A widespread question is, “Can I use my Telstra phone in New Zealand?” Yes, you can!
With Telstra’s international roaming, you can use your services in many locations worldwide, including New Zealand.
The best option is to activate the Telstra Roaming Day Pass, which offers international roaming for $5 per day in New Zealand and $10 for 70 countries overseas.
You can use your Telstra phone in New Zealand for $5 per day with the international Day Pass, activated by default. You will receive unlimited calls and SMS with 1 GB of mobile data with the option to top-up for $10 upon exhaustion.
Let’s take a more in-depth look!
Does Telstra Have International Roaming?
Yes, Telstra provides international roaming, but there are many different things to know to avoid unexpected bills.
The main option for roaming overseas or in New Zealand is the International Day Pass option, available in the My Telstra app, which costs $5 per day for delivering roaming.
| International Day Pass | $5/day (AEST) |
| Roaming + SMS + MMS | Unlimited Calls and SMSMMS – 75c per message |
| Roaming Data | 1 GB per day |
| Included | Unlimited SMS and Calls to international numbers. 1 GB per day (based on AEST time), + $10 for overuse. |
Not Included | Daily usage over 1 GB of data. Usage in Australia (airplane or cruise). MMS video calls to non-standard numbers. Content charges (third-party charges). Calls and SMS for unsupported destinations. |
| Expiry | Expires Daily |
| Destination | New Zealand + over 70 countries |
The International Day Pass will not charge you instantly. You will only pay $5 for the day after using the international roaming.
You will see an SMS that the service is activated when you arrive in New Zealand, but you will pay only when you call, send an SMS or respond to one.
Let’s unwrap everything in more depth!
Can I Use My Telstra Phone in New Zealand?
The short answer is Yes, you can use your Telstra phone in New Zealand, regardless of whether you use the Day Pass or simply PAYG.
Let’s start chronologically and check your eligibility for an International Day Pass, which is the least expensive Telstra roaming option.
Am I Covered By the International Day Pass?
If you’re a Telstra customer and going to New Zealand, then you should be covered by the Day Pass, which will cost you $5 per day for international roaming.
If you’re going to another country, the International Day Pass costs $10 daily, providing the same services as in New Zealand.
The International Day Pass is available for Telstra Customers and Small Business Mobile Customers.
The Day Pass service will automatically activate when you’re overseas (only in supported destinations).
Upon arrival, you should receive an email or SMS letting you know whether the Day Pass is activated based on your location.
If you’re in New Zealand, your International Day Pass will work, and you’ll have unlimited calls and 1 GB.
The Day Pass Does Not Cover Me?
If you’re not eligible for the International Day Pass, upon arrival, you’ll be informed that the day pass can’t be used.
Hence, you’ll be moved to (PAYG) Pay-As-You-Go, which includes more than 200 destinations (New Zealand included), and you’ll get an SMS with the rates you’ll pay.
This means you’ll be charged for every call, SMS and MB of data you use during your stay.
Hence, whether you use Telstra’s international roaming, calls and texts will not require internet and will work regardless.
How to Activate the International Day Pass?
By default, the International Day Pass should be activated, but before going to New Zealand, we recommend using the Telstra app to check this.
You will need your Telstra phone and internet connection to be able to navigate through the settings.
Here’s how to check whether your International Day Pass is activated:
- Open the Telstra app on your mobile.
- Then, choose your mobile services.
- From there, navigate to the “Extras.”
- Then, tap “International Roaming.”
- Go down to “International Day Pass.”
If the international day pass is “OFF”, set the toggle to “ON.” The feature takes approximately 15 minutes, sometimes up to 2 hours, to activate.
You should receive a message that the service has been activated, and you’ll begin paying $5 per day only when you arrive in New Zealand.
The Day Pass expires 24 hours after it has been activated (on arrival).
What if I Need More Data?
Upon using your 1 GB data allowance for the day, you will receive an SMS prompting you to pay $10 more for 1 more gigabyte of data.
If you’re on an upfront Telstra plan, this top-up stays 31 days after activation.
If you’re not an upfront plan user, you’ll get a 1 GB data top-up for $10 once you exceed your initial allowance from the Day Pass.
Note: If you cancel your Day Pass or deactivate your roaming for the day after using the international roaming, you will still be charged the $5 for the day.
Will My Telstra Phone Work on a Cruise Ship?
Understandably, while travelling on the high seas, you want to stay in touch with your family and friends.
Sadly, Telstra’s International Day Pass does not stretch out into international seas, and when you’re on a cruise ship, you will be charged at the standard Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) rates.
This works by your mobile connecting to the ship’s network, and to minimise the charges while travelling we recommend using Wi-Fi services (internet).
However, upon arrival in New Zealand or another supported destination, your Day Pass will be active, immediately setting new rates.
Can I Just Turn OFF My Data?
Yes, indeed. This is a cost-saving option; you will not incur any charges while receiving calls and text messages while your data is deactivated.
However, responding to a message or call while in New Zealand will immediately activate the Day Pass, and you’ll be charged $5 for the day.
If you don’t want to get charged for anything and don’t intend to use cellular services, only Wi-Fi, hence it’s best to disable your international roaming.
The feature is available in the My Telstra app under “Extras,” where you can toggle off international roaming and avoid any charges.
Can I Use My Telstra Number Overseas?
If you’re not eligible for Telstra’s International Day Pass and you have no prepaid roaming plan, you will be automatically switched to Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG).
So, we’ve unveiled some more details about the alternative ways you can use roaming with Telstra’ as you go overseas:
Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG)
The PAYG is the basis when you don’t have any other roaming service activated from Telstra, such as the Day Pass or a prepaid plan.
Put simply, you pay for everything you do, including calling and sending texts.
You pay $3 for every MB of data you use while on the PAYG plan.
You can avoid shocking bills by opening the My Telstra app and disabling the “International Roaming.”
This will disable roaming, so you can use Wi-Fi to connect with family and friends.
Prepaid International Roaming
The prepaid international roaming pack is a service sold by Telstra that you typically buy upon arriving at your destination.
You can buy the pack from the My Telstra app, but we recommend buying after arrival since the service activates from the moment you purchase.
One of the eligible countries in the international roaming pack is New Zealand.
So, if you are travelling soon but you can’t benefit from Telstra’s Day Pass, this may be your best option.
Quick Recap
Can I use my Telstra phone in New Zealand? Yes, using your Telstra phone in New Zealand is entirely possible and cheap with the International Day Pass.
If you’re not eligible, you’ll use the default Pay-As-You-Go plan unless you purchase prepaid roaming.
We hope this guide was informational. Follow us for more!
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.