Do you like speed like this guy?
If you do and you like speed on your mobile as well, you need 4G (sometimes also referred to as LTE technology).
Having access to 4G speeds allows you to stream video effortlessly while on the go so you can watch YouTube videos as well as all your favourite shows from the dedicated online streaming services that have recently opened up shop here (local players Stan and Presto as well as the international ‘Gorilla’ of online streaming - Netflix) and which are set to completely transform the way we consume our entertainment in this country.
Before you’ll be able to access 4G speeds on your phone, you’ll need to sort out two things first:
- Have a mobile plan which supports 4G speeds where you spend most of your time commuting or working (because let’s face it, no one can stay away from their phones during work hours 😉 ). If the Optus 4G network is available where you are, our research (and that of several others) suggests that this one offers the best value.
- Have a mobile phone which can operate at 4G speeds with that plan.
Phones capable of 4G speeds usually come at a premium price compared to those who only support the slower 3G data. That is not surprising.
However, what if I told you that you can get your hands on one of those for less than $100 and you’ll be able to use it with any 4G network in Australia and many around the world as well?
Have I got your attention yet? 😉
This is a very long post so to help you better navigate through it, the phones with the 4.5 inch screen are featured first (see below). Buying any of these phones will still leave you with some change from a single green note.
If a 4.5 inch screen is too small for you, there are also great options for 4G-capable phones with a 5 inch screen but as you’d expect, they cost more (so no change from a green note and you’ll actually need to add a few bucks to it 😉 ).
Are you ready? Let’s get started!
4G capable smartphones with 4.5 inch screen
Telstra 4GX Buzz
This is probably the best value 4G capable Smartphone you can currently buy in Australia given its specs, price and especially the fact it’ll allow you to access the fastest 4G service currently available in Australia!
Not to mention the fact you’ll still get plenty of change from a single green note!
This smartphone is sold as a Telstra prepaid phone for only $63!
The specs of this phone are OK but it’s main selling point is the fact you’ll be able to access Telstra’s new 4GX network wherever it’s available.
As I already said above, The Telstra 4GX network offers the fastest speeds currently available on a mobile service in Australia.
Here is a short promotional video from Telstra explaining everything you need to know about their 4GX network. It’s kinda cheesy (as you’d expect from an ad) but I reckon it does the job.
For the technically-minded amongst you, here are the main Specs of this smartphone:
- Frequencies supported:
2G: 900/1800/1900.
3G: 850/2100 .
4G: 1800/2600/700.
What this basically mean is that this phone should work fine pretty much anywhere on the Telstra and Vodafone networks but might not be as good if you want to use it with Optus in regional Australia (metro areas should be fine though) so keep that in mind. If you use Optus and live in regional Australia, there is a great option for you to consider just below so don’t worry. - Android 5.0.2 (Lollipop). Google have launched in the last few months their latest version of the Android operating system (version 6 codenamed Marshmallow) but up until that launch, this was the most recent Android version available.
- 4.5 Inch FWVGA capacitive screen with a 480 x 854 pixels resolution
- Back (main) camera - 5MP with Auto Focus, digital zoom & LED flash made by Sony. Front camera - 2MP. It can also record video at 30 frames per second and a resolution of 720p. Basically, that’s pretty good for the price!
- 1.2GHz Qualcomm quad core CPU with 1GB RAM
- Internal memory of 8GB with 4.78GB of it available for installing apps and storing photos (the rest is taken up by the operating system and pre-installed apps). You can also extend that up to 32GB using a microSD card
- weight: 150 grams.
- 2200 mAh battery which is replaceable. This means you can buy a new battery once the existing one doesn’t last for long enough and you effectively have a new phone!
If you are interested in all the ‘geeky’ details and would like to check the complete specs, you can find them on the manufacturer’s website.
This phone is made by Chinese Telecommunications giant ZTE , the fifth biggest smartphone manufacturer in the world (as of 2013) and is basically a customised version of their Blade Q Lux model which they created especially for Telstra (so kinda like a ‘home brand’ version of one of their existing models).
Visually, the Blade Q Lux and the 4GX Buzz are identical but there are some differences between them when it comes to technical specs. If you want to dig deeper into those differences, you can check out this forum discussion.
