For all non-Virgin travel topics, with subforums for popular common themes.
#919209 by catsilversword
26 Mar 2016, 12:35
Hi,

Can anyone advise what the current best deal is for getting a US nano sim? I have an unlocked iPhone (5s) and ideally would like to have to option of using it for my upcoming trip to the US. I think 3 has been mentioned before, but I'm not with them, so don't think I can get a card for short term use that way.

I bewildered by what is out there. The last time I went, I got a card from - er, Telco or Telstar. I received it in the UK and activated as advised, but in fact it didn't work in the US at all, so a waste of time, money and effort.

Does anyone have any good tips for getting a prepaid nano sim that actually works????
#919210 by mitchja
26 Mar 2016, 13:32
The easiest thing to do is call into either a T-Mobile US or a AT&T phone shop once you arrive in the US. Not 100% sure about AT&T but T-Mobile US do sell pre-pay (PAYG) plans. I would think AT&T do so as well. AT&T or T-Mobile US are the only GSM mobile networks in the US that are fully compatible with UK handsets.

Other US mobile networks such as Virgin Mobile US, Verizon or Sprint are not fully compatible with UK GSM handsets so unless you plan on buying a handset to use in the US, don't buy from them.

I purchased a T-Mobile US 4G/LTE wifi dongle in San Francisco last year. It cost me $90 though after setting up an online account for it, T-Mobile then credited me with $60 of credit to my online account :)
#919211 by AlecK
26 Mar 2016, 13:34
it's not the cheapest way out there but this is what I have done for 3 trips a year for the last 3 years and I'm here now using one.
Search ebay for h2o nano sim and check the seller is cellplan4U. Buy one, he posts it to you and will activate it the day before you travel with the area code for the city you tell him. Fit the sim in flight. Pause as you exit the airport and a text message will arrive re data set up. Use the airport free wifi to complete set up. Exit airport with fully working US phone with 4GLTE data.
#919212 by AlecK
26 Mar 2016, 13:51
I've just checked what we paid - £49.99 for simcard inc $60 plan - includes unlimited US calls texts and 3gb of 4gLTE data, plus $20 of international calls and texts. It compares well with US prices - in best buy they charge $10 for the sim starter pack plus the $60 top up = $70 which at 1.4/£1 = £50. H2O use the ATT nework so no compatibility issues.
#919213 by mitchja
26 Mar 2016, 13:54
T-Mobile US pre-pay plans start from $40 where you get unlimited calls / texts & 3Gb of 4G/LTE data lasting 30days. Details here

For another $15 you can add on the full International calling plan add-on which includes UK landlines & UK mobiles in your calls allowance as well. Not sure if that includes texts as well though sorry?

So for $65 (~£46) that should give you everything you need for 30 days plus you may also get something credited to your account if you set up an online account with T-Mobile. I haven't yet tried topping up this account using a UK credit card though as I'm still working my way through my initial credit so no idea if that is possible sorry?

After using both networks whilst in the US, I do find T-Mobile better than AT&T for coverage and data speeds (though don't expect the same fast 30Mbps+ 4G/LTE data speeds we see here in the UK!)
#919214 by Vegascrazy
26 Mar 2016, 14:19
I'm on Three here in the UK and have found their "Feel at Home" when abroad unbeatable. Simply use as normal in the USA, no extra charges whatsoever, unlimited data.
#919217 by tontybear
26 Mar 2016, 14:50
What do you need it for? Just checking email and posting on Facebook or for actual calls? Apps like Skype and what's app can get you free calls using wifi

I just rely on hooking upto wifi in the hotel and most attractions etc also have free wifi and some cities also have free wifi too.
#919219 by mitchja
26 Mar 2016, 15:16
If anyone uses Three's PAYG SIM's for Feel at Home whilst roaming, from March 31st they are increasing their PAYG add-ons prices by £5. The current £20 all-you-can east data / 3000 texts / 300 mins add-on will increase to £25.

The £20 add-on will no longer include all-you-can-eat UK data but just 12GB instead.

The feel-at-home roaming data allowance has also been reduced to 12GB now (it's never been unlimited when roaming even if you have unlimited UK data. I think it used to be something like 20 - 25GB perviously).
#919221 by Silver Fox
26 Mar 2016, 17:37
I use Toggle mobile: http://www.togglemobile.co.uk/home/en, you can register for local numbers in a number of countries including the US. The drama with having to go to a shop and having to endure a sales pitch when I know what I want drives me nuts in the US.
#919223 by Vegascrazy
26 Mar 2016, 17:40
mitchja wrote:If anyone uses Three's PAYG SIM's for Feel at Home whilst roaming, from March 31st they are increasing their PAYG add-ons prices by £5. The current £20 all-you-can east data / 3000 texts / 300 mins add-on will increase to £25.

