A smartphone mainly for QR codes...

[Me+Me]

Yeah actually you can just get a prepay connection. Voda do one that costs $20 per year. I don't think it includes Data but that's not relevant anyway if you don't want to connect to the internet when out and about. And if you DO want to connect you could always hang round Mc'donalds or the local library they have free wifi.

[Outsider]

Yeah actually you can just get a prepay  connection.  Voda do one that costs $20 per year.  I don't think it includes Data but that's not relevant anyway if you don't want to connect to the internet when out and about.  And if you DO want to connect you could always hang round Mc'donalds or the local library they have free wifi.

Great info, thanks.

[Magenta69]

Yeah actually you can just get a prepay  connection.  Voda do one that costs $20 per year.  I don't think it includes Data but that's not relevant anyway if you don't want to connect to the internet when out and about.  And if you DO want to connect you could always hang round Mc'donalds or the local library they have free wifi.

It looks like the warehouse mobile could work at a similar yearly cost. Minimum $5 top-up which is valid for 90days, and texts cost 8c, calls 8c per minute, and data 8c per mb. Any credit is rolled over when topped up after 90 days. Both worth considering if phone mainly required for covid scanning and only occasional texts and calls.

[Me+Me]

Yeah actually you can just get a prepay  connection.  Voda do one that costs $20 per year.  I don't think it includes Data but that's not relevant anyway if you don't want to connect to the internet when out and about.  And if you DO want to connect you could always hang round Mc'donalds or the local library they have free wifi.

It looks like the warehouse mobile could work at a similar yearly cost. Minimum $5 top-up which is valid for 90days, and texts cost 8c, calls 8c per minute, and data 8c per mb. Any credit is rolled over when topped up after 90 days. Both worth considering if phone mainly required for covid scanning and only occasional texts and calls.

That's pretty good if you use case is 'low use' indeed.

[captaingraham]

I'm unfamiliar with Smartphones and don't think it's worth getting one just to scan a couple of codes each week. Even if you use the WiFi connection at home to get the Covid app, don't you have to pay for a monthly plan on the phone? So as well as the cost of the phone, I'd also have to pay so much a month to use it for scanning the QR codes - is that right?

Your monthly plan can be as low as $9 on skinny mobile.
Yes you'd have to pay the cost of the phone, (buy one lol).
NO NO NO any use of the App is FREE.  It does NOT require any kind of connection to scan codes......The Govt wants people to scan codes and they have for that reason NOT made it so you have to pay to do that.  That would be counter productive.

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Huawei y5 $160, does everything I need and a great camera.

Huawei may not be able to access Google play store and thus not be able to download the QR Covid app.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I just got my annual Spark reminder to buy a top up to keep my number live. I have $8 credit left from last Decembers top up, so it has been a quiet year! So I will get another tenner, and hope next year gets a bit more interesting...

[crafters_corner]

Yeah actually you can just get a prepay  connection.  Voda do one that costs $20 per year.  I don't think it includes Data but that's not relevant anyway if you don't want to connect to the internet when out and about.  And if you DO want to connect you could always hang round Mc'donalds or the local library they have free wifi.

I was just talking to my sis in OZ, about this, and what you say here, is exactly what she told me. Get a prepay, and use McD's for their free wifi.

Otherwise, I won't bother getting a new phone at all, just to be able to scan.

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Thank you all so much for your imput.

Still not quite sure whether it's worth it, just to scan the QR code, but I'm still open about it, so all this info is very helpful.

[Me+Me]

Yeah actually you can just get a prepay  connection.  Voda do one that costs $20 per year.  I don't think it includes Data but that's not relevant anyway if you don't want to connect to the internet when out and about.  And if you DO want to connect you could always hang round Mc'donalds or the local library they have free wifi.

I was just talking to my sis in OZ, about this, and what you say here, is exactly what she told me. Get a prepay, and use McD's for their free wifi.

Otherwise, I won't bother getting a new phone at all, just to be able to scan.

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Thank you all so much for your imput.

Still not quite sure whether it's worth it, just to scan the QR code, but I'm still open about it, so all this info is very helpful.

Well heres a thing - you'll have to scan codes OR sign a book when you go into a shop, (maybe not all shops but many). If you sign a book you are touching pens/books etc which someone else has also.  Potentially not so good.  Scan a code is easy/quick and also you enable bluetooth tracing that can help also if you're in close proximity with someone who later tests positive.

[CorylusMaxima]

The other thing is that even if you have data turned off most of the time, it is nice to have the availability there in case of emergencies, and know that you can turn it on and check email or google something essential if need be.
Not sure what you currently use for texting but you may find that a more modern phone will really improve the ease of doing that too.
Seasoned smartphone users will probably throw their hands up in horror but if you are really sure that you don't need to use it for much else, you can buy something really cheap, but it pays to check what you are getting in terms of OS version and connectivity. I bought one for $64 with Andriod 10 and 4G which does the basics. I see Countdown are flogging off one for only $15 but only Android 8 and 3G. In the US I think they are shutting down 3G networks next year.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I use mine for little else, but as you say, it is nice to have it in case of emergencies. A good refurbed older phone would serve the purpose. I bought one off TM before the Note, and it was excellent for a couple couple of years. In a way better - because it had a radio, which was wonderful for keeping strangers at bay.

[harm_less]

Your monthly plan can be as low as $9 on skinny mobile.
Yes you'd have to pay the cost of the phone, (buy one lol).
NO NO NO any use of the App is FREE.  It does NOT require any kind of connection to scan codes......The Govt wants people to scan codes and they have for that reason NOT made it so you have to pay to do that.  That would be counter productive.

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Huawei may not be able to access Google play store and thus not be able to download the QR Covid app.

For any (older or otherwise) cellphones that are unable to use the MoH COVID tracking app check out the Rippl app. No bluetooth but provides a record of where you've been which is the main thing.

[crab2]

use your home wifi to download the Covid app and then you only need to use Bluetooth for scanning codes, no need to turn on data or wifi to scan them

[Me+Me]

use your home wifi to download the Covid app and then you only need to use Bluetooth for scanning codes, no need to turn on data or wifi to scan them

The codes are NOT scanned using Bluetooth..
Bluetooth records your proximity to other phones which have the app enabled and Bluetooth turned on. 
This is kind of an added extra and you don't have to do it.