md95065

Yes - they are the best, worst and only bets ...

2bretired

We live in the USA and while in England picked up a unlocked Tri band phone at Carphone warehouse. I used an ASDA ( UK version of Walmart ) sim card as it had the cheapest rates. The phone came with a T-mobil sim card. What we found was a UK T-mobile sim card will work in the USA ( at long distance rates. ) but a USA t-mobile sim card does not work in the UK. With the ASDA sim card all I need to do is make a local USA call once every few months to keep the card active. I noticed the ASDA sim card is using ATT net work in USA Vodafhone in UK.

I hope this helps.

Bob

Kar98

A European triband (900/1800/1900) phone will be somewhat useless in the US, since a T-Mobile and at&t use the 850 and 1900 Mhz bands, whereas in Europe, it's 900 and 1800.

2bretired

I have 2 Samsung J700i unlocked Tri band cell phone I bought in England last summer. They both work fine here in the USA and in UK. I use T-mobile in Los Angeles with no problems in both phones, and ATT when I use my ASDA sim.

Just for your info,they do work here. Bob.

Kar98

I didn't say that _your_ phone doesn't work where _you_ live. But this thread isn't _about_ you. And my point is: if you want to bring a GSM phone from Europe to the US, make sure it supports both 850 and 1900 Mhz bands because a huge part of the GSM coverage here is in the 850 MHz band. GSM coverage isn't impressive to begin with, outside of cities in particular. No use further reducing your coverage.

BritishGuy36

Cheapest method is to pick up a $15 phone at Walmart/Target and put $25 of credit on it (with a $25 top up (at least an AT&T one) none of the credit expires for 90 days).

That's what we did when we first got here just to get up and running, while evaluating all the options.