Using phone for US..severalo Qs please

portchieboy

Ok. Going on hols in NY and Nth Carolina. Will want to use a mobile for internal (US) calls and texts, and to call home. Given questions below, data may be useful for mapping etc, though will be taking an I Pad as well.


Now I think even a 5yr old knows more than I about Mobiles. So some obvious questions first please.


I have a Galaxy S3 on EE, 4G enabled. Could I use that in US, or is it going to cost me a fortune. If I do take it, can someone tell me exactly what controls should be on or off, I really don't understand 'roaming' etc, except it can cost a blooming fortune!


I use Virgin at home for landline, so do have an App downloaded whereby I can use my home minutes, in a WiFi zone, for free calls to UK, ie to aged parents!


I do have a cheap Nokia 1800 bought in US 5 years ago, with a Net10 SIM card. I believe I could get that card switched on again, and top up with $20 air time.


Several choices, so totally confused!


Thanks

grumbler

http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=4238&idPhone2=0
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100

http://www.gsmarena.com/network-bands.php3
UNITED STATES
2G capabilities GSM 850, GSM 1900
3G capabilities UMTS 850, UMTS 1900, UMTS 1700, UMTS 2100

So, the answer is yes, generally it will work (hardly a surprise), but it's worth contacting your network and ask as some functionality can be limited.

Check the roaming prices. Data roaming is likely to be prohibitively expensive. Switch Data Roaming off in Settings >> Wireless and networks (or similar). In the same place it's worth switching Mobile Data off altogether.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_virtual_network_operators
Net10 use GSM 850/1900, UMTS 1700/1900, so your S3 is likely to work with their sim card. For mobile data you'll probably need to change the settings: http://www.net10byop.com/program.php

portchieboy

Thanks Grumbler. Sorry, as I say, my knowledge is limited. From the sounds of it, if roaming (ie data usage?) is going to be high, probably best to leave the Samsung for the UK calls, and use the little old Nokia for the Net10 service?


Forget Roaming, can cope well without.