Jingthing Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Need cell service for a month in the USA. Not thrilled with the throwaway phone deals available in the US so wondering about any options with my Thai cell phone. It's quad and currently has a 12call simcard which has roaming on (at something like 80 baht a minute). Is there a simcard I could buy in the US to pop in there with a topup scheme and no contract commitment? The more specific the better. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovenman Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 T-Mobile is who I use when I am in the States. They'll sell you just a SIM and you can top-up as needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vont Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 T-Mobile is who I use when I am in the States. They'll sell you just a SIM and you can top-up as needed. and the damage is....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David006 Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 T-Mobile is who I use when I am in the States. They'll sell you just a SIM and you can top-up as needed. and the damage is....? I bought a PAYG sim in Canada (just like Thailand yes?? NOT! )with supposed 100? minutes usage for about 60 Bucks..turned out usage is not air time and it had only 3 minutes air time!! Used it up dumped it and used my Aussie roaming SIM instead ...lots cheaper even at the roam rate and lots less hassle..except of course for my useless sim outlay...things may be different in the US but better check out exactly what you are getting for your buck... had forgotten ,,but you pay to receive calls in Canada!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vont Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 T-Mobile is who I use when I am in the States. They'll sell you just a SIM and you can top-up as needed. and the damage is....? I bought a PAYG sim in Canada (just like Thailand yes?? NOT! )with supposed 100? minutes usage for about 60 Bucks..turned out usage is not air time and it had only 3 minutes air time!! Used it up dumped it and used my Aussie roaming SIM instead ...lots cheaper even at the roam rate and lots less hassle..except of course for my useless sim outlay...things may be different in the US but better check out exactly what you are getting for your buck... had forgotten ,,but you pay to receive calls in Canada!! Thx. Especially for the warning! It is even more scary now trying to live and survive in an advanced country..... LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTH Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 (edited) Have to agree, T-Mobile is the way to go for pre pay SIMs in the US. Of course they charge for receiving calls. Every operator in the US does. Edited May 15, 2011 by MTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliaminBKK Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 I tried to get a SIM card in the USA and they wanted US ID and an address.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomatopo Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 There have been quite a few threads on this topic here...I'm too lazy to search for them. Provided your handset supports GSM1900, is unlocked and has a SIM slot you could get a pre-paid SIM from T-Mobile or AT&T. Just make sure they have coverage in those locales you plan to visit. In the unlikely event you are asked for ID; I've never, ever heard of such a thing, simply show your passport and give your local address (hotel, friend, etc.) You can buy a SIM in the U.S., or even on eBay. SIMs are generally free - $10, then you have to add value. Figure ten U.S. cents per minute for voice calls. I use T-Mo, and also buy a 2G day pass for $1.49/24 hrs each day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DP25 Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Of course they charge for receiving calls. Every operator in the US does. They charge for receiving SMS messages too. Phone situation in the US is ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomatopo Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 (edited) If your calling patterns will be voluminous, whether incoming or outgoing, you may be able to find a pre-paid calling plan which suits your specific requirements. You'll need to wade through the AT&T and T-Mo sites, and maybe look at some other options like burners, Virgin or GeoSIM-like products. T-Mo has a "1,500" pre-paid plan for $30, where you get a total combination of 1,500 minutes and SMSes in 30 days for $30, so Two U.S. cents per. Seems something slightly less than ridiculous? AT&T PAYG have $2 (Two U.S. Dollars) per day UNLIMITED calling and text pre-paid plans, and $60/month unlimited calling and text. I believe the options may be more expansive, less costly and less ridiculous, than some of the less informed posters might posit? Edited May 16, 2011 by lomatopo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prism Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 (edited) I always go with T-Mobile. The cards are usually $10 with a few minutes included. Look at the plans carefully, they're confusing with some gotchas. The one I like has a daily charge but the minutes are cheaper. It's easy to charge up via online or calling an 800 number using your credit card. Go to a T-Mobile store, not one of those T-Mobile kiosks you see in the shopping mall. Edited May 16, 2011 by prism Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David006 Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 T-Mobile is who I use when I am in the States. They'll sell you just a SIM and you can top-up as needed. and the damage is....? I bought a PAYG sim in Canada (just like Thailand yes?? NOT! )with supposed 100? minutes usage for about 60 Bucks..turned out usage is not air time and it had only 3 minutes air time!! Used it up dumped it and used my Aussie roaming SIM instead ...lots cheaper even at the roam rate and lots less hassle..except of course for my useless sim outlay...things may be different in the US but better check out exactly what you are getting for your buck... had forgotten ,,but you pay to receive calls in Canada!! Thx. Especially for the warning! It is even more scary now trying to live and survive in an advanced country..... LOL Another reason for being here ...right...? good luck.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DP25 Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 (edited) If your calling patterns will be voluminous, whether incoming or outgoing, you may be able to find a pre-paid calling plan which suits your specific requirements. You'll need to wade through the AT&T and T-Mo sites, and maybe look at some other options like burners, Virgin or GeoSIM-like products. T-Mo has a "1,500" pre-paid plan for $30, where you get a total combination of 1,500 minutes and SMSes in 30 days for $30, so Two U.S. cents per. Seems something slightly less than ridiculous? AT&T PAYG have $2 (Two U.S. Dollars) per day UNLIMITED calling and text pre-paid plans, and $60/month unlimited calling and text. I believe the options may be more expansive, less costly and less ridiculous, than some of the less informed posters might posit? Yes, I think those plans are ridiculous, and far more than I want to pay. All are based around high volum 'deals' that most people don't really use. Great if you do I suppose, but horrible for many. In Thailand I can receive UNLIMITED calls and texts for 24 Baht PER YEAR. Less than $1 dollar. Any calls and texts I want to SEND I can do so at a low rate, paying as I go. The cheapest T-mobile card, $10, charges you at $0.33 per minute (and you pay to recieve unlike Thailand), I can buy a $2 card here at $0.05 per minute. Other wise, $1 ensures I have an active cell phone on my body all year long that people can contact me on 24/7. Edited May 16, 2011 by DP25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted May 17, 2011 Author Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) Thanks for the tip about T Mobile. The deal I found which suits me fine is a 10 dollar SIM card and 1500 minutes for a month for 30 dollars. The SIM will be unusable on a later trip. For 10 dollars more I could have gotten "unlimited" but I don't need it. No ID needed. Was advised give any name you like. Cheers. Edited May 17, 2011 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKKdreaming Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I have been using T mobile prepaid for 5 years with no problems , you can get a sim, put $100 and its good for 1 year, then you need to put at least $10 to keep it active for the next year, Yes all USA deals are minutes used , calling and receiving , but if you call from overseas its the same price to call a cell phone as it is to call a land line , Look how much it costs to call most European cell phones , pretty expensive but the cell phone owner gets calls inbound for free , Tmobile and AT+T will probably merge later in the year , who knows what will change BK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phuketrichard Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) USA sims all the rates are on this site. In Thailand I can receive UNLIMITED calls and texts for 24 Baht PER YEAR. Less than $1 dollar. with AIS u pay $00.00 for incoming text and calls so ur losing $1/year LOL Edited May 17, 2011 by phuketrichard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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