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Going on holidays to US with my EU HD2, any prepaid sims that will work?

Hi Guys,
Going to the US for a few weeks, just wondering if I can get a prepaid simcard to work with my HD2 and if so what company would support it. I'm guessing mobile internet is out of the question, but as long as I could make voice calls i'd be happy.
Zhuk86

There are probably several prepaid solutions over there too. Who has the best coverage (and price) where you are going I don't know, but you will most likely be able to use EDGE for data.

that sounds great, i'll be in LA and NY mostly, so i'll definitely search around for EDGE providers there

You choices are basically T-Mobile or AT&T (there are some MVNO's running on those networks but I wouldn't bother with them).
T-Mobile don't' do Data on Prepaid, except for the Sidekick. AT&T do data either $0.01 per KB or there are bundles: 100MB for $19.99 or 1MB for $4.99. You will only get EDGE with the HD2 in the USA.
You need to check coverage for wherever you're planning on going for both networks.

There are loads of free WiFi hotspots. I would use them for data connections.

fred_up said:
There are loads of free WiFi hotspots. I would use them for data connections.
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i am also going to the USA for a few weeks , i have this question as well . i'll be in the west coast of the USA
free wifi shouldnt be a problem , i would guess , but who knows !?=
but i would also like to know who has the best coverage and data . email , calls and the rest .
i have heard thru cnet and many many people thathave AT&T in the USA say they are just trash , is this true ?
thanks

Well maybe i'll just get a prepaid sim for calls and then use wifi hotspots for data, i've heard that wifi hotspots are pretty prolific in US cities so definitely worth checking out I guess

I would go with an AT&T pre paid SIM card. Look on ebay, here's an example: http://cgi.ebay.com/New-3G-AT-T-64k-Orange-Sim-Card-Chip-Prepaid-or-Regular_W0QQitemZ300397838597QQcmdZViewItemQQptZSIM_Cards?hash=item45f11b4105
Once you get that card go to: https://www.wireless.att.com/activations/ and choose the option for Pay-As-You-Go Under "Go Phone" and follow the instructions.

International Travel with my Vibrant?

Hello,
I just booked a gig for two weeks in Rome (Italy not Georgia) and I was looking for suggestions on the best way to use my Vibrant while outside of the US. My phone is sock, not rooted.
Should I try to unlock it with the process detailed on this forum last week and buy an Italian SIM card? If so, will data work over there (email is important)?
Should I call TMobile and let them know I'm traveling abroad and see if they have a temporary Intl plan?
Sorry for such a basic question, I've just read so many stories of people coming back from trips with their smartphones and getting a $4,000 bill from their wireless company.
Any information/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
NSR

I travel outside the US quite a lot, and unfortunately that's about to increase significantly for me (though most of my trepidation is related to the god-awful airlines and hours of dealing with the bad joke that passes for airport security).
Bottom line: unlock it and get a SIM card that works at your destination (probably pre-paid).
It can be difficult to find these with a data plan that is any good. Plan to spend a lot of time doing a lot of research. It probably won't be cheap. Also, spend some time to understand exactly how much data you actually use, and decide whether that is likely to increase or decrease while you're traveling, and be realistic about it. In some places I've found it's cheaper and easier to rent an entire phone that has a data plan, then just yank the SIM while I'm traveling. Be sure you understand the different types of networks and bands, not all countries are playing by the same rules. (Some parts of Eastern Europe can be downright dismal.)
Under no circumstances do you want to use your phone with your US carrier's international roaming. I bought my G1 shortly before a two week trip to Tokyo, and after a great deal of time on the phone with T-Mobile and a lot of thinking about how I use my device -- and I'm probably just a mid-level data consumer -- I calculated data roaming would cost me about $550 per week. Add my wife to the mix and we were looking at a roughly $2200 bill just for frigging data. I could almost double the length of my trip for that much.
Europe isn't quite that rough, but it's still indefensibly expensive. (Not relevant to you, but worst of all, Japan flat out sucks for mobile phone use by foreign visitors and even visa holders. Which seems pretty ironic.)
International data roaming plans are one of the biggest scams the carriers have going today. "Gouging" is too polite a word for the crap they pull to shoot you a simple wireless signal. Though I gather most of the blame lies with the foreign carriers (and maybe the reverse is true when traveling in the US, I wouldn't know). In any case: Tread carefully.

