Mobile Phone Forwarding Question [telecom]

Authoritative answer: "yes".

Possibly both.

If someone cals the AT&T number they will pay their usual charges (if any) for that call to the 512 destination. If that number is forwarded to 'somewhere else', where calling that 'somewhere else' results in charges to the _caller_, those charges will be billed to the AT&T phone's account.

If there are charges to the phone _receiving_ a call, those charges will (obviously) be billed to the receiving (T-Mobile) account.

NOTE: If, as you indicated, the T-Mobile phone will have a U.S. phone number calls to it, when in Australia will be charged international 'roaming' rates. These rates _can_ be, depending on carrier, etc, described as 'extortionate'. as in multi-dollar _per-minute_. It may make _good_ sense to wait until arrival in AU, and buy a *local* phone once there. Then forward the AT&T phone to the AU number. Ideally, you'll only get hit for the 'basic' international call rate to AU, that way, because there is no 'roaming' involved. The -possible- 'gotcha' to that arrangement is if AU is "Caller pays" to cell numbers, _and_ they charge excessive premiums for foreign origins.

RESEARCH indicated!

As far as AT&T is concerned, the forward is just a domestic call. Any call your wife answers in Australia on her T-Mo phone, whether forwarded from the AT&T phone or otherwise, gets charged T-Mo's roaming rate which their web site says is $1.69 per minute.

Getting a prepaid phone in oz with an Australian phone number is not a bad idea. If you get the World Connect add-on to her AT&T plan for the period when she's away ($4/mo, prorated to the number of days you have it active) forwarded calls to her mobile are only 24 cents/min. Australian mobiles don't charge for incoming calls, so that's the only cost for the call. If you have a decent long distance plan on your landline, their rate for calling her mobile should be about the same price.

R's, John

On Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:01:23 -0600, Robert Bonomi wrote: ........

Calls from Australian networks to US numbers seem to be charged at the one rate regardless of the destination.

Looking at the T-mobile site is says roaming in Australia costs $1.69/min with "*Roaming charges do not include local tolls or long distance charges." (whatever that actually means).

The T-mobile rates to Australia are 25c/min, so the call forwarding option may well be the better option. Mobile call rates from Australia to the US from a mobile are around $A0.29c/min + 40c flagfall (Optus).

This website can help in finding a cheap mobile pre-paid service in Australia:

Thanks all who answered my question. That's sort of what I thought, AT&T will consider it simply a domestic call. I'm not concerned about the T-Mobile bill since it's part of the gift package that's sending her Down Under. :-)

Under normal circumstances I'd get a local SIM and I appreciate the information about getting one in Australia. I hope to visit some day.

John

On Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:58:37 +1100, David Clayton wrote: .......

And this brand new SIM provider has 15c/min rates from Australia to the USA: