Mobile Phone Options for USA

[mh75]

Hi

I am heading off to the USA for a few weeks, in the near future. What are the best options for mobile phone / data coverage why in the states. I dont want to come home to a huge data bill for my iPhone

Thanks in Advance

 

[neon_crossing]

I have used mrsimcard twice now and couldn't recommend higher. Perfect for my needs which was a iPhone sim with lots of data. Which is a must when travelling. Mr. Simcard www.mrsimcard.com +1-703-953-2272 | +44.7520763500

 

[infinity]

Hi

I am heading off to the USA for a few weeks, in the near future. What are the best options for mobile phone / data coverage why in the states. I dont want to come home to a huge data bill for my iPhone

Thanks in Advance

I am in USA at the moment

I use AT&T sim which is $2 per day unlimited USA calls and txt

you can add 500mb data for $25 which is fine as there is free wi fi almost everywhere you go

You can just walk into any AT&T shop to get one

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

I am in USA at the moment

I use AT&T sim which is $2 per day unlimited USA calls and txt

you can add 500mb data for $25 which is fine as there is free wi fi almost everywhere you go

You can just walk into any AT&T shop to get one

That's a pretty good deal. I'll have a week in San Fran later this year and $2 a day + $25 for data will do nicely

 

[DeKa]

I am in USA at the moment

I use AT&T sim which is $2 per day unlimited USA calls and txt

you can add 500mb data for $25 which is fine as there is free wi fi almost everywhere you go

You can just walk into any AT&T shop to get one

Don't tell them it's for an iPhone or they won't activate it. You need the sim activated in some other phone. Then, once you have the sim going you need to find wifi and connect to unlockit.co.nz in Safari and configure the iPhone for AT&T.

It's unfortunate AT&T make it so hard, but if you don't do this they detect it's an iPhone and limit what it can do unless you sign up to an iPhone plan.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I am in USA at the moment. I use AT&T sim which is $2 per day unlimited USA calls and txt. you can add 500mb data for $25 which is fine as there is free wi fi almost everywhere you go.

You can just walk into any AT&T shop to get one.

We both got AT&T sim cards plus a cheap $19.00 so about $45.00 per per which was meant to be that plan & I made 2 calls, one to a 1-800 toll free phone & to SO on his US mobile so he had my phone number. We went to AT&T in Manhattan Beach LAX.

Like me, he had barely used his phone but we arrive in LAS only to find both phones are out of credit when they were hardly used & only for a really short 1800 or local cell phone call.

I'd love to know what happened there so avoid a repeat performance next time we're in the US. The previous time with went to T-Mobile in SFO & their set up worked fine.

We did both get a couple of inbound calls thatI believe were spam. We were sitting onboard our AA flight from LAX to LAS I hadn't yet turned my phone off & I get this call "is Joan there" when I said there was no Joan here they then said "do you want to know how to get some real cheap NFL gear". I didn't - *click*.

Can receiving a call eat up your credit I wonder?

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Can receiving a call eat up your credit I wonder?

In the states most plans charge you for incoming calls and text.

I think with the ACCC reducing the fee between carriers in Australia we will start having that here too.

It's the reason you can call USA mobiles so cheaply using VOIP

 

[ckck]

I bought a cheap mobile phone from AT&T, IIRC the phone cost about USD30 and had $15 of credit included. It worked just fine while I was over there.

For my iPad I bought I think it was 1Gb valid for 1 month, I can't remember how much it cost but I don't remember it being expensive. Just remember to cancel the service before you leave the country (so you don't forget). If you don't cancel it before the next month starts there is no way to get a credit (as far as I am aware).

hths,

ck

 

[infinity]

Don't tell them it's for an iPhone or they won't activate it. You need the sim activated in some other phone. Then, once you have the sim going you need to find wifi and connect to unlockit.co.nz in Safari and configure the iPhone for AT&T.

It's unfortunate AT&T make it so hard, but if you don't do this they detect it's an iPhone and limit what it can do unless you sign up to an iPhone plan.

You are correct about the set up for an Iphone to get it to use for data.

I bought the sim in Chicago and the AT&T shop said data wont work on the Iphone. When I arrived in Park City a smaller AT&T shop, the guy was helpful and manually set the data up using unlockit.co.nz

I didnt see what he did, but good luck if you go this route

 

[Sprucegoose]

We both got AT&T sim cards plus a cheap $19.00 so about $45.00 per per which was meant to be that plan & I made 2 calls, one to a 1-800 toll free phone & to SO on his US mobile so he had my phone number. We went to AT&T in Manhattan Beach LAX.

Like me, he had barely used his phone but we arrive in LAS only to find both phones are out of credit when they were hardly used & only for a really short 1800 or local cell phone call.

I'd love to know what happened there so avoid a repeat performance next time we're in the US. The previous time with went to T-Mobile in SFO & their set up worked fine.