As far as reviews, there aren’t many available for the specific Telstra variant of the Blade Q Lux (i.e. the 4GX Buzz) but one of the comments to this post is painting quite a bleak picture.
I’ve tried out this phone in my local Telstra store and must say that I disagree with that comment and don’t think this phone is that bad (sure, it’s not a Samsung Galaxy Edge but it’s perfectly usable in my opinion) but ultimately this is a decision you will have to make for yourself.
If you are concerned, just test it out in a Telstra store and make your own decisions before forking out the cash.
As far as the ‘parent model’ of this phone (i.e. the Blade Q Lux), there are plenty of reviews available online and I found this one to be pretty detailed and balanced. It also includes a few videos which are quite useful.
I also found this video quite useful. It shows an ‘unboxing’ of the Blade Q Lux and then showcases its main features. The reviewer doesn’t actually say a word there but rather just shows off the various features and lets the phone speak for itself.
Just be warned that it’s 10 minutes long so you might want to skip a few times as you’re watching it.
Where can you get it?
The cheapest place to buy this phone at the moment is from Telstra itself.
The easiest way is just to buy it directly from the Telstra online store where you also get free delivery to your door. The phone is available in either black or white.
You can also try and buy it from Telstra stores but some of them (including the one I went to personally) are still selling it for $99 and refuse to match the price on the website. Go figure.
If you need a case, your best bet is to buy on eBay.
Unlocking the Telstra 4GX Buzz
Like all prepaid phones, this phone is sold locked to the Telstra network.
This means that out of the box, it’ll only work with a Telstra SIM and potentially also (no guarantees there!) SIM cards from virtual operators who also use Telstra’s network (e.g. Boost, Aldi Mobile).
If you want to use this phone with any other SIM, you will need to unlock it first.
In order to unlock the phone you will need to first locate its IMEI code which is a 15 digit number that is the unique identifier of your particular unit (similar to a serial number).
The IMEI is usually printed on one of the labels on the box and also on a sticker in the battery compartment. You can also get it by dialling *#06# on your phone.
Once you have the IMEI, you need to obtain the unlock code from one of the providers who sell them.
Just so there is no doubt, unlocking your phone in this manner is completely legal in Australia (at least for now).
The unlock code will cost you $6 through this site.
Just to make it absolutely clear: we have no business relationship with this provider of the unlock codes. He is not paying us to promote him or anything like that. I’ve used him myself in the past and know he is reliable and trustworthy as can also be evidenced by the reviews on his site. I can honestly say (based on personal experience) that his codes WORK unlike some other providers you may find online. He is also an Aussie (and a genuinely nice guy) which means you are supporting a local guy running a small business.
You will need to register for a free account and then buy credits (1 credit = $1) using PayPal.
Once you pre-purchased $6 worth of credit, you’ll need to enter the IMEI number for your particular unit in the order form.
You will then be emailed the unlock code within 1 to 24 hours (can take slightly longer over weekends or public holidays).
Once you get the unlock code, the process is quite straightforward and requires no technical knowledge or any special software or tools.
All you need to do is put a SIM in your phone from a network which is currently not supported (i.e. anything running on Vodafone or Optus, including ‘virtual operators’ such as Lebara or Amaysim) and enter the supplied unlock code in the prompt that pops up when you turn on the phone.
The actual process of entering the code is shown in the video below.
Once you’ve done that, the lock Telstra put on your new phone is ‘gonski’!
Alcatel Pixi 3 (4.5) 4G
This smartphone is sold as an Optus prepaid phone for a measly $69!
Better yet, If you buy and activate the included Optus SIM by 12/02/2026, you’ll also get a bonus of $20 credit to use for purchases on the Google Play Store.
For the technically-minded amongst you, here are the main Specs of this Alcatel smartphone:
- Frequencies supported:
2G: 850/900/1800/1900.
3G: 850/900/1900/2100 .
4G: 2100/1800/1900/2600/700.
This means that other than having very broad support for all the 4G frequencies, it should also work fine with all 3G data services in regional Australia offered by Telstra. - Android 5.1 (Lollipop). Google have launched in the last few months their latest version of the Android operating system (version 6 codenamed Marshmallow) but up until that launch, this was the most recent Android version available.