^^^^ I agree.
I am in the same process right now but researching travel to UK. I definitely plan on unlocking and getting a UK sim. Some UK pay as you go plans offer 50MB/day for reasonable rates. Europe providers can say "unlimited data" but check their fair usage policies, unlimited is anything but.

When I traveled to Europe last spring, I bought a pre-paid Vodafone SIM card for like 25 Euros in Germany (with some pre-paid minutes), popped it in my unlocked phone, and went with it through Germany, Belgium, France and Eastern Europe. All incoming calls are free, all calls to Vodafone customers (all my friends in Europe are on Vodafone) are free. The data was included.
When I traveled to my home country in Eastern Europe I used local providers pre-paid SIM's - again all incoming calls are free, in carrier calls are free, I don't think I had data though.

Be careful to set your phone to not run data when roaming! I forgot to with my G1 and when in Taiwan I turned on my phone to get to the data menu and turn it off. That costs me $6 in data in 20 seconds!

I just did this for the Netherlands. Get Tmo to unlock the SIM, and get a SIM card with data. I didn't have data and I wish I did so I could have used it for maps. Calls were easy though.
Also, definitely turn off data roaming as a setting or you will get hosed.

One option for data use I found to be satisfactory was free hotspots. If your out and about frequently, many cafes, malls and pubs have fre hotspots. Make sure you turn data roaming off, however.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

MV10 said:
(Not relevant to you, but worst of all, Japan flat out sucks for mobile phone use by foreign visitors and even visa holders. Which seems pretty ironic.)
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I can't agree there. Not that this is directly related to the topic, but every phone or SIM I've rented in Japan came with %100 free incoming calls from any location (which is all I ever needed) and relatively unlimited data options.

Traveling with your FOCUS

I travel extensively with my phones and my recent month long trip through Europe with my FOCUS brought to the forefront the at&t FOCUS' shortcoming. The fact that it is locked to the at&t network and at&t data and voice roaming rates are AWFUL! So my question to all of the experts on this site is this.
What is the best way to travel with the Samsung Focus, purchased through at&t?
I am willing to purchase a subsidy unlock. But even with an unlocked phone, is there a great international travel GSM commercially available.
I have a friend who has used this with their IPhone, however, it does not look as flexible as I would like for short notice travel. It does appear that it would work with a Focus, locked or otherwise.
http://www.iphonetrip.com/
What are your thoughts? How do I travel with my Focus? Data is my priority, but occasional voice access would be nice as well.

Unlock your Focus and buy a local prepaid SIM card. Prices vary a lot depending on which country you go. But it will be always cheaper than pay AT&T roaming fee.
Focus is not any different than any other phones. All US carrier phones are locked. The only thing with Focus is you have to purchase 3rd party unlock code.
I had a short trip to China recently. I bought a local SIM card for about $15 that comes with 100 SMS/MMS and 50MB of data per month as well as voice minutes PPU. After a week, I used up the 50MB of data and half dozen SMS but the card still has about $10 of value left. These prepaid card typically expire if you don't use it within 3 months.

Thanks Foxbat. That has always been my default option, obviously the only thing making the Focus more difficult is at&t's unwillingness to unlock the phone (They unlocked WM's no problem) requiring the third party unlock.
What I am looking for though is a solid data roaming provider, similar to the IPhone travel with cheap data rates no matter which country I am in.
I would be willing to pre purchase local SIM cards, however, I really cannot arrive in country and take the 45 minutes to go hit a local market or news kiosk and shop for SIM cards. (I have done this in the past). I often hit a half dozen countries on a trip and would like to use as few SIM cards as possible. Also, when traveling through some of these countries I need to not be locked into the one service provider of the SIM card. Tall order I know, but I am just wondering what options are out there.
Basically, I am polling this group of experts on a more 2011 solution to this problem instead of me defaulting to my tried and true 1997 Erickson GSM phone on PacBell solution.

