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U.S. Prepay phone or sim cards?

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  • 20-04-2010 7:49pm
    #1
    mystuff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭


    Hi
    Ill be heading to the US in a few weeks and was just wondering if anyone knows is it easy to pick up a prepay phone or sim card for use while Im there
    Ill need two so if anyone can advise the best network that maybe will do free calls etc
    Much appreciated


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    #2
    mystuff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭mystuff


    anyone have any advice?


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    #3
    Holsten
    Registered Users Posts: 4,971 ✭✭✭Holsten


    AT&T do similar enough pre-pay to what we have over here, check them out.

    Pre-pay phones do not seem to be the norm in the states though.


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    #4
    kellsred
    Registered Users Posts: 318 ✭✭kellsred


    Go into any drug store like Duane Reade. They sell prepaid phones pretty cheap (about $30 if I remember). You can also get top up cards there.
    Phones are pretty naff, but great for the week or two you will be there!


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    #5
    dar83
    Registered Users Posts: 7,106 ✭✭✭dar83


    I did the same about a month ago, I just went in to an AT&T store and asked for a prepay Sim card, got one with $25 Credit for calls/texts and then for handiness just bought an add-on of 1000 texts for $8 or something. In total I paid $37 (after tax) for it and the plan I had meant that if you received/made a call in any day you get charged a Dollar, then the calls are 20c a minute I think for that day. If you just use a lot of texts you dont get charged the Dollar as far as I know, but you do get charged for receiving texts as well as sending, hence I went for the Text add-on.

    I've heard of some people saying you need to provide an address to them when getting it, but the guy never asked me for anything, I just explained the situation that I was there short term but might be coming back more regularly and so wanted a US based sim card. :)


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    #6
    Tony
    Registered Users Posts: 11,328 ✭✭✭✭Tony


    Go to target supermarket and pick up a phone with preloaded credit for $20

    Desktop PC Boards discount code on https://www.satellite.ie/ is boards.ie



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    #7
    mystuff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭mystuff


    Cheers for all the replies guys
    I had heard it was very hard to buy a prepay phone or sim card in the States but Im hoping that it will be possible reading all the replies
    Its just Ill be there for 3 weeks and going by the roaming charges from meteor Id be better off getting a pre pay


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    #8
    Thirdfox
    Registered Users Posts: 7,110 ✭✭✭Thirdfox


    Not hard - I used T-Mobile... which sucked in Atlanta (I was there for a year) but was great in San Francisco.

    In Atlanta I had no coverage in my apartment - on the main university campus!!! So going with a bigger provider might be important ;) (Verizon, AT&T).

    I believe Virgin? has a PAYG operation there too...


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