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prepaid GSM SIM cards in the USA? |
gecko
Joined: Mar 22, 2003
Posts: 14
From: Bangkok
PM |
Does anyone know if there are any prepaid GSM SIM cards in the USA that offer reasonable rates and decent coverage? |
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Vlammetje
Joined: Mar 01, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Den Haag
PM, WWW
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well, i've been to Florida just a few eeks ago and I found this:
The ONLY provider to sell Prepaid SIM-only packages is T Mobile. Coverage is fairly good, i'd say. Rates I'll have to check tonite when I get home.
I was told all other providers only sell prepaid sim packages that INCLUDE a phone. (at&t, cingular etc)
Hope that helps 
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gecko
Joined: Mar 22, 2003
Posts: 14
From: Bangkok
PM |
Thanks a lot V. If you happen to find out a charge and maybe a website, it would be much appreciated. Funny that here in Thailand, a so-called "developing country" there are three different companies that will sell you a GSM SIM card for about US$15, and that includes about US$10 worth of calls, and calls are a flat 0.12/minute nationwide. Coverage is nearly continuous from one end of the country to the other, even in nearly every small village.
Cheers and thanks again. |
jbendaou
Joined: Feb 11, 2003
Posts: 458
From: Washington, DC
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yep, the US is very far behind in telecommunications 
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The T68i God, P800 Dumper, T610 believer, the K700i lover, the P910 what, oh the K750i? |
Miss UK
Joined: Jan 11, 2003
Posts: > 500
PM |
ask the guys at upoc.com ;) virgin mobile is also a prepaid thing the yanks have! There very slow with technology half of don't even know wat wap and mms is hmm!
This message was posted from a Nokia |
gecko
Joined: Mar 22, 2003
Posts: 14
From: Bangkok
PM |
Right...I had a look at Virgin, but it appears that they are only selling a complete phone setup, and not prepay SIM cards. Anyone know for sure?
From what I can tell, it's going to be cheaper for me to just go with my roaming charge, which is something like US$0.80/minute. And then of course there is the question of coverage with the patchwork of different networks and systems in the USA. What a mess! |
Vlammetje
Joined: Mar 01, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Den Haag
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OK; 4 SURE T Mobile are the only ones to sell prepaid SIM-only packages.
They charge US$ 100.00 for the card and the activation (!!! b*stards!!) and you start of with US$ 30.00 airtime (about 135 minutes) you pay NO long distance charges within US. You pay for incoming calls. You cannot call abroad with your prepaid balance. It would be too expensive anyway. I'd use a prepaid calling card for that (avlbl anywhere)
Refill cards are avlbl at 7-11 or T Mobile stores.
The website is www.tmobile.com but I was never able to find any information on prepaid on it.......what I know is what I was told by an Orlando salesperson
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gecko
Joined: Mar 22, 2003
Posts: 14
From: Bangkok
PM |
Thanks for checking that out, V. I have to say that $100 for activation is such a disgusting ripoff that I am going to refuse to pay T-Mobile for the privilage and just go with roaming. In the end, for a two week trip to the USA, roaming is cheaper anyway.
Funny that I have five different prepaid SIM cards, from five different countries, and I paid a lot less than $100 in activation fees for the lot of them. Somehow, I feel sorry for what Americans must endure regarding mobile phone service in the USA! |
potok
Joined: Dec 04, 2002
Posts: 136
From: USA
PM |
in California you can get Cingular SIM and the rest is true and one more great invention we use here - you pay for incomming calls too. Yeah it is bad here i agree. i will start using my O2 payg for local calls in my hometown ends up the same
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Posted: 2003-06-06 07:33
