Mobile Phones in the US
 

Hi,

We will be road travelling through the western US next month. I have a
tri-band mobile phone, but think that global roaming charges (from
Australian account) may too expensive for regular use. Are there fairly
cheap pre-paid phone or SIM card packages avaliable in the US, and if so
where are they available and what might be the approximate costs? What about
hiring a phone from the rental car company?

Thanks,
Keith

Mobile Phones in the US
 

On 6/20/2006 6:39 PM Keith wrote:
Hi,

We will be road travelling through the western US next month. I have a
tri-band mobile phone, but think that global roaming charges (from
Australian account) may too expensive for regular use. Are there fairly
cheap pre-paid phone or SIM card packages avaliable in the US, and if so
where are they available and what might be the approximate costs? What about
hiring a phone from the rental car company?

Thanks,
Keith



You'll find them in Target Stores, Staples, Best Buy to name a few.
Trac Phone is one that comes to mind. There are others.

--
________
To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951

Mobile Phones in the US
 

On 2006-06-21 01:37:38 -0400, Brian K said:

On 6/20/2006 6:39 PM Keith wrote:
Hi,

We will be road travelling through the western US next month. I have a
tri-band mobile phone, but think that global roaming charges (from
Australian account) may too expensive for regular use. Are there fairly
cheap pre-paid phone or SIM card packages avaliable in the US, and if
so where are they available and what might be the approximate costs?
What about hiring a phone from the rental car company?

Thanks,
Keith


You'll find them in Target Stores, Staples, Best Buy to name a few.
Trac Phone is one that comes to mind. There are others.

However, WATCH OUT for Trac Phone! There are places where roaming is
impossible.

Mobile Phones in the US
 

On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 05:37:38 GMT, Brian K
wrote:

On 6/20/2006 6:39 PM Keith wrote:
Hi,

We will be road travelling through the western US next month. I have a
tri-band mobile phone, but think that global roaming charges (from
Australian account) may too expensive for regular use. Are there fairly
cheap pre-paid phone or SIM card packages avaliable in the US, and if so
where are they available and what might be the approximate costs? What about
hiring a phone from the rental car company?

You'll find them in Target Stores, Staples, Best Buy to name a few.
Trac Phone is one that comes to mind. There are others.

Aren't the setup and per-minute charges outrageous? I used a T-Mobile
Sim card in my triband phone on one trip to the US and never again.
It's cheaper to pay the outrageous roaming charges from my Italian
provider. Actually my provider this year instituted a fairly
reasonably priced roaming plan.
--
Barbara Vaughan

My email address is my first initial followed by my last name at libero dot it.

Mobile Phones in the US
 

Keith wrote:

We will be road travelling through the western US next month. I have a
tri-band mobile phone, but think that global roaming charges (from
Australian account) may too expensive for regular use. Are there fairly
cheap pre-paid phone or SIM card packages avaliable in the US, and if so
where are they available and what might be the approximate costs? What about
hiring a phone from the rental car company?

Assuming your mobile phone uses GSM-Technology: might
be worth first to check gsm-coverage for the area you plan
to travel at www.gsm.org more specifically
http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_us.shtml
otherwise you will find yourself with a gsm prepaid package
and still pay roaming for having to use an other service
providers network. Or at least you can check roaming
partners to your service provider in the US and the prices.

I have no first hand experience for the US, but have given
up such plans for trips to Canada (average once a year) as
prepaid SIM-cards are offered with very limited services at
relatively high prices (compared to Europe) - for example,
international calls limited to a very few countries only .... .

Looks like its less expensive using international roaming
on a decent contract with a national provider - or, what I try
to do on such travel, use SMS whenever possible.

If you expect to do lots of "local" calls, renting a cellular
phone might then be the appropriate solution (not necessarily
gsm!)

Mobile Phones in the US
 

On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 11:39:03 +1000, "Keith" wrote:

Hi,

We will be road travelling through the western US next month. I have a
tri-band mobile phone, but think that global roaming charges (from
Australian account) may too expensive for regular use. Are there fairly
cheap pre-paid phone or SIM card packages avaliable in the US, and if so
where are they available and what might be the approximate costs? What about
hiring a phone from the rental car company?

Thanks,
Keith

Keith, I used a Cingular sim card when over in May ( East coast
though) It cost 20 US dollars and top-up ranged from 10$ upwards.

Well pleased with them they were very helpful in advice on which kind
of sim card to get.
Elizabeth in Renfrewshire, Scotland.
Removex to reply

Mobile Phones in the US
 

Elizabeth wrote:
On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 11:39:03 +1000, "Keith" wrote:

Hi,

We will be road travelling through the western US next month. I have a
tri-band mobile phone, but think that global roaming charges (from
Australian account) may too expensive for regular use. Are there fairly
cheap pre-paid phone or SIM card packages avaliable in the US, and if so
where are they available and what might be the approximate costs? What about
hiring a phone from the rental car company?

Thanks,
Keith

Keith, I used a Cingular sim card when over in May ( East coast
though) It cost 20 US dollars and top-up ranged from 10$ upwards.

Well pleased with them they were very helpful in advice on which kind
of sim card to get.

Yes Cingular sim card is the ticket. Find out if there is a Cingular
store near where you are going to be staying.


Elizabeth in Renfrewshire, Scotland.
Removex to reply

Mobile Phones in the US
 

Keith wrote:
Hi,

We will be road travelling through the western US next month. I have a
tri-band mobile phone, but think that global roaming charges (from
Australian account) may too expensive for regular use. Are there fairly
cheap pre-paid phone or SIM card packages avaliable in the US, and if so
where are they available and what might be the approximate costs? What about
hiring a phone from the rental car company?

You can buy any phone that works on Verizon's network (even older
phones) and activate it for about $10. Then you can buy more time on-line.

You can buy a new Verizon InPulse phone at a store like Target or
Wal-Mart, but it's better to activate it on PagePlus than on Verizon's
own prepaid network. Be sure to buy a tri-mode, not an "All Digital"
handset. I.e., the Audiovox CDM 8615 is tri-mode and sells at Wal-Mart
for $60.

Verizon's CDMA/AMPS network has far better coverage than the U.S. GSM
networks, especially if you're traveling outside of urban areas (i.e.
National Parks, rural roads, etc).

See "http://stores.ebay.com/The-AHZ-Wireless-Store-Online" for PagePlus
activation(I have no affiliation with this seller).

You can probably sell the phone to a future U.S. bound traveler for
nearly what you paid for it.

Mobile Phones in the US
 

Keith wrote:


cheap pre-paid phone or SIM card packages avaliable in the US, and if so
where are they available and what might be the approximate costs? What about

Please see http://mayescem.ld.net where you will find prepaid and
conventional cellular. You might also see if your current cellular
provider has a service in the USA where you can get a USA SIM card and
exchange it in your phone while you are here.

Hope you have a good trip.

Lloyd Colston
Pryor, OK USA