Travel SIM cards for mobile phones

To avoid dramatic global roaming charges it’s advisable to purchase a Travel SIM card, but which one? And should you buy it before or after you go? You cannot assume that you'll always be in a free WiFi zone and able to use Skype, there'll be many times when it would be useful to be able to phone someone or use the Internet for something like Google Maps. Most of these cards also offer very cheap overseas calls, so you can phone home when necessary. Whilst researching this I found this really good article Travel SIMs

Once you've decided on the need for a 'travel SIM' card you then need to pop into a newsagent or petrol station and buy a SIM card, preferably one that doesn’t involve a contract. There are many, but this one (amaysim) caught my eye the other day because it offered both a SIM and a Micro-SIM in the same packet, and previously I hadn’t found any that offered a Micro-SIM. You pay a nominal fee ($2), and then go online to activate it and select which plan you want (3 plans, none of which involve contracts). They have low international rates so you can ring home and let your loved ones know what your new number is in case of emergencies. If you need to know your new number before leaving home you can order it online and pick-up at an Australian address (eg. the first hotel you stay at).