Short term SIM Cards in the US

[+ g56whiz]

I'll be hosting a German guest for three weeks in November. When he visited in 2000, he brought a cellphone and installed a SIM card he bought in Germany that was supposed to work in the US. It didn't. More recently in Asia I've used rather inexpensive short term local SIM cards in my iPhone (its unlocked). This time he'll be bringing his Triband Mobile, an HTC One. I'm hoping one of our traveling pro's can suggest what he should use this time. Thanks.

[+ not2rowdy]

It’s NEVER simple!

 

Even though he has a “tri-band” HTC One that might not be enough. Probably depends on where in the USA he will be going.

GSM Bands: 850 & 1900 are basically for North America

GSM Bands: 900 & 1800 are basically for Europe and Middle East.

 

So he likely has at least one “USA” band. But not all areas support both bands.

 

The two major USA providers using GSM are AT&T and T-Mobile.

 

T-Mobile is a major provider also in Germany. So his best best would likely be a prepaid T-Mobil SIM card. Do a Google search (prepaid SIM cards).

 

Here is one possibility that also has a map showing coverage - but that is likely for both USA GSM bands and he may only have one of those bands.

 

http://www.prepaidusasim.com

 

Even though the last time it didn’t work for him it still might make sense for him to go to a German T-Mobile retailer and get a card there that can also be used in the USA. They may even rent him a phone he could use that would cover both USA bands.

 

Or, go to WalMart here and get a simple phone for him to use. Some offer free (or very cheap) international texting so he can keep in contact with home.

 

Google Voice, WhatsApp or Skype might be another option or backup.

[+ not2rowdy]

It’s NEVER Simple - Part 2

 

Then you have to be careful about “roaming” ability. In the USA there are a lot of small “regional” providers that provide local area coverage. Some of these areas are quite large covering large portions of entire states. The “national” carriers have reciprocity agreements with these “regional” carriers to use each other’s cell phone tower infrastructure. If your friend will be visiting certain areas of the USA where service is provided by a regional carrier it is important that his primary service provider plan allows roaming. Just because he has AT&T or T-Mobile doesn’t mean that it will allow roaming.

 

For example, if you go to WalMart and get an AT&T “burner” phone it might work ONLY on AT&T cell towers. It will not necessarily roam to T-Mobile or other “regional” carriers if an AT&T tower is not available. You can drive 100’s of miles out west without AT&T (or T-Mobile) service because the service in that area is provided by a regional carrier. So it’s important to ask questions and look at the coverage charts before making a decision. And most salespeople at Walmart will have no clue what you’re talking about when it comes to roaming coverage.

 

So, for “burner” phones, especially out west, you are likely better off with a Verizon phone (or a company that uses the Verizon network). They have the best national coverage using their own cell towers - which alleviates the roaming side of the equation. But Verizon uses CDMA technology which is totally incompatible with GSM which your German friend’s phone uses.

[Steven_Draker]

When he visited in 2000, he brought a cellphone and installed a SIM card he bought in Germany that was supposed to work in the US. It didn't ...

 

Many things have changed since 2000 ...

 

If you have an unlocked iPhone, it should work on any continent by simply replacing your old SIM card with a local SIM card (except in Japan). There you need to rent a phone from the airport.

 

In the US: if you don't have an iPhone, go to the nearest AT&T wireless store and buy a flip phone for $20 and get a Pay As You Go SIM card, then select your plan. No contract required.