Buying a sim-card for the states...

BigCon

I'm going to the states for a couple of weeks at the end of April and I was wondering if I would be able to buy a sim card/sim pack over the counter like here? I have a nokia 3200 which is triband, but as far as I can make out Speakeasy roaming is not covered by O2 in the states...

eoinm1

Hi BigCon

Try www.attwireless.com but although it's prepay and no contract they still want you to use direct debit or credit card. A cash payment will take 3 to 5 working days to process. (I know from bad experience.)
I got their $19.99 plan. The Store I went to gave me the SIM card for free.
I explained to them that I was only in the country for two weeks and just wanted a SIm card with credit. They used the Store address for me and it worked. But i have to say i would not go through it that way again.

The next time I was over I poped into a www.cingular.com shop and picked up a sim card no questions asked. I had to pay $15 for the SIM and I bought $30 credit.
I only gave my name, they did not want an address or anything.
So if you just want to walk into a shop and buy a simcard go to Cingular.

T-mobile are also in the USA but i found their priceplans too expensive.

I still have a Cingular SIM if youd like to try it.

Eoin.

JTMan

Originally posted by BigCon
I can make out Speakeasy roaming is not covered by O2 in the states...

It is ... O2 have roaming with speak easy in the states

BigMoose

Before buying a foreign SIM, just make sure your handset is not locked to your home network. (see numerous threads here re unlocking!)

sirlinux

just did a post on this a few days ago, have a look here:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=146691

The ways things are going you need a quad band phone for GSM stateside (850/1900 for us and 900/1800 for europe) TDMA coverage is much better anyway, have a look at my post above.

flywheel

you'll get improved coverage in more areas with a quad-band alright as they roll out more of the 850 network to supplement their existing 1900 network - but it's not like our tri-band phones are redundant just yet, i've had grand coverage in the various places I've visited in the US with a 'regular' tri-band 900/1800/1900 handset - so it would depend where you are visiting

hopefully the US networks will offer some sort of coverage maps that highlight where the two networks operate - until there is more choice for quad-band handsets

BrianG

BigCon

Fungus,

Just checked the O2 site again and the U.S. is not listed as being a speakeasy roaming country...

Roaming with O2
Below is the list of roaming partners that O2 have agreements with.
Country Operator
Austria One Connect
Czech Republic Eurotel
Denmark Sonofon
Finland Sonera
France SFR
Germany O2
Greece Stet Hellas
Greece Vodafone
Guernsey Cable & Wireless
Hungary Westel
Hungary Landsimmin
Italy TIM
Netherlands T-Mobile
Poland Polkomtel
Portugal Optimus
Spain Vodafone
Spain Telefonica
Sweden Telia
Sweden Europolita
Switzerland Swisscom
UK O2

JTMan

They 100% definitely have roaming coverage in the states. My American mate is on speak easy and she has been using her phone there for over 9 months on speak easy (just so she can text home cause her AT&T plan does not allow international texts).

I know other who have done it as well.

Call customer care and ask them. That list looks really dated.

BigCon

Hmmm, interesting. I just phones customer care and they said that although they supported roaming last year in the U.S. they "don't have it yet this year"...

Seems very strange...

reckon I'll just buy a sim card when I get there...

JTMan

Originally posted by BigCon
Hmmm, interesting. I just phones customer care and they said that although they supported roaming last year in the U.S. they "don't have it yet this year"...

Crap Crap Crap .... My mate was roaming at the start of this year with speakeasy in the states. It will work over there.

BigCon

Hope you're right - I'll know in three weeks either way;)