How Do I Get My Internet and a Phone Going when I Get to the US Next Week ?

[dennisail]

Hey guys. I will be in the USA for 2 weeks starting next week. I have a wireless broadband dongle for my laptop and a normal cell phone. Both just take sim cards. Is there an easy and cheap process that will allow me to get a prepaid sim for my devices without filling out loads of paper work etc?

[Bradley]

T-Mobile has good prepaid plans. I am out of the USA so much that is all I use any more.

[captainKJ]

boost mobile month to month for cell phone,,,, they also have internet on a month to month, check coverage for you area

[Boracay]

We found that our Aussie phone would not accept American SIMs so we brought a cheap phone. Worked well.

I would not be surprised to find the same for wireless modems.

[goboatingnow]

We found that our Aussie phone would not accept American SIMs so we brought a cheap phone. Worked well.

Firstly your phone needs to tri-band to work in the US, most are now. Secondly most phones bought on a contract are "locked" to the operator. Simply putting in another SIM will not work. You have to request that the phone is unlocked by the network operator. Most will do it on asking. Some are more difficult.

Dave

[dennisail]

Thanks guys. I never buy a locked phone. My GF says she will set up international roaming on her phone. We better keep calls to a minimum! It seems too much of a hassle to get the internet going other than to go a hot spot, and there seems to be plenty around like starbucks and maccas.

[dmgf]

Check out the Travelsim card for your mobile. We used it earlier this year in Europe and it works in almost all countries. Regards internet we ended up buying a new dongle but we were there for quite some time so it was worthwhile. Good luck.
Denise

[captainKJ]

Virgin mobile has a month to month on internet, you can even do a one time charge of 20 dollars that is good for several days, were in the US are you going to be, that would help out a lot. Doing international roaming on a cell phone is ludicrous, no offense meant. Can get a prepaid phone for 50 dollars and recharge it when needed.

[lorenzo b]

Stay clear of any so called contracts with Verizon. If you upgrade or change phones they will alter the terms in the fine print and you will get hosed for early termination fees even though they originally made promises to the contrary.

[captainKJ]

easy way out of contracts is to tell them you are moving were there is no coverage. Did this 3 times with carriers. In the contract it says if you are moving to an area with no coverage they have to let you out with no termination fee. If on a boat send them the address to a marina in the caribbean with a letter you are moving there. it works

[osirissail]

I just came back from a decade in the Caribbean and took my Motorola Razer V3 (quad band, unlocked) phone to the local AT&T store and told them I wanted a SIM card and a no-contract, purchase your minutes set-up. For $26.75(tax included) I got a SIM card, local telephone number and $25 worth of minutes. I can replenish the minutes on the internet or buy them at the local AT&T stores.
- - Internet access - don't know as I am using a free city provided system. But there are endless amounts of local cafe's and other stores and shopping malls who all offer free WiFi.

[lorenzo b]

Originally Posted by captainKJ

easy way out of contracts is to tell them you are moving were there is no coverage. Did this 3 times with carriers. In the contract it says if you are moving to an area with no coverage they have to let you out with no termination fee. If on a boat send them the address to a marina in the caribbean with a letter you are moving there. it works

That no longer works with Verizon, they altered the terms when we changed or phones. We went over that stipulation with them when we signed up. We are now in Guatemala and they are sticking us with a fee.

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by lorenzo b

That no longer works with Verizon, they altered the terms when we changed or phones. We went over that stipulation with them when we signed up. We are now in Guatemala and they are sticking us with a fee.

Not to get in a pissing match with you as I have not seen your contract but does it not say if you move were there is no service you can stop there service. I think somewhere it has to be a federal law on that. How can they make you take a service and pay for it when it does not work were you are???

I would fight that, and not pay it. If it goes on you credit you can always explain that you moved out of the country and there was no service provided.

[dennisail]

I ended up buying a $10 AT&T Samsung flip phone and putting on $25 credit.

When I asked the Bestbuy staff about an internet wireless modem they had never heard of it and said I need to get a phone on a plan and use that on the net. I asked them for the cheapest phone and nearly got one for $50 before I found one in the same store for $10. Pretty pathetic service. Even in the land of extortionate prices (AU) I can get a pre paid wireless modem for $80 with 5gb for 3 months.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by dennisail

I ended up buying a $10 AT&T Samsung flip phone and putting on $25 credit.

When I asked the Bestbuy staff about an internet wireless modem they had never heard of it and said I need to get a phone on a plan and use that on the net. . .

BestBuy is a retail store and does not operate telephone systems although they sell phones.
- - You need to got to an AT&T service center storefront to get information about wireless/wifi service for your computer. They will have a little plug in USB device that you attach to your computer that will receive the data services from their cell network.
- - But, be warned, even some AT&T store employees will not know about it. You may have to insist on speaking to the manager. Their interests these days are centered on those "iPad" tablet type machines and not personal computers.