Prepayed cellphone/data SIMs in the US?

[EmersonNZ]

Hi all,

My wife will be living in the US for 3 months (Lecturing at a University) and I was wondering what is the best way to go about getting a SIM card for her iPhone?

She'll have a unlocked iPhone (They all are in NZ) but we really don't want to use her NZ SIM card as international data roaming costs are a nightmare.. What carrier would you recommend she looks at? Can you buy prepay SIM cards in the US that include data etc (You can here but haven't heard of it in the US?).

Any ideas and recommendations would be very much appreciated.

Kindest regards,

 

[golfgal]

Have you looked into getting international calling added to your current plan? It might be less expensive to do that then to start a new phone contract. Otherwise, I would look to a prepaid phone since all the carriers here require a 2 year contract.

 

[EmersonNZ]

Yeah she has International Roaming but data roaming Internationally is really expensive.

Do any of the prepaid phones allow data? (Or could you just take the SIM out and put it in the iPhone or better still buy the SIM card without the phone....?)

 

[golfgal]

Yeah she has International Roaming but data roaming Internationally is really expensive.

Do any of the prepaid phones allow data? (Or could you just take the SIM out and put it in the iPhone or better still buy the SIM card without the phone....?)

Honestly, I don't know that much about how the mechanics of the phones work so I have NO idea . There are some experts on the boards that will help you though.

 

[Carl]

I don't think there is any inexpensive way to get a data plan. If you just want phone service, there are several phones that you can buy for around 15 dollars and buy your minutes on a pay as you go plan. People here in the US are always complaining that their data plans cannot be used in foreign countries and that data roaming is extremely expensive ($15 per megabyte.) Of course, it you have a contract here, the data plans are about 20 dollars per month for unlimited use. But, no roaming. So, this seems to be a worldwide problem.

 

[tinatark]

There are a couple of unlimited, prepaid phone options - ATT has one, $60 per month for unlimited talk/text/internet (you may be able to use the SIM in your iphone. At WalMart exclusively, Straight Talk runs off the Verizon network- phones are as low as $30, and unlimited talk/text/web/411 usage is $45 per month.

The other option is to get a regular prepaid phone for calls/text/basic email-internet and use the iphone with WiFi for internet - you just have to be in an area with WiFi.

 

[EmersonNZ]

There are a couple of unlimited, prepaid phone options - ATT has one, $60 per month for unlimited talk/text/internet (you may be able to use the SIM in your iphone. At WalMart exclusively, Straight Talk runs off the Verizon network- phones are as low as $30, and unlimited talk/text/web/411 usage is $45 per month.

The other option is to get a regular prepaid phone for calls/text/basic email-internet and use the iphone with WiFi for internet - you just have to be in an area with WiFi.

Sounds like the Walmart option may work nicely as long as i can move the SIM from one phone to the other (Ca't see why you shouldn't unless Walmart locks the SIM.

Thanks all for your help.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

AFAIK Straight Talk is exclusive to Tracfone & only Tracfone SIM's can be used. AT&T Go phone is your best option since the SIM should work in the iPhone. I don't think Verizon uses SIM cards I think they're CDMA phones. Your best best is to ask on the Howard Forums. Also check out T-Mobile they sell the SIM card by itself for 6.99 plus whatever prepay plan you want.

 

[Carl]

I checked with a cellphone store in the mall and it seems that it is possible to get a data plan in the US without a contract. However, he indicated those would have to be purchased from independent stores and not the authorized ones.

 

[monkeyboy]

In the states its AT&T or T-Mobile that use SIMS cards so those are the only options.