Voice & Data Travel SIM for use in USA

davec93

Hi, I'm looking for recommendations for a phone SIM card to use while on holiday in the USA.  I need both voice (for local calls) and data.  I have an unlocked phone which works in the USA.  I visit a couple of times a year for 2 to 3 weeks a time but don't want to be paying a monthly contract.

Any suggestions?

eDicky

Have a look at Three PAYG, I'm not certain but I think you can still roam inclusively when you purchase a 30-day bundle.

HogMan

Smarty (part of Three) is another option. For me it worked out cheaper than Three itself. You purchase an add on allowance for roaming in the USA.

I found that most hotels, airports, stores and restuarants in the US had free WIFI and so did not actually use much of the  allowance I purchased.

Smarty allows you move back any unspent credit back onto the main phone account.

As you may be aware you pay to both make and receive calls in the US therefore using something like Skype for local calls is much cheaper.

stoneman

eDicky said:

Have a look at Three PAYG, I'm not certain but I think you can still roam inclusively when you purchase a 30-day bundle.

That’s what I do. Top up £10 and get 16GB  of data and unlimited calls and texts. Be careful when you apply it because it’s only good for 30 days

Now here’s a thing. I just used it in the US a few weeks ago. You can keep track of your usage via the Three PAYG app. I started off with 30GB and after 9 days of constant you I still had 30GB. It never moved!

My wife had the same experience 

stoneman

HogMan said:

Smarty (part of Three) is another option. For me it worked out cheaper than Three itself. You purchase an add on allowance for roaming in the USA.

I found that most hotels, airports, stores and restuarants in the US had free WIFI and so did not actually use much of the  allowance I purchased.

Smarty allows you move back any unspent credit back onto the main phone account.

As you may be aware you pay to both make and receive calls in the US therefore using something like Skype for local calls is much cheaper.

You have to pay full whack for data and calls in the US with Smarty. There is no set plan, you just buy an out of plan bundle, basically topping up your account. They charge 10/mb for Data and 50p/minute calls. 

Three PAYG is a far better option.

Smudge's_Lot

I went to the US in Apr 19 and wanted one of the sim cards that you see all over the place in the UK with included Data and calls for £5/£10 etc that you can get in supermarkets/train stations/airports etc.....

In the US, I tried everywhere but was a big no. Tried an AT&T shop, was told I had to take a contract out, not required ona week stay.

Bonhomie

If you don't need much in the way of data and you want to make local calls in the USA; https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans/pay-go

If you want to use Roaming instead, using the allowance from a UK SIM, you can get up to 12 GB with Three UK: https://www.three.co.uk/payg-data-packs

https://www.three.co.uk/go-roam

Local calls aren't included, but you can call back to the UK if calls are included in your package.

Bonhomie

Smudge's_Lot said:

I went to the US in Apr 19 and wanted one of the sim cards that you see all over the place in the UK with included Data and calls for £5/£10 etc that you can get in supermarkets/train stations/airports etc.....

In the US, I tried everywhere but was a big no. Tried an AT&T shop, was told I had to take a contract out, not required ona week stay.

https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans/pay-go