I see. There is place in US you can rent a mifi device (personal wi-fi hotspot using cell data connection) with international data preloaded. You pay a fixed fee and can use as much data as possible within the paid period. I don't remember the name of the business but you can search for it. This way, you get the data conenction covered but still have to pay AT&T for voice roaming and you don't have to unlock your phone.
EDIT: here is the Engadget review of this service http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/01/xcom-global-international-mifi-data-rental-service-review/

Paolo01 said:
I travel extensively with my phones and my recent month long trip through Europe with my FOCUS brought to the forefront the at&t FOCUS' shortcoming. The fact that it is locked to the at&t network and at&t data and voice roaming rates are AWFUL! So my question to all of the experts on this site is this.
What is the best way to travel with the Samsung Focus, purchased through at&t?
I am willing to purchase a subsidy unlock. But even with an unlocked phone, is there a great international travel GSM commercially available.
I have a friend who has used this with their IPhone, however, it does not look as flexible as I would like for short notice travel. It does appear that it would work with a Focus, locked or otherwise.
http://www.iphonetrip.com/
What are your thoughts? How do I travel with my Focus? Data is my priority, but occasional voice access would be nice as well.
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I've traveled through Europe a few times, and would recommend Vodafone as your GSM provider in Europe provided you have your phone unlocked.
I used Vodafone SIM bought in Germany in most of the Eastern Europe.
Good luck.

[Q] Traveling to Germany and Greece, need advice on SIM/Pay as you go or plan

Hi,
I will be traveling to Greece (Paros, Naxos, Santorini) and Berlin next month.
I already have a SIM unlocked Motorola Milestone. I want to purchase a European SIM.
1) Can I expect to use the same SIM card and plan when both in Germany and Greece? Or am I better off just getting 2 different ones?
2) What are good companies and plans? I don't really need voice... but I expect to use a lot of data for Internet access and hoepfully tethering. I found out about
WIND Paygo in a different thread, but no details on what to expect price-wise.
Anybody (either local to these countries or a fellow traveler) have any experience with this?
Thanks

Caz666 said:
1) Can I expect to use the same SIM card and plan when both in Germany and Greece? Or am I better off just getting 2 different ones?
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You should get a separate SIM card for each of the countries... they are two different countries after all, and carriers will charge you higher roaming fees if you want to use their SIM card in a different country. The EU did regulate a maximum for roaming fees just recently, but you'll still be better off getting a new SIM card there.
2) What are good companies and plans? I don't really need voice... but I expect to use a lot of data for Internet access and hoepfully tethering. I found out about
WIND Paygo in a different thread, but no details on what to expect price-wise.
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Click to collapse
For Germany, I'd go with a prepaid data flatrate plan, e.g. http://www.simyo.de/tarif/flat-internet.html (€15/mo up to 3GB @HSDPA/7.2 Mbit, after that GPRS), or e.g. http://www.klarmobil.de/tarife/datentarife/Internet_Flat_5000/index.html (€20/mo for up to 5GB HSDPA speed, after that GPRS). These are just two examples for pure data flats (since you said you didn't need voice).
I think you can get these types of discount carriers at gas stations and supermarkets. There are a lot to choose from; just make sure it's a prepaid data flat. The major carriers like T-Mobile, Vodafone, O2 (that have their own POS stores) are usually more expensive for prepaid as they focus more on 2y contracts.
No idea about Greece... maybe someone else can help you out there.
Hope this helps.

