A: If you have a monthly-billed service, yes. We do not offer Global Roaming for Pre-Paid customers at this time.

As long as you've paid at least three invoices on time, we'll activate Global Roaming as soon as you ask. If you haven't been with us for longer than three months or you haven't paid your last three bills on time, you need make a one-off, non-refundable payment of $250, which we'll add as credit to your account.

Standard charges don't apply while roaming the globe! You can be charged for:

• Making Calls or Sending Messages
• Receiving Calls or Messages
• Accessing your voicemail in Australia
• And for people leaving you voicemail or Pagemail messages.

These are on top of your minimum monthly spend, and are not included in your CAP. Global Roaming charges are dependent on overseas networks and may vary without notice and also include a Virgin Mobile administration fee.

Click here for a list of countries serviced by Virgin Mobile global roaming.

If you'd like to go ahead and have Global Roaming activated on your service, contact us online here.

One last thing! Once we've activated Global Roaming, its important to keep in mind that we won't turn it off until you ask - so you can jet-set without the hassle of setting it up every time.

A: Yes. You can request a new randomly generated phone number. If you have been receiving nuisance calls and can provide us with, a CRN (Crime Reference Number), we can change your mobile number free of charge.

Alternatively, if you're Pre-Paid, you could just go and get a brand new Pre-Paid Starter Kit. That way you will get a new number and included credit (included credit depends on the type of Starter Kit you purchase) to spend, too. Find your nearest Stockist.

A: Yes. However, we don't have Network Agreements in place with every network in every country, so we can't guarantee it will always work.

To send a text message overseas, put a "+" symbol, then the country code (look up country codes here), then the area code for landlines, then the number. Eg – You want to text the number 718-694-1600 in New York USA. There country code is '1', and the area code is 718, so you'd text +17186941600.

If you have any problems please contact our Customer Service Team on 1300 555 100.

A: 160 characters. However, many phones will automatically split a longer message across multiple SMS messages. So if you type a 320 character text, your phone might send them as two texts. In this case you pay for each text.

• Dial 212.
• Press 1 to activate VMAIL.
• Listen to the welcome message and hang up when done.
• Within the hour you should receive the following text message: "Congrats your VMAIL box has been activated! Free call 212 from your Virgin Mobile to record a personal greeting… Enjoy!"
• Dial 212 once again to record your personal greeting.

That's it! Except you should know … if you're a Pre-Paid customer you need to have credit on your account to access your voicemail messages. So, make sure to leave a small amount of credit on your account and you'll be able to check your messages at no charge.

A: Simply dial #002# on your handset and hit the Call or Send button. This will automatically disable the service for you.

A: View our fantastic Pre-Paid rates and Top-Up options online here.

A: Definitely! You can keep the same number and have it upgraded to a Phone-On-Us or CAP plan.

To convert from Pre-Paid to the Monthly plan without getting a new handset, just give our Customer Service Team a call on 1300 555 100 for assistance.

To see which Rate Plan best suits your needs, head over here.

A: As a Pre-Paid customer, you can recharge your service with a Credit Card to the maximum value of $200 per calendar month. If you've already recharged to this amount and wish to recharge further you will need to purchase a Top-Up voucher and call 733 to apply it to your service. Top-Up vouchers are available through the following stockists.

You might also like to consider switching to a Post-Paid service, as CAP plans tend to provide more value for money for high usage customers. For details on the call rates and services available with Virgin Mobile, check online here.

A: There are a number of common issues that can cause this.

• You may have exceeded the monthly Credit Card Top-Up limit. See above for tips.
• You may have entered your Credit Card details incorrectly. Check these and try entering again.
• Your card issuer may have rejected your payment request.
• There may have been a systems outage on our end, or possibly an issue with the systems used by your Credit Card provider to verify and process your transactions. Unfortunately, these do occur from time to time and are usually resolved within a few hours.

A: Credit Card payments will generally reject for one of the following reasons:

• Credit Card details are entered incorrectly.
• If there are insufficient funds available in the account
• If the Credit Card has expired.
• If the Credit Card has been reported as lost/stolen.
• If the account has been cancelled.

You are also limited to $200 worth of recharges for your Pre-Paid services using a Credit Card per calendar month. You can check your recharge history by logging in to the MyAccount section.

