Aussie phones in the USA

[austraveler]

There is a great app for the iPad called wi fi finder. It is free and superimposes wi fi locations onto google maps.

 

[satorifound]

"http://www.tracfone-orders.com/bpdirect/tracfone/PhoneDetails.do?action=view&productVariantExtensionId=6958303"

Has anyone used Tracfone?
I was thinking of having a couple of these delivered to our room. We just need something to keep in touch with each other in the parks and NYC.

My DD16 just got an Iphone for her birthday - did I tell you she was a cliche, (although not boy crazy ) but in 16 days she managed to send 2200 text messages Luckily she has an infinite plan - but I told her she is definitely not brining it to the USA.

Those data charges are not just expensive - people have been stung with bills in the thousands without even realising they were using data.

But she wants to know can she use it without the sim as an Ipod only.

Net10 is cheaper for a throw away prepaid cell to have here. Or, if you will be here a bit you can get a virgin mobile phone (prepaid) for $25 a month. It comes with 300 minutes and unlimited data. The phones are in any Walmart here. The one I bought for my son was $79.99, but it was a pretty nifty little phone...

 

[Anne_Aus]

Started Googling - just found this - http://www.travelgear.com.au/p/TMOBILEUSA/T-Mobile+USA+prepaid+mobile+phone+SIM+card+with+USD$30+credit I'll check it out a little more, or has anyone used this before?

This is the deal I have been looking at as well, but the $60 so I can bug people since I am gone for 3 months. So if you do use it let me know how it goes.

Does anyone know about how mobiles go on cruise ships, is it classed as roaming then?

 

[ame]

ame, do you just use the wifi when you can connect for free? I am so hopeless when it comes to technology.

yup only when you can connect for free. I end up loitering around Starbucks

 

[Aussie Wendy]

I think Telstra post-paid phones (on a plan) are not locked but pre paids always are-our plan phone wasn't locked so we just bought a sim card to go in it though we prepurchased from Tmobile via internet rather than having to fuss trying to find one over there (had sick parent at the time so had to keep in touch). Next time though we would just wait and buy a cheap prepaid sim card in the US. Iphones on Telstra plan used to always be locked but don't think they are any more. Heaps of places have free wifi for internet access.

 

[marvel]

hey wendy, have you already use the T mobile one? how did it go? or are did you buy it in preparation for a trip? i am in two minds. The $60 one for a month is pretty good, but there seems to be issues regarding the different carriers in the usa and where you can actually get the 3g to work.

 

[Tara2004]

Spoke with Telstra, they say ring them with the new sim card number and they will then unlock the Iphone while we are in the US. But now to hook it up to itunes while away as we are taking the Ipad which needs to bluetooth to my Iphone to get web access, so not sure as to how to get access to Itunes, might have to take a laptop or order prepaid sims from Amazon and do it all before we leave home

 

[australiankaren]

hi there

we bought $19 phones from virgin in the usa last year, and will just get the $20 plan when we are over there.....

I have a nokia brick here at home so dont need all the bells and whistles..although the DH has a bluetooth..so he may just die with his cheap and nasty replacement

as long as i can text him that I'm waiting patiently by the castle, then its done its job

 

[marvel]

hi tara. That doesn't sound right to me about ringing them from usa. They should be able to give you an unlock code here. You then have to put another sim in your card and connect to itunes to complete the process. I don't believe there they need to know the actual phone number. We just went through the process with 3 mobile. I cannot see why telstra should be different. I don't want to have to carry another phone around when I am already taking the iphone, i am just not sure whether to wait and buy a sim or to get the one for here for $60.

 

[aussietravellers]

We just bought cheap disposable phones over there and then bought a prepaid wifi device, think it was virgin. We were there for a month and I run a business so I needed to be able to access the internet not just in the hotel lobbies, restaurants etc whilst at WDW and didn't want to pay the ridiculous $12 + a day for internet. The wifi device was unlimited for 60 days and would connect to up to 5 devices, so we used it for our phones, laptop and ipad.

 

[marvel]

how did you go in the car or out and about? did you find free wifi available enough? i assume you cannot use the prepaid wifi device without it being plugged into power.

 

[bondgirl]

We just bought cheap disposable phones over there and then bought a prepaid wifi device, think it was virgin. We were there for a month and I run a business so I needed to be able to access the internet not just in the hotel lobbies, restaurants etc whilst at WDW and didn't want to pay the ridiculous $12 + a day for internet. The wifi device was unlimited for 60 days and would connect to up to 5 devices, so we used it for our phones, laptop and ipad.