- 4.5 Inch FWVGA screen - 480 x 854 pixels
- Back (main) camera - 5MP. Front camera - VGA (That’s pretty basic but should be enough for those selfies)
- 1GHz Quad Core Processor with a MediaTek MT6735M Chipset
- Internal memory of 8GB with 2.5GB for installing apps and storing photos. You can also extend that up to 32GB using a microSD card
- 1780 mAh battery.
- weight of 146 grams.
If you are interested in all the ‘geeky’ details and would like to check the complete specs, you can find them on the manufacturer’s website or on GSM Arena.
If you’d like to read a review of this phone than this one is pretty detailed yet easy to understand for non-techies
If you prefer to watch a video than below is an honest review by an Aussie bloke who actually purchased this phone and was using it as his everyday smartphone for a period of three weeks (which no doubt you’ll agree is long enough to get an idea on performance).
Where can you get it?
Optus sells them as a prepaid phone so you can play with it and buy it from your nearest Optus shop or order online .
If you would also like a case for your new phone, you can find them on eBay for less than $10.
There is one ‘catch’ though and that’s the fact that the phone is sold locked to the Optus network. This means that out of the box, it will only work with an Optus SIM.
This might put off some of you who may want to use this phone with other providers. However, no need to worry.
This lock Optus has put on this phone can be removed very easily and cheaply and you don’t need to be a technical person at all to do that or have any special software or equipment. The full process is outlined below.
Unlocking the Alcatel Pixi 3 4G
In order to unlock the phone you will need to locate its IMEI code which is a 15 digit number that is the unique identifier of your particular unit (similar to a serial number).
The IMEI is usually printed on one of the labels on the box and also on a sticker in the battery compartment. You can also get it by dialling *#06# on your phone.
Once you have the IMEI, you need to obtain the unlock code from one of the providers who sell them.
Just so there is no doubt, unlocking your phone in this manner is completely legal in Australia (at least for now).
The unlock code will cost you $4 through this site.
Just to make it absolutely clear: we have no business relationship with this provider of the unlock codes. He is not paying us to promote him or anything like that. I’ve used him myself in the past and know he is reliable and trustworthy as can also be evidenced by the reviews on his site. I can honestly say (based on personal experience) that his codes WORK unlike some other providers you may find online. He is also an Aussie (and a genuinely nice guy) which means you are supporting a local guy running a small business.
You will need to register for a free account and then buy credits (1 credit = $1) using PayPal.
Once you pre-purchased $4 worth of credit, you’ll need to enter the IMEI number for your particular unit in the order form.
You will then be emailed the unlock code within 1 to 24 hours (can take slightly longer over weekends or public holidays).
Once you get the unlock code, the process is quite straightforward and requires no technical knowledge or any special software or tools.
All you need to do is put a SIM in your phone from a network which is currently not supported (i.e. anything running on Vodafone or Telstra, including ‘virtual operators’ such as Lebara or Boost)and enter the supplied unlock code in the prompt that pops up when you turn on the phone.
The entire process is shown in the video below. The Video is just over 2 minutes long and the unlock process is shown in real time and without skipping anything so that is literally as long as you can expect this to take!
ZTE Fit 4G SMART
Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE is making a second appearance on this list with their FIT 4G smartphone which is sold as an Optus prepaid phone.
Here are the main Specs of the ZTE Fit 4G phone:
- Frequencies supported:
2G: 850/900/1800/1900.
3G: 900/2100.
4G: 700/1800/2300/2600. - Android 4.4.4 (KitKat).
- 4.5 Inch screen - FWVGA
- Back (main) camera - 5MP. Front camera - 2MP (for selfies)
- Quad-core 1.3 GHz CPU
- Internal memory of 8 GB (with 4.6 GB taken up by the Android operating system) which is expandable up to 32GB using a microSD card
- 2200mAh battery which the manufacturer says should be enough for 15 hours of continuous web browsing (or 10 hours of talk)
- weight of only 154 grams.
If you are interested in all the ‘geeky’ details and would like to check the complete specs, you can find them on the manufacturer’s website.
