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Global Experience teams with Global Gossip to make it easier for international students to stay in contact with their families back home

Announcement posted by Global Experience 29 Apr 2010

Australian homestay agency Global Experience today announced the launch of a new service for international students that will make it simpler and more affordable for them to keep in contact with their families back home. With the addition of phone and internet services from Global Gossip to its service portfolio, Global Experience is extending its selection of viable options for students and host families to choose from making it easierto settle in a new country.

Enabling students to set up their communications before arriving in Sydney comes with a number of benefits;

“We can help students set up their phones and internet access at the same time that they are making accommodation arrangements, i.e. BEFORE they leave home,” says Lynn Copithorne, general manager, Global Experience.

“That way they can give their number out to friends and family before they leave. Then all they have to do is pick up their communication pack when they arrive - they can do that from our office at Town Hall or any of the pre- approved locations with Global Gossip.That means they have one less thing to worry about when they arrive.”

“Above all, our primary focus is the students’ happiness and emotional well-being. We are invested in making sure they are as comfortable as possible in their new environment - that includes offering them the best viable choices for staying in contact with their friends and families.”

In keeping with the company’s core value of “community” Global Experience chose this partnership with care, selecting Global Gossip on the basis of its professionalism, creditability and integrity, and of course the service itself! Global Gossip’s ease of use, online registration, online billing, one bill policy (no contract required), competitive rates, national coverage over a robust Vodafone network, and 24x7 support were all factors.

Notably, Global Gossip’s well thought out credit recharge system was a standout point, in terms of catering to the specific needs of the homestay provider’s 4,000+ student network. Students can recharge their service at over 5,000 Australian locations, as with most popular phone cards. However, unlike other providers they are able to allocate pre-paid credit across a number of communications options. It can go towards mobile phone minutes, overseas calls from a landline, or internet time at any of the 200 Global Gossip internet locations throughout Australia.

“There are no restrictions on the usage combinations,” explains Matthew Flesser, business development manager, Global Gossip, “it’s just one card, one bill – simple!”

Another distinct advantage to international students is a long credit expiry term of six months after last usage. This allows them to take long trips back home without voiding their Australian communications arrangement.

From Global Experience’s point of view, overseeing the students’ communications alongside the other factors of their homestay lightens the load for host families and students and contributes to an enjoyable experience for both. They no longer have to sit down together to figure out the rules for phone usage, or worry about losing control of the bills. Everything is in place before the students arrive and it’s perfectly clear cut – one less hassle to get in the way of a fantastic cultural exchange.

Global Experience is Australia’s first homestay provider to trial this new model – if successful, it has the potential to shape the industry in terms of a shift towards a more nurturing role on the side of homestay agencies and an alleviation of the responsibilities currently residing with education establishments.