USA Sim card

enaeknala1

Hi people,

Heading to new York there after Christmas, only going for 2 weeks but my data roaming plans stink so I think ill have to get a US sim card to tide me over while im there. The only thing I really need is internet data and maybe some local minutes (although not crucial) but data is the main thing. Can anyone point me in the best direction? From what I can see the t-mobile offer of around $60 or $70 a month and just pay it for one month seems the best option?

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

Cheers,

Alan

cali_eire

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2414494,00.asp

coylemj

Have you considered switching off data roaming and just using local Wi-Fi? Your hotel should have it plus Starbucks, McDonalds etc. For two weeks do you really need to be online 24 x 7? Just tell your friends & family that you'll have limited access to e-mail and to call or SMS you in an emergency which is probably what they will do anyway.

Ponster

No need to sign up for a month, just buy the data that you need (from either AT&T or T-Mobile prepaid).

enaeknala1

T-mobile seem to have to best deals think ill go with them!

Thanks lads!

spideog7

enaeknala1 wrote: »

T-mobile seem to have to best deals think ill go with them!

Thanks lads!

Probably doesn't help if you're only visiting but T-Mobile have free Sims available at the minute

enaeknala1

Actually scrap that t-mobile comment.. Readysim looks excellent and the easiest option!

Doodah7

Hi, apologies for resurrecting this thread.

I will be visiting New York next month and have a factory unlocked iPhone. I see that people here are recommending to get a T-Mobile or ReadySim prepaid simcard for use in the US. I thought previously that you couldn't get 3G data speeds on T-Mobile's network but only on AT&T's? Is this still the case from anyone recent experiences?

If I am limited to the AT&T network and visiting New York, is it simply a matter of going to an AT&T store or a Best Buy to pick up a monthly pre-paid sim?

Many thanks.

Colonel Panic

coylemj wrote: »

Have you considered switching off data roaming and just using local Wi-Fi? Your hotel should have it plus Starbucks, McDonalds etc. For two weeks do you really need to be online 24 x 7? Just tell your friends & family that you'll have limited access to e-mail and to call or SMS you in an emergency which is probably what they will do anyway.

This is an old post, but I'll respond anyway.

Having access to mobile data to check things like transit info on Google Maps is invaluable.

spideog7

tallpaul wrote: »

Hi, apologies for resurrecting this thread.

I will be visiting New York next month and have a factory unlocked iPhone. I see that people here are recommending to get a T-Mobile or ReadySim prepaid simcard for use in the US. I thought previously that you couldn't get 3G data speeds on T-Mobile's network but only on AT&T's? Is this still the case from anyone recent experiences?

If I am limited to the AT&T network and visiting New York, is it simply a matter of going to an AT&T store or a Best Buy to pick up a monthly pre-paid sim?

Many thanks.

Depends on your phone. T-Mobile and AT&T use different frequency bands for different data services so just check which band your phone supports.

enaeknala1

Just back from NY today and cannot recommend readysim enough.! Does exactly what it says get all your local mins and texts but crucially the date.. Having a live map and GPS when roaming the streets is nothing short of crucial. Saves lots of time roaming aimlessly and constantly asking for directions.

Can whole heatedly advise using readysim!

Doodah7

enaeknala1 wrote: »

Just back from NY today and cannot recommend readysim enough.! Does exactly what it says get all your local mins and texts but crucially the date.. Having a live map and GPS when roaming the streets is nothing short of crucial. Saves lots of time roaming aimlessly and constantly asking for directions.

Can whole heatedly advise using readysim!

Can I ask what handset you were using? And was it Irish/European?

enaeknala1

Was using an iPhone.. Factory unlocked ie bought from apple..Should work on any unlocked phone

Doodah7

enaeknala1 wrote: »

Was using an iPhone.. Factory unlocked ie bought from apple..Should work on any unlocked phone

Thanks for this. That's exactly what I have. Were you able to get 3G speeds using the Readysim?

dobsdave

For anyone who got a readysim, where/how did you buy it?

I see its 25 + 10 postage, but the postage is not tracked.

I might prefer to just get a tmobile when I get there.

coylemj

enaeknala1 wrote: »

Having a live map and GPS when roaming the streets is nothing short of crucial. Saves lots of time roaming aimlessly and constantly asking for directions.

In NYC? :eek:

enaeknala1

dobsdave wrote: »

For anyone who got a readysim, where/how did you buy it?

I see its 25 + 10 postage, but the postage is not tracked.

I might prefer to just get a tmobile when I get there.

Its not as simple as just getting a tmobile sim while your there as internet is either not available or is a crazy price.

dobsdave

enaeknala1 wrote: »

Its not as simple as just getting a tmobile sim while your there as internet is either not available or is a crazy price.

Eh, I have got them a few times in the past, no issue.
I was asking about peoples experiences of getting a readysim sim card.

h57xiucj2z946q

Take a look at simple Mobile. No contract. its pay as you go. $40 for unlimited calls, texts and data.

You can buy cards and top-ups of ebay. I have done this a few times now.

Edit: seems price is $52.99 now. Was $40 last year. It was $50 last year is you wanted unlimited international calling on top of all of the above. $62.99 now.

Readysim is better value if you just need it for 2 weeks.

enaeknala1

Anyone know of a better long term solution? Talking around the 2 months time span??

MadsL

Unlimited everything for $45 a 30 day plan.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Email-Delivery-Straight-Talk-Unlimited-Text-Talk-and-Web-Access-30-Day-Service-Card/15443344

biko

That looks like a pretty good deal, I'll head down to Walmart tomorrow. What's the "(Email Delivery)" about?
Do you need their SIM as well?

spideog7

biko wrote: »

That looks like a pretty good deal, I'll head down to Walmart tomorrow. What's the "(Email Delivery)" about?
Do you need their SIM as well?