Ausdroid, the leading blog in Australia on Google’s Android operating system, have prepared a very detailed review of this phone. It’s a long read so consider yourself ‘warned’ 😉 …
If you want to actually see how this phone looks like and operates before buying it and couldn’t be bothered with going to an Optus store, you can just watch this kid unboxing it and playing with it for a bit.
The video is 11 minutes long in total so feel free to skip portions of it at will.
Where can you get it?
The ZTE Fit 4G is sold as an Optus prepaid phone which means that out of the box, it will be locked and will only work with an Optus SIM but I’ll shortly show you how to easily overcome this without needing any technical skills or special tools or software.
You can buy the ZTE Fit 4G Smartphone at Officeworks , Harvey Norman and Dick Smith,which all sell it for $99 unless they have it on special.
If there are no specials, your best bet to find this phone for less than $99 is on eBay.
Both Coles & Woolworths had it in the past in their weekly specials catalogue for as low as $49. This might happen again but obviously there are no guarantees. Still worth to keep an eye out for those though.
If you need cases, there are plenty on offer on eBay for as little as $6.
Unlocking the ZTE Fit
If you want to use your new phone with any SIM other than Optus, you will need to get it unlocked first.
Here is how you do it:
- Get your phone’s IMEI number (a serial number unique to each individual handset) by either looking for it on the packaging or dialing *#06#.
- Go to this link and register for a free account.
- Buy 6 credits through PayPal which will cost you $6.
- Enter the IMEI number from step 1 above.
- You will get the unlock code emailed to you within 24 hours at most but often within less than an hour (I’ve bought codes from this guy personally myself and I am happy to vouch that he’s fair dinkum).
- Once you have the code, the process is identical to the Alcatel phone above. You put a SIM in your phone from a network which is currently not supported (i.e. anything running on Vodafone or Telstra, including ‘virtual operators’) and enter the supplied unlock code in the prompt that pops up when you turn on the phone.
That’s it!
You should now be able to use the phone with any SIM of any network anywhere in the world.
Just keep in mind that some operators in the US and other countries do not use SIM cards or might use different frequencies for their data services which your phone might not support (but you should be able to use it with any Australian mobile operator).
4G capable smartphones with 5 inch screen
For those of you who find a 4.5 inch screen too small to use or if you are making the transition for the first time from an iPhone to an Android phone, a smartphone with a 5 inch screen might be more comfortable to use.
If so, here are two options for you to consider which our research suggests are the cheapest 4G smartphones with a screen bigger than 4.5 inch which you can currently buy from an Australian retailer (and hence get Australian-based warranty and consumer protections).
Huawei Y635
Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has their Y635 model which is sold as an Optus prepaid phone.
Never heard of the Huawei brand before? Are you concerned that it might be some dodgy Chinese phone that will die on you within weeks?
Well, let me assure you there is nothing to worry about.
First of all, you get a 2 year Australian local warranty so you won’t have to worry about shipping the phone to China to get it fixed if something does go wrong.
Second of all, Google has tapped Huawei on the shoulder to make one their latest Nexus smartphones. Nexus are Google’s official ‘flagship’ Android line of products..
If Huawei is good enough for Google (the creators of the most widely used mobile operating system in the world today), I think they are probably good enough for you as well 😉 .
Finally, I have this very same Huawei smartphone myself which I’ve owned for the last 5 months and I never had any issues with it. It has served me extremely well so far.
Here are the main Specs of the Huawei Y635 (for the technically minded):
- Frequencies supported:
2G: 850/900/1800/1900.
3G: 900/2100/1900.
4G: 700/1800/2100/2600. - Android 4.4 (KitKat).
- 5 inch FWVGA IPS display with 480 x 854 pixels resolution (same resolution as the Y550)
- Back (main) camera - 5MP. Front camera - 2MP (for selfies)
- Quad-core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm MSM8916 CPU
- Internal memory of 8 GB (with 3.7GB available to use. The rest is taken by the operating system) which is expandable up to 32GB using a microSD card
- 2000mAh battery.
- weight - 178 grams.
If you are interested in all the ‘geeky’ details and would like to check the complete specs, you can find them on the manufacturer’s website
Here is a quick review by cNet of the Y635. Just keep in mind that the version distributed in Australia does NOT have Android 5 (dubbed ‘lollipop’) and instead comes with the slightly older Android 4.4 (KitKat).