If you are experiencing difficulties with the automated top-up service either online or on the phone, you can give our Customer Service Team a call on 1300 555 100 for further assistance.

A: You could leave this extra credit in place for future use - the duplicate credit will not begin to expire until your current credit has been used up or has expired.

Alternatively, a refund can be arranged and the additional credit removed from your service. I you would like to arrange this, please contact our Customer Service Team on 1300 555 100 to confirm your Credit Card details with a Customer Service Representative. An action will then be sent to our billing team to complete the refund to the credit card used in the original transaction.

Note: We can only refund a duplicate top-up if it's still in its original, whole amount.

A: Dial 225 on your mobile and hear your balance, or text 'BAL' to 225 and get as reply SMS with your balance within a few seconds. You will be charged 20c per enquiry.

You can also check your account balance by logging into the MyAccount section of our web site.

We'll let you know when your balance is running low. If you make a call and have less than 10 minutes of talk time left, you'll hear a recorded voice telling you how much time you have left for that call.

A: Yes. You can access your recent service usage and recharge history online by logging in to the MyAccount section of our web site.

If you would prefer a printed statement, we can send you a report for any period within the last 12 months. A charge of $5.50 per month applies for these reports. Please contact our Customer Service Team on 1300 555 100 for further assistance with this.

If you require this report for tax purposes, please be aware that you will need to have spent $55 on at least one single call to be eligible to claim at tax time.

A: You have options!

BUY VOUCHER IN STORE, TOP-UP BY PHONE:

Buy an eligible Virgin Mobile Top-Up from one of our many retailers. You can also purchase Top-Up vouchers from most Petrol Stations, Newsagencies, Convenience Stores, Supermarkets and even the Post Office!

Once you have your voucher, call 733 and follow the prompts. Or, simply enter 733 followed by your voucher or recharge card number then hit the green button on your mobile to automatically Top-Up your account.

CREDIT CARD TOP-UP ONLINE:

Top-Up online by logging in MyAccount and selecting Top-Up in the menu on the left hand side of the page. Once you have registered your Credit Card details, you can automatically Top-Up your service on a particular day each month, or when your credit balance reaches a certain amount.

Keep in mind that there is a $200 limit for recharging your Pre-Paid service by Credit Card per calendar month. If you have reached that limit, don't worry, you can still top the account up using vouchers.

CREDIT CARD TOP-UP BY PHONE:

Use your Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Diners card to Top-Up. You'll need to register your Credit Card with us before you use it the first time, which you do online by logging in to MyAccount. Alternatively, you can contact our Customer Service Team on 1300 555 100.

Once registered, you can Top-Up by simply calling 733 and following the prompts.

Credit Card transactions are blocked for all services where the account holder is under the age of 18.

A: It's easy!

Before you transfer your number to Virgin Mobile, we recommend you contact your existing Service Provider to find out if they'll charge you any exit fees. If they don't charge you anything, or it's an amount that you're happy to pay, then we can get started.

The name on your new Virgin Mobile account must be the same as the name of the account with your existing Service Provider – we won't be able to transfer the number otherwise.

Your number is normally transferred within 5 business days. You'll know that it's happened when the SIM card from your previous provider stops working.

To go ahead with a transfer, please contact our Customer Service Team on 1300 555 100.

A: If you've submitted your request to transfer your number to Virgin Mobile more than 5 business days ago but it hasn't transferred yet, please check:

• Are both services registered in your name?
• Do they have the correct date of birth details?
• If it's a Post-Paid (ie monthly) account with the other service provider, we need the account number.

A: Yes. It's just as easy as transferring your number to us. Simply connect a service with the carrier of your choice and advise them of your previous details. They will do the rest.

We do not charge a porting fee for transfers in or out. You can see all our products here.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

We do not charge a porting fee for transfers in or out, but there are some things you will need to remember.

• Do NOT cancel your Virgin Mobile number if you are porting out to another carrier. You should contact the carrier to initiate the porting process.
• Pre-Paid: Once your service has ported (transferred) to the new carrier you will lose any remaining credit.
• Post-Paid: (a) All outstanding amounts will be billed on your next invoice, including any outstanding handset instalments. (b) Your last invoice will contain pro-rata charges if cancellation occurs outside of your billing cycle. (c) If you cancel within the first six months of your commitment there will be a $250 premature evacuation fee applicable.

