American "pay as you go" phones????

[Northstar]

Maybe try Amazon.com for those looking to get a phone delivered to hotel?

Go to Amazon.com. They'll offer to re-direct you to the Canadian site because they see you're shopping from Canada... ignore and stay on the .com site.

On the left menu, go down to Electronics and Computers, then choose Cell Phones and Accessories. Then choose No-contract phones. You should be able to find a Tracfone on there for fairly cheap.

Amazon will definitely accept a Canadian credit card. You'll need the exact address you want it delivered to when you put your order in.

 

[cey]

If you have an old Tracphone or Netphone which has ran out of minutes and needs reactivation, you can phone and get a new Sim card sent to your Florida address. We do this each year when we drive to Florida. I keep my Net10 phone active thru the year by buying $30 cards which give me 300 minutes and roll it over, to add to the existing minutes on my phone. I buy the cards in the US and then activate them over the phone. I don't like using my credit card for automatic top-ups! That way, we can use the Net10 phone on the drive down and once we are in Florida activate the Tracphone so my DH can use it when he is golfing or out and about. OP is right about your phone activating as soon as you cross the border. My phone starts to work as soon as I cross the Thousand Island bridge. I don't even travel with my Canadian Bell phone anymore. In fact, my contract expires with Bell in March and I am cancelling it. I will purchase a pay as you go plan in Canada as well!

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

Can anyone who's bought a Tracfone give me your perspective on activation and adding airtime?

My phones are new and haven't been activated yet. They will be used on our trip in March. How easy is it to activate from Canada ?

The phone package I bought has unlimited double minutes for the life of the phone. Is this automatically added when I buy my airtime on-line. For instance, I'll be buying the 30 minute airtime on line for $9.99 - so will it automatically get doubled to 60 minutes when it's added?

Do I buy airtime now and add it to my phone - or so I wait to arrive in Florida and order my airtime then ?

Do I need to do anything special once I arrive in Florida - or will everything be activated and ready to go once I arrive.

Sorry for all the questions - this is the first time using a US phone for use in Florida. We really need to make sure this goes smoothly as we're giving 1 phone to my daughter and her friend to keep in touch with us while we're in the parks

One last question. The airtime I'm buying is only good for 30 days. If I buy airtime on-line, does the clock only start ticking once I add it to the phone - or since I need to give my phone serial number when purchasing, does it start ticking right away?

 

[dancin Disney style]

Can anyone who's bought a Tracfone give me your perspective on activation and adding airtime?

My phones are new and haven't been activated yet. They will be used on our trip in March. How easy is it to activate from Canada ? Very easy...I've done it online twice

The phone package I bought has unlimited double minutes for the life of the phone. Is this automatically added when I buy my airtime on-line. For instance, I'll be buying the 30 minute airtime on lin $9.99 - so will it automatically get doubled to 60 minutes when it's added? Yes...every time you add minutes they will double. You can also, easily, find online codes that giveyou free additional minutes.

Do I buy airtime now and add it to my phone - or so I wait to arrive in Florida and order my airtime then ? Wait until you get to FL....the clock starts the day you add it to the phone.

Do I need to do anything special once I arrive in Florida - or will everything be activated and ready to go once I arrive. If you activate at home, online, the phone will start working once you cross into the USA.

Sorry for all the questions - this is the first time using a US phone for use in Florida. We really need to make sure this goes smoothly as we're giving 1 phone to my daughter and her friend to keep in touch with us while we're in the parks

One last question. The airtime I'm buying is only good for 30 days. If I buy airtime on-line, does the clock only start ticking once I add it to the phone - or since I need to give my phone serial number when purchasing, does it start ticking right away? Yes...the minutes are added when you purchase them if doing so online. You can also purchase airtime cards in stores in the US that you have to manually add to the phone. Those start ticking when you add them...not when you buy them.[/QUOTE

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

Thanks for the reply dancin...I guess I'll wait until I'm 20 days out so they airtime doesn't expire before I'm finished using them.