If you know what you’re doing, you might be able to upgrade the phone to Android 5 ‘Lollipop’ yourself (as an automatic update is unlikely to be forthcoming) but otherwise, you will just have to live with it.
Personally, I haven’t bothered updating the Android version on my own unit and don’t intend to. However, If having Google’s Android Lollipop on your phone is important for you, I’ve included the best option to get that ‘out of the box’ on a phone with a 5 inch screen just a bit further down.
Where can you get it?
The Huawei Y635 is offered as a prepaid phone by Optus and currently you get the best price for it if you buy this phone directly from them at a cost of $119 (delivery is free).
You will also get $20 credit on the Google Play store if you activate the included SIM by 12/02/2016.
Before you hit that buy button though, make sure you also check on eBay.
As of the day of this post, I was able to find this same phone on there for just $95
Unlocking the Huawei Y635
The Huawei Y635 is sold as an Optus prepaid phone and is therefore locked to the Optus network.
However, like all other Huawei phones, this one is also extremely easy and cheap to unlock.
I’ve outlined the process in detail previously in this post but here is a summary again:
- You obtain the IMEI number for your specific handset. The IMEI is printed on the box that came with the phone or you can get it by dialing *#06#
- Make a payment of $6.50 through this site. You will need to register for a free account and then buy credits (1 credit = $1) using PayPal.
- Enter the IMEI number
- You will get the unlock code emailed to you within 1 to 5 business days as this one takes slightly longer. I’ve bought the unlock code for my own phone from this guy so I am happy to vouch that he’s fair dinkum. He is also a local Aussie bloke running a small business and not someone from overseas.
- Follow the process shown in the video below to enter your unlock code.
If you don’t want to bother unlocking this phone yourself, you can buy on eBay an already unlocked version of this model
However, keep in mind that you’ll almost certainly pay extra for this convenience so it’s up to you to determine whether it’s worth it for you or not. You’ll also most likely not get the $20 credit for the Google Play store mentioned above.
If you want a case for your new phone, you can find plenty on eBay for as little as $5
Elephone P6000
The Elephone P6000 is one of the smartphone models commonly referred to as a ‘Chinaphone’.
A ‘Chinaphone’ is smartphone made in China (duh) by a manufacturer who is not yet known to consumers outside that country.
Now, I won’t deny that some of the hundreds of various ‘Chinaphone’ models out there are indeed cheap and nasty and are of quality not worth you even bothering to take your wallet out of your pocket, no matter how low the price tag!
Other ‘Chinaphone’ models focus on being very similar in their appearance to more expensive and well known brands such as Samsung Galaxy and the ubiquitous iPhone. Some of those are just cheap imitations while others are actually of decent quality (albeit with a much lower price tag than the original).
Finally, there are also ‘Chinaphones’ whose manufacturers are trying to break onto the world stage by offering a genuinely quality product for a much lower price than the big name brands and with specs you simply can’t get elsewhere with such a price tag.
The Elephone P6000 is one of those ‘Chinaphones’ and seems like the company behind it is trying to follow the footsteps of the likes of Huawei and ZTE who also started as unknown makers of ‘Chinaphones’.
Here is a 2 minute promotional video from the manufacturer introducing the P6000.
Below are the main Specs of the Elephone P6000. If you’re really ‘hard core’ and want the full specs list, you can see it here or download it as an Excel spreadsheet from here.
- Frequencies supported:
2G: 850/900/1800/1900.
3G: 900/2100
4G: 800/1800/2100/2600 (also known as LTE bands 1/3/7/20) - Dual SIM cards - you can have two SIM cards in this phone at the same time with both of them operational and on standby so that you can make and receive calls from two different numbers (for example: your work and personal numbers).
- Android 5.0 (Lollypop).
- 5 inch HD IPS display with 720 x 1280 pixels resolution. Compare that with the screen resolution of the Huawei Y635 mentioned above to fully understand how much better the display on this phone is.
- Back (main) camera - 13MP. Front camera - 2MP (for selfies)
- Quad-core 1.5 GHz quad-core MediaTek MTK6732, 64-bit, Cortex-A53
- Internal memory of 16 GB which is expandable up to 64GB using a microSD card
- 2700mAh battery.