A: So you want to connect with Virgin Mobile? Awesome!

WEB: We're always open. Buy online here.

INSTORE: Visit a Virgin Mobile Retail Store, or one of over 5000 partner stores. Find a store near you.

CALL US: Call our Customer Service Team on 13 33 23 (Mon to Thurs 8.30am-8pm, Friday 8.30am-6.30pm, Weekends 10am-6pm)

A: Once you've got you Virgin Mobile service, you need to activate it.

If you have bought your Virgin Mobile service online or over the phone, your personal details should already be on our system and you'll need to use the Six Digit PIN you created earlier. Otherwise, we'll get you to choose a PIN when you activate.

ACTIVATE ONLINE: You can activate your new Virgin Mobile Service online here.

ACTIVATE OVER THE PHONE: Call us on 1300 555 100 and select option 3.

Don't forget to have your Starter Kit with you as you will need the information on it to get your new service switched on.

If you're bringing a number in from another company, make sure you give us the details when prompted. Initially you'll be using the number that comes with your new Virgin Mobile service, just until your old number is transferred across.

If you are having any difficulty activating, call into the Customer Service Team on 1300 555 100 and speak to a representative by selecting 0. Have your new Virgin Mobile number and SIM card handy when you call.

A: Heaps! Check them out in our Online Store.

To check out a particular phone 'in the flesh', you could head to one of our Virgin Mobile Stores or one of our partner outlets.

A: They are content or information services that can be accessed by SMS, phone call or via GPRS/WAP services. Stuff like chat services, voting on TV shows, entering competitions, receiving information updates, or buying content such as ringtones or music videos.

Premium services often start with a '19' prefix and they end of the number is often shown as a word (a 'Short Code') in advertisements.

Premium services are provided by Third Parties who have arrangements in place with Virgin Mobile. They charge us and we pass the charges onto you. These charges will either be added to your invoice or will be deducted from your Pre-Paid balance.

A: Just text the word 'STOP' to the relevant Premium SMS number; you'll be unsubscribed within 24 hours.

For help finding your subscription service provider's details or contact number, call our Customer Service team on 1300 555 100 and they will be able to help you out. Have the 'Short Code' handy when you call.

A: Firstly, cancel your subscription as detailed in the previous FAQ.

If you continue to receive SMSs from the content provider, give our Customer Service Team a call on 1300 555 100 and they'll be able to provide you with the content provider's contact details. Just be sure to have the 6 to 8 digit Short Code handy when you call.

A: It's definitely a good idea – these services can be expensive. You can get an idea of how much you have spent by logging in to MyAccount and checking your Pre-Paid balance or Post-Paid unbilled amount. Also, the Premium Service provider should send you an SMS each time you spend $30 on a particular Premium Service/Subscription.

A: You are sent a help message from the Content Provider with a command and help options.

A: No. As Premium SMS content is provided by Third Party companies, all Premium SMS charges are considered 'Special Numbers' and are not included as part our Virgin Mobile Caps. For a full list of what is included, check online here.

A: There are different ways that you can be charged for Premium Services:

Flat Rate - You pay a fixed amount for each SMS or call and the content related to it. For example, $5 for a ringtone, or $1.20 for each SMS you send to a chat service.

Timed Rate – In this case your calls or data services are timed at a specified rate-per-minute. Sometimes you will also be charged a connection fee (known as flagfall).

Data Rate - You may also be charged according to the amount of Data you Download from, or via, the Network.

Whenever you see an ad for a Premium Service, always check the costs before making that call or sending that SMS. The ad by law must state the costs involved, so please be sure to check the price first.

Please remember, the responsibility for your mobile (and it's associated costs) ultimately rests with you. This includes Premium Services that have been used by your family and friends, even when made without your knowledge or permission. In the event that your phone is lost or stolen, it is important that you get in touch with the Virgin Mobile Customer Service Team on 1300 555 100, so we can make sure someone else doesn't rack up your bill.

A: There isn't a fixed period as such, but you can unsubscribe at any time, by sending 'STOP' to the original Premium SMS number.