bobblack said:
You should get a separate SIM card for each of the countries... they are two different countries after all, and carriers will charge you higher roaming fees if you want to use their SIM card in a different country. The EU did regulate a maximum for roaming fees just recently, but you'll still be better off getting a new SIM card there.
For Germany, I'd go with a prepaid data flatrate plan, e.g. http://www.simyo.de/tarif/flat-internet.html (€15/mo up to 3GB @HSDPA/7.2 Mbit, after that GPRS), or e.g. http://www.klarmobil.de/tarife/datentarife/Internet_Flat_5000/index.html (€20/mo for up to 5GB HSDPA speed, after that GPRS). These are just two examples for pure data flats (since you said you didn't need voice).
I think you can get these types of discount carriers at gas stations and supermarkets. There are a lot to choose from; just make sure it's a prepaid data flat. The major carriers like T-Mobile, Vodafone, O2 (that have their own POS stores) are usually more expensive for prepaid as they focus more on 2y contracts.
No idea about Greece... maybe someone else can help you out there.
Hope this helps.
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This REALLY helps, at least for my week in Berlin. Thank you very much.

For Greece, I would advise you to choose COSMOTE Internet On The Go Prepaid. You may find more information on their website:
http://cosmote.gr/cosmoportal/page/...p/section/Internet_E-mailwithLaptop/loc/en_US
You are better off buying two seperate SIM-cards (one for each country), as cheaper data-roaming options typically are only available with contracts.
In regards to tethering, this shouldn't pose a problem - european providers typically don't police a "one-device-policy", especially not with internet-on-the-go-type products.
An alternative to COSMOTE is Vodafone KartoInternet, but their prepaid plans are a bit more expensive and COSMOTE is said to have better coverage in general: http://www.vodafone.gr/portal/client/cms/viewCmsPage.action?pageId=8638&request_locale=en
Both sell SIM-only starter packs which include their sell-value (EUR 20) as prepaid-balance for internet use.

PartyMango said:
For Greece, I would advise you to choose COSMOTE Internet On The Go Prepaid. You may find more information on their website:
http://cosmote.gr/cosmoportal/page/...p/section/Internet_E-mailwithLaptop/loc/en_US
You are better off buying two seperate SIM-cards (one for each country), as cheaper data-roaming options typically are only available with contracts.
In regards to tethering, this shouldn't pose a problem - european providers typically don't police a "one-device-policy", especially not with internet-on-the-go-type products.
An alternative to COSMOTE is Vodafone KartoInternet, but their prepaid plans are a bit more expensive and COSMOTE is said to have better coverage in general: http://www.vodafone.gr/portal/client/cms/viewCmsPage.action?pageId=8638&request_locale=en
Both sell SIM-only starter packs which include their sell-value (EUR 20) as prepaid-balance for internet use.
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Thanks for the tip. I looked both web sites and they are what I am looking for. The prices seem similar enough for my purposes...MUCH better than roaming
I do have a follow-up question:
Both companies have DAY PACKS for 1Euro per day that includes something like "unlimited data" but is throttled after a specific amount of data is consumed. Does anybody know the specific of the the Thottling? I don't mind a bit of a slowdown...but how crippling are we talking about? Are they booting me down to 2G speeds?
I couldn't find any details on either web site about the specifics.

Just an update after my trip. Germany was a problem as a lot of the prepaid carriers don't have English customer service. I bought 2 different SIM cards and could not get them activated. I didn't have much time to mess around, but I was really disappointed.
Greece was good. As suggested in this thread, I went to a Cosmote store and got great service. I got a data only sim and an additional regular sim. They activated them for me with my passport. My only problem is that the data only sim ran out of cash and it is not possible to refill them from most outlets....I used the cash on the other sim, but the price per GB is not the same.
The moral of the storey for me: go to a carrier store directly and get as much as you need right away. Being in remote locations can make it hard to refill prepaid cards.
Sent from my A500 using xda premium