We did both get a couple of inbound calls thatI believe were spam. We were sitting onboard our AA flight from LAX to LAS I hadn't yet turned my phone off & I get this call "is Joan there" when I said there was no Joan here they then said "do you want to know how to get some real cheap NFL gear". I didn't - *click*.

Can receiving a call eat up your credit I wonder?

Yes I had the same experience. I won't be using AT&T again.

There was a sim card advertised in the qantas duty free. Does anyone have any experience with that? You set it up before you go. Does it do data?

 

[Mwenenzi]

from the sticky in Communication & Internet
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ternet/guide-mobile-voice-data-usa-25580.html

 

[mccafferyc]

I use and iPhone and regularly visit the US, Canada an the UK. I have my phone unlocked and have found bought sims from TMobile (in US), Fido (in Canada) and O2 (in UK). Each one of these have very reasonable rates whereby for a minimal daily charge you get unlimited SMS, data and local calls.

From memory the TMobile (US) deal only worked out at a couple of bucks a day, included unlimited national calls and of course it costs nothing to receive international calls (unlike when roaming with an oz phone).

The O2 (UK) deal was very similar although it wasn't unlimited calls (they were charged) but I could survive a fortnight in London and only spend £20 whereas my roaming bill would generally be $400+ for the same number of calls; and as long as you spent at least £15 you got unlimited data and SMS for the month.

Fido (Canada) is a little more complicated as they have regional charging for calls, so it gets a little more expensive if you are calling a number outside of your number zone, but you still get unlimited SMS and data for a minimal spend.

Bottom line is it's not nearly as scary or expensive as a lot of travellers think. I hope this helps.

 

[julez4870]

I took my old Iphone 3S when I was in Hawaii last September and bought a T Mobile Sim card from Travelgear.com.au, before I went, see the USA prepaid mobile card. I think they were mentioned in a thread about sim cards on AFF.
See the Unlimited talk text and web international option. Worked within 5 minutes of arrival, and had no problems at all. I called locally in Hawaii and also mainland USA, plus Australia every day to land lines and mobiles, and came back with credit still on the card. Calls to Aus mobiles 33c per minute. Landlines and all incoming calls free. No data issues. I'll get another one from these people before I go to the states in May. I've done the buy the sim card over there, and think this is so much easier.

 

[MandM]

I am in USA at the moment

I use AT&T sim which is $2 per day unlimited USA calls and txt

you can add 500mb data for $25 which is fine as there is free wi fi almost everywhere you go

You can just walk into any AT&T shop to get one

This AT&T sim card and plan works for me too. $2 on days that I made or received calls. Recharge cards are available everywhere too.

 

[drewbles]

Guide for Mobile Voice & Data in the USA

 

[AV8]

This AT&T sim card and plan works for me too. $2 on days that I made or received calls. Recharge cards are available everywhere too.

If you have the AT & T Go phone (sounds like you do with the $2/day only if used plan) then you can keep the number active for 365 days if you refill with $100. I have done so by purchasing the refill via ebay with a 20% discount (even more with $AU exchange rate) - phone topped up in less than 24hrs.

 

[eedgo]

Used a Travelsim when we were in Europe and UK last year. Worked extremely well in my unlocked Nokia 6720. Gives family the ability to call us if necessary. Costs vary depending on the country but UK and Europe were generally 40 to 60c/min back to Oz. No charge to receive calls, but varies depending on the country. Travelsim now have a USA sim as call costs on the old travelsim were around $2.80/min in US and Canada but with the USA Travelsim is about 45c/min. Have just swapped the old Travelsim for a new USA Travelsim as we are heading to Canada next month. Have not used data with it as we use a netbook on wifi at either hotels or cafes etc. The data charges sound expensive. Bought it from the local PO, but if going to USA or Canada make sure it is the one marked USA. travelsim.net.au
Their website is quite comprehensive.

 

[drewbles]

Used a Travelsim when we were in Europe and UK last year. Worked extremely well in my unlocked Nokia 6720. Gives family the ability to call us if necessary. Costs vary depending on the country but UK and Europe were generally 40 to 60c/min back to Oz. No charge to receive calls, but varies depending on the country. Travelsim now have a USA sim as call costs on the old travelsim were around $2.80/min in US and Canada but with the USA Travelsim is about 45c/min. Have just swapped the old Travelsim for a new USA Travelsim as we are heading to Canada next month. Have not used data with it as we use a netbook on wifi at either hotels or cafes etc. The data charges sound expensive. Bought it from the local PO, but if going to USA or Canada make sure it is the one marked USA. travelsim.net.au
Their website is quite comprehensive.

Keep in mind that Travel SIM used an Estonian number (+372) and people calling you on that number are up for a very large slug (if it works at all; many carriers routing to Estonian Mobile/Cell numbers is awful). Of course if you don't care about incoming from home that's fine. Most MVNO's use +44 UK number, which is usually pretty cheap to call. Some offer a toll-free forwarding service as well for people to call a toll-free number in their local country, enter your number, and you pickup the tab for a small amount whilst they pay nothing to reach you.

People know who I work for so i'm not going to mention that