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Cellhphone Hellphone!
Snappy title hey! lol
I got my L1 visa approved at the embassy yesterday and my wife and I move out to Chicago in May. I have been told by my company to look at cellphones (as well as several other things) and after checking the stickys in this forum I am not sure if I can even get a contract cellphone to start off with. Sounds like I will need a social security number and even then my credit score will be non existent so I wont be able to get one? Thanks in advance |
Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
I have been wondering the same thing! Sort of figured we would have to get a PAYG SIM in our existing phones til we get a bit of a credit rating going! Would obviously be better if this is not the case so will see what other people reply with!
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Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
Non-contract phones are apparently the way to go, and can be much cheaper. I do have a contract, with a "legacy" plan that is cheaper than any currently available plan, but even so, if it wasn't for inertia*, I could probably save $30-$50 a month compared to the contract Mrs P and I have. Others, including Bob, will probably be along shortly to recommend PAYG phone services.
* The problem is that I need the number and a PAYG service I previously used couldn't/ wouldn't guarantee that I could keep the number if I upgraded the phone, but I was able to "port" it to another carrier. |
Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
Originally Posted by Pulaski
(Post 11211335)
Non-contract phones are apparently the way to go, and can be much cheaper. I do have a contract, with a "legacy" plan that is cheaper than any currently available plan, but even so, if it wasn't for inertia*, I could probably save $30-$50 a month compared to the contract Mrs P and I have. Others, including Bob, will probably be along shortly to recommend PAYG phone services.
* The problem is that I need the number and a PAYG service I previously used couldn't/ wouldn't guarantee that I could keep the number if I upgraded the phone, but I was able to "port" it to another carrier. I have been looking at sprint boost which seems good. up front phone price and then $55 per month seems better than the $90 I see elsewhere! |
Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
My wife and children all use T-Mobile. I think that something like $55 a month now gets you unlimited calls in the US and to a bunch of other countries.
my wife can call any mobile/landline in UK for hours and it doesnt cost any more than her monthly charge. Unlimited Data is also included. They also dont charge for data roaming. All in all, a pretty good option. |
Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
Originally Posted by Markoncarp
(Post 11211423)
My wife and children all use T-Mobile. I think that something like $55 a month now gets you unlimited calls in the US and to a bunch of other countries.
my wife can call any mobile/landline in UK for hours and it doesnt cost any more than her monthly charge. Unlimited Data is also included. They also dont charge for data roaming. All in all, a pretty good option. |
Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
If you're moving to the big city or urban sprawl, there are many options available to you unlike more rural areas where you'r virtually limited to AT&T or Verizon.
Take a look at straighttalk.com (available at Walmart), where you can get an all-you-can-eat plan for as little as $45 per month with no contract or credit check. There's even an international plan for $60/Mo, which I'm sure, if necessary, you could get for any month you need it and pay the lower rate the rest of the time. If your company is a decent size, it may be worth finding out which company they use for their business phones as that may get you a discount. I'm assuming your new employer is not providing you with the phone. Prices at StraightTalk start at $99.99 on the site, but there are often offers. |
Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
We were the same when we first came here- our credit check failed despite having a good credit score and social..:confused:
So now we're on T-Mobile family plan (consisting of 4 persons- me & husband, and 2 colleagues) and we pay like $50 (for both of us I might add) a month for unlimited talk+text and 1GB 4G speed data which is more than enough for us as everywhere you go in US most places have wifi hotspots...:thumbsup: Btw, this is all prepaid and not on a contract so we can cancel anytime. |
Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
Verizon will certainly offer you a contract when you have your SSN - just expect to be ashed for a $500 deposit.
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Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
Originally Posted by delbitter
(Post 11211429)
Is that on a contract or a sort of bolt on plan? i.e. you pay monthly for a set amount but are not tied in.
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Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
Originally Posted by Guindalf
(Post 11211491)
If you're moving to the big city or urban sprawl, there are many options available to you unlike more rural areas where you'r virtually limited to AT&T or Verizon.
Take a look at straighttalk.com (available at Walmart), where you can get an all-you-can-eat plan for as little as $45 per month with no contract or credit check. There's even an international plan for $60/Mo, which I'm sure, if necessary, you could get for any month you need it and pay the lower rate the rest of the time. If your company is a decent size, it may be worth finding out which company they use for their business phones as that may get you a discount. I'm assuming your new employer is not providing you with the phone. Prices at StraightTalk start at $99.99 on the site, but there are often offers. It seems like the only way will be buying a phone outright then paying for a monthly plan without a contract. I HAVE to have a smartphone like htc or samsung, pref not an iPhone! lol |
Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
Well if you take your phone from the UK, then you'll have to use either T-Mobile or AT&T, as I think they are the only two that supply phones that are SIM compatible.
If I'm wrong, I give it approximately 45 seconds before someone corrects me though ;) |
Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
Originally Posted by brit_usa2014
(Post 11211494)
We were the same when we first came here- our credit check failed despite having a good credit score and social..:confused:
So now we're on T-Mobile family plan (consisting of 4 persons- me & husband, and 2 colleagues) and we pay like $50 (for both of us I might add) a month for unlimited talk+text and 1GB 4G speed data which is more than enough for us as everywhere you go in US most places have wifi hotspots...:thumbsup: Btw, this is all prepaid and not on a contract so we can cancel anytime.
Originally Posted by civilservant
(Post 11211496)
Verizon will certainly offer you a contract when you have your SSN - just expect to be ashed for a $500 deposit.
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Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
Originally Posted by Markoncarp
(Post 11211509)
Well if you take your phone from the UK, then you'll have to use either T-Mobile or AT&T, as I think they are the only two that supply phones that are SIM compatible.
If I'm wrong, I give it approximately 45 seconds before someone corrects me though ;) |
Re: Cellhphone Hellphone!
Originally Posted by delbitter
(Post 11211504)
...... I HAVE to have a smartphone like htc or samsung, pref not an iPhone! lol
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