Taking your cell phone travelling? Mobile coverage is available in most population centres, but you may also want to hire a satellite phone.
Taking your phone travelling? Mobile phone (cell) coverage is available in most of the Northern Territory’s population centres, so as long as you’re near a town with plenty of people in it, you should be able to phone a friend. Note that large areas of outback Northern Territory, however, are without network coverage, so if you’re heading into remote country and need to stay in touch, consider hiring or purchasing a satellite phone.
Several satellite-phone hire companies have phones available for hire in Darwin and Alice Springs, as do some car and campervan hire companies specialising in four wheel drive vehicles. How much mobile phone coverage you get and where will depend, of course, on your network provider, so check with your phone company before you leave.
International visitors, be sure to check with you phone provider that your mobile phone (cell) will operate in Australia. If you’re planning to stay in Australia for an extended period, purchasing a pre-paid mobile phone may be better value than paying international roaming fees. Pre-paid mobile phones are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased at a variety of retail outlets, including supermarkets and telephone and computing shops.
Further information
Check your mobile phone’s coverage in the Northern Territory:
