Whats the best USA sim card deal at the moment?

[lovestotravel]

TMobile Edge speeds are OK in some areas, but they are still painfully slow when one is used to 3G/4G

The deal $60 a month unlimited is great, but for me the lack of data speeds is too annoying

So an AT&T store has no problem selling you a Prepaid starter pack for a phone ???

So $65 per month for mostly unlimited, and 1GB of 3G/4G data?

To refil, a $50 and then $15 top up card ?

 

[Mrmaxwell]

net10 is giving me consistent 4g speeds (it uses both AT&T and T-Mobile networks) and with unlimited data is a much better deal. I ordered mine before I left so I just had to activate when I got here.

ETA - I'm using it right now in Vegas to reply to this thread - the other cool thing is unlike my Australian telco they haven't disabled the personal wireless hotspot feature on my iPhone - so I can share the connection.

Did you activate your number for Net10 before leaving Oz? Got my SIM so not sure if I should wait until I arrive or activate now...

 

[Rebekkap]

Did you activate your number for Net10 before leaving Oz? Got my SIM so not sure if I should wait until I arrive or activate now...

I did it when I got to the US - but I did have access to both wifi and a phone when I got there. If you don't, maybe do it before you leave.

 

[petercr]

Typing this in Anaheim via an H2O prepaid SIM. Cost $20ea on ebay. Charged one with $10 which gives mrs petercr 200 mins or 200 sms. Valid for 30 days.
I charged mine wth $60 package that gives umlimited US calls and sms with 2Gb of data.

 

[gwilli1]

Just did the same based on your post . Whilst my H2O sim failed to arrive at home before i left ( my fault as i ordered a bit late and didnt request express delivery ) . I messaged mrsimcard.com & arranged for a replacement sim to be sent to my hotel in the US . I arrived on Sunday in the US , sim arrived on the Monday . Full instructions supplied to change settings ...easy as . Plugged it in , up & running . Data speed is great . Unlimited talk & text , 2GB Data in the US , 100 international text , $10 internatioanl calls included for $84.99 . Perfect for my 3 weeks here . nearly all of my calls/ text will be in the US

Just back from the US.
I used a H20 sim from mrsimcard.com +1-703-953-2272 | +44.7520763500.
Although I had plenty of time to plan it. Got it 4 weeks before I left, it was activated 2 days before I got in.
They did a nano sim for my iphone5, when I put it in I had to be on wifi to download the net profile (lounge is good for that)

2g sim for $89.00 - best money I ever spent. It uses ATT network.

 

[Foreigner]

Iphone but am using the personal hotspot to share the connection with my iPad for browsing. $50 unlimited text/talk/data for a month. It's a plan technically but it doesn't auto renew so perfect for a few weeks.

I'll be in the US for two weeks from August 19th. Net10 and T-Mobile under consideration for my iPad and Galaxy SIII. Possible scenario:
1. I keep my SIII for my Oz number. I hope to get Vodafone roaming activation with cap on cost, and
2. Use older iPhone (3rd generation) for calls with US sim, and
3. Use iPad (1st generation) for browsing. It doesn't have 3G. So, sharing personal hotspot with the US sim may be best option.
Over the next 10 months or so, I'm likely to visit US every two months, each visit for no more than two weeks.
Any other suggestions?

 

[Rebekkap]

I'll be in the US for two weeks from August 19th. Net10 and T-Mobile under consideration for my iPad and Galaxy SIII. Possible scenario:
1. I keep my SIII for my Oz number. I hope to get Vodafone roaming activation with cap on cost, and
2. Use older iPhone (3rd generation) for calls with US sim, and
3. Use iPad (1st generation) for browsing. It doesn't have 3G. So, sharing personal hotspot with the US sim may be best option.
Over the next 10 months or so, I'm likely to visit US every two months, each visit for no more than two weeks.
Any other suggestions?

Net10 was no longer allowing sharing personal hotspot when I used them last month, so that may influence your decision. All the hotels I stayed in had wifi so I just used that for the iPad and used net10 when I was out and about. I activated roaming on my Australian number but turned off data.

 

[Comoman]

I am presently using Red Pocket mobile. Go Red Pocket | Unlimited cell phone plans | Prepaid wireless phones

Uses the AT&T network and so far has proven to be very reliable. Good coverage. Worked fine with my SGS3 acting as a hotspot for my iPad.

As always though YMMV

 

[doczim]

I am presently using Red Pocket mobile. Go Red Pocket | Unlimited cell phone plans | Prepaid wireless phones

Uses the AT&T network and so far has proven to be very reliable. Good coverage. Worked fine with my SGS3 acting as a hotspot for my iPad.

As always though YMMV

Comoman- what parts of the US did you go ? were you happy with the coverage? we are going LA , main part in Orlando , then back LA

 

[Jason7]

Their's an Australian company called SimCorner that sell USA prepaid sim cards at SimCorner- International Prepaid Sim cards
They've actually got a store at Melbourne Airport. They sell the T-Mobile $70 unlimited 4G data pack online and at the store. I purchased one online and didn't realise there was a store at Melbourne Airport and can purchase from there as well. It's located after customs in front of Victoria's Secret. I spoke to them there and they mentioned they will have a store at Sydney in the next couple of months.

Definitely great value and the sim worked perfect. I was only in NY but coverage was fine there, but they have a link to the T-Mobile coverage checker on the USA sim card page so you can type in the places you are going and check the coverage before hand.

 

[coles525]

Throttled after download reached = unlimited mobile internet and free for the entire trip? (Ie: may be slower, but its free!)

 

[Jason7]

Throttled after download reached = unlimited mobile internet and free for the entire trip? (Ie: may be slower, but its free!)

The $70 unlimited plan is Unthrottled 4G speeds. But im sure there is some sort of fair usage policy involved. But you're right the $50 and $60 t mobile prepaid plans on the sim corner website throttle down acter 500mb and 2.5GB respectively

 

[file51]

Their's an Australian company called SimCorner that sell USA prepaid sim cards at SimCorner- International Prepaid Sim cards
They've actually got a store at Melbourne Airport. They sell the T-Mobile $70 unlimited 4G data pack online and at the store. I purchased one online and didn't realise there was a store at Melbourne Airport and can purchase from there as well. It's located after customs in front of Victoria's Secret. I spoke to them there and they mentioned they will have a store at Sydney in the next couple of months.

Definitely great value and the sim worked perfect. I was only in NY but coverage was fine there, but they have a link to the T-Mobile coverage checker on the USA sim card page so you can type in the places you are going and check the coverage before hand.

Silly question, but couldn't really find my answer on the SimCorner or T-Mobile websites

I have an unlocked iPhone5, so no issues with the hardware, I don't need my phone number as
I only use my phone to call out from (aside from immediate family who will be travelling with me, so no need to call).

The $70 unlimited plan looks ideal for the amount of data I normally go through every month on my phone, however
it also includes Talk & Text... When the sim card is issued do they provide you with a local number at the same time?

If so, given all calls I would be making are to US mainland, this would be ideal... just there is no mention of this
anywhere on either website...

 

[Jason7]

The $70 unlimited plan looks ideal for the amount of data I normally go through every month on my phone, however
it also includes Talk & Text... When the sim card is issued do they provide you with a local number at the same time?

If so, given all calls I would be making are to US mainland, this would be ideal... just there is no mention of this
anywhere on either website...

I asked this same question too when i purchased mine.

Basically, when you go through checkout it asks you to put the day you're departing. This is because SimCorner get T-Mobile to activate the sim for you on the day that you're departing so that all you have to do is put the sim in the phone when you land and you're good to go. Your T-mobile phone number gets automatically texted to you once you put the sim into your iphone 5s and it connects automatically to the T-Mobile network.

However, SimCorner also get the T-Mobile number for your sim. Since i was only going for 2 weeks i told them to activate mine a few days before i departed and to provide me the number which they did. Since i didn't need the full 30 days it didnt make a difference to me. Hope that helps.

So literally when you're in the checkout area with paypal, their's a message box that tells you to state the date of your departure. Give them the exact date of your departure and if you're only going for 20 days then tell them to activate a week earlier and to provide you with the number. They are able to e-mail you your number before you travel so you can give it to family and friends.

 

[file51]

I asked this same question too when i purchased mine.

AWESOME!!!

Thank you for that, sounds like a perfect replacement for the GlobalGig wifi unit I have been using
for the past year. Don't get me wrong, it did what it was meant to do, but an extra device, poor
battery performance in the wifi unit, etc etc... Just swapping out SIM's is a lot easier, and just recharge
it before every trip (usually 3-4 times per year).

Thank you

 

[Jason7]

No worries. It made my life a lot easier once i discovered SimCorner as well.

 

[coles525]

Cant see anything about what other costs or rules are involved. As in credits expire, limits reached.


http://mobile.simcorner.net/#2760

 

[Jason7]

Cant see anything about what other costs or rules are involved. As in credits expire, limits reached.


Mobile Site Preview

Not sure what info you're referring to. Prepaid plan expires after 30 days. Theres no credit as such, you basically get everything unlimited for 30 days. It mentions if you dont top up for 6 months or if there inactivity for 6 months your sim will expire. They are a reseller of T-mobile prepaid plans so you can always visit Cell Phones | 4G Phones | iPhone and Android Phones | T-Mobile for more info.

 

[drewbles]

If you can wait till you get to the USA, it's a lot cheaper. You can pickup a T-Mobile SIM free of charge from SIMple Mobile/T-Mobile for $40/month pre-paid.

Keep in mind, you won't get true 4G/LTE with any AU handset as the frequencies and channels in use in the USA are different.

You can also choose AT&T if you're planning on keeping your service for repeat trips; a $100 recharge on AT&T ensures your service remains active for 12 months, and it's $60/month when you are there for unlimited calling and texting (including to AU numbers) and 2GB of data (I've never managed to go anywhere near that even in AU on LTE).

 

[erkpod]

I've got a US sourced iPhone & got the $70/month unlimited data & US phone/text with T Mobile. It's been fine overall but on occasions I have lost 4G. 4G does really suck the life out of a battery, though.

I picked up the SIM in San Francisco.