Using your mobile in the U.S.

[Mermaid2sea]

We are both taking our mobiles on our trip...I know to call to another mobile say back to UK will cost alot...will this be the same if we used to call each other whilst we are there...would it be the same for texting??

 

[jharrowell]

Ok, unless they've finally bought in least cost routing, this is how it works.

Mobile to UK = international rates.
Mobile to US = US rates.
UK Mobile to UK Mobile in the US, double international rates.

The same is true for SMS messages.

The reason is that even though you might be standing 5 feet from the person you are calling, the network doesn't know this and as it is a uk mobile, it needs to route back to the UK (+4477.....) once at the UK the uk network sees the phone is roaming and routes it back.
SO it's:


Mobile in USA > USA Exchange > UK > UK Exchange > USA > USA Exchange > Mobile in USA
so even though you're next to each other, the mobile networks think it's an international call (in fact you BOTH end up paying international rates, one to make the call back to the uk, and one to route a uk call back to the states).

 

[AaronBernard]

Why not go to Walmart and get a couple of pay as you go phones. they are only about $30 (£15) each and then get a top up card.

 

[jharrowell]

Why not go to Walmart and get a couple of pay as you go phones. they are only about $30 (£15) each and then get a top up card.

Or a couple of walkie talkies. The range of the USA units is quite impressive. I once talked from Epcot to someone in MGM...

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Or a couple of walkie talkies. The range of the USA units is quite impressive. I once talked from Epcot to someone in MGM...

But not much use for ordering a pizza

try this site
http://www.tracfone.com/index.jsp

 

[Tony Bush]

AS an example: both me and DW used our 'Orange' mobiles in the US last month.
Prices quoted by Orange were:
To call from mobile £1.10 per minute charged in 1 minute blocks
To receive a call 70p per minute but charged per second.
To send a text 40p
To receive a text - Free.

This was the case for both US to UK calls or to each others mobiles (both in the US)

Tony

 

[Bambi Sunshine]

I used to work for a mobile phone company so I think I may be able to help you out with this one.

If you are planning on taking a UK mobile phone to the USA then you need to ensure that first of all your mobile phone provider has removed any international bars on your phone. This is just a case of a quick phone call.

The next thing you need to check is that your mobile phone is a TRI-BAND phone, most phones are duel band but the USA works on a different mobile phone system to the UK and Europe (this said not all of America is tri-band, they like to be difficult, so even if you have a tri-band phone it is still not a guarentee that it will work over there). You may also want to check what the coverage is like in Orlando because I know that at one time it was quite poor.

Another thing you need to remember is that you will be charged for RECIEVING calls as well as making them.

Mobile phone companies make A LOT of money from international call rates, there has been a lot lately in the press about it as they are trying to crack down on it. If the case now is the same as it was when I was working then your phone company will only be able to give you an idea of your phone costs and nothing exact. This is due not only to factors such as exchange rate but also it depends on what network you roam on to when you are away...basically if someone came here from France there mobile phone would search for avalible networks and put them on the strongest, be it Vodaphone, Orange or whatever, they wouldnt nessasarily remain on that network for their whole trip so when they went home they may find that they have been charged a variety of rates depending on what deal their mobile phone company in France has with the UK networks.

Your cheepest option is the one that people have mentioned, which is buying a mobile phone in the US

 

[Jakey Rowling]

We're just back from Orlando and the following is all my opinion of course

We took two unlocked triband mobiles with us and got prepay (our PAYG) sim cards from one of the many mobile phone outlets. We got TMobile, fitted them and away we went with the credit put on at purchase.

As others pointed out the Trac phone option is good if your mobiles are not unlocked or triband or you prefer the simpler approach.
Walmart had these from as little as $15, not fashionable but good enough for holiday use. The $15 ones were popular so you might have to pay up to $30.

Don't use UK sims to phone each other in the US, you'll get hammered for making and receiving the calls.

Best option all round for talking to folk back home is for you to do it via a phone card.
We got a $10 AT&T card from Walmart which gave us about 150 minutes of call time back to UK and was plenty for us.
You simply dialled a free phone number and entered the card number etc. I'm not sure if a hotel charges for phoning a free phone number or not as we were villa based.
It could be topped up via credit card if required.

 

[wen-tom]

Does anyone know if anywhere sells tracfones for delivery to the uk? we are staying on site with no car so cant easily get to a supermarket to buy phones when we get there!

or.. does anyone know a shop within walking distance of any of the disney parks or resorts?

 

[BroganMc]

I have the opposite problem of going from the US to the UK (headed to London next week). But here in the US I use a Virgin Mobile pay-as-you-go phone.

