powersmurf

Hi all,

This is more of a question to those already living out in the States and a general observation from me;

Is it me or is having a mobile phone really expensive out there? My wife is saying that when she was living States side her mobile bill was over $100 a month??? She said things like texting, and internet usage on the phone are all add on’s which drive the cost up.

Are there any SIM only deals going around? As I wont use the phone that much when I first move over I’m not that bothered, but at the same time I don’t want to be paying stupid money.

I only pay £26 a month here and I get 1000 minutes, 8 million text message and as much internet as I can use....beautiful!

If it was me, I’d buy a phone here and take it with me, and then get a SIM only deal, possible?

Bob

Yes, compared to the UK it is.

That said, you can find PAYG options, pretty good ones for Android based phones too for $30-50 a month.

All depends on what you're looking for.

jjmb

I have just change to Tmobile as they have a good selection of prepaid phones with sim cards and the plan I have is - 100 mins, unlimited text and unlimited data (certain mb about for 4 g and the rest 3g).

Before that I was with Virgin for about 6 months but the phone I had was like a brick, not android and no sim card (none of Virgin do). Their selection of phones is limited compared to Tmobile but comparable with plans. I admit I succumbed to phone envy as my husband has an android with Virgin and I was impressed by it.

Before that we had Verizon wireless on joint plan with my husband for nearly $160 a month as did not include text for husband. He didn't write enough text messages to add another $10 but each text he did use was charged. Neither of us are big users so it was very big waste of money.

Even with only 100 mins I know I will be ok as my average is about 20 mins but if that changes I know I can change plans without being penalized as I would have been with Verizon - ie being stuck in another 2 yr contract!

Only had the phone a few days but so far working really well.

Leyther

There are also a couple of more affordable plans here to depending on your area:

-Cricket charges $55 per month for unlimited text, talk and 1GB data.
-Sprint has a $70 per month option for unlimited text, data and 450min talk time.

There are also incentives to family plans and sharing minutes.

There are also pay-as-go options here to, when I first arrived I went with Verizon, mainly because it was the first mobile store that I went into but I know that T-Mobiles and AT&T also offer similar plans and I think AT&T even have roll-over minutes, or at least they used to.

My wife and I have a family plan on Verizon and the bill is an average of $200 per month for unlimited text, data and 700min of talk t but my wife gets a 20% discount through her employer and so we only pay about $160 a month otherwise we would look elsewhere.

Sally Redux

You may be restricted by the coverage. At&t is the only one that works around the area of our house.

Bink

Yes! My wife runs an iPhone on AT&T and it's $100/month for the basic charges.
I also have an iPhone on AT&T but mine's a business contract and is regularly$300+/month but I do make international calls on it and it has international calling and data plans on it as I do travel.

jjmb

Further to my reply, you can get sim cards from Tmobile but apparently 4g is not very good, something to do with compatibly issues - http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2403905,00.asp

Guindalf

Walmart has a StraightTalk plan for $45/month. No contract and all unlimited. You can even buy a sim card for $15 provided your phone is compatible.

Southy_SWFC

I saw that Tmobile package mentioned above in Walmart this afternoon. I've got 4 months left on my UK deal but as soon as I cancel that then I think I'll go with that. Just hope it'll be OK to put in my blackberry handset.

GeoffM

Phones are cheap. Using them is expensive. Beware "unlimited" internet which often seems to be first 100Mb (or 1gig, or whatever package you get) uncapped then unlimited with capped speeds. Yes you can get SIM-only - I'm using a $50 "unlimited" talk/text/internet from T-Mobile on my unlocked UK IPhone with a $10 top-up for unlimited UK landline calls (actually international).

However, today or soon I'm switching allegiance... time for an Android device of some sort! Iphone is too expensive and I'm not sure they're still top dog.

Nutmegger

Indeed -- can't use anything but Verizon when I live.

dunroving

Slightly OT, but can you buy a dirt cheap PAYG in the States these days (without having to go to Sam's Club)?

I'm off to Austin and then SF and it would be helpful, if I could pick up a cheap PAYG as, in a conference of 5,000 people it's hard to track down old friends.

In the UK you can pick up a PAYG for about a fiver at Carphone Warehouse - anything similar in the US, that would have coverage in Austin and TX? I remember when I was living in NC, some providers (T-Mobile) simply didn't even cover the area I lived in.

Bob

They would only work if you were on the crapper in our last apartment, across town

Bob

Yes, about $10 for a POS. $30 for something slightly better....Virgin/T-Mobile/Tracfone etc, etc.

You can get some of the better phones off the Tracfone website as refurbs for very cheap too and I'm pretty sure T-Mobile do the same. I'm sure the others are the same if you wanted to get one in advance.

MrBaker2011

Most of my wife's Stateside family (incl. me) are now on her brothers Sprint family plan - everytime you add a user the costs are reduced, his bill (once split 5-ways) is less than half what it was before, and per person about the same as we paid in the UK.