The £20 add-on will no longer include all-you-can-eat UK data but just 12GB instead.

The feel-at-home roaming data allowance has also been reduced to 12GB now (it's never been unlimited when roaming even if you have unlimited UK data. I think it used to be something like 20 - 25GB perviously).


I never knew there was a limit James, I've never been charged anything extra in any of the Feel at Home countries, including USA? I know Three are increasing their tariff's slightly but their letter still says "all you can eat" data from what I can see. The only mention of 12GB is where they say "On our All-you-can-eat data plans, you can use up to 12GB of your data each month to create a Personal Hotspot within the UK. - so surely the limit is only on tethering?
#919224 by Silver Fox
26 Mar 2016, 17:45
Vegascrazy wrote:
mitchja wrote:If anyone uses Three's PAYG SIM's for Feel at Home whilst roaming, from March 31st they are increasing their PAYG add-ons prices by £5. The current £20 all-you-can east data / 3000 texts / 300 mins add-on will increase to £25.

The £20 add-on will no longer include all-you-can-eat UK data but just 12GB instead.

The feel-at-home roaming data allowance has also been reduced to 12GB now (it's never been unlimited when roaming even if you have unlimited UK data. I think it used to be something like 20 - 25GB perviously).


I never knew there was a limit James, I've never been charged anything extra in any of the Feel at Home countries, including USA? I know Three are increasing their tariff's slightly but their letter still says "all you can eat" data from what I can see. The only mention of 12GB is where they say "On our All-you-can-eat data plans, you can use up to 12GB of your data each month to create a Personal Hotspot within the UK. - so surely the limit is only on tethering?


There is a cap and tethering is not allowed:
"All-you-can-eat data can only be used abroad when you’re in a Feel At Home destination, and is limited to 12GB of data use. If you’re on a plan which allows Personal Hotspot use, this isn't permitted in a Feel At Home destination."

Second bullet:

http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI-BIN ... %283833%29
#919225 by Vegascrazy
26 Mar 2016, 18:04
Thanks Silverfox, yes I knew tethering wasn't included which never bothered me as have never tethered. I guess, in a Feel at Home country, I've never gone over the 12GB, even though I use my phone for data a hell of lot when in the USA! I'm going to still stick with Three even though they're increasing the monthly charges purely because of the Feel at Home benefit.
#919241 by sky0000547
27 Mar 2016, 16:33
catsilversword wrote:I think 3 has been mentioned before, but I'm not with them, so don't think I can get a card for short term use that way.


You can actually use Three short term. You can order a PAYG sim online for free or if you can't wait for snail mail then pop into a Three store and get a sim. They will charge you £1 for the sim but if you top up at the same time then the sim is free.

Convert the credit into an add on then you will have 'Feel at Home'. Ensure that international roaming has been activated.

The only issue with Feel at Home is that they cap the data speed which will restrict any video streaming.
#919242 by catsilversword
27 Mar 2016, 16:42
Thanks everyone!

The 3 feel at home thingy isn't what I looking for really as I don't tend to call home. If I have needed to in the past (for example, a couple of years ago, my mum was very ill), I used FaceTime. I also have Skype, for non-iPad family members. So no, it isn't for calling home. For going online, I'll use my iPad for going online, courtesy of free wifi - will also use free wifi for whatsapp.

My prime need is to be able to call within the US - which would probably only been case of an emergency, the place we have rented doesn't have a landline (finding this is increasingly the case) it's easy to maybe dismiss this as a need - but our rental car broke down a year or to ago, thankfully while we were near a restaurant, but I realised how easily we could have been stuck ,with no means of getting hold of emergency services.

Will have a look at the toggle site - with A T and T/T-Mobile, don you need to go into into one of their shops to sort this out?????
#919253 by Silver Fox
27 Mar 2016, 20:13
catsilversword - my experience of the US is that to get the SIM you either get it through the post or you have to go into a phone shop for ATT and T-Mo. It's not like over here where you trip over SIMs in all manner of shops. It was one reason I went for Toggle and I have it in a dual SIM phone so I don't have to carry two phones.
#919263 by PilotWolf
28 Mar 2016, 00:22
Net10 is pretty good. Not sure if you can get the SIM in shops but my new one for the Iphone took 2 days from ordering to arrive.

I originally had an unlocked 3GS from the UK when I moved here permanently and it worked fine. They use ATT network.

$49 per month unlimited data/calls/texts.

W.
Virgin Atlantic

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