using smart phone while on USA vacation

[Mekong Bob]

I use an Samsung (Android) phone, AIS service, and am travelling soon to USA for 30-day vacation.

Need advice on how I can use my Samsung while in USA. First step is a pre-paid SIM card, correct?

A new SIM card means a new (temporary) phone number. No problem.

With new phone number, can I use my Line app to continue to text friends in Thailand and USA?

With new phone number, can I retrieve my photos stored in Samsung's Gallery?

Anything else I need to be aware of while using a new SIM card and phone number?

Than you very much!

[ubonjoe]

Installing a new sim card will not effect any of the phones functions.

As long as you get internet service with the SIM card you could still use any of your apps that connect to the internet.

[KhunBENQ]

Isn't LINE connected/registered with your phone number?

[dddave]

I was in the US last month and found it difficult to find a reasonable SIM plan. A lot depends on which bands your phone supports. Visit a T-Mobile or AT&T store and they will be able to tell you. Be careful buying a SIM online as many users seem to experience activation problems. If you do buy a SIM online, make very sure you get the right size for your phone. I found that on Amazon, it was often difficult to determine the SIM size and many do not seem to have the dual purpose SIMs now commonly sold here.

I ended up buying a $10 "candy bar" Trakphone at Wallmart with a $20 top up which gave me all the voice and text phone service I needed. I continued to use my Thai based phone for LINE and FB using the WiFi available almost every place I stayed. Almost every restaurant and coffee shop I visited also had wi-fi.

There are a huge number of pre-paid service providers with a large variety of talk/data plans but for my 3 week stay, the Trakphone really did the job for a total investment of $30.

BTW...Make dead sure you carefully turn off "data roaming" on your Thai phone or you could find your phone sucked dry in a day without being aware of it. If you like me decide to only use your Thai phone for wifi while in the US, not a bad idea to take your SIM out so you don't get stuck with unwanted texts

.

Don't forget that in the good ole' USA, cellular calls are charged 2 ways, both sender and receiver...not one way like most of the civilized world.

[NeverSure]

I was in the US last month and found it difficult to find a reasonable SIM plan. A lot depends on which bands your phone supports. Visit a T-Mobile or AT&T store and they will be able to tell you. Be careful buying a SIM online as many users seem to experience activation problems. If you do buy a SIM online, make very sure you get the right size for your phone. I found that on Amazon, it was often difficult to determine the SIM size and many do not seem to have the dual purpose SIMs now commonly sold here.

I ended up buying a $10 "candy bar" Trakphone at Wallmart with a $20 top up which gave me all the voice and text phone service I needed. I continued to use my Thai based phone for LINE and FB using the WiFi available almost every place I stayed. Almost every restaurant and coffee shop I visited also had wi-fi.

There are a huge number of pre-paid service providers with a large variety of talk/data plans but for my 3 week stay, the Trakphone really did the job for a total investment of $30.

BTW...Make dead sure you carefully turn off "data roaming" on your Thai phone or you could find your phone sucked dry in a day without being aware of it. If you like me decide to only use your Thai phone for wifi while in the US, not a bad idea to take your SIM out so you don't get stuck with unwanted texts

.

Don't forget that in the good ole' USA, cellular calls are charged 2 ways, both sender and receiver...not one way like most of the civilized world.

You bought a cell phone (invented in the 'uncivilized' USA) and a data plan for $30 and got ripped off or something? Don't buy a smartphone, also invented in that uncivilized country. Speaking of your computer and internet connection...

OP, go to Walmart. They are everywhere and they have all kinds of phones and plans cheap. You might even decide on a smartphone for $30 or $40 bucks. Look for one that's called a "no contract" phone. It won't be fancy and it might be a nice used one but it will be a real Android smartphone. "No contract" "prepaid" means it comes with a topped up sim but no further obligation.

Have a good trip.

[dddave]

I was in the US last month and found it difficult to find a reasonable SIM plan. A lot depends on which bands your phone supports. Visit a T-Mobile or AT&T store and they will be able to tell you. Be careful buying a SIM online as many users seem to experience activation problems. If you do buy a SIM online, make very sure you get the right size for your phone. I found that on Amazon, it was often difficult to determine the SIM size and many do not seem to have the dual purpose SIMs now commonly sold here.

I ended up buying a $10 "candy bar" Trakphone at Wallmart with a $20 top up which gave me all the voice and text phone service I needed. I continued to use my Thai based phone for LINE and FB using the WiFi available almost every place I stayed. Almost every restaurant and coffee shop I visited also had wi-fi.

There are a huge number of pre-paid service providers with a large variety of talk/data plans but for my 3 week stay, the Trakphone really did the job for a total investment of $30.

BTW...Make dead sure you carefully turn off "data roaming" on your Thai phone or you could find your phone sucked dry in a day without being aware of it. If you like me decide to only use your Thai phone for wifi while in the US, not a bad idea to take your SIM out so you don't get stuck with unwanted texts

.

