Mobile phone and data in the US for 3 weeks

Eye-Q

Eye-Q

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As you might already know I'll be on vacation for 3 weeks in the US with my mother. We don't want to do everything together and want to call people in the US so we want mobiles there. Additionally, I'd like to go online either via smartphone or laptop which is tethered via WLAN to the smartphone.

I have an unlocked iPhone 4S which is obviously compatible with GSM and CDMA, but my mother doesn't have a cell phone which is compatible with north american standards.
I prefer ordering it online, I already asked the first hotel we'll be staying at, I can order it getting shipped to them and get it when I check in.

So here is what I need:

  • a Micro-SIM-card for the iPhone, prepaid, preferrably including tethering, but I won't need more than 500 MB since most hotels have complementary Wi-Fi and I'd only need that when I'm at my uncle who doesn't have an Internet-connection at home
  • a cheap cell phone including a prepaid plan, but I think that will be only used 3-4 times over the whole 3 weeks so no need for unlimited something
Any recommendations for hassle-free, inexpensive options?
 
To be honest when I go to the states I generally just rely on free wifi which always seems to be available somewhere (far more than here for instance) and just wear the cost for the odd phone call - I don't think I've spent more than an additional $50 on my plan
 
Well, strictly speaking it's not "my" iPhone but a work phone. I am allowed to use it with another SIM-card but I'm not allowed to use the SIM-card there since the contract is pretty expensive abroad. Additionally as I said my mother doesn't have a mobile which is compatible at all so I have to get one for her anyway. If I order a mobile phone anyway I can chuck in a SIM-card for the iPhone as well.
 
fair enough, when I looked at it for me it wasn't worth the $ + effort but if you got no choice :/
 
OK, I investigated a bit more, and I think data is now on my low-priority-list since the situation of free Wi-Fi is totally different to Europe. I also talked to my uncle, he always goes to the library less than a mile away from his home when he wants to go online, that'll be enough for me.

So, I only need a SIM-card with a couple of minutes plus a cheap mobile including a SIM-card with a couple of minutes now.
How about H2O wireless? I found this:
  • ZTE F160 - 30$ (just for calling and being called, nothing more)
  • Micro SIM starter kit - 9.99$ (for the iPhone)
  • 2x 10$ Minute Plan (5 ct/min so both plans have 200 minutes which is obviously more than enough)
 
Check out T-Mobile. They recently went to prepaid only and mostly 'Bring your own device'. They have a BYOD plan for $50/month with unlimited talk, text and 500mb data. I didnt check out their plans that come with phones though.
 
I haven't been able to find what I need on the T-Mobile-website, and I think of myself as pretty keen in finding what I need on a website...
H2O wireless is stupid, too: if I purchase a SIM-card I have to take a plan, too, fair enough. But they have mobile phones, too, but if you want to purchase a mobile phone including SIM-card I have to take two plans (one for the phone, one for the SIM-card)... :blink:

So I gave up there, went to Red Pocket instead and took a Micro-SIM-card for 9.99$ and the unlimited plan with 100 MB of mobile web for 39.99$. 100 MB should be enough since as I already stated I only need it at my uncle's to check mails and check-in to the domestic flight to Las Vegas.

As for the no-frills phone for my mother: I found that there are vending machines with pre-paid phones at the airports so I'll go with them.
 
Last edited:
Eye-Q said:
So I gave up there, went to Red Pocket instead and took a Micro-SIM-card for 9.99$ and the unlimited plan with 100 MB of mobile web for 39.99$. 100 MB should be enough since as I already stated I only need it at my uncle's to check mails and check-in to the domestic flight to Las Vegas.
Click to expand...

Wait, did you buy it already?

If not, go with T-Mobile. Their website is stupidly complicated but once you start the activation, there is an option for a $30 per month prepaid plan with unlimited text and data an 100 minutes of talk (no contract). $10 activation kit.

But, in order to use their 3G/4G networks your phone has to support BOTH 1700Mhz and 2100Mhz. Ask me how I know...
 
Yes, I have since I wanted to have it by the time I arrive in NYC. Those 10$ don't make me poor so I went the easier way.
 
Have a fun trip!
 
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