Which phone company to use in USA?

[McBeck]

I'm coming to the USA today and will bring a cell phone.

Which carrier is the best if you just want to buy some minutes and a sim card? Maybe also some data...1 gb or more.

[mookiemookie]

I believe Virgin Mobile will do that for you. I know they offer prepaid disposable mobiles at various stores here in the States, but I don't see why they wouldn't just sell you the sim card.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

I thought USA didn't use SIM cards at all. They sell you phone with all services and you can't jump the boat for another operator without changing phone too. :hmmm:

[the_tyrant]

It depends on your phone. I presume you have a GSM unlocked device? (maybe give us the model, so we can look up the bands)

I'm not American, so I might not have the best suggestion, but check out AT&T and T-Mobile, they are the GSM carriers.

Ok, so for at&t, the pricing is here: http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/plans/prepaidplans.html

[Sailor Steve]

Net10. Ten cents per minute, no other fees, period. Phones as cheap as $20.
http://www.net10.com/

[geetrue]

Net10. Ten cents per minute, no other fees, period. Phones as cheap as $20.
http://www.net10.com/

I don't have a cell phone, but thinking of one. Do they charge you for incoming phone calls too or do you have to get one of those unlimted plans?

[Sailor Steve]

I don't have a cell phone, but thinking of one. Do they charge you for incoming phone calls too or do you have to get one of those unlimted plans?
Yes they do. Ten cents per minute going or coming, fifteen cents for oversees calls. I actually get a discount because I use an automated monthly download: $15 for 200 minutes. It's a terrible plan if you talk a lot, but I talk less than 100 minutes per month, so for me it's a great deal. The minutes roll over so I have around 800 minutes in reserve right now.

If you talk a lot a real monthly plan is the better way to go. Currently they run about $50 for an unlimited plan. If I used it more I'd probably go back to T-Mobile.

[Gargamel]

What about data Steve?

I use about 10-15 gigs a months, but talk less than 30 minutes.

[McBeck]

I have brought my own (unlocked) phone, so I just need a place to buy a SIM card and some minutes. A bonus would be like 1Gb of data as well :)

[Gargamel]

I'm not sure if vurgin uses gsm. But they're known for prepaid.

[Sailor Steve]

What about data Steve?

I use about 10-15 gigs a months, but talk less than 30 minutes.
I'm not sure, as I only use my phone for talking. This is the page they provide. Sorry if it doesn't tell you what you need to know, but it's all I have.
http://www.net10.com/data_svs/price_chart.jsp

[PeriscopeDepth]

T-Mobile or AT&T prepaid is likely your best option. T-mobile operates on a bizarro GSM band for 3G so you may not get 3G depending on your phone. AT&T has a prepaid brand (GoPhone I think?) and operates Euro style GSM, may be your surest bet for compatibility.

To my knowledge all the other major/minor American carriers are CDMA and likely a no go for you.

PD

[Stealhead]

T-mobile is good in larger urban areas out in rural areas it is weak ATT covers pretty much the entire country and you can get 3G nearly everywhere same with Verzion you can buy cheaper phones from them for $20.00 to $50.00 and will have coverage nearly everywhere I have ATT and if you call another ATT customer it is free any ATT number.

One of my co-workers had T-Mobile and it was pretty crappy only in an area like Miami or Tampa or Orlando did he have very good signal 30 minutes out of town nothing.That was 1 year ago doubt it has changed much since then.

ATTs pre pay is called Go Phone and Verzion has something just like it more less.You could buy a prepay phone and just take its sim card and put it in yours no problem.

[McBeck]

T-mobile is good in larger urban areas out in rural areas it is weak ATT covers pretty much the entire country and you can get 3G nearly everywhere same with Verzion you can buy cheaper phones from them for $20.00 to $50.00 and will have coverage nearly everywhere I have ATT and if you call another ATT customer it is free any ATT number.

One of my co-workers had T-Mobile and it was pretty crappy only in an area like Miami or Tampa or Orlando did he have very good signal 30 minutes out of town nothing.That was 1 year ago doubt it has changed much since then.

ATTs pre pay is called Go Phone and Verzion has something just like it more less.You could buy a prepay phone and just take its sim card and put it in yours no problem.

Isn't it possible to buy the SIM card without a phone attached?

[Gargamel]

I believe so. I think you can do it at AT&T stores. Lemme check.

Yes you can, but it won't let me link from AT&T .com. Stupid. Just do a search on AT&T for "sim card" under wireless products and you'll find the link.

[McBeck]

I believe so. I think you can do it at AT&T stores. Lemme check.

Yes you can, but it won't let me link from AT&T .com. Stupid. Just do a search on AT&T for "sim card" under wireless products and you'll find the link.
Cool, there's an at&t store not too far from here.

[Sailor Steve]

I had AT&T once. Turned it back in before the month was up, so I got out from under the contract. I worked for Verizon, so I'll never use their service. I had T-Mobile for a long time, but I never travelled, and I heard the stories about service problems as well.

Net10 has no service issues, as they pay everyone to use their towers. They inaugurated the 10 cents plans that everyone is now using.

[Stealhead]

I have friends and family members that worked for Verizon as well their customer service is very poor and their sales reps very often lie they love selling ISP connection speeds that they know for a fact that the customer can not get do to location. Friend of mine worked customer support for them and that was a very common customer complaint.I have also heard that Verizon techs have been caught sabotaging competing companies equipment.

[les green01]

i use straight talk phone is 35 dollars and for 50 dollars a month unlimit talk,text and internet or 30 dollars is 1000 mins,1000 text and dont remember what the internet ussage was for the 30 dollar plan

[Stealhead]

Straight Talk is the pre pay that you can buy at Wal Mart.I looked at their maps if you are going to use a non Android phone they have fairly good coverage (they must buy space from ATT and Verzion) For an Android phone the coverage area is not that good.

You can buy just a sim card from them as well.

coverage:

http://www.straighttalk.com/Coverage