A: You'll need to contact the relevant Premium Content Provider. Just give our give our Customer Service Team a call on 1300 555 100 and they will provide you with the relevant contact information. Just be sure to have the 6 to 8 digit Short Code handy when you call.

A: Yes! We offer 3G services to all Post-Paid (ie monthly) customers; however, we are currently unable to offer 3G to Pre-Paid customers.

A: 3G stands for 'third generation'. 'First generation' mobiles were the old analogue bricks. 'Second generation', also known as '2G', were the first digital mobiles. This was when mobiles started to be able to access WAP (simplified web pages on your phone) but using slow dial-up connections. '2.5G' was when 2G started getting much faster GPRS connections with support for colour pages, and the ability to download or send picture and video messages. '3G' takes it all to a whole new level by ramping up the speed so much that we can now send live videos (known as 'streaming') and hence make video calls - plus, everything else we did before (downloads and mobile browsing) just becomes a whole lot faster.

A: 3G brings you fast, dynamic web browsing, extra-speedy downloads of cool content, such as full length music and video tracks along with video calling.

It's all about convenience and speed of access. With 3G you can keep up to date and check out your favourite websites whilst on the go: the web truly goes mobile!

A: Be anywhere, anytime and access all your favourite sites via your mobile. Browsing the Vibe is FREE for Virgin Mobile customers. And now, you can also see any other site you like as well, depending on your handset capability and software.

A: Yes, once you have a compatible handset, it will have to be set-up. Check out our setup instructions online here.

A: After you've set up your phone, turn on and find the Internet access option from your main menu - it sometimes looks like an icon of the world/globe. Your home page will be Virgin Vibe. From there, enter in the address and off you go.

A: You bet! The Vibe is the only place to download your favourite ringtones, keep up-to-date with the latest sports scores, chat with friends in the Lounge and read your stars. Lock your social life down: get movie, restaurant, TV or gig guides listings and make sure you're there on time with the transport info line.

A: It's FREE when you just browse the Virgin Vibe on your phone, so relax and enjoy knowing that you won't use up any of your data subscription. You'll only pay for the cost of a content item. E.g. to buy a music trax from the Vibe music site, you only pay $3.50 and nothing more.

If you go outside the Virgin Vibe area and into your favourite site you will use data even for browsing. An average search uses 8kb, a text news story uses around 50kb and a website page can range from 200-400kb. At 1.5c/kb that can get expensive quite easily. For peace of mind, get a Data Subscription Plan from just $5 for 50MB/month.

A: We measure the number of kilobytes (kb) you use on our network. Note that data delivered to your phone (e.g. when you are downloading an image, web page etc) and data sent from your phone (e.g. requesting a site, typing in a search etc) both count towards your usage.

A: No, it's for everyone who surfs the mobile web - so both 2G and 3G customers can check out their data usage.

What it's not!
Our data subscription plans are not designed as a replacement for your general internet connection. Be aware that use of your handset as a modem with a PC may mean you are in breach of our Fair Use Policy. If you use more than your data subscription, you'll be charged our low rate of 1.5c per KB.

A: Check out our Data Subscription Rates online here.

A: MMS stands for Multi-media Messaging Service: it's basically tech-speak for Photo and Video Messaging. To be able to send and receive full colour photos and video images from capable phones you will need to set up MMS first. To set up your phone for MMS:

• Send a Blank text message to 141 (free of charge) or kick off your setup online here.
• We'll then send you a text message that has the settings you need for your phone. You need to save this message when you receive it.
• This should work on most phones but if not, give us a buzz on 1300 555 100.
• Then you need to send a photo before you can receive one.