[Advice Requested] Need Prepaid U.S Sim Card for Trip

Hey there,
I'm going down to the U.S for a trip to Darien Lake for a weekend soon (my family and I are Canadian). I need phone/text/internet access with fast speeds and very reliable service. I have heard 'Straight Talk' tossed around a bit on these forums, though I don't know if I would be allowed to purchase it (as a non-U.S citizen). I have an unlocked N7000 Galaxy Note to use on any service and would prefer to use it if possible. So, it is in this situation that I humbly ask for advice from my fellow XDA'ers.
Kindly,
LiquidNitrogen

Not sure where you are in Canada my friend but take a look at this... Perhaps you can order one or find something similar in your area...
http://www.omegacell.com/collections/us-roaming-sims

LiquidNitrogen said:
Hey there,
I'm going down to the U.S for a trip to Darien Lake for a weekend soon (my family and I are Canadian). I need phone/text/internet access with fast speeds and very reliable service. I have heard 'Straight Talk' tossed around a bit on these forums, though I don't know if I would be allowed to purchase it (as a non-U.S citizen). I have an unlocked N7000 Galaxy Note to use on any service and would prefer to use it if possible. So, it is in this situation that I humbly ask for advice from my fellow XDA'ers.
Kindly,
LiquidNitrogen
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I believe you can just go to straighttalk.com and order yourself a sim card [choose AT&T sim]and a $45 month unlimited card. Should be around $60 shipped.
Edit: I'm not sure they ship internationally. Could you have it shipped to the location you are staying in the states?
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

Go with Straight Talk. ST uses ATT's network so very reliable in most places in the US and fast data as well.

I live in Rochester, used to live in Buffalo, so I travel between the cities quite a bit, right through Darien Lake area.
I would look at Red Pocket (goredpocket-dot-com). They use the AT&T Go Phone prepaid coverage (You can google the map, then put in Pembroke, NY as the address. Pembroke is town adjacent to Darien Lake). You will see coverage is fine there, and I've had no problems with calls through there.
I'm sure you can buy a Red Pocket SIM on Amazon and have it delivered to Canada. Red Pocket used to cater to the Asian Market who would be coming to the U.S., So signing up from Canada probably won't be a problem.
I should also float the question the other way, what's the best Prepaid SIM to use when I visit Canada? This will be the first time I'll be taking a GSM phone to Canada (I previously had Sprint).

straighttalk is the way to go. they have a cheaper 30 dollar plan also.

maddog2727 said:
I live in Rochester, used to live in Buffalo, so I travel between the cities quite a bit, right through Darien Lake area.
I would look at Red Pocket (goredpocket-dot-com). They use the AT&T Go Phone prepaid coverage (You can google the map, then put in Pembroke, NY as the address. Pembroke is town adjacent to Darien Lake). You will see coverage is fine there, and I've had no problems with calls through there.
I'm sure you can buy a Red Pocket SIM on Amazon and have it delivered to Canada. Red Pocket used to cater to the Asian Market who would be coming to the U.S., So signing up from Canada probably won't be a problem.
I should also float the question the other way, what's the best Prepaid SIM to use when I visit Canada? This will be the first time I'll be taking a GSM phone to Canada (I previously had Sprint).
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I looked around recently, Petro-Canada looked like a pretty good bet.
The problem is, us getting Petro-Canada SIMs is likely the same problem he'll have trying to get a Straight Talk SIM or Red Pocket SIM - They won't ship internationally, not even across the US/CAN border. I know Straight Talk's BYOD SIMs are mail-order only, you cannot purchase them in brick-and-mortar stores. Dunno if Petro-Canada SIMs are easier to find in their gas stations.
I live near the NY/PA border and have been looking into SIMs for if I ever want to make a trip to Montreal.

Yeah get the ST Sim and get it delivered to someone here in the States to either forward it to you in Canada our have it waiting here for you to pick up in the States. The Sims are sent by Fed Ex ground unless you want it delivered quicker and you can pay for 2 day or next day shipping.
Sent from my GT-N7000 Samsung Galaxy Note "Go big or go home" using XDA app

The only reason I suggest Red Pocket over straight Talk is that there's an unofficial daiy cap with straight talks data (go ahead and read about the problem in the forums) where as with Red Pocket you get to use your block of data however you like. You cam tether, use it all in one day, etc.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

I dont view straight talk as a pre-paid SIM in its classic sense.. as its a monthly contract...
I recommend a visit to http://www.telestial.com/ to view available options.