So I can find codes on-line for additional discounts? How do i go about applying them - if' I'm lucky enough to find any

 

[4boyz]

For convenience I prefer to buy phones and prepaid cards from Walmart.com using PayPal. You can chose in store pick up or delivery to your resort for phones. Prepaid cards are sent to you via e-mail with a pin.

I have been using Net10 for a few years now. Tip: Net10 has a 30 day grace period from your account expiry allowing you to top up within that 30 day window and keep your unused minutes. It can save you some money over the course of a year. Net10 uses the AT&T network.

 

[disneyred]

If you have an old Tracphone or Netphone which has ran out of minutes and needs reactivation, you can phone and get a new Sim card sent to your Florida address. We do this each year when we drive to Florida. I keep my Net10 phone active thru the year by buying $30 cards which give me 300 minutes and roll it over, to add to the existing minutes on my phone. I buy the cards in the US and then activate them over the phone. I don't like using my credit card for automatic top-ups! That way, we can use the Net10 phone on the drive down and once we are in Florida activate the Tracphone so my DH can use it when he is golfing or out and about. OP is right about your phone activating as soon as you cross the border. My phone starts to work as soon as I cross the Thousand Island bridge. I don't even travel with my Canadian Bell phone anymore. In fact, my contract expires with Bell in March and I am cancelling it. I will purchase a pay as you go plan in Canada as well!

this is what I want to do.. I have a rather old tracphone .. which i have never used...(long story)... so I can call them and have it shipped to resort ?? how much would this cost ? i guess SIM is about 10.00?

but after that I have a problem... so I buy the minutes card in the states when I get there .. get my SIM into phone once delivered to resort ... what is the best way to load the minutes into phone...?? i can't use phone yet as it has no minutes loaded yet..i have no internet connection... what is the best solution for me ?

 

[cey]

Tracphone sim cards are free! I just ordered one yesterday using the 800 number from Canada and was told that shipping would take 4-5 days. I asked them to send the sim card to the management company of the Florida villa I am renting as they will not ship to Canada. Same procedure worked like a charm last year! When you receive your new sim card, it comes with instructions. Just pop in into your phone and then call the 800 number using your resort phone to activate your tracphone and add minutes. Tip: When you purchase air time, some convenience stores will print out the pin numbers on the actual receipt, so be sure to save your receipts! When you add minutes to your phone, this is the code they will want!

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

I have 2 new tracfones. I tried activating one tonight (online). I get the the point where it requires me to make a call - but with no minutes, it won't let me. It tells me to try again in 1 hour?? So then I try going on-line to add some airtime with my serial # (as I have not been assigned a phone number yet). But it now states that I have a pending transaction - and kicks me out.

So for the 2nd phone, I try just buying the airtime first. Problem is that neither my Amex or M/C are accepted. It just states the transaction failed - why no explanation as to why.

So my question is this: does POP Century have any computers for guest usage? If not, I guess I need to call Tracfone toll-free when I arrive ?

Anyone else with these problems before?

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

Alrighty !!

Things are looking brighter this morning. I went back online and managed to register/activate my 2 phones. I had to go through a process of entering 3 series of numeric codes provided to me on the website. I now have 20 minutes of airtime - but here's the final hurdle.....I do not have any idea of what my phone #'s are. The main menu screen does not display the phone number - although it will display the serial #.

So can I assume I need to cross over into the USA for the phone numbers to be displayed and be able to make phone calls?

 

[cey]

Your pending transaction is that you have activated the phone. Unfortunately until you cross over into USA cell phone space, your phone cannot complete the activation process. Check your phone after you have arrived in the US and it will probably be activated by them. Your new phone number will also come up on screen in the menu area marked phone number. That is why I always phone the toll free number from Canada, talk to a rep and they can verbally tell you that your phone has been activated and give you your new phone number. You can also set up international calls with them at the same time and add minutes to your phone.

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

Your pending transaction is that you have activated the phone. Unfortunately until you cross over into USA cell phone space, your phone cannot complete the activation process. Check your phone after you have arrived in the US and it will probably be activated by them. Your new phone number will also come up on screen in the menu area marked phone number. That is why I always phone the toll free number from Canada, talk to a rep and they can verbally tell you that your phone has been activated and give you your new phone number. You can also set up international calls with them at the same time and add minutes to your phone.