Walmart also have the $30 Unlimited Data and Text on Tmobile, includes 100 minutes. Better deal if you don't talk much as they have LTE and don't throttle you until you get to 5GB.

biko

I was in there this morning and actually went with Tmobile $30 plan before I read your post. There was a few companies to choose from but Tmobile looked like best value.
Came to $42 at the till with additional tax/etc.

spideog7

biko wrote: »

I was in there this morning and actually went with Tmobile $30 plan before I read your post. There was a few companies to choose from but Tmobile looked like best value.
Came to $42 at the till with additional tax/etc.

Yea they charge fees and taxes on refills too (30 topup comes to 33.10 for me) but you can buy refill cards on eBay for about 95% of their value plus you don't have to pay the tax or fee.

Ah-Watch

I had T Mobile last year when in Chicago on my S4 and it never picked up 4G and coverage was always dropping. My Vodafone Ireland phone roamed on AT&T a lot and seemed to have better coverage in general. I'm heading back for 5 weeks this summer and looking for a good deal, I am a heavy data user and looking for roughly 5GB usage and if possible I want international texts as the people I will be contacting in Ireland are all on an unlimited worldwide calls and texts plan here in Ireland anyway with Vodafone. Do I have to go with T Mobile again or can ye recommend someone else. I want GOOD phone text and data coverage no matter who I go with and international texts included would be nice. Any suggestions welcome. I have a straight talk sim too but I don't think they give the unlimited worldwide texts

(Price isn't an issue as I'm an impatient git so will pay for a good service )

spideog7

Ah-Watch wrote: »

I had T Mobile last year when in Chicago on my S4 and it never picked up 4G and coverage was always dropping. My Vodafone Ireland phone roamed on AT&T a lot and seemed to have better coverage in general. I'm heading back for 5 weeks this summer and looking for a good deal, I am a heavy data user and looking for roughly 5GB usage and if possible I want international texts as the people I will be contacting in Ireland are all on an unlimited worldwide calls and texts plan here in Ireland anyway with Vodafone. Do I have to go with T Mobile again or can ye recommend someone else. I want GOOD phone text and data coverage no matter who I go with and international texts included would be nice. Any suggestions welcome. I have a straight talk sim too but I don't think they give the unlimited worldwide texts

(Price isn't an issue as I'm an impatient git so will pay for a good service )

Not all S4 support LTE or all US data bands, check your model number and compare against Tmobile model numbers. AT&T and TMobile use different frequencies to each other and often they can vary between different regions where they bought up local carriers. European phones won't always support all of their band so you'll get poor coverage.

They are the only national GSM carriers here. There are some low cost guys who piggy back on their network but the coverage issue remains.

If price is not an issue and you want the best coverage then buy an unlocked US phone and put it on Verizon (don't know if they offer monthly plans but Virgin do on their network). T-mobile is great (reasonably priced and fast) but their high speed data coverage is confined to major urban areas.

Also: Whatsapp

Ah-Watch

Do Verizon sell sims on their own? I always thought AT&T had the best coverage but looking at maps it looks like Verizon have the best coverage but they haven't the best data amounts or international texts included. I might just try T Mobile again and if it's poor I will just go and buy a Verizon or AT&T SIM card in the hope of better coverage. Any idea if the S5 I got from Vodafone will work on T Mobile or will I have to use the iPhone 5S (first world problems here )

cena

Ah-Watch wrote: »

Do Verizon sell sims on their own? I always thought AT&T had the best coverage but looking at maps it looks like Verizon have the best coverage but they haven't the best data amounts or international texts included. I might just try T Mobile again and if it's poor I will just go and buy a Verizon or AT&T SIM card in the hope of better coverage. Any idea if the S5 I got from Vodafone will work on T Mobile or will I have to use the iPhone 5S (first world problems here )

If the phone isn't locked to the Vodafone network

spideog7

Ah-Watch wrote: »

Do Verizon sell sims on their own? I always thought AT&T had the best coverage but looking at maps it looks like Verizon have the best coverage but they haven't the best data amounts or international texts included. I might just try T Mobile again and if it's poor I will just go and buy a Verizon or AT&T SIM card in the hope of better coverage. Any idea if the S5 I got from Vodafone will work on T Mobile or will I have to use the iPhone 5S (first world problems here )

Verizon don't use the GSM system used in Europe and the rest of the world so the phone hardware is totally different. That system rarely uses SIM cards it's typically embedded in the phone, some do but it's a different type of card and it won't work in a standard GSM phone.

What's the S5 model number (it will start SM-G900...)? They sell slightly different variants in different regions and they usually support different frequencies.

8bi1ctzegfouva

enaeknala1 wrote: »

Just back from NY today and cannot recommend readysim enough.! Does exactly what it says get all your local mins and texts but crucially the date.. Having a live map and GPS when roaming the streets is nothing short of crucial. Saves lots of time roaming aimlessly and constantly asking for directions.

Can whole heatedly advise using readysim!

sorry to dig up an old thread, how long did it take to get your sim from them?

Did you get it delivered to Ireland?

They say expedited shipping is 7-20 business days!!!

Thanks!

Ah-Watch

Certain Apple stores are retailing the AT&T gophone $60 plan with a sim for $30. I can't find it online anywhere but I know for a fact they're doing it and it includes the sim. you'll find the $60 plan online on att.com