• If you make a call and "dead air" or no tone is heard, try switching the phone off then on again (reset), then calling again.
• If you're on Pre-Paid customers, confirm you have enough credit. Dial 225 from your handset to check your balance (costs 20c). Alternatively, check your balance for free by logging into MyAccount.
• If you see the message "Check Operator Services" and have a Nokia handset with the number 2 in the top left hand corner, this means you are calling from line 2 instead of line 1. To fix this, simply press and hold down the # (hash) key to alternate back to line 1.
• Confirm that you have sufficient signal strength on the screen of your phone. Signal strength is usually located opposite the battery symbol.
  • If signal strength is low, simply turn the phone off then on.
  • If still no signal, turn phone off, remove sim card, clean with lint free cloth, blow into sim card holder then replace.
  • If still no signal, perform a manual Network Selection. This option is found in the Menu of your phone, usually under Phone Settings.
  • If still no signal, test your sim card in another phone. This will determine whether the fault lies with the sim card or handset.
• If your handset screen has the message "Sim Card Registration Failed" you will have to get in touch with our Customer Service Team on 1300 555 100 to make a payment on your account. Once payment has been received they will be able to reactivate your service for you.

If you have tried all of the above and are still experiencing difficulty making calls you can contact our Customer Service Team on 1300 555 100 and they should be able to sort it out for you!

A: If the screen of your mobile is displaying either of the messages "Insert SIM", "SIM Error" or "SIM Card Rejected", try the following:

• Check that the SIM card is inserted properly and the right way round.
• Wipe the SIM card with a non abrasive material and re-insert.
• Try another battery in your mobile.
• Try another SIM card to see if the problem lies with your SIM card.
• Try your SIM in another mobile to see if the problem lies with your mobile.
• If an incorrect PIN has been entered on your mobile handset three times, you're given 10 attempts to enter a correct PUK* (Personal Unblocking Key). PUK codes are a security feature in place to stop unauthorized access to your SIM card. If an incorrect PUK code is entered after the 10th attempt, your SIM will become permanently blocked and you'll require a new SIM card. If you need to retrieve your PUK, login in to MyAccount and select Retrieve PUK in the left menu.

A: If you have lost or damaged your Virgin Mobile SIM card, you may request a replacement at a charge of $15, deducted from your Pre-Paid credit balance or added to your next invoice. It can take between 3 - 5 working days for the SIM card to arrive.

You can pick up a replacement SIM card from any Virgin Mobile Store. Alternatively, you can request a replacement SIM card by contact us online here, or contacting our Customer Service Team on 1300 555 100.

A: The Virgin Mobile network, in partnership with Optus, covers over 96% of the Australian population. If you're experiences problems receiving a sufficient mobile signal, please follow the steps below:

• Make sure your SIM card is clean. If you have a rubber eraser, take out the SIM card and gently rub the gold contacts on the SIM with the eraser.
• Your battery might be a bit low. A low battery will not have enough power to maintain good reception.
• It could be the phone. If you can, pop your SIM card into another phone (preferably a different model) to see what sort of reception you get.
• Finally - You might just be in a black spot because of buildings, interference from electromagnetic sources, or the physical geography of the area. Best way to check if it might be a coverage issue is to have a look at our Coverage Maps.

If you have tried all of the above and still are unable to get reception on your handset, give our Customer Service Team a call on 1300 555 100 for further assistance.

A: By default, calls to the following countries are barred from all Virgin Mobile services:

• Vietnam
• Iran
• Iraq
• Pakistan
• Syria
• Afghanistan

Also, calls made to THURAYA Satellite Services are not available.

To request access to any of the listed countries, or the THURAYA Satellite service, you will need to contact us by fax or mail with the following information:

• Virgin Mobile phone or account number
• 100 Points of Identification

This information can be faxed to 1300 555 733 or posted to the following address:

Virgin Mobile Admin Team
Reply Paid 71531
ROYAL EXCHANGE NSW 1224

Our Finance Team will then assess your application to this country and grant access if approved.

A: YAY! You can now check your unbilled service usage for your Virgin Mobile service by logging in to MyAccount online at the Virgin Mobile website.

Simply log in with your Virgin Mobile number and your 6-Digit-PIN and then select 'Current Usage' from the left menu.

Note: Amounts listed are approximations only as any charges incurred in the past 72-hours are not reflected in the stated amounts.

A: Log in to MyAccount and selecting 'View Your Bill' in the left menu. Simply click on a bill number to view each invoice.

A: E-Bill is an 'Environment Friendly' service that allows you to conveniently access your bill online rather than waiting for a paper one to arrive via snail mail. Each month, you will receive an email notification to let you know that your bill is ready for you to view through the MyAccount section of our website. All you need to do is enter your service number and 6-Digit-PIN to access it.