mellybrown

I went to tmobile last week to see if I could get a contract - they checked my visa and said I could, but I needed a letter from hubbys emplyer so I was to go back. I decided to go to a different bigger tmobile shop yesterday, to be told that until I get a drivers licence and SSN then they wouldnt give me anything because I couldnt have a credit check no ammount of waving the managers card (who had told me I could do it) worked and I stompd out the shop and trecked back to the original tmobile shop - where the very helpfull manager signed me up!!

I am on the flex account until i get an SSN, so to call the UK I just have to buy prepaid credit - but all america calls are on the usual bill.

Im just happy I actually have a phone now and can call hubby if I need to!!!

MsElui

well you were very lucky - i too just got refusal until the ssn number came - and no kind manager to help me out. Glad you found him!

ugacrew

You're doing well Melly! That's a huge score for someone fresh off the boat here. BTW, is Atlanta agreeing with you so far?

Noorah101

My alien fiance also couldn't get his own T-Mobile account without a SSN, so I added him to mine for a year until he could build up his own credit.

Rene

hobbes79

For others just arriving to the US and waiting to get credit and a SSN, I would recommend just getting a pay-as-you-go SIM card and placing it in any old phone. When I was in the UK and coming for occassional trips to the US, I would actually get great deals on SIM cards from ebay... paying around $10 (less if you're lucky) for SIM cards with $30 worth of credit on them. Saved me a fortune on phone calls during my trips to the US. I would have them mailed to where I was heading in advance, so on arrival I was good to go.

http://cgi.ebay.com/T-Mobile-TOGO-pr...QQcmdZViewItem

The catch with them usually is that the mins will expire soon, but adding a small amount of credit will immediately extend this by months.

They are of course not a great deal in the long run, but an ideal way of getting out trouble for what is really peanuts. And no 2-year contract to worry about

augigi

Sprint let me get an account, but each "line" ie. mobile broadband card AND phone needed a $150 deposit since I had no credit history. Ouch. I ended up getting a Tmobile "to go" SIM card and putting it in my phone - prepaid, can make international calls.

denzil75

Also maybe worth mentioning (although not sure on tmobile) but my husband set up his verizon phone (for work, so they pay) and then added me as an extra line on the account, it only costs us $10 a month as his company pays the $60 for the 500 anytime minutes contract. We learnt all this after I'd had 2 pay as you go phones which cost a fortune. I think however we had to put down a $100 deposit with Verizon which we got back after a year. Also the verizon to verizon calls are free, which might be useful if you are calling hubby 10 times a day!

Melly - Glad your move to America went well and that you are enjoying your time here, I was just reading your costco and guiness posts

tonrob

This is exactly what Mrs tonrob did in advance of our arrival.

Myself - I negotiated a phone through work knowing that credit rating would be an issue.

HoosierDaddy

Hope you're happy with 'em, Melly. I've been with them for over 5 years. I'm happy with the network(s) and think their customer service is top notch. It's always nice to get call centres in this country

basementwaj

best thing about T Mobile is they are one of the few providers that use sim cards, and unlocked british phones work here!

Whenever my family upgrade their phones back home they send em to me.... happy days!