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Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 07 Mar 2014, 18:33
by locutus
Trevski220 wrote:So do you request the free sim then top up £15 or do you buy the all in one 15?

What expiry does the 3 mobile sim have?


Order a free SIM online, then add the £15 add-on when needed, before you travel. Not sure about how long you can leave it before it expires, but you can always just order another SIM.

Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 07 Mar 2014, 20:41
by mitchja
UK PAYG accounts will generally only last between 3 - 6 months without any use before they stop working.

Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 01 Apr 2014, 22:40
by at240
Apologies for bumping this but I've just realised my tmobile USA PAYG sim has expired and so am looking into alternatives.

The three package does look attractive -- am I right in thinking that you buy a PAYG SIM, get the £15 add-on, and that then is usable in the USA through their 'Feel at Home' arrangement (up to 25GB data plus UK rates to make and receive calls)? That strikes me as being a pretty decent deal. What's the catch? :)

edit: it would be 3G data in the US, right? That was the major drawback with the tmobile offer.

Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 02 Apr 2014, 10:58
by locutus
at240 wrote:Apologies for bumping this but I've just realised my tmobile USA PAYG sim has expired and so am looking into alternatives.

The three package does look attractive -- am I right in thinking that you buy a PAYG SIM, get the £15 add-on, and that then is usable in the USA through their 'Feel at Home' arrangement (up to 25GB data plus UK rates to make and receive calls)? That strikes me as being a pretty decent deal. What's the catch? :)

edit: it would be 3G data in the US, right? That was the major drawback with the tmobile offer.


That's correct. Yes, it's 3G but I normally get fairly decent speeds. I was getting over 10Mbps on T-Mobile when in the US.

Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 02 Apr 2014, 11:31
by at240
Thanks locutus, much appreciated. 3G will be fine -- my old tmobile was 2G and it really felt slooooow. :)

Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 02 Apr 2014, 11:34
by locutus
at240 wrote:Thanks locutus, much appreciated. 3G will be fine -- my old tmobile was 2G and it really felt slooooow. :)


I think for T-Mobile it helps if you have a pentaband phone, but try AT&T if not, and you may get better speeds with them. With Three you can roam on either.

Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 02 Apr 2014, 22:46
by Silver Fox
If you "need" to have a local USA number try Toggle. I use them, they are OK.

Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 03 Apr 2014, 08:09
by at240
Thanks Silver Fox. Previously I had a local number but I don't really need it - the advantage was avoiding the roaming charges to receive calls on my uk mobile, but the Three offer seems to get around that too.

Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 13 Apr 2014, 15:19
by at240
Well, just to report back, many thanks for the advice here (particularly locutus) -- the Three deal worked brilliantly for me and I can certainly recommend it. I've had decent 3G reception and it has really made life a lot easier than the poor 2G T-mobile service I previously used. The free minutes and texts to the UK are great.

Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 13 Apr 2014, 15:28
by Luke12
Great news at240 - looking forward to using my new Three deal on the next trip!

Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 16 Apr 2014, 08:56
by Dave Adkins
Thanks for all the info/help guys I've gone onto a 4G plan that gives me unlimited calls/txts in the US WooHoo I'll add the Data plan if/when I need it.

Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 16 Apr 2014, 10:24
by Smid
I was interested whether Cancun/Mexico (which seems to be virtually the US as a destination) was covered by the 3 thing, but sadly no:

"You can currently enjoy Feel At Home in 11 destinations around the world: USA, Italy, the Republic of Ireland, Austria, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau."

Very weird that you can use your phones in US, Oz, Hong Kong and the likes but will be switching it off when visit Belgium next weekend.

Re: Mobile Use in the US

PostPosted: 08 Jul 2014, 14:19
by daviec1
Some great advice- just ordered up 2 free 3 PAYG SIMs for me and the far better half for forthcoming visit to Land of Mouse - going to be a massively cheaper way of staying in contact with home, using data and contacting each other when we take children to different places - o2 will not budge on their astronomical rates - for example 50MB for 33.80 +VAT in USA.

3 PAYG All in One 15 package - £15 for 25GB plus 300 mins at 3p per min plus 3000 text.

Just going to set up incoming call divert from current 02 number to new 3 PAYG number for duration of hol.

Simples.