Getting pre-paid mobile phone contract in FL

[Brandis]

Hi all,

Not sure if this is the right place for my question, but since it involves saving money, I'll try here. If there is a better place, maybe a moderator can move it accordingly?

My swiss mobile phone providers international data roaming rates are so expensive that I'm looking for alternatives when staying at WDW. I mostly use my iPhone to read mails and get some informations from the internet. Being a DVC member and staying at DVC resorts with the free Internet offer helps a bit, but only when at the room.

So I'm looking for informations about getting a pre-paid sim card to access the internet on my iPhone. Which mobile phone provider in Florida would you recommend? How easy (or hard) is it for a foreign tourist to get such a contract?

Any help, informations etc. is appreciated!

Marc

 

[JB2K]

So I'm looking for informations about getting a pre-paid sim card to access the internet on my iPhone. Which mobile phone provider in Florida would you recommend? How easy (or hard) is it for a foreign tourist to get such a contract?

In the United States, there are only two mobile phone companies which make use of the SIM card:

• AT&T Mobility
• T-Mobile USA

All other U.S. carriers (Verizon, Sprint, etc.) utilize CDMA technology.

Prepaid "no-contract" SIM cards for either AT&T or T-Mobile can be found at most major U.S. retailers, or the carrier's "company stores". They are usually attached to a handset, which costs less than US $30, in most cases.

However...

If you are bringing your iPhone to the U.S., and want to install a U.S. SIM card, make sure the iPhone is properly "unlocked" by your home carrier prior to traveling abroad (as AT&T, the exclusive iPhone carrier for the U.S., will not unlock iPhones for any reason).

Hope this helps.

 

[Brandis]

Thanks!

My iPhone contract will be 2 years old in June and then I will be able to have the iPhone unlocked by my provider. So that shouldn't be a problem.

I'm not quite clear if the prepaid plans include data, which is the main interest for me. At the T-Online website, data isn't mentioned at all in the prepaid plans, as far as I can see.

With ATT it seems that web browsing is $2 per MB which is quite expensive, depending on the billing interval.