USA Sim Cards

[testcard]

Looking at the call costs for my daughter's payg mobile for use in the states they seem a tad high.

The phone is tri band/ unlocked, there seem to be a lot of sites selling ready to go sims for use on while holiday. The savings on calls is high.

The chances the phone will be used a lot, mainly for incoming calls as its my daughter on holiday with friends.

Any advice?

[Scrubbs]

Have you enquired/looked at the payg site she is with? there might be some info on there?

[Paul]

You can get call cards over in america which work out very reasonable for calling home on. Last time I was in Orlando we used one and it was cheaper than a mobile call on a contract phone with international roaming on it.

[testcard]

Originally Posted by Scrubbs

Have you enquired/looked at the payg site she is with? there might be some info on there?

Yes there was nothing available, but that's o2
__________________

Originally Posted by Paul

You can get call cards over in america which work out very reasonable for calling home on. Last time I was in Orlando we used one and it was cheaper than a mobile call on a contract phone with international roaming on it.

Cheers, but my daughter would not buy one in the states (any one with daughters will understand this) so I would like it sorted before she goes.

[ThePinkRat]

You can get a SIM in the UK for use in the US. I got a PAYG SIM a couple of years ago when I was going to the States for a month (T-Mobile that can be topped up at 7-Eleven and other places). The advantage of getting it before you go is that you know what your phone number will be when in the US. They are a lot more expensive than European SIMs though: it cost me about £40 (and I don't think they've come down much since) although that did include some calls (maybe $20 -- can't quite recall). Still works out cheaper than roaming pretty quickly. The other thing to remember is that in the US you pay to receive calls on a mobile (unlike Europe) -- not a great deal though. Basically the phone number you get is the same as a landline -- I got to choose what area code I wanted -- which is why it costs to receive a call. I had a triband phone -- there are now quadbands as the US have added another band -- not sure which operators use the new band. Worth checking whether that is needed now. Also, check coverage: mobile networks are not as advanced as over here -- it is a very big country with a much sparser population so the economics are different. That said, the cities will not be a problem (I was somewhat off the beaten track on occasions).

[testcard]

Thanks PinkRat

The point about incoming charges is important.
Costs 99p per min on o2.

I can phone a US mobile for 2p a min which is bizarre

[punky]

Don't forget the big difference between US and UK cellular calls, is that in the Us on cell plans, you pay for incoming calls... I think you still do on UK cell international roaming, but tis something to bear in mind.