In other threads about travel, people usually suggest buying a local SIM card for international travel, rather than using roaming on a Thai mobile (as the cost per minute is outrageous). Well, that would be great but I don't know of a US provider who doesn't require you to buy a phone, and then their plan. The best deal I could easily find is Virgin Mobile USA, which has a phone for 30 dollars, and a by the minutes plan (buy every 30 days) for 20 dollars. Is there a way to just buy a SIM card in the US with a decent per minute plan, if so, what provider exactly?

Tmobile and ATT&T both sell SIM cards and minutes. You can buy a SIM on ebay or tmobile has a cheap sim for $5 --it says its for tmobile phones but it works on any unlocked triband gsm phone

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Detail...fa-000007a2ac12

Thanks for that good info, sbk.

Another question: I own two bought in Thailand cell phones, both of which I have used for prepaid 1 2 Call service. Can I assume these phones are both GSM compatible and also already unlocked?

They are GSM and unlocked but they need to be triband. What make and model are they?

You can buy a pre-paid SIM from T-Mobile. Provided you have an un-locked GSM1900-compatible phone, this SIM will work. Note that T-Mobile does not have 100% coverage; check the coverage map(s) on their website. I think I pay 10 U.S. Cents per Minute.

Check the specs on your phone(s); you are looking for the wording, "GSM900/1800/1900" specifcally, rather than "tri-band".

You can buy a burner (cheap throw-away phone with minutes) at any large budget department store (i.e. Wal-Mart); good for a short-stay.

If you can detail your calling patterns (local, international, text, etc.) and required validity I can attempt a more focused recommendation.

Before you ask, T-Mobile does NOT offer GPRS on pre-paid accounts, unfortunately.

The eBay route is OK, just make sure you purchase one right before your trip as these often are sold with short validity. Just have a friend purchase it for you.

AT&T is having a sale on refurbished pre-paid phones, $10 for a nokia phone --free shipping. Then you don't have to worry about SIM's or anything else. Can't go wrong for $10.

AT&T purchased Cingular so operates GSM 850 (AT&T) and GSM 1900 (Cingular) networks. With T-Mobile, and One-2-Call/AIS I sometimes roam on old Cingular (now AT&T) towers. That AT&T Nokia phone is GSM 850/1900 compatible, but no SIM and locked to AT&T. Be sure and check-out the rates as AT&T charges a daily usage rate on some plans, or really high per minute charges on others, for PAYG plans. Coverage would be 100% with AT&T.

T-Mobile has a SIM deal .

Update on T-mobile.

Your phone does not need to be triband. It just needs to support one of these bands:

850

900

1800

1900

and also be GSM unlocked

Oh, I want to confirm something.

If I bought a phone in Thailand and have used it for 1 2 call prepaid, can I assume it is already UNLOCKED?

All the Thai phons I have ever bought are unlocked as there is no contract with the airtime supplier. Perhaps deals with post paid are locked but I have never heard of it.

I just got a t-mobile sim for my trip to the US. $7.60 with free 2-3 day shipping in the US.