- weight - 165 grams.
Now, if you are not a ‘techie’, the list above has probably gone completely over your head.
If so, don’t worry! You don’t need to understand any of that other than knowing that this phone has the latest Android version, the best battery life as well as camera and screen quality that are better than all the other phones we mentioned in this post by an order of magnitude.
Basically, you are getting a phone with ‘premium’ specs (such as what you’ll find with brands like LG or Samsung) for a budget price tag (I’ll get to the price shortly).
Instead of confusing you with technical details, I suggest you read this review of the Elephone P6000 from one of the leading sources for Android information on the Internet.
These are the sort of people Google ‘leaks’ information to about new features and releases to get their expert opinion as well as to gauge how the public will react to them before their official release!
That review also has a video which I’ve included below in case you don’t want to read it. The only caveat I’ll add to this video is that it is said in there that the P6000 runs on Android 4.4 and an update to Android 5 is coming shortly.
Since this video was made in January 2015, the update to Android 5.0 has already happened and the phone is now sold with Android 5 Lollipop version already pre-installed.
If the above was not enough for you and you want to read another comprehensive review of this phone, I found this one on a US-based news site aimed at IT professionals, gamers and technology enthusiasts, pretty useful.
Look, the company might not have made the best choice of name for itself but other than that, it seems like they delivered a pretty solid product for the price.
Where can you get it?
There are quite a few overseas sites selling this phone. Most of those sites are based in China and prices on them fluctuate on almost a daily basis.
As an example, as of the day of this post you can buy this phone from a overseas mob calling themselves Cooli Cool (if that’s not dodgy, I don’t know what is!) for $166 (that’s Australian dollars) including free shipping to oz and you can get it in either black or white colour.
Another option is the Chinese retail behemoth AliExpress but keep in mind they do not accept PayPal.
This means there are certain additional things you need to be aware of as well some extra precautions you should probably take before hitting the ‘buy’ button. These are all discussed in this post.
As these sites are located overseas with no presence whatsoever in Australia, you are facing two issues:
- No local warranty or any recourse through the Australian consumer law. Basically, if the phone ‘bricks’ itself after a few months, you are pretty much on your own unless you are prepared to go through the hassle of mailing your faulty phone to China and then waiting for it to get repaired and returned to you (assuming it even does).
- Assuming you are willing to go through the motions of mailing your phone back to China for service, you will have to use a special courier service as Australia Post doesn’t accept mobile phones for shipping overseas by air. While you can get up to $45 of your shipping costs reimbursed if you paid with PayPal (which I STRONGLY encourage you to always do and especially when buying from anyone located overseas), you will most likely still be out of pocket because those couriers know they are your only option and will charge you accordingly.
If you want to buy this phone and still be able to enjoy Australian-based warranty service, our research indicates that this is the cheapest option. Their price tag for this phone is $164.30 + shipping starting from $24 (all in Aussie dollars obviously as they are based in Australia).
However, there are three ‘catches’ with going with this mob:
- The phone is available in white only
- The phone has the older Android 4.4 kitkat and not Android 5 lollipop. If you are tech savvy, you can upgrade to Lollipop yourself using these instructions.
- The phone is sold without the Android app store pre-installed. You can install it yourself following these relatively simple instructions.
Another option of buying this phone from an Aussie retailer is through a mob called ValueBasket who sell the Elephone P6000 fo $170.
Problem is that they seem to be out of stock as of the day of this post.
When (and if!) they get more stock, you’ll be able to buy the P6000 in either white or black and shipping is FREE which means the overall price ends up being cheaper than with Android Enjoyed mentioned above.
Their version of the phone already comes with Android Lollipop pre-installed plus you get 24 months of local warranty.
Here is how it works.
If you need a case for your new phone, then as usual, your best bet is eBay
Unlocking the Elephone P6000
No need to unlock as the phone has no restrictions and can be used with any SIM card you wish straight out of the box.
Now that you’ve managed to secure yourself a shiny new 4G-capable smartphone, it is time to pair it with a good value mobile plan which offers 4G speeds.
Provided the Optus network has 4G coverage where you are, this provider is the absolute BEST value you can currently get and the one I use myself.
