Before you start

An unlocked phone, or an eSIM-capable one
Passport
An Australian address — your hotel is fine
To be physically in Australia if activating online with a foreign passport

Step-by-step

1
Choose the network, then choose a reseller riding it
Telstra has the best regional coverage and the highest prices; Optus and Vodafone are cheaper and entirely adequate across metropolitan Melbourne. Resellers such as Boost, amaysim, Belong and Kogan use the same infrastructure at half the cost.
OnlineWho: You
2
Buy a starter SIM or an eSIM
Available at Melbourne Airport, every 7-Eleven, Coles, Woolworths, Australia Post and phone shop. An eSIM can be bought online and provisioned without collecting anything physical.
In personWho: YouTypically AUD 10–40 for a starter pack including initial credit
3
Activate with identity verification
Activation happens online and requires your identity documents. A foreign passport is accepted, but if you use one to activate online you must be physically inside Australia at the time.
OnlineWho: YouUsually minutes; occasionally a few hours
4
Move to postpaid only when you have a credit history
Postpaid and handset contracts involve a credit check that a three-month-old arrival will usually fail. Most newcomers stay prepaid for six months, which is fine — prepaid data allowances in Australia are generous.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport with a valid Australian visa
Australian address
Australian bank account and credit history, for postpaid plans only

Things most newcomers don’t know

You cannot activate an Australian SIM from overseas on a foreign passport.

The identity verification rules require you to be in Australia. The tidy plan of landing with a working local number does not exist unless you already hold Australian identity documents. Buy the SIM in advance if you like, but budget the first hour after landing for activation.

Source: Carrier activation requirements under the Telecommunications Service Provider Determination

Underground rail in Melbourne is a real coverage gap, unlike Sydney's metro.

The City Loop tunnels and the new Metro Tunnel stations have patchy mobile service depending on carrier. If you take calls on the commute, this matters more than headline network rankings. Download podcasts and offline maps rather than assuming connectivity between Flinders Street and Melbourne Central.

Source: community-reported

Home internet is a separate wholesale market and the retailer barely matters.

The NBN is a national wholesale network, so most retailers resell the identical connection. What differs is the speed tier, the typical evening speed disclosure and the contract length. Compare the evening speed figure, which retailers are legally required to publish, rather than the headline plan name.

Source: ACCC — broadband speed claims guidance

A local number is the key that unlocks every other setup task.

Bank verification codes, myGov, rental application platforms, myki auto top-up and delivery services all want an Australian mobile. Getting any number on day one removes a blocking dependency from your bank account, your TFN and your rental application simultaneously.

Source: community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Expecting to activate from abroad with a foreign passport — the rules require you to be in Australia.
Signing a 12- or 24-month postpaid contract before you know which suburb you will live in.
Paying Telstra prices for metropolitan Melbourne coverage a reseller provides identically.
Buying a starter pack at the airport at a premium when the same SIM sits in every 7-Eleven for less.
Choosing an NBN plan on brand rather than on the published typical evening speed.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.