The USA travel SIM thread

[Warks]

Yes there have been plenty of threads on this but none since 2013 that I can find and they are not very helpful. Looking for a definitive answer.

About 2.5 weeks in NY and Orlando - may well be on wifi much of the time but handy to have data in the streets of NY when out of Starbucks range.

I've found a bewildering range of options - none of them that cheap as they want to charge $45 for a SIM sometimes. Nothing could be dearer than data roaming on Telstra or Optus though.

Probably could get by with 500MB to 1GB of data. Don't travel to the US regularly enough to have anything long term.

So order online? Buy at the airport here or buy over there?

Sorry to dig up and flog a dead horse but I'd like to tap into the vast array of knowledge around here.
Thanks.

 

[get me outta here]

You could keep an eye on Travelsimsdirect.com.au. They are positively mentioned frequently on AFF, and I just used one recently whilst in the US. This one may suit you: USA Prepaid Sim Card - Travel Sims Direct

Also, keep an eye on Ozbargain.com.au as travelsimsdirect often post their even better specials on there.

 

[newmarket]

You could just pick one up when you get there. I have a T-mobile prepaid account that I charge up when I am there and then drop the account back to a $2 minimum only when away.

I don't think that t-mobile has the best rural coverage or my telstra phone doesn't cover all of the same network frequencies. Not sure which...

Does any one have any experiences with ATT (gophone or the others) with a Telstra S5 or S6?

 

[crankychick]

We've done both T-Mo and ATT sims on our visits back to the US. Both work well, but ATT worked better IMO. Easy to pick up a sim once you arrive or order on Amazon and have delivered to your hotel and waiting for you.

It's cheaper for us to just get a new sim each time we go to the US versus keeping one active and topped up even though I am from the States and visit often enough.

 

[coriander]

Yes there have been plenty of threads on this but none since 2013 that I can find and they are not very helpful. Looking for a definitive answer.

I confess to being a little disappointed that you didn't find my posts in the "Communication and Internet" board "very helpful".

I've summarised both the current state of play of sim cards available as of May 2015 as well as all the frequencies of modern smartphones. See message at http://www.australianfrequentflyer....nternet/usa-sim-card-67931-2.html#post1247612 and following.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Yes there have been plenty of threads on this but none since 2013 that I can find and they are not very helpful. Looking for a definitive answer.

About 2.5 weeks in NY and Orlando - may well be on wifi much of the time but handy to have data in the streets of NY when out of Starbucks range.

I've found a bewildering range of options - none of them that cheap as they want to charge $45 for a SIM sometimes. Nothing could be dearer than data roaming on Telstra or Optus though.

Probably could get by with 500MB to 1GB of data. Don't travel to the US regularly enough to have anything long term.

So order online? Buy at the airport here or buy over there?

Sorry to dig up and flog a dead horse but I'd like to tap into the vast array of knowledge around here.
Thanks.

Just go to an AT&T shop when you get there and buy a one month SIM. Simple.

 

[newmarket]

It's cheaper for us to just get a new sim each time we go to the US versus keeping one active....

That's true, for traveling just pick up a new one each time. I use a forwarding service so I can be reached from local numbers.

 

[coriander]

I don't think that t-mobile has the best rural coverage or my telstra phone doesn't cover all of the same network frequencies. Not sure which...

Does any one have any experiences with ATT (gophone or the others) with a Telstra S5 or S6?

1. t-mobile does not have as much coverage in rural areas; in most built-up areas AT&T and t-mobile are similar. You will find coverage maps at Coverage Maps for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile & more | OpenSignalMaps - OpenSignal

2. If your modern flagship smartphone is Australian-purchased, the carrier is irrelevant: in terms of frequencies phones sold by Telstra, Optus, Good Guys, Hardlly Normal will all be the same. They may have carrier-specific software added, and unless the phones are part of a prepaid plan they will be unlocked. If you look at the table I've referenced above, you'll see that iphone 6 and Samsung 6 have the best spread of frequencies of any modern smartphone, S6 slightly better for US than i6; i6 slightly better for Europe Than S6. You could however reasonably call both phones "world phones".

Note to mods: would this thread be better placed on the "Communication and Internet" board?

 

[Warks]

I confess to being a little disappointed that you didn't find my posts in the "Communication and Internet" board "very helpful".

I've summarised both the current state of play of sim cards available as of May 2015 as well as all the frequencies of modern smartphones. See message at http://www.australianfrequentflyer....nternet/usa-sim-card-67931-2.html#post1247612 and following.

You know I've been on this board for over 12 years and I don't think I've ever visited that forum. I used the search function and it didn't come up on the first page or two so I missed it. Sorry.

A lot of good information here (and there). I will now sift through it all. Thanks!