If you want to explore other options, I suggest you check our comprehensive and free report on the best mobile plans in Australia.
If you are already one of our subscribers, you’ve either already received this report or will receive it in the next few weeks.
If you are not yet a subscriber to our site, you can get the report instantly and for FREE by signing up using your favourite social network just below.
Not only will you get the report but you will also receive real-time alerts by email whenever we come across other great deals or publish more comprehensive guides such as this one.
For questions or comments, the comment box awaits below.
From Our Advertisers:
Don't leave without it!
It's completely FREE and can save you lots!
Get our comprehensively researched SAVINGS GUIDES
+ Real-time SAVING ALERTS directly to your inbox
GIVE HIGH BILLS A KNOCKOUT BLOW!
Thank you, this website really saved me time in researching.
I felt this website was unbiased and well written, telling me just everything I needed to know.
That’s great to hear Danny. Hopefully this saved you some time and helped you make an informed decision. Thanks for leaving a comment
Thank you very helpful indeed!
Pleasure Leroy. We’re stoked you found this useful
Thank you so much, I have just brought the Telstra 4GX Buzz White based on your review and advice.
And finding out that you can get an UNLOCK code just made my day
I was going to buy a Samsung Galaxy J1 but the reviews were not good.
After reading your information this really did seal the deal !
Thank you
Pleasure. Glad to hear this helped you. That’s what we’re all about here: Spend less & get more! 😉
Thank you so much for this article, followed your advice and have now unlocked my Telstra 4GX Buzz for $4.50! Would highly recommend this phone too…
I have an Elephone P6000 and it worked fine on Optus 3G via TPG.
TPG have now switched to Vodaphone 4G and I can’t get any data. I have tried all the settings on the TPG and Vodaphone websites but no luck.
When I try to browse the phone connects to a site: http://vha-apn-override.wdsglobal.com/setup?
The site then displays the following message:
You’ll need to update the settings on your phone so you can continue to browse the web.
For help, call your service provider.
It’s easier to update your settings if you call from a different phone.
It’s no use trying to contact TPG as they seem to be too busy with their changeover to answer calls.
Any thought s anyone?
Problem fixed by TPG phone help. The key was to RESET the APN settings and enter new settings. The the data connection worked fine.
Why is it when I click on the sights to unlock my phone all I keep getting is a errors load page, so how do I unlock my phone please
It seems like the links to the individual service pages have been removed Sharon and now they are all on one page:
http://www.unlockit.codes/services.php
Hope that helps.
Just to clarify again, this website has no affiliation with us and we don’t have any control over their prices or how they run their business. We only recommend them because I know from personal experience that their codes work!
Any code I ever bought from them personally has worked for me every single time without fail.
I might be missing the point completely but - Can I ask - If I unlock a prepaid phone - does that mean I can put my own SIM card in and use as if I bought it as an unlocked phone????
You got it exactly right Lana :). Once a prepaid phone is unlocked using the procedure outlined in the post, it can then be used with ANY SIM card in the world.
many thanks for the unlocking instructions. Very helpful
Pleasure mate. Glad we could help
Thanks for the heads up about this phone (Huawei Y 550). I purchased one from Dick Smith in Nowra NSW today for $49.00 and in the box was a pre-paid $50.00 sim which gives me unlimited calls and texts and 3gb download for 30 days. I’ll try Vodafone for a month as It appears that the reception at my home (3g) is way better than my current provider, Optus.
So, how good is that? I get a new phone for free (or 30 days of free calls and downloads) and all it cost me is $49.00.
Thanks spending hacker. You have done good again.
Pleasure Ted. This is what we do!
Who knows maybe you’ll also win the Vodafone ‘lottery’ and get your unlock codes for free. If not, just pay two bucks and Bob’s your uncle
By the way, if you have the right bank account and used PayPass at the store, you could have saved even a bit more (ok, it’s only like $1 in this case but still).