They're available for sale in Downtown Disney at the Virgin Music store. Just take any Disney bus to DTD. Cheapest phone in May was $19.99 with $10-20 start funds. (Charges are $0.25 the first 10 minutes per day then $0.10 every minute after.)

With the good UK to US currency exchange rates, you could pick up a cheap mobile for ₤5 and get 40-85 (or 80-165) minutes talk time.

Coverage area is good as VirginMobile uses Sprint's PCS lines. I usemy phone all over the country.

Now if only I could find as good a deal on a disposal UK phone. I get hosed on the exchange rates.

 

[disneyholic family]

But here in the US I use a Virgin Mobile pay-as-you-go phone.

They're available for sale in Downtown Disney at the Virgin Music store. Just take any Disney bus to DTD. Cheapest phone in May was $19.99 with $10-20 start funds. (Charges are $0.25 the first 10 minutes per day then $0.10 every minute after.)

With the good UK to US currency exchange rates, you could pick up a cheap mobile for ₤5 and get 40-85 (or 80-165) minutes talk time.

Coverage area is good as VirginMobile uses Sprint's PCS lines. I usemy phone all over the country.

I also use a Virgin Mobile pay as you go phone when i'm in the states.
I bought it about a year ago when i was in the states (at walmart for $29 - a model with a camera). The phone and top up cards are available pretty much everywhere (walmart, k mart, radio shack etc etc).
It works very nicely (i have it stored in my wheeled computer carry-on bag so it's always there when i need it).

 

[dee slack]

I wonder if anyone would be prepared to sell the phones on? There must be someone out there who bought a phone to use in the US and might not be thinking of re-using for a long time? I've no problem buying a phone over there as we'll have a car, but I could really do with knowing the number in advance of getting there.

 

[laalaa]

Ive been wondering about phones too.

We are going in November. 3 of us. My boyfriend, myself and my 16 year old brother. We want to be able to sepnd time apart and meet up, a various times.

Im on virgin mobile here. I called virgin regarding my options. Rates are 35p per text message and free to receive, according to virgin website its £1.40 to make a call, but im sure it wasnt as much as this when i spoke to them on the phone.

I asked about buying a virgin mobile sim in the US and putting it into my handset that i use here but apparently this wont work.

We will probably just text each other if we need to but may look into getting a virgin handset with credit from the DD store if they are reasonable cheap

 

[ERICS MUM]

I also use a Virgin Mobile pay as you go phone when i'm in the states.
I bought it about a year ago when i was in the states (at walmart for $29 - a model with a camera). The phone and top up cards are available pretty much everywhere (walmart, k mart, radio shack etc etc).
It works very nicely (i have it stored in my wheeled computer carry-on bag so it's always there when i need it).

With Virgin Mobil phones bought in the US, how easy is it to add call time/top-ups? Do you need to log on via a PC or just call a number as you do here?

Thanks

Linda

 

[Bexx]

With Virgin Mobil phones bought in the US, how easy is it to add call time/top-ups? Do you need to log on via a PC or just call a number as you do here?

I would also like to know how easy these are to activate initially, and maybe re-activate on a following visit. I know that Tracfone require phone/online activation/re-activation - is it the same for Virgin Pay-as-you-go?

 

[Jakey Rowling]

I would also like to know how easy these are to activate initially, and maybe re-activate on a following visit. I know that Tracfone require phone/online activation/re-activation - is it the same for Virgin Pay-as-you-go?

See this link
https://www.virginmobileusa.com/activate/activate.do?page=0

Looks as though you can activate via the web or phone.

Top up and other info can be found here
http://www.virginmobileusa.com/help/helpDetails.do?tier=plans&categoryId=29&topicId=257

Looks as though you can do it via the phone or online.

 

[Bexx]

Thank you

 

[GlendaONeill]

My brother told me T-mobile were the cheapest in the US as they have a company there. I have a T-Mobile contract phone so I just used it. It was 55p a minute both to the UK and in the US. Texts to the UK are 40p and to receive them is FREE!!! A picture message to the UK is 20p but I suppose you need to pay for data transfer.
My brother got a pay as you go T-mobile sim and put some money on it and used it when they were away.
It's really good as T-Mobile comes up for selection.
By the way 3 is really expensive something like £2.40 per minute to the UK. My husband has one and thought that would be the best idea. I soon sorted him out!

I think my brother-in-law picked the wrong network and cost himself a lot of money when we were away. So be careful!
Hopefully this will be helpful

Glenda

 

[Andrew Bichard]

does anyone know a shop within walking distance of any of the disney parks or resorts?

Don't know about tracphones - but Virgin Megastore at Downtown Disney sells Pay as you go phones. You can buy top-up at Virgin or any of the Hess Service Stations.

Andrew