New Sim Card for USA trip

[nicky286]

New Sim Card for USA trip

I will be travelling to US from 11 Dec until 1 Jan 16

I need data for GPS, any advise which sim card that I should get? Maybe you guys have GPS ? i can borrow ???

Thank you in Advance

 

[russ]

Just go to any shopping mall and you will find various kiosks selling SIM cards. If it is pre-paid on a well-known network, you can't go too far wrong.

 

[nicky286]

anything in particular?

 

[waldo61]

I recently used a T Mobile Sim in both the United States and Canada. It had unlimited data and unlimited calls in North America for $60USD.

An alternative option is to download the Here Maps App and the maps you need. It works without a data connection on most phones (can even be used in airplane mode).

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

New Sim Card for USA trip
... /snip

I need data for GPS, any advise which sim card that I should get?

/snip ...

Hi Nicky,
Are you sure that you need data to run GPS on your phone? Many phones have GPS that works without a data connection.
As a test, try turning your phone to airplane mode, and then trying to use the GPS (or if you prefer take out the SIM completely).
HTH
J

 

[DC3]

I can say that the USA and AU TomTom apps which I put on my iPhone do not need a SIM card.

 

[sausagefingers]

I always go into an AT&T store and buy a prepaid sim card on my first day. never had a problem $40 for around 2gb of data.

 

[coriander]

I use t-mobile sims that I buy from local vendors. I mostly buy from simcorner.com who have always been very reliable. This recent trip I took advantage of an Ozbargain deal to buy from TravelSims Direct. They sent me a hand cut-down sim (micro -> nano) which didn't work and I had to buy a sim in the US (wasting time and money). Never again from TSD. The falling/fallen AUD means that US sims have gone up (eg t-mobile 6GB 4G data, unlimited US calls/texts, unlimited calls to AU landlines, unlimited text to AU mobiles is $AU79 from simcorner.com. Buying the similar t-mobile "simple choice" plan in the US is US$75, or about AU$100).

I usually ask the sim card vendor to activate the sim 48-72 hours before I go (I never go for more than 25 days). They then email me the phone number (you can't get phone number till you activate). I can then tell friends and family the number, update US contact details for hotels, hire cars etc., before I go. When the family of 5 is going, it's much easier to sit around the dining room table programming each others' numbers into our phones rather than trying to do that once we're in the US.

Then, whilst over the Pacific, we install the sims into our phones and all phones are working as soon as we land in LAX.

I've never been one for GPS in the US because the road signage is infinitely superior to Victoria's, but on my last trip I had a couple of tricky addresses to find: Google Maps with voice-guided navigation was absolute heaven: I'm now a convert! Returning from Davis to SFO on I-80, Ms Google advised me of severe congestion ahead due to a traffic accident and suggested I-680 as an alternative; I did as I was told (it WAS a female voice and I'm married!) and had a dream run into SFO. Watching the late night news they showed an overturned semi that had completely blocked inbound I-80 for hours. Google Maps on data in the US is brilliant.

One tip, though..... if using your phone for GMaps, make sure you have either a cigarette lighter adapter or a powerbank as your phone may discharge rapidly. I use a Romoss powerbank because the last rental car I had last trip had non-functioning cigarette lighter sockets. The powerbank meant my phone battery discharged at about 3% per hour rather than 30% per hour and I wasn't reliant on the car providing power.

Finally, check that your phone will receive US frequencies: here's a table of AU & US frequencies as well as frequencies of common recent flagship smartphones:


or https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/83820413/mobile_phone_bands.jpg if the forum software mangles the table (I update this table when new phones are released).

 

[coriander]

Hi Nicky,
Are you sure that you need data to run GPS on your phone? Many phones have GPS that works without a data connection.

Unless I'm mistaken, the issue with that is that you don't get turn-by-turn voice navigation and traffic updates (see my post above).

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

Unless I'm mistaken, the issue with that is that you don't get turn-by-turn voice navigation and traffic updates (see my post above).

I don't think you're mistaken...
I guess my mistake was in directly addressing the issue as raised by the OP: "I need data for GPS". The focus of my response is/was that the GPS function doesn't need a data connection to operate (although, as you allude, some GPS related apps do also need a data connection to fully function.
It really depends on what use OP needs for the GPS signal. I have used my phone extensively (without a data connection) running GPS based apps such as GoogleMaps & MapMyRun (among others) with great success.
e.g. when just walking around, or using public transport in an unfamiliar location, I often open GoogleMaps while I'm still in the hotel wifi. Then I have the map for the area I'm interested in, and the GPS shows my 'blue dot' on the map as I meander around. Very effective.
As I said, it all comes down to which GPS based app is going to be used.
Hope this clarifies.

PS - no 'snark' intended, just clarifying...

 

[quick_dry]

go to Walmart and get the T-mobile SIM from there, it is $30 for 5GB of data at 4G/LTE speeds, and then it drops to 128kbps after that (but you can top it back up online to get full speed).

You can get turn-by-turn directions without using data:
- TomTom is expensive but good - I like the tips about which lane to be in
- the "Nokia Here" mapping app is free on iOS and Android. You can download the maps on wifi before you get there and they work without data afterwards. My Dad uses this, I _HATE_ the voice.

Mostly I use builtin maps or google maps and just buy the data for convenience.