our emails exactly the same way we did back in Oz (via mailbox).
For our Samsung smart phones we disabled Data and Data Roaming, had No local simm card, and could hook up to the Internet and for phone calls we used Viber via free WIFI to contact our family and friends.
Viber only uses data so all phone calls where free.
I will stand corrected but you should also be able to be use Viber and Skype on your Ipad if you did not have a phone.
Another FREE app for phone calls etc is Tango....very similar to Viber but also with video calls the same as Skype.
All of these should work on your Ipad and like Skype your contacts will need to download Viber and/or Tango to use it successfully .
On another note I had money on my Skype for phone calls to any land line (mobiles a bit dearer)...had to ring Australia and spoke for over 4 mins for 29 cents.
Viber is very good.
Further info
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Posted by hoolz on Wednesday, 6. March 2013 at 06:27 Bali Time:
In Reply to: Took laptop and 2 smartphones posted by hoolz on Wednesday, 6. March 2013 at 06:15 Bali Time:
My smartphone is a company phone locked to Optus and ironically the data charges for the month of February just came through and were $8:50...we spent 3 weeks in Bali..I believe these data charges were incurred before going to Bali and turning off all Data.
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Hope this helps
Hoolz