Cost of using iPhones in USA

[katytrott]

I was planning of using walkie talkies in the parks to avoid using our mobiles, however I was still going to take my iPhone with me to use the apps like Lines. My DH has just informed me that is not a good idea because the roaming cost of using 3G is so expensive even if you don't use it as a phone.

Is he telling me the truth or is he telling me that to try and avoid using any sort a plan!!

Thanks

 

[london75]

3G data is by far the most expensive service, especially when roaming so he's not lying I'm afraid.

We've bought two AT&T Go Phone SIM cards which are pay as you go and plan to top them up just before going. If you google them there are loads of suppliers but ebay tends to end up the best value. Even from the US mine were $0.98 delivery charge and took two days!

 

[jns]

We've bought two AT&T Go Phone SIM cards which are pay as you go and plan to top them up just before going. If you google them there are loads of suppliers but ebay tends to end up the best value. Even from the US mine were $0.98 delivery charge and took two days!

can these be used in the Iphone

 

[london75]

I hope so as that's what I have. There is no reason to think otherwise, the iPhone is just a phone.

Mine is unlocked, ie not bought from a UK network though which does change things.

I ordered a micro sim one from the US for my iPhone and a normal one from a UK seller for DWs normal phone.

The micro sim one will get a data top up so I can use weatherbug to spot the rain clouds coming (we're going the tail end of August) and the other will just be for calls.

 

[BethEJo]

Not sure about other networks, but O2 does a "bolt-on" for using data abroad.

You pay a set price before you go, and then just have that amount of data to use.

 

[Cyrano]

Sadly your DH is correct. Using e-ticket, Lines etc require data roaming which is very expensive abroad.

A good article on PC Advisor here

 

[jns]

I hope so as that's what I have. There is no reason to think otherwise, the iPhone is just a phone.

Mine is unlocked, ie not bought from a UK network though which does change things.

I ordered a micro sim one from the US for my iPhone and a normal one from a UK seller for DWs normal phone.

The micro sim one will get a data top up so I can use weatherbug to spot the rain clouds coming (we're going the tail end of August) and the other will just be for calls.

when u get back can u let us know how they worked

Have a great trip
hope not to much rain

 

[luke]

Personally I find it a welcome break not having my phone with me on holiday.
I'm pretty much always on my phone, be it keeping in touch or just on the internet.

My phone gets put in the hotel safe then I get back to life mid 90s style

 

[j9000]

outside the eu its £6 per mb for roaming data (3g), or was according to the text i got while in germany at christmas.

there has been a new restriction on usage to curb outlandish phonebills from people using data abroad, but it only applies to europe not america.

 

[Helen B]

If you are on o2, then texts come from your text allowance (provided you have International Traveler Service*,) however, I don't know if this is the case for texts completely outside the UK.
I know if you text US - UK then it comes out of your allowance, at a rate of 1 text = 4 texts from allowance. If the text is US - US then I don't know if you'll be charged, or if it's from your allowance.

*If you have a £35 or more tariff then you have International Traveler Service included in your contract.

I would avoid roaming, unless you have a US sim card. I know this won't help in the parks, but a lot of restaurants have WiFi, which you can connect to, we used this during our holiday in June - didn't cost me a penny. I had no additional charges when I got home.