Best bet for UK mobiles to be used in USA

merchcon55

getmore4less said:

merchcon55 said:

I'm in New York City at the moment and travel here often. Three PAYG Data SIM is the way to go - just buy one of their add on packs. Buying a US SIM is quite dear and in my view, is not worth it. If you PM me I'll tell you a few extra useful bits.
I don't know where in USA you are travelling to, but at the moment in NYC it's HOT HOT HOT - bring lots of shorts and t shirts !

if not needing the regular free 200MB a month a regular PAYG looks to be better value with the 30 day add ons for short trips to the US .

There is a HUGE difference in quality between the 3 Mobile SIM and the 3 DATA SIM when you are using it in USA - so quite right, the add on packs for the Mobile SIM are better value. But if you want decent speed internet then the DATA SIM is the way to go. I can't explain why this is the case, I just know it for a fact.

merchcon55

Exemplar said:

merchcon55 said:

I'm in New York City at the moment and travel here often. Three PAYG Data SIM is the way to go - just buy one of their add on packs. Buying a US SIM is quite dear and in my view, is not worth it. If you PM me I'll tell you a few extra useful bits.
I don't know where in USA you are travelling to, but at the moment in NYC it's HOT HOT HOT - bring lots of shorts and t shirts !

We go to NYC a lot (business and personal, our company office is 100 metres from the Staten Island Ferry terminal). I avoid any trips there from May to September as it's just too hot for me! I often used to walk out over one of the bridges and look back to see an orange haze over the city LOL.
Anyway we use 3 and the savings are amazing but you always have to remember that being a guest on another network means you are treated like a second class citizen and sometimes we have to swap networks a few times in a day. Last time we were there I was walking along 5th Avenue to the A&F store to get the kids some clothes and I could Facetime my wife walking along and in the store. 10 minutes later no reception at all! 

Please see my previous post - next time you go to NYC get a DATA SIM - when it uses AT+T I find I get a quite acceptable speed. Not so much so when it selects T-Mobile, so if it defaults to T-mobile, do a manual switch to AT+T. 

The last 3 days here have been VERY HOT, but not the typical NYC humidity. Today though - and for the next few days - extremely pleasant 25C with a breeze. Will be hitting the beach after 4pm NY time - one of NYC best secrets, ORCHARD BEACH in The Bronx. From South Ferry that's quite a trip - better to go to Rockaway Beach, also superb. The city spent big bucks fixing these places after Hurricane Sandy - they are clean and safe !

getmore4less

merchcon55 said:

getmore4less said:

merchcon55 said:

I'm in New York City at the moment and travel here often. Three PAYG Data SIM is the way to go - just buy one of their add on packs. Buying a US SIM is quite dear and in my view, is not worth it. If you PM me I'll tell you a few extra useful bits.
I don't know where in USA you are travelling to, but at the moment in NYC it's HOT HOT HOT - bring lots of shorts and t shirts !

if not needing the regular free 200MB a month a regular PAYG looks to be better value with the 30 day add ons for short trips to the US .

There is a HUGE difference in quality between the 3 Mobile SIM and the 3 DATA SIM when you are using it in USA - so quite right, the add on packs for the Mobile SIM are better value. But if you want decent speed internet then the DATA SIM is the way to go. I can't explain why this is the case, I just know it for a fact.

Thanks been happy with the regular PAYG 321 but that's gone.
WiFi main use data is backup.

Data SIM for next visit, whenever that is, see how that goes, 

chistery

Every time I try Three outside of the EU it's really bad when roaming, except for social media.
What network are you on now? EE have Roam Further for £10 a month. Vodafone have Global Roaming Plus. Three is not the only option if you don't want a local SIM.

ALIBOBSY

Jon_01 said:

I use a 3 payg every time I go over there. I'm over there for a week at time.
Just remember that the allowance is only to call UK numbers, you can't call a US number without getting hit with international call changes.  If you need to call US numbers you need to get a payg sim over there.
Also, I've found if you use your phone a lot over a short time the roaming networks over there will log you out for a while.

I have been trying to find the answer to this, but if hubby and I are both in the USA on holiday in 2022 (should have been there this year but a certain problem stopped that) does the free calls to UK numbers apply if we ring each other on UK mobiles but both roaming in the US at the time?

eDicky

ALIBOBSY said:

does the free calls to UK numbers apply if we ring each other on UK mobiles but both roaming in the US at the time?

Yes, it will be a call to a UK +44 number, regardless of where that phone is roaming. Receiving the call (in US) will also have no roaming charges.

macman

If you are going to be in NYC, isn't there enough free wi-fi access to take care of most of your data needs that way?

mrcamp

OP, if you are in NYC, then there should not be any issues finding free Wifi to use. 

merchcon55

mrcamp said:

OP, if you are in NYC, then there should not be any issues finding free Wifi to use. 

Well Yes and No - I'm quite surprised how many large "non free WIFI" areas of Manhattan there are. Very limited in the outer boroughs (well at least The Bronx and Queens where I have been so far this stay).

All buses have free Wifi (MTA wifi signal) - if you are near a bus and it's stopped for an extended period of time you will be able to use its signal outside of the bus - happened to work very well yesterday.

There are also SIM cards you can buy on ebay (USA) that are pre-loaded and have for example 2GB for 30 days - I got one as a test for $10 and i must say works very very well - with the added benefit of a USA number, which for me is useful. I got the SIM once I was here - but no doubt some of the sellers would send to UK in advance of coming.

Exemplar

merchcon55 said:

mrcamp said:

OP, if you are in NYC, then there should not be any issues finding free Wifi to use. 

Well Yes and No - I'm quite surprised how many large "non free WIFI" areas of Manhattan there are. Very limited in the outer boroughs (well at least The Bronx and Queens where I have been so far this stay).

All buses have free Wifi (MTA wifi signal) - if you are near a bus and it's stopped for an extended period of time you will be able to use its signal outside of the bus - happened to work very well yesterday.

There are also SIM cards you can buy on ebay (USA) that are pre-loaded and have for example 2GB for 30 days - I got one as a test for $10 and i must say works very very well - with the added benefit of a USA number, which for me is useful. I got the SIM once I was here - but no doubt some of the sellers would send to UK in advance of coming.

This LOL, I stand for ages outside places use WIFI sometimes (when the boss is shopping normally). I find teh free WIFI in Tiffanys on the 5th floor to be very fast though.