Using smartphone in the USA

[dino_martini]

I'm going on vacation down to the states and would like to buy an unlocked blackberry to use down there. Just wondering if anyone has done this before? If my phone is unlocked, I can just walk into an AT&T store and buy a sim card correct?

[sneek]

Buying a phone is a bit complicated mainly because you should try to verify if the phone is IMEI blacklisted. If I' not mistaken there is an international blacklist on stolen/missing phones, you you will want to make sure that the one you purchase is not either of the above.

Having a blackberry may also be an issue because I believe that only T-Mobile offers prepaid BIS access. Any other phone smart phone would likely be fine though.

[dino_martini]

Even if I could only call and text, that would be fine as well.

[Godfuader]

I had an AT&T sim for when I used to travel to the states. As long as the phone is unlocked the sim will work. Just be prepared to pay a premium just for the sim though. What worked a few times for me was to just buy a new pay-as-you-go phone package. For $10-$20 you get a phone, sim, $10credit. Check if they still offer that. Otherwise just buy a sim and credit. For $2/day you get unlimited talk and text (US only)

[Zephyr]

You can get the prepaid sim cards from AT&T...but I rather get T-Mobile, you'll get reception and won't end up getting pissed off. T-Mobile has prepaid sim cards as well.

[300rwhp]

i have a tmobile sim cost $10 and i added $100 in credit to it. With $100 in credit it wont expire for 1 year and you only need to add a couple bucks prior to the year ending to have it last for another year. T mobile has unlimited data day passes for $1.50 so i grab those and use texts for $.10 cents.