Mobile phones in US

[KatyTheFairyPrincess]

I'm needing a way of keeping in contact with my DMum when she decides she wants a break from me and OH. I'd only be the occasional text to say "will meet you at blah blah at so and so time" so hardly any cost at all.
I'm just trying to weigh up whether it'd be cheaper to buy 2 cheap phones from walmart over there with $10 on each or use our uk phones? I have an iPhone that I usually leave switched off the second I leave UK soil to avoid awful roaming charges, but I have a cheap phone with a vodafone sim card that I could put some money on. Then we'd just get another cheap phone here in the uk and do the same?

Just wondering what you guys do really?

 

[BethEJo]

If it's just the odd text, then you could just stick with a UK phone - £10 top up on each should suffice...

If it's going to be more than that though, then yes, maybe cheap american phones will be the way forward. When I was there last summer, my friends and I got some cheap Samsungs from Walmart - $20 they cost us. We were with AT&T, and there were a couple of plans to choose from. There was one where you could pay a set price per day (just a couple of dollars) and would then have as many minutes/texts as you used in that day, or there was a plan where you would just pay for each text/call that you made - the second plan would make more sense. But that's just AT&T, and their plans may have changed since... check their website!

Also remember, that with US phones, you will pay to not only send, but also to receive texts I believe... I can't quite remember the ins and outs I'm afraid.

If you used your British phone, then you would pay to send a text, but not to receive it I think.

Thinking about it, in your case, I would be more inclined to just use two old/cheap British phones and top it up £10 before you leave....

Just seems easier and cheaper if it's literally only going to be a couple of texts that you are sending...

 

[KatyTheFairyPrincess]

Also remember, that with US phones, you will pay to not only send, but also to receive texts I believe... I can't quite remember the ins and outs I'm afraid.

Thanks for the reply I didn't realise they charged you to receive over there! How bizarre! I'll have a look at some of their plans now I think, I assumed they would be like us and have either contracts or PAYG.

 

[BethEJo]

Thanks for the reply I didn't realise they charged you to receive over there! How bizarre! I'll have a look at some of their plans now I think, I assumed they would be like us and have either contracts or PAYG.

Yeah, it's a bit rubbish isn't it?! The plans are PAYG technically IYKWIM... you top up with cards like you do with PAYG, but when you first top up, you have to choose the plan that you want. This is just my experience with AT&T last year though, and so am not too sure about the other networks like Verizon etc.

I think with Verizon, there was a thing where you could top up by $20 and get unlimited texts - so receiving and sending them counted as 'texts'. Only calling would then cost you money so to speak. No idea if this is worth it when you go though, as would have to buy the phone and then the top up x2??

 

[KatyTheFairyPrincess]

Well looking at triband or quadband phones here they're about £40ish for a cheap one, plus £10 top up on each I'd be looking at £100! I'm thinking if I just order some phones from Amazon and have them delivered to Pop then is there somewhere I can do the initial top up there?? It's looking a lot cheaper to do it over there if I can figure out the ins and outs of it

 

[BethEJo]

Well looking at triband or quadband phones here they're about £40ish for a cheap one, plus £10 top up on each I'd be looking at £100! I'm thinking if I just order some phones from Amazon and have them delivered to Pop then is there somewhere I can do the initial top up there?? It's looking a lot cheaper to do it over there if I can figure out the ins and outs of it

Ah, £100 is hefty! You could just use the phones that you normally use here in the UK if they are triband??

I know you can definitely pop into Walmart and just pick up the top up cards! Instructions will come with the phone re: how to set it up and how to first top up. It's all done through the mobile, as in you don't have to go into a shop for someone to do it for you. Or at least I didn't with AT&T anyway

Obviously, popping into Walmart or something and speaking with someone face to face means that they might be able to advise you on the best plan or whatever, but it's not necessary. Should be able to do it all yourself if you just buy the top up

 

[KatyTheFairyPrincess]

We all have smart phones though and I live in fear of it connecting to the internet and racking up huge phone bills. Plus if I wreck a rubbish phone it won't ruin my holiday, it I ruin my iPhone there would be tears!
We're not renting a car so it would be a hassle (not to mention costly) to get to Walmart, so hoping I can do it all without going there.
Why is it always these little things that are the most hassle?!

 

[mikki.young]

When i was there in January I nought a smartfone from walmart. It had a deal that you paid about $40 for umlimited calls, texts and internet for a month. think there were other options but that worked great for me and I just do the same again next time I go but will have to get a new phone number as more than 3 months between trips. Seemed like a good deal if you go every year and I loved being able to take pictures and put straight on facebook etc

 

[Cyrano]

We bought Samsung flip phones and top up from Best Buy which sounds similar to Beth's experience.

Interestingly we noticed that it was someones cheaper to call than txt. On the basis that for some conversations quite a few txt were being sent. Whereas a quick 1 minute call - where are you, when will you be here etc etc

 

[BethEJo]

We bought Samsung flip phones and top up from Best Buy which sounds similar to Beth's experience.

Interestingly we noticed that it was someones cheaper to call than txt. On the basis that for some conversations quite a few txt were being sent. Whereas a quick 1 minute call - where are you, when will you be here etc etc

Yeah - it's the Samsung flip phone! And every time I hear a Samsung text tone now, it still takes me right back to Florida

And yep, 100% agree with it sometimes being cheaper to make a call ridiculous lol!!

I used my smart phone when I first arrived in Florida last summer, just so I could get in touch with family and friends to let them know I was safe etc. As long as data roaming and 3G are off, you should be OK! Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[crabbie1]

I used my iphone last year to text only.My moms friend phoned it once which I was annoyed about as I got charged £4.30 for that call as I had to pay to recieve it.
I sent quite a few texts and my bill on top of line rental was £12.76 which I thought would be more. That was with orange.They now have special plans for if you are going abroad .Just tell them you are going to use it abroad and also turn your data roaming off then you wont get any charges.
I also used my iphone for posting on facebook and Dis boards.Free wifi at most if not all disney resorts.
If its just the odd texting I would buy a cheap phone and get a pay as you go sim but check with your provider as they may be able to offer something.

 

[Littlelegs19]

Me and DH are with Vodafone and both have iPhones. I personally don't take my phone with me but DH does. He turns the data roaming off before we take off in the UK- that will obviously stop you from getting connected to the Internet. With regards to texts/calls, you no longer get charged to recieve a text but you do a call ( not sure if this is all networks but it is defiantly Vodafone) a week before we go we call them and let them know we are going abroad and they put a allowance on the phone so you are only charged a very small amount for the extra text/ calls for being in another country. We have been told by them that if we told tell them we are going we will / would have incurred higher charges. If I was you, I would just use the phone I had and only turn it on when needed. Hope you find the best thing to do for you.

 

[KatyTheFairyPrincess]

Thanks everyone, I'm still in two minds about what to do. I'd be taking my iphone into the parks at least one day to get some phone pics so if we planned the days we'd be splitting then we could maybe just carry them on those days? I've found some very cheap US phones on amazon on things I could have shipped to Pop so thats still an option.
Theres very few days we'd be split up doing completely different things I suspect, it'd be more likely that me and OH are on a ride and Mum will be waiting in a coffee shop and she'd still be there when we came back. So maybe I'm creating a big deal out of nothing (I have a tendency to do this ) I might see how I feel about it closer to the time!