Don't forget that in the good ole' USA, cellular calls are charged 2 ways, both sender and receiver...not one way like most of the civilized world.

You bought a cell phone (invented in the 'uncivilized' USA) and a data plan for $30 and got ripped off or something? Don't buy a smartphone, also invented in that uncivilized country. Speaking of your computer and internet connection...

OP, go to Walmart. They are everywhere and they have all kinds of phones and plans cheap. You might even decide on a smartphone for $30 or $40 bucks. Look for one that's called a "no contract" phone. It won't be fancy and it might be a nice used one but it will be a real Android smartphone. "No contract" "prepaid" means it comes with a topped up sim but no further obligation.

Have a good trip.

NS, Did you actually read my post before making this reply??? Never did I say I got ripped off buying a smartphone. I actually did exactly what you suggested at the end of your post...I bought a $10 prepay and a $20 top up...end of story.

Now I understand why you are "Neversure".

[NeverSure]

I was in the US last month and found it difficult to find a reasonable SIM plan. A lot depends on which bands your phone supports. Visit a T-Mobile or AT&T store and they will be able to tell you. Be careful buying a SIM online as many users seem to experience activation problems. If you do buy a SIM online, make very sure you get the right size for your phone. I found that on Amazon, it was often difficult to determine the SIM size and many do not seem to have the dual purpose SIMs now commonly sold here.

I ended up buying a $10 "candy bar" Trakphone at Wallmart with a $20 top up which gave me all the voice and text phone service I needed. I continued to use my Thai based phone for LINE and FB using the WiFi available almost every place I stayed. Almost every restaurant and coffee shop I visited also had wi-fi.

There are a huge number of pre-paid service providers with a large variety of talk/data plans but for my 3 week stay, the Trakphone really did the job for a total investment of $30.

BTW...Make dead sure you carefully turn off "data roaming" on your Thai phone or you could find your phone sucked dry in a day without being aware of it. If you like me decide to only use your Thai phone for wifi while in the US, not a bad idea to take your SIM out so you don't get stuck with unwanted texts

.

Don't forget that in the good ole' USA, cellular calls are charged 2 ways, both sender and receiver...not one way like most of the civilized world.

You bought a cell phone (invented in the 'uncivilized' USA) and a data plan for $30 and got ripped off or something? Don't buy a smartphone, also invented in that uncivilized country. Speaking of your computer and internet connection...

OP, go to Walmart. They are everywhere and they have all kinds of phones and plans cheap. You might even decide on a smartphone for $30 or $40 bucks. Look for one that's called a "no contract" phone. It won't be fancy and it might be a nice used one but it will be a real Android smartphone. "No contract" "prepaid" means it comes with a topped up sim but no further obligation.

Have a good trip.

NS, Did you actually read my post before making this reply??? Never did I say I got ripped off buying a smartphone. I actually did exactly what you suggested at the end of your post...I bought a $10 prepay and a $20 top up...end of story.

Now I understand why you are "Neversure".

"Don't forget that in the good ole' USA, cellular calls are charged 2 ways, both sender and receiver...not one way like most of the civilized world."

Not nice...

[cardinalblue]

Get the 30 day pre-paid plan for $45 as that will give you unlimited phone SMS and phone calls in the usa. If you call international you pay extra per call. As to internet you will be given 1.5 GB and use wifi as much as possible...try either AT&T or Verizon...

As to LINE, LINE works fine since internet based but local thai calls previously become long-distance and previous long distance US calls become local. No additional charge but you must add the prefix (international plus area code anything outside USA) and for usa calls only need area calls (no longer 001-1). so for each name ( steve and steve2) I have two numbers as you want to keep original for your return to Thailand..

I hope you understand...I have been doing month to month for six months in usa with return to Thaland soon...

DO NOT do any contract as they will charge you for start up fee of $90. avoid long distance calls at all costs...

[bamnutsak]

I use an Samsung (Android) phone, AIS service, and am travelling soon to USA for 30-day vacation.

What is the exact model of your Samsung phone?

Do you currently use mobile data here in Thailand?

What do you want to be able to do with your phone in the U.S.? Make/receive calls, texts? Use mobile data?

Will you be in major metropolitan areas? Rural areas?

T-Mobile, StraightTalk or Simple - the later two are T-Mo MVNOs - might be the best options, all offer unlimited calls, texts and GB of FuP mobile data for $50 +, but hard to say without a better understanding of your requirements.

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

https://www.straighttalk.com/wps/portal/home

http://trysimplemobile.com/plans-phone-upgrade

With new phone number, can I use my Line app to continue to text friends in Thailand and USA? Yes, via mobile data or WiFi.

With new phone number, can I retrieve my photos stored in Samsung's Gallery? Yes, via mobile data or WiFi.