Mystic38 said:
I dont view straight talk as a pre-paid SIM in its classic sense.. as its a monthly contract...
I recommend a visit to http://www.telestial.com/ to view available options.
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It's "monthly" but you only need to get it a month at a time. It's not a contract, no need to sign up for multiple months.
The more basic "pay as you go" plans are so basic that a Note will exceed the cost of a better plan rapidly.

As for Canadian prepaid, I'm really not sure. I've never had to use prepaid, I've always had a plan. Rogers/Bell/Telus are the 'big 3' companies in Canada, which all have more or less the same service and quality - the difference is in pricing and packages. I've always been a Telus user, as they have very clear and fair pricing, but I know many who are on Rogers (not too many on Bell though). Bell is usually more expensive for what you get. Whatever you do, stay away from Wind Mobile - their coverage sucks, their customer service is terrible, they are a royal pain to deal with and they only use T-Mobile's bands.
Prepaid SIMs are pretty easy to get. I've seen them alot at gas stations, Walmart, convenience stores, 7/11, etc. It's impossible to get unlimited data here in Canada though, even on contract you can't get it. Our providers have been very strict about that. And on top of that, within the past few months, they've upped their efforts to increase pricing and reduce caps on their data offerings.
I believe the major cellular companies to check out are Rogers/Telus/Bell (big 3) and their subsidiaries Koodoo, Virgin Mobile, Fido. This should help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_mobile_phone_companies
Anyways, back to my issue, I'm going to need alot of data as much data as possible (~4 to 6 gb). Red pocket seems pretty good but they only give you 2GB of data. I'm looking at Boost Mobile right now but they use Sprints network, which is supposedly slow, but they don't cap their data (supposedly). The unofficial data cap on Straight Talk makes me want to avoid it, as I've read its 100mb/day which is very small.

LiquidNitrogen said:
As for Canadian prepaid, I'm really not sure. I've never had to use prepaid, I've always had a plan. Rogers/Bell/Telus are the 'big 3' companies in Canada, which all have more or less the same service and quality - the difference is in pricing and packages. I've always been a Telus user, as they have very clear and fair pricing, but I know many who are on Rogers (not too many on Bell though). Bell is usually more expensive for what you get. Whatever you do, stay away from Wind Mobile - their coverage sucks, their customer service is terrible, they are a royal pain to deal with and they only use T-Mobile's bands.
Prepaid SIMs are pretty easy to get. I've seen them alot at gas stations, Walmart, convenience stores, 7/11, etc. It's impossible to get unlimited data here in Canada though, even on contract you can't get it. Our providers have been very strict about that. And on top of that, within the past few months, they've upped their efforts to increase pricing and reduce caps on their data offerings.
I believe the major cellular companies to check out are Rogers/Telus/Bell (big 3) and their subsidiaries Koodoo, Virgin Mobile, Fido. This should help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_mobile_phone_companies
Anyways, back to my issue, I'm going to need alot of data as much data as possible (~4 to 6 gb). Red pocket seems pretty good but they only give you 2GB of data. I'm looking at Boost Mobile right now but they use Sprints network, which is supposedly slow, but they don't cap their data (supposedly). The unofficial data cap on Straight Talk makes me want to avoid it, as I've read its 100mb/day which is very small.
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I would rather have data cap than ever deal with sprints network again.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium

The ST $30 "All you need" plan may only be available on their phones and not on an unlocked phone from another GSM carrier. Hope I'm wrong. See http://straighttalksim.com/index.php

lamou1nr said:
I would rather have data cap than ever deal with sprints network again.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
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Thanks for the advice on the Canadian Prepaid.
As cor your issue, I believe Boost is CDMA only because it's runs on Sprint's native coverage.
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