Good to know, thanks !!

So in short - I should just call the toll-free number and get it resolved that way?

I guess I am a little weary of letting them know I'm Canadian as the package advises that it is prohibited to export the phones outside of the USA. I'd hate to come across a CM who may not be as helpful as I hope.

 

[cey]

Actually, I have never had any trouble with the fact that I am Canadian when I re-activate my phones. They always seem very happy to have my business! I guess its because there is so much competition. When my phones finally die though, I may try Virgin. Have a great Holiday! We leave tomorrow for 9 weeks, so I will update this thread, if I run into any Net 10 or Tracphone problems! First stop is Daytona Beach!

 

[nannye]

I purchased a $20 Net10 in August. I got a couple of cards to add minutes, but am now purchasing minutes using their automated phone system. You register your credit card, and buy minutes as needed. You do have to supply a U.S. Zip code--I made one up.

Does it need to be an Orlando zip code? My bosses have a house in Sarasota and they are who I would be calling. If I use their Sarasota zip code to activate the phone and then I am in Orlando calling Sarasota it would be long distance?

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

I just got back from my 10 day visit. I purchased 2 tracfones and intended to add minutes when I arrived - wrong idea !!

On mu arrival day I spent over 1 hour on the phone attempting to purchase minutes with my credit card - their system would not accept my card number for some reason and mentioned it had something to do with my billing address being in Canada ?? They provided me with a Reference number to call back again the next day to see if the issue could be resolved. It could not !!

ANYWAYS....I just got fed up with the whole run-around and went to a local store to buy an airtime card. NO PROBLEMS AT ALL !! I entered the pins #'s provided and my minutes were instantly added.

 

[disneyred]

i love these threads .. learning so much on how to go about using these phones in the U.S.

 

[disneyred]

Tracphone sim cards are free! I just ordered one yesterday using the 800 number from Canada and was told that shipping would take 4-5 days. I asked them to send the sim card to the management company of the Florida villa I am renting as they will not ship to Canada. Same procedure worked like a charm last year! When you receive your new sim card, it comes with instructions. Just pop in into your phone and then call the 800 number using your resort phone to activate your tracphone and add minutes. Tip: When you purchase air time, some convenience stores will print out the pin numbers on the actual receipt, so be sure to save your receipts! When you add minutes to your phone, this is the code they will want!

is it just as simple as calling and asking for a free sim card ?? do you still have to provide a CC even though its free ?

 

[webworm]

I picked up 2 sim cards from T-Mobile for our unlocked phones under the Pay as You Go Plan when I was in Erie on Saturday. No charge for the sim card and put the minimum of $10 on each sim which is good for 90 days. Registered both online and can top up at the 90 day point. Heading back to the US in April and July for a week. I elected the $2.00/day plan **on days used** for unlimited text within the US and to Canada, unlimited calling within the US and the Web @ 2G speed.
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/pay-by-the-day-cell-phone-plans

 

[disneyred]

I picked up 2 sim cards from T-Mobile for our unlocked phones under the Pay as You Go Plan when I was in Erie on Saturday. No charge for the sim card and put the minimum of $10 on each sim which is good for 90 days. Registered both online and can top up at the 90 day point. Heading back to the US in April and July for a week. I elected the $2.00/day plan **on days used** for unlimited text within the US and to Canada, unlimited calling within the US and the Web @ 2G speed.
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/pay-by-the-day-cell-phone-plans

how did you get the sim cards for free , i went to a tmobile kiosk and they said it was about 10.00 each.

 

[webworm]

how did you get the sim cards for free , i went to a tmobile kiosk and they said it was about 10.00 each.

Ya I think they normally do but when I told the guy that I had checked in Buffalo 3 weeks ago there was a promo to waive the activation fee so he then said no problem. They are independent dealers a lot of the locations and not corporate so it may depend on who you get and how badly they want your business.