SIM cards for USA

diw2015

Hi all, looking for some advice.

At the end of the month myself and my fianc! (plus our families) are heading to Hawaii to get married. After that we are honeymooning on West Coast USA. Can't wait, anyway....

While we are over there we would ideally like to keep in contact with each other's family (staying at diff hotel etc) and also have a bit of data on the phones in case we need it. Once we then go to west coast of USA (on our own) we would ideally like to be able to text/phone home at a reasonable rate, with a bit of data thrown in.

Have read a few things about various different sims to get but was looking for some first hand advice on what to get or what website to order through? We both have iPhones. Any other advice greatly appreciated also!

Apologies if in wrong thread, toyed with putting in mobile thread. Thanks!

jeddentad

It's possibly a bit late now, BUT on the off chance either of you are on 3, Feel At Home now extends to the US and you can use your 3 sim in the US just as if you were in the UK. Just have to call to turn on international roaming.

I used it back in March, it was really brilliant.

http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBISAPI.DLL?Command=New,Kb=Mobile,Ts=Mobile,T=Article,varset_cat=roaming,varset_subcat=4157,Case=EXT%28EM11925%29

Roger1

Also take a look at Toggle.

3p per minute to UK and US landlines and mobiles, several other countries too. You need to register and get a US number. Check details at https://www.togglemobile.co.uk .

I've used mine in the US for local and UK calls, and in Switzerland for local and UK calls. (Calls to Swiss mobiles are 9p/minute, though.)

ic

I too used Three PAYG sims in NYC - we bought from Amazon when it was something like £10, but came preloaded with the normal £15 bundle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Adapters-Preloaded-minutes-Unlimited/dp/B00ABJ0WA8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401796833&sr=8-1&keywords=three+pay+as+you+go+sim+card

Used it for phone calls, texts and data all the time without ever topping up. Was great to have the use of maps, calendars and the web in general whilst out and about.

teffers

I'm also travelling to the US at the end of the month (Florida) - congratulations on the wedding diw2015 :-)

From what I'd read, I was going to just go for a local T-Mobile Sim card when I got there - only really bothered about data.

silvercar

We use the BT smart talk app to phone back to the UK. It uses data rather than calls/ texts.

We use WhatsApp instead of texting.

We rely on hotel or Starbucks wifi for data.

If you are thinking of a local SIM you need to find out if your iphones are locked.

van22663

Not sure who you are flying with but Virgin sell one on board..cannot remember what it was called but it was £25. I just paid £40 for my daughter to use an Ulysee sim in Florida. Waste of money, very very confusing..and Im not thick but its not at all straightforward.

diw2015

Thanks for all the replies so far guys, really appreciate it.

The more I think about it it would mostly be data that we would be requiring. iMessages use data when in wifi or 3G area (should have 3G) most of the time) and can always FaceTime to phone home. Would be using tripadvisor and google maps also I'm guessing, when outside of wifi.

Would I be best just getting a pay as you go sim with data and minutes etc loaded into it? Would i need to just insert this into my phone or would I need to get my handset unlocked? Best just getting one over there?

ferf1223

Roger1 wrote: »

3p per minute to UK and US landlines and mobiles, several other countries too. You need to register and get a US number. Check details at https://www.togglemobile.co.uk

I'm being lazy in not trying to find the answer myself, I know...can you keep a US number forever regardless of how often you use it? Or do you have to use it every XX period to keep the number?

This sounds like the best one for my purposes (primarily to have a US number that friends and family in the US can call me on when I am in the US)...but would be better if I knew I would have the number as long as I wanted even if I didn't use it for 6 months, etc.

diw2015

ic wrote: »

I too used Three PAYG sims in NYC - we bought from Amazon when it was something like £10, but came preloaded with the normal £15 bundle:

Used it for phone calls, texts and data all the time without ever topping up. Was great to have the use of maps, calendars and the web in general whilst out and about.

Were you a three customer?

Was looking at threes 'feeling at home' offer and it said I had to be a customer for 30 days? I am going next month.

Would I just need to purchase it and then the feel at home would be available within 30 days or would I need to buy it, activate it and use it in my phone for 30 days?

Claremac

I think how it works is you can get a PAYG SIM, buy an add-on for £15 which gives you enough minutes texts and data and, as it's PAYG roaming is automatically switched on. If you have a monthly plan you hav eto wait 30 days to get roaming switched on. You might want to check exactly how it works in a Three store though.