3G cell data connection in USA while on vacation (from UK)

andrewilley

GNU Terry Pratchett
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Oct 17, 2007
Messages
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I'm from the UK, so while my mobile plan's free data allowance is ample for my phone to eat all it wants at home, in the past I've always turned all cell data off while in the USA as the roaming costs are completely ludicrous.

However now that I've got a lovely droid smartphone, I'd like to be able to use the neat real-time line wait time apps, etc. But data plans in the USA seem somewhat pricey compared to those in the UK - and anyway, I'd be limited to using slow 2G speeds due to the USA using different 3G frequencies to the UK and elsewhere (don't you guys do ANYTHING the same way as the rest of the world? :) :) :) ).

Anyway, I've come across this device from Virgin Mobile USA: http://www.virginmobileusa.com/mobile-broadband/peel-3200.html

It's basically a cheap portable wi-fi hotspot, designed as a case for an iPod Touch but it will actually work with any wi-fi enabled device, laptop, phone, pad, etc. In fact, you can apparently connect two wi-fi devices to it at the same time, and it gives full 3G internet access. Only about 3 hours of active usage per charge (although it does have a standby mode to help) but a little external USB battery pack should help with that if needed.

It's just $29.99 to buy the unit, and $20 for one month's usage of data up to 500MB (which should be fine for what I need for only 14 days; any downloading can wait until I'm back in the hotel room). It seems quite a cost-effective little data option to me - a lot cheaper than Virgin's or T-mobile's other mi-fi devices, but it seems to do basically the same job (if not quite as neatly). I'd just stick it at the bottom of my camera bag which I carry around anyway, and let it talk to my existing phone via wi-fi. Then it could live in my Owner's Locker until next year's trip.

Any thoughts, or any better suggestions from any of the tech gurus here?

Andre
 
Anyone? Or is there perhaps a better (more techie) forum for me to post this?

Andre
 
I take it you don't have a dual-band GSM phone? If so you can grab a pre-paid SIM from either T-Mobile or AT&T and it will work. If you don't have a dual-band phone check with your UK provider and you might be able to purchase or rent a world phone and just move your SIM into it for while you are here to avoid having to carry two devices (the hotspot and phone) with you in the parks.

When I traveled to Italy I used my U.S. T-Mobile dual band GSM phone and just purchased a pre-paid SIM in Italy.

Someone might have better info for you or you could try the UK Community Board since I imagine someone has had this issue in the past.
 
I don't know enough about hot spots, but it might make more sense to buy a prepaid US phone, or one of the US phones that don't require a contract. Check out T-Mobile, or Metro PCS.
 

Tough one
If you have a European phone it is most likely a Quad band so talking and certain data may not have issues here but most 3rd and 4th gen data has so many bandwiths not all phones will work at that speed.
In other words and unlocked AT&T Iphone doesn't work on T-Mobile 3G network

If phone is unlocked (GSM I assume) there is a company here called Simple Mobile which is a prepaid using T-Mobile networks, and they offer the best deal.


I did prior research when family came to visit.


Look at Monkeyboy getting all technical on us :rotfl:
 
If you have a European phone it is most likely a Quad band so talking and certain data may not have issues here but most 3rd and 4th gen data has so many bandwiths not all phones will work at that speed.

Yeah, that's exactly the issue. My own unlocked phone is quad-band for voice and standard data (2G/Edge), but for 3G data it uses the European 900/2100 Mhz standard frequencies rather than the USA 850/1900 Mhz frequencies (frankly, the USA 3G/4G network configurations across multiple providers is a mess!).

This would mean that putting any US SIM into my phone would work fine for voice and slow GSM data, but it would not give me 3G speeds - which somewhat defeats the point.

I had thought about getting a contract-free phone on a US network, but the sort of device I'd want to use (high spec android, with slide-out keyboard) would cost me around $500, plus a one-month connection fee including data. If I find one that supports all 3G frequencies (850/900/1900/2100 Mhz) I might even do that one day, and then use it as a world phone.


So, if I do keep using my own UK GSM phone (with roaming for receiving free texts and occasional phone calls) then I'll need to turn my roaming data off and thus find some other solution for data... Hence my thoughts about using this Virgin Peel instead of a more expensive mi-fi box.

Andre
 
Oh, and as a related question, is the 3G data (internet) coverage provided by Virgin (via the Sprint network) decent enough in Disneyland and Walt Disney World? Those would be the two places I'd want to use the service most. Any good or bad experiences from other DISers?

Andre
 
/
Data service for people from the USA traveling in Europe is outrageous, so I would assume that the reverse is also true. When I travel overseas I turn it completely off and just use Wi Fi. I would advise you do the same here.
 
Data service for people from the USA traveling in Europe is outrageous, so I would assume that the reverse is also true. When I travel overseas I turn it completely off and just use Wi Fi. I would advise you do the same here.

Yup, it's just as outrageous for us too - hence my cunning plan above to get one of these $29.99 wi-fi hotspot devices so I can carry around my own little 'wi-fi bubble', and my own phone access data via that. Roaming data on my own contract will be turned off before I even get on the plane.

Andre
 













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