Using iPhone in USA

[natejj]

Traveling to the states for a week, and wondering how it would affect my phone? I know if I use Data down there, I will get charged a ridiculous rate? I could just use my phone in airplane mode I guess, but then I have to find wi fi. Any suggestions on how I can get cheap data down there? Only going for a week. Have an Iphone 4

[spike98]

Every carrier has US data packages. However if you have the ability to unlock you can also pick up a local prepaid sim with data. They are cheap and will give you decent daily data access.

[Mibz]

Originally posted by spike98
Every carrier has US data packages. However if you have the ability to unlock you can also pick up a local prepaid sim with data. They are cheap and will give you decent daily data access.

This right here.

[lint]

if you don't unlock your phone, free wifi is stupidly easy to find. McDs, SB, Denny's, even groceries like Whole Foods have free wifi.

[Mar]

Your phone should automatically have roaming data turned off so you don't have to do anything.

[benyl]

VVM doesn't work with roaming off.

[me_dennis]

Originally posted by spike98
Every carrier has US data packages. However if you have the ability to unlock you can also pick up a local prepaid sim with data. They are cheap and will give you decent daily data access.

Where does one buy one of these prepaid sim's with data?

[98type_r]

Originally posted by me_dennis


Where does one buy one of these prepaid sim's with data?

If you're planning ahead you can get one off ebay for a couple of bucks. Then when the sim arrives you can activate it online on a prepaid plan. You can also walk into a best buy in the US or what not and pick up a prepaid phone package with a cheap phone and sim that includes airtime.

I know for a fact that AT&T doesn't allow their prepaid plans to use data on an iPhone, I'm not sure about the other carriers.

[ZMan2k2]

Only problem with picking up a sim from the States and using it in your phone is you have a different # than your original. If you want to keep the original # and use your phone in the States, look up your Carriers' offerings on travel to the States. I'm with Rogers, and just got back from Mexico a month ago. Purchased a phone and data package, and it's really nice, because when I get my bill, there's no surprises on there. Just the package price and my regular bill.

[dragonone]

Originally posted by 98type_r


If you're planning ahead you can get one off ebay for a couple of bucks. Then when the sim arrives you can activate it online on a prepaid plan. You can also walk into a best buy in the US or what not and pick up a prepaid phone package with a cheap phone and sim that includes airtime.

I know for a fact that AT&T doesn't allow their prepaid plans to use data on an iPhone, I'm not sure about the other carriers.

it would be interesting to know the exact math it comes out to ..

Originally posted by ZMan2k2
Only problem with picking up a sim from the States and using it in your phone is you have a different # than your original. If you want to keep the original # and use your phone in the States, look up your Carriers' offerings on travel to the States. I'm with Rogers, and just got back from Mexico a month ago. Purchased a phone and data package, and it's really nice, because when I get my bill, there's no surprises on there. Just the package price and my regular bill.

i have a second number with Dell voice. If i had data in a different place I can call forward it to that second number (local) and pickup wherever I am using data. I use it now when I'm at work and too cheap to pay for voicemail.

[lint]

Originally posted by 98type_r
I know for a fact that AT&T doesn't allow their prepaid plans to use data on an iPhone, I'm not sure about the other carriers.

officially they don't. you lie and say you wont. then once you have a sim activated, you can use your credits to buy data. I've done it.

[ricosuave]

when you fly into an area, rogers will send a text saying the charges, and usually, a $10 plan that gives you unlimited while you are there.

i highly recommend that.

[Stealth22]

Originally posted by 98type_r


If you're planning ahead you can get one off ebay for a couple of bucks. Then when the sim arrives you can activate it online on a prepaid plan. You can also walk into a best buy in the US or what not and pick up a prepaid phone package with a cheap phone and sim that includes airtime.

I know for a fact that AT&T doesn't allow their prepaid plans to use data on an iPhone, I'm not sure about the other carriers.

This. And I've used a family member's iPhone on an AT&T prepaid plan with a data add-on, as recently as December. This was a regular GoPhone prepaid plan with a $10 data add-on.

In fact, the BlackBerry wouldn't cooperate when I tried. I was quite annoyed by that. But anyway, you just need to change the iPhone's APN settings. I forget the site where I found the step by step, but it was easy to find on Google, just need to use free wifi to do it.

EDIT: I used pinzoo.com to buy my airtime online. You overfill the account with whatever amount your data package costs, and you can login to AT&T's website to buy the data add-on, so you don't have to tell them anything. If I remember correctly, you just type in your US phone number, and the default password is your number's last 4 digits. They'll ask you to fill out the profile info, and annoyingly, there's no option for Canada, so I just filled in my cousin's info since he lives in the US.

And because they didn't anticipate foreigners using their site, I had to use pinzoo.com to buy the prepaid refill code. No biggie, as they're reputable, and provide service to Canada.

Another thing. I would buy a sim card online before you go. If you have to buy one of those prepaid kits that comes with a phone (like I did at Walgreen's), then keep in mind that the sim card is locked to that prepaid phone for, its either 6 or 12 months. I think its 12. But you can walk into a store and ask for a new one...claim it doesn't work, or you lost it, or something.

I actually just told the guy that I wanted to use the sim in my BlackBerry, cause I didn't like carrying the POS phone, and I played dumb saying I didn't know why the sim wasn't working. I was buying a 2nd SIM and refill card for a relative's phone anyway, so he did it for free. But at another store I had gone to in the past, the guy was a douche and wanted to charge $50 for a sim card. Before my first trip to the US when I started all this AT&T business, I had called an AT&T store in Chicago from Calgary, and the rep there said I could absolutely bring an unlocked phone and get a sim for free on a new prepaid activation. It'll depend on the store and the rep.

If you can't buy a 3G sim online, tt'd be better to walk into an AT&T store and ask for a sim card. Don't even mention data.

Any questions PM me.

[lint]

apple stores in the US will give you a sim for free

[CaptainReboot]

Check out this thread

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/prepa...hones-1121094/

You can get a pay as you go plan from T-Mobile and pay like 2 bucks a day for unlimited voice text and data (2g speeds). Buy a sim online that as been pre activated then add the pan to that sim.

[Stealth22]

^ Exactly what we did with AT&T. $2/day for unlimited calling within the USA is nice, especially when you have enough family members to have more than one prepaid phone.

Its also got unlimited texting to Canada. Add in a prepaid data package, and its a pretty sweet deal if you use your phone a lot.