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Best PAYG plan for travel to USA?

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  • 03-06-2014 9:08am
    #1
    Luck100
    Registered Users Posts: 878 ✭✭✭


    I'll be in the US for 10 days. I'm currently on Vodafone PAYG, and I'm wondering what's the best option for calls/text/data. Looks like 1.41/minute for calls (vodafone passport) and 50 euro/month data (vodafone connect abroad - can I even get that with PAYG?).

    Is there some better/cheaper option? Maybe buy a prepaid SIM when I get there? I found something called ReadSim online but the reviews on Amazon are terrible.


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    #2
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    Ive used prepay T-mobile with no issues. Got a sim in Walmart.
    http://www.walmart.com/ip/T-Mobile-Micro-SIM-Activation-Kit/24099996

    There's many others and coverage with tmobile can be poor outside of cities. Have a look on bestbuy.com, walmart.com etc and check each carrier for coverage in whatever area you'll be in.


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    #3
    IrishSkyBoxer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 269 ✭✭IrishSkyBoxer


    I'll be in the US for two weeks too, am currently on 48 network and roaming costs are insane. Would I be better off just buying a sim card when i get there???
    Anyone on here hardly has a spare US sim lying around that they could post to me and I throw a few quid on it? :)


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    #4
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭biko


    Don't roam, it's very very expensive.
    Just buy a sim, mr cheapo :D The one I linked to is 35 so the sim itself is about 4 euro, not breaking the bank exactly.


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    #5
    smurfjed
    Registered Users Posts: 10,085 ✭✭✭✭smurfjed


    At this stage i have about 20 sim cards for different countries (don't really know how many are still working :)), much cheaper than roaming charges. I got a unlocked wifi router, so i just need to get 1 sim card per country, i can use iMessage etc for text and Skype for calls. I obviously can't make local calls in that country with the router, but that have really creates a problem.


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    #6
    Luck100
    Registered Users Posts: 878 ✭✭✭Luck100


    Thanks for the tips. I ended up just using roaming, which was stupid expensive but I only needed a few minutes of calls. There was wifi pretty much everywhere so it was fine.


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    #7
    Mr Deeds
    Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭Mr Deeds


    Much better off buying a prepaid mobile when you get over there -
    I picked Samsung candy-bar phone up in Fred Meyer Supermarket for $8 and then bought a $30 card.
    Used my Irish smart-phone on free wi-fi to talk to people back home via Viber/Skype and the US one to call people in the US, but bear in mind all the US prepay plans seem to screw you because you pay when you answer a call and when you read a text, money comes off your balance - not really fair, but that was my experience of it.


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    #8
    Oonagh123
    Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭Oonagh123


    3UK have a great offer in now, £12.90 pm, and you can user your data, mins, calls etc at no extra cost (16 destinations, USA is included)
    You can take the deal out for 1 month contract at a time, so it might be worth looking into.


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    #9
    stevo25
    Registered Users Posts: 23 ✭stevo25


    3UK also offer it on PAYG, which is what I'm gonna use when back home in August. £15 top up is all thats needed. Also if your using your smartphone in USA add the app Magic jack it gives you a free number and allows free US calls. I use it in UK to call USA friends for free and they can call me back, it uses your data.


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