Home phones
Landlines in Australia can be summarized in one word: EASY!
Once you rent a home you call any of the large telecommunications companies (usually Telstra and Optus) from another landline or a phone booth, you give your address and details and they connect you in usually not more than 24 hours!
Another smart feature about home phones is that you are charged per phone call (not per minute as most other countries charge their subscribers).
International calling
However international calling can be quite expensive in Australia, but there are several excellent alternatives, such as calling cards and international calling companies and VOIP;
Calling cards
Calling cards can be bought from most convenience stores such as 7-11 and they usually cost $5 to $20 and can last up to 3 hours per $10, the quality varies however and be careful as some of them have a connection fee and other hidden fees.
International calling companies
International calling companies provide a service where all you have to do is just dial a code then you can access international calling services, they are cheaper than some cards but would be preferable if you intend on not moving to other locations in the near future (the reason is because you subscribe to their services and you have to pay a penalty if you intend on moving.
VOIP
VOIP is a newer technology where you use a special phone to connect to the internet and can call any other subscribers to the same service anywhere else on earth, however I cannot confirm which countries work with this technology.
Life in Australia 
