UBUD, BALI:    

Mobile telephones :  If you don’t want to pay the cost of temporary roaming – where calls go through the Australian/your country's exchange – bring your unlocked mobile to Bali as long as it’s an all-area one.  You can buy a sim card and a rechargeable card in Ubud from the Deweta Communications on Jalan Raya 0361 972 266 up towards the banks and crossroads (past Jalan Hanoman about 4-5 blocks ).    It’s called  a Simpati10 hoki for about 50,000 including 30,000 credit.  You then can recharge. You get allocated a number and can then ring locally and mobiles and keep in touch with each other if you go separately to shop.  There is a use-by date for the credit, so you ensure you recharge at the rate you estimate you'll need.  If in Ubud, these or similar would be available in all major centres in Bali.       

 

One choice is a Pro-XL card. Prices start at 25.000 with 20.000 credit. Local texts are 500rp. Very cheap. Just text your friends at home (the ones you want to) so they know your number. Registration of Bali SIM's is coming in soon. You will need to produce your passport to get a card. This is to stop terrorist threats from mobiles. Was supposed to come in this month but has been postponed.

If you are travelling across Indonesia, you can get the Telekomsel SIM cards - for about IDR 10.000. You can recharge them freely with widely accessible mobile phone calling cards. A note to travelers - text messages do not pass to all countries, for some reason. You may want to check first with the seller (they have a list of countries Telekomsel has contract with).  If you have an access to the landline, you may want to purchase a regular calling card.  Again, check with the seller if calling to your country is supported. You can buy these cards in the stands in all malls and supermarkets.