Which network and tariff options please?
 

Moving to LA and need either At&T or TMobile.
Any idea which is better in LA?

Secondly, we'll be taking SIM-Free/unlocked iPhones and I need to understand if these networks in the USA offer SIM-Only plans like we have in the UK?

The type of plan is where I'd pay $15 a month for data, texts, calls and no phone subsidiary?

There's no way I want to take out a 24m contract paying for a new iPhone...I may as well continue to use Three's Home Abroad service and get my brother to top it up each month for me!

Thanks

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

AT&T is a bigger network. T-Mobile is generally in the cities and not so much the suburbs and rural areas. It's really going to depend on where you live EXACTLY as the cities are so spread out here that reception can vary tremendously.

Take a look at the Data Sim Wiki as it outlines the various plans available on a pay as you go basis.

United States - Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

I used H20 wireless when I got here - bought a sim from Best Buy, topped it up and I was all set. I did have to jail break my phone to get the sim to work, even though O2 claimed to have unlocked it.

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

Hahaha, you're going to enjoy it here! (Sorry, US cell phone plans are very old fashioned and the idea of just showing up with an unlocked phone that only needs a SIM is still pretty alien here.)

I'm with Ultra Mobile, which piggybacks on the T-Mobile network. The basic numbers line up with what several others are offering BUT for me they win hands-down on international calls/texts.

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

I dont need it for international calls and texts, it will be for US use

I'll predominantly be within 10 miles of Century City so will check coverage

Thanks for the wiki link - I'd have hoped At&T would be cheaper than it is. I pay £20 a month for unlimited texts, calls and 3GB 4G with O2....the equivalent is $60!!!

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

Cell phone plans will always likely be more expensive in the US with 5 companies (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Metro-PCS) each having the expense of their own cell towers and covering a country the size of the US.

AT&T tried to buy T-Mobile but was stopped by regulators and Sprint tried to buy T-Mobile and the deal fell apart.

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

Cell phone service here is expensive - my UK mobile deal with EE is £14 a month and includes roaming in lots of countries including the USA!

I went for the T-Mobile family plan that gives you two lines with unlimited LTE data for $100 a month, so $50 per phone. I would have preferred to go with AT&T but T-Mobile do an unlimited international calls add-on including calls to UK mobiles for $15 per month and AT&T don't have an equivalent :(

So far I've been pretty impressed with T-Mobile though, their coverage around here (Jersey City, NJ) is great and I've seen over 80Mbps down on LTE in places. If you have a recent iPhone they support WiFi Calling too which means you don't need to worry about coverage at home.

They also give you unlimited data and text in about 120 countries worldwide which could be handy.

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

I've been using T-mobile throughout Southern California and metro Phoenix without any issues.

Edit: to add to this comment I got a sim and put it into my unlocked Nexus 5 from the UK. No problems at all.

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

Lol, my data,(Limited to 10 GB) text and phones are $200+ a month.
Sharing the plan between 3 phones.

It's a little different. About 10 years in the past.

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

Joy...deffo don't need the phones so hoping I can get it cheap

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

I should have clarified, I'm paying $50 per line SIM only - I always buy my phones outright.

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

Ugh, so not looking forward to that size of a bill.
Data seems to be the biggest chunk of the bill. :(

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

As much as there are many wonders of modern technology, I still find I use a phone internationally far more than Skype/Facetime/etc. Unless you are internet-only communicating already, you might want to go prepaid when you first arrive, so you can wait and see what you actually use.

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

Virgin mobile is worth a look - you have to pay for the handsets, but i get unlimited talk,text and data (albeit not the fastest) for $30 a month.

Re: Which network and tariff options please?
 

and the good thing about t-mobile is you can get a service with no ssn and no credit history. You need their pay-in-advance service.
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