mobile phone coverage - cnr country, Ood Track,

I got my email near Lyndhurst the other day and have got it at Marla last year.

Ok, must have extended the coverage since I was there a few years back. Or, like the Kimberley, it depends whose network you're using - Vodafone had coverage in most towns in the Kimberley but Optus only had Broome & Kununurra

Tim, not sure why you would bother with those. Telstra have had coverage there for years.

John, I know Telstra coverage is way ahead (esp. in marginal areas), but you also pay for it! For most of my use (around Sydney, Canberra, Thredbo) the Optus network is fine, and using it via VirginMobile costs between $5-15/mth (depending how much I use it). I expect it would cost me a lot more to go Telstra for the "once every year or two" outback adventure!

Every thing in life you have to pay more for a better product or service and telco's are no different.

Totally agree olcoolone, but sometimes I figure it's not worth paying the extra when I consider the extra benefit I'll get. When it comes to spanners, etc. it's definitely worth paying for good ones tho'! :)

"Telstra coverage is way ahead (esp. in marginal areas), but you also pay for it! "

- yep, all of $69 for a Samsung A411 NextG Prepaid from Australia Post. So much coverage for so little money.

Sorry, I should have mentioned what we have heard, about 3 years back at William Creek on the Oodnadatta Track and one reason why I personally prefer HF Radio over Satellite Phone. We were heading into the Simpson when just after 8am a call came out over the HF Radio for any travellers on the Oodnadatta track to keep and eye out for a certain standard vehicle, towing a caravan that was last seen three days previously at William Creek, and was well overdue at their next intended destination. Concerned family members had contacted the Police, who in turn contacted the VKS737 HF Radio Network to put the call out for assistance in tracking down the lost couple. After all, the more eyes looking, the better the response. In less than 30 minutes, a call came back over the HF to say the people had been found, safe and well, but bogged. All that they carries was a mobile phone, thinking that they could get phone coverage anywhere in Australia.

Stephen

Agree! On my first big trip, my office tried to call me a few times with questions but I was out of range!