Sim card in usa

[Pamgoingtousa]

I am overwhelmed with the amount of sim cards that are available in the US.. I am taking my phone which is unlocked and trying to decipher which is the best sim to use... Has anyone found one that is cheap and cheerful so to speak

 

[Maca44]

I am overwhelmed with the amount of sim cards that are available in the US.. I am taking my phone which is unlocked and trying to decipher which is the best sim to use... Has anyone found one that is cheap and cheerful so to speak

I have been caught out with coverage, so which ever sim card you eventually decide to get check on whether they cover the areas you intend to travel. For example, Rogers is one telco provider in Vancouver BC, but almost impossible to find coverage in Seattle which is only a few hours drive.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

i've been doing a bit a searching for a cheap sim card too.

these are 2 sites i've found that offer decent value

Mr. Simcard - Spend A Little - Save A Lot! The Economizer USA

Red Pocket USA prepaid mobile phone SIM cards

hope that helps

 

[liamg]

I reckon the best way to go is to find the nearest Radio Shack and ask them. They usually know what they're talking about.

Last time I was there I got an AT&T GoPhone (pre-paid) SIM with some data so I could use Google Voice and access email via a web browser. My colleague who I was with bought a SIM with credit and a coughpy LG phone for like $15. Meant he could still have his roaming mobile to check for texts from those who didn't know he was overseas (he shut off calls and data, etc.).

L.

 

[Pamgoingtousa]

I have been caught out with coverage, so which ever sim card you eventually decide to get check on whether they cover the areas you intend to travel. For example, Rogers is one telco provider in Vancouver BC, but almost impossible to find coverage in Seattle which is only a few hours drive.

Thank you for that , didnt think about different areas and the coverage.. I am going to Hawaii and Vegas so will check that out thanks

 

[Pamgoingtousa]

I reckon the best way to go is to find the nearest Radio Shack and ask them. They usually know what they're talking about.

Last time I was there I got an AT&T GoPhone (pre-paid) SIM with some data so I could use Google Voice and access email via a web browser. My colleague who I was with bought a SIM with credit and a coughpy LG phone for like $15. Meant he could still have his roaming mobile to check for texts from those who didn't know he was overseas (he shut off calls and data, etc.).

L.

Thank you for that info will check that out

 

[RB]

AT&T have a deal of cheap phone for $29 & prepay of $1 a day only on the days you use. Not sure of call rates. This may work if only needing to make very few calls

 

[BensAdventures]

In December last year I also went to Radio Shack and got a pre-paid Vigin mobile for $20 (LG) and I only paid for my calls. There was now daily charge and topping it up was so easy. I could then keep both phones running, but rarely use my Aussie one. When I bought it, I specified I wanted to use it for international calls, and this offer was clearly the best I could find. Now I have the phone for when I head back there in a few months.

 

[woolnough04]

I am overwhelmed with the amount of sim cards that are available in the US.. I am taking my phone which is unlocked and trying to decipher which is the best sim to use... Has anyone found one that is cheap and cheerful so to speak

I purchased a red pocket simcard for my phone to use there recentley however it wouldn't let me call back home from the states and the coverage wasn't the best.I ended up purchasing a Tracfone phone and card for $20 which had better coverage and could call back home with.

 

[Maca44]

I have not used iwireless but if you have a look at their site you will get an idea of costs and coverage, which appears good in Las Vegas and Hawaii where your travels will take you. I would be careful about these telco's coverage maps because they are sometimes not accurate, but would be okay in the areas you are going. Apart from this site search others for comparison.

https://www.iwirelesshome.com/

 

[Pamgoingtousa]

I purchased a red pocket simcard for my phone to use there recentley however it wouldn't let me call back home from the states and the coverage wasn't the best.I ended up purchasing a Tracfone phone and card for $20 which had better coverage and could call back home with.

Thank you for that information. I really appreciate the time and effort that everyone on here puts it to answer queries from all ....

 

[Archphoto]

I've used AT&T and TMobile to call in the US - both had great coverage and I was able to top up at most 711 stores rather than always needing to visit a shop.

Remember that they charge you for both incoming & outgoing calls - means you use your credit a little faster than you think. :mrgreen:

Never had a problem with either of these sims - and used them in a variety of mobiles.

 

[Pamgoingtousa]

I've used AT&T and TMobile to call in the US - both had great coverage and I was able to top up at most 711 stores rather than always needing to visit a shop.

Remember that they charge you for both incoming & outgoing calls - means you use your credit a little faster than you think. :mrgreen:

Never had a problem with either of these sims - and used them in a variety of mobiles.

Thannks for that seems to be the one to go with

 

[GoldCoastGuy]

For example, Rogers is one telco provider in Vancouver BC, but almost impossible to find coverage in Seattle which is only a few hours drive.

The reason for that is that Rogers is a Canadian telco (and Vancouver is in Canada). Despite Seattle only being a few hours away, it's across the border in the US. You also wont get any US telcos in Canada (but roaming works).

 

[Pamgoingtousa]

I've used AT&T and TMobile to call in the US - both had great coverage and I was able to top up at most 711 stores rather than always needing to visit a shop.

Remember that they charge you for both incoming & outgoing calls - means you use your credit a little faster than you think. :mrgreen:

Never had a problem with either of these sims - and used them in a variety of mobiles.

Thank for that will go witht that one as it seems to be the best coverage wise and ability to recharge

 

[Maca44]

The reason for that is that Rogers is a Canadian telco (and Vancouver is in Canada). Despite Seattle only being a few hours away, it's across the border in the US. You also wont get any US telcos in Canada (but roaming works).

I was aware of this, but only intended to emphasise the issue with coverage.

 

[blueflamenco]

I've been with T-Mobile for years and have been all over the US and never had any problems with coverage. I was with AT&T for a short period in Kansas and did not like their service or coverage.

If you will only be using the service for a short time you shouldn't really have any trouble with either - although I do highly recommend T-Mobile. You can pick up a basic phone, SIM and call credit for around $30. You can also purchase the SIM alone in some stores.

 

[drsuess]

I just went to Best Buy in new York and purchased a $30 pre-paid SIM card and the sales assistant said they charge $10 to install and activate it. As I was aware that it is a real pain to activate it, I was happy for her to do it. It was more than a five-minute job and I was delighted to have it working without the pain.

 

[dizey47]

Does anyone know if there is anywhere at LAX to buy a sim card when you arrive. We will be on a tight schedule and may not have time to shop for the first few days.

 

[jehane]

I've just returned from a month in the US, mostly in Florida but with a couple of days in Vegas as well. I took my unlocked phone over there and bought an O2 sim ($10) and prepaid credit ($30) from Best Buy. The credit lasted 30 days which suited me perfectly and offered free international calls back to Australian landlines. I used it pretty enthusiastically and must have gone beyond the reasonable limit (which wasn't specified, frustratingly, but I did talk to my parents and then my sister for over two hours that night before getting cut off.) at one stage because my credit ran out. Since I was pretty much at the end of my trip I didn't bother to recharge.