There is also the option which seems to work 99% of the time of calling up the network provider (ie Vodafone in this case - if going with that option) and nicely explaining you are going overseas (an emergency situation might have the consultant feeling more empathetic and in turn generous), and you wanted to make sure you could use the phone there. Mention your previous “bill shock experience” with another provider due to roaming chargers and that your friend/relative etc in (country you are going too) has organised a local pre-paid sim for you to use and “Would that work in your current handset?”. There response will obviously be “No, as the phone is locked to our network etc.” Your response… “oh no so (Lana has wasted her money for nothing” etc…….”Is there anyway of being able to use the sim card they have kindly purchased for you?”…… They will either recommend an added roaming ‘add-on’, explain about roaming charges, or give you the option of paying an unlocking fee. (Of course you might get lucky with a consultant in a good/generous mood). Your response “Oh no this really is turning out rather expensive…..(remember always be polite and and address them by name - (a) They are only doing their job and (b)
“You will catch more flies with honey than…”. Anyways I digress…. The point is to ask there is anyway they could consider waiving the unlocking fee as a ‘good-will’ gesture as you really cannot afford anymore expenses at the moment. See their response…. (if its not in your favor), kindly ask of you could please speak to a manager as they might be able to do something and you’d also lime to pass on the feedback of how informative and patient they (the consultant has been). At.this point they will either “see what they can do and come back letting you know they were able to ge approval for unlocking fee waived….. (b) tell you the manager will only be able to offer the same resolution…. (c) escalate the call(if so - make sure to thanks them for all their help so far and ask if they could please explain the situation so that you don’t have to waste (providers) time going over everything again (d) tell you that they are all busy or in a meeting (in this case remain patient and polite and ask if a supervisor/team leader/ manager could call you back a.s.a.p or if you could just remain on hold), (e) Just organise the free unlock for you. In all cases always be extremely.polite, grateful, and respectful (even if they haven’t been) and 99% of the time you will be able to achieve the outcome you desire with all parties remaining happy. This applies not just to telecommunication providers ie (Vodafone, Telstra, Optus); but to any call centre, sales person , customer service agent etc. Well to anyone for that matter. Just about to go out for dinner and now running late but I really hope this information has been helpful and enjoy your weekend. P.s Keep up the great work Spending Hackers
Thanks for the kind words Nathan.
With regards to your tip, I like a good hack just like the next person (ok, maybe a bit more..haha).
However, is all this effort justified when you can solve the problem for TWO BUCKS with pretty much 100% guaranteed success?
IMHO, it is not but each to their own.
Enjoy your weekend
Dick Smith sold this amazing phone, with the same vodafone starter pack worth 50 AUD (3GB),
for 69 AUD,
only for two days, boxing day and the following day,
the other one when we went the next day it was 89 AUD (we bought it anyways).
We managed to get the first one, before we read any reviews, because we needed a phone and 69 is a good price for any phone in australia,
At first we read the CNET review and it’s such an unfair review,
We are really happy with the phones
it’s such an advanced phone
Huawei makes amazing stuff for such a low price.
We got a 4G phone, QUAD CORE for 69 AUD.
can anybody beat that?
Cool! This one definitely gets the Spending Hacker’s tick of approval
Did you activate the included Vodafone SIM? Were you able to redeem 3 months of Spotify premium?
Harvey Norman has an unlocked Boost Sony Xperia E Pre-Paid Smartphone for $59.
Whilst the specs are not as good as for the Huawei, it does have a micro SD slot and does the job for very little money.
Thanks for the heads up
I believe the Sony Xperia E does NOT support 4G speeds. Only 3G
http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_e-5149.php
If you don’t need 4G support, I reckon this deal we covered recently offers better value
http://spendinghacker.com.au/cheapest-smartphone/
Another problem I have with the Sony Xperia phones is the fact they can be sometimes hard to unlock and I don’t like to be limited with my choice of provider 😉
Any 4g smartphone promotions in october like the huwei in june
There sure are! I’ve updated the post.
Thanks to your website I managed to grab the last Huawei G526 from Kmart Altona Gate for $89.90. Offer ends 24 June but no stock left. Tried 2 other stores before locating this bargain. Now following your advice about Bag Man to unlock from Vodaphone. Fantastic advice and heads up - thanks heaps.
Glad to hear we were able to help you experience a “Spending Hacker Moment” 😉
Before you buy a code from bag man, make sure that you can’t get it for free from Vodafone itself as per the instructions above.
Enjoy your new phone and congrats on being able to secure one.