Nigel posted:

According to the press release there is a $200 early termination fee.
So buy it on a plan when you need it and then cancel and pay the $200 if it's less than the number of months remaining multiplied by the plan fee. Once cancelled you should still be able to access 000 or 112 (but I'd confirm that before relying on it).

The thing to watch out for would be a reactivation fee that you may have to pay to rejoin the network after cancelling. Ask them up front and it may work out much cheaper than hiring.

Richard posted:

HOLD THE PHONE! Apparantly to get the phone for that price you have to live in the outback without conventional means of comms. ie normal phone services. Some sort of government subsidy thing. Don't take this as gospel it's just what i've heard...albeit from an Optus source [could just be usual sales crap].