Wow, cool. Thanks for the info. I have just found out I have to have access to the internet on the 20th of September at precisely 9:00pm. I don't want to rely on free wifi in case it's slow and/or unreliable. This could be my answer.

 

[aussietravellers]

how did you go in the car or out and about? did you find free wifi available enough? i assume you cannot use the prepaid wifi device without it being plugged into power.

It's chargable, lasts about 4 hours so it's not something that you carry with you and have connected all the time to make it work, you just turn it on when you need it. I would have it plugged in in the room charging and then just disconnect it (it charges like a mobile phone) and off we would go. It's about the size of a credit card, only thicker so can quite easily be carried in your handbag or even your pocket..

Wow, cool. Thanks for the info. I have just found out I have to have access to the internet on the 20th of September at precisely 9:00pm. I don't want to rely on free wifi in case it's slow and/or unreliable. This could be my answer.

It really suited us and we travelled with friends too so they would use my wifi thing to check their emails and do the odd bit of business on their laptop. Totally worth the money for us.

 

[australiankaren]

so

after all the effort of getting the virgin usa phones etc..the DH says and I quote " we don't need phones, you'll be with me 24/7 so who else would we have to call".....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...but so sweet...but grrrrrrrrrrr..

Yep, welcome to my life...please keep all limbs inside the moving vehicle at all times

 

[NelleDisneyFan]

I've recently come back from the states and I bought a prepaid sim for my iphone from T mobile and for $70USD i got 2 gig of data and unlimited texts (i found this the best way to communicate with the rest of my family whist away) and about 1 hour worth of calls to australia.

I could snap pics and post them on facebook without worrying about my data useage. I never ran out of data and i was on facebook and the internet heaps whilst on my 1 month trip.

 

[MyTwoSweetBoys]

I've recently come back from the states and I bought a prepaid sim for my iphone from T mobile and for $70USD i got 2 gig of data and unlimited texts (i found this the best way to communicate with the rest of my family whist away) and about 1 hour worth of calls to australia.

I could snap pics and post them on facebook without worrying about my data useage. I never ran out of data and i was on facebook and the internet heaps whilst on my 1 month trip.

NelleDisneyFan - where did you buy it from?

Re: unlocking - I've just had my iPhone unlocked (with Telstra, they recently changed their rules about unlocking, and now you just need to ring and tell them you are going o/s and they put you through to the department that unlocks them. You have to wait about 24-48 hours, then backup your phone, make sure you have the latest version if itunes, then restore your phone. After that, it should come up with a message that your phone is unlocked.

 

[battymum]

Nelle,

Was it a microsim? And did you have to reset the APN?

Dont ask me what these terms are, but I have read thats what you have to do

This is just too hard, I have read bucketloads trying to organise prepaid data for Iphone.

DD16 will be so much more pleasant to be around if she can stay in touch with her mates.

 

[marvel]

I ordered a T mobile sim and $50 credit from oz, hopefully it will arrive by friday when we leave. Good to hear that t mobile were ok. will report back, although we don't get back till nov.

 

[Franrose]

I'd love to buy online in Aus too marvel, just for ease of getting the sim etc. But it looks like they have a 7-10 day lead time for the sim (I assume they are getting them in from the US as they are ordered? Although they do say they have stock in Vic... maybe it's to allow setup).

Does anyone know if you can buy the sims and monthly no-contract plans at t-mobile retailers like Target, or if you need to go into a t-mobile store? I think we can walk to a Target, lol. I believe you have to cut down the sims if they are not microsims but apparently the stores will do that for you (not sure about the retailers).

Rang and requested unlocks for our phones tonight, they suggested trying the backup/restore process on Monday.

 

[Franrose]

Battymum, no idea about APNs! (What they are or what resetting them is, lol). With sim cards, iphone 4s use a slightly smaller sim card than other phones, but normal sims can have the extra plastic trimmed off to make them into a microsim. Apparently t-mobile stores will do that for you as it's not an uncommon request. The Aus online retailer who sell T-mobile sims have a sim cutter especially to cut sims down to microsims, but apparently anyone with a knife and correct measurements can do it, lol! http://www.travelgear.com.au/p/TMOB...paid+mobile+phone+SIM+card+with+USD$20+credit (Info near bottom of the page in the FAQs).