Cheapest SIM Option for US Travel

Iggemo on 23/11/2017 - 11:28

Gday dudes and dudettes,

So the wifelet is heading to the States for a stay of about a month in a little while and im wondering what the cheapest SIM options are. Currently with TPG Mobile and believe the global roaming is a bit pricey with them, so would it be best to get a cheap US Sim and use that, or a travel one here?

Don't need a phone, just the sim.

Also, is there a way to order US sims here ahead of leaving?

Data is unimportant.

Keen to hear ideas/experiences with this, cheers!

Mobile

Comments

  • Quantumcat on 23/11/2017 - 12:46
    +1

    EDIT: I just noticed you said data was unimportant. Ooops!!!!!!!!
    In this case just get a sim at the airport - unless your wife plans to spend all day on the phone this won't cost too much, all the cost is mainly based on how much data the sim has. She can get a cheaper one that contains plenty of calls (hopefully unlimited) and very little data.

    I'll leave my initial reply here in case anyone else cares

    You could go Vodafone with $5/day roaming and you get to use data out of your balance.

    Vodafone have a thing where if you aren't satisfied with your plan up to 1 month later you can return your phone/sim/whatever and just pay pro-rata for what you used. So if you're going for less than a month you can try that and see if you can cancel when you get home. A little risky though so you'd want to only sign up to a plan that you wouldn't mind keeping if you had to.

    What I would do if it were me:

    • Get a Vodafone sim for your phone, either on plan or prepaid (but double check prepaid lets you use the $5 day thing)
    • Bring an extra unlocked phone if you have one
    • When you get there, do a little research and get a good value prepaid local sim
    • Use the local sim if you just need a tiny bit of data/1 phone call to stretch out the $5/day charges, and use the Vodafone sim when you think you might need more over a shorter time (like using Google maps to work out where you're going)

    Why?

    • If you don't use the Vodafone sim you really need to buy a sim at the airport to avoid being stranded with no communication, and would pay a lot more than in a random newsagency. You can use the Vodafone one till you get your local sim
    • If you don't get a local sim then there will be a LOT of $5 charges even if you just wanted to check one tiny thing on a webpage all of one day or you'd have to economise looking at the net, which is annoying

    If you plan to upload photos to Facebook constantly and/or it's only a short trip (up to you whether a month counts as a short trip in terms of being charged $5 daily) then forget about the local sim. Benefit is also that you don't need to constantly turn on/off mobile data to avoid accidentally triggering a $5 charge, you can just use your phone like you would at home.

    Good luck for your trip!!!!!!!!!!

    • Iggemo on 23/11/2017 - 13:14
      +1

      thanks heaps for both answers : )

  • bargainr on 23/11/2017 - 13:10
    +2

    Best option is a T Mobile tourist SIM

    It’s only valid for 3 weeks and not renewable.

    https://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-international-to…

    Otherwise. I would recommend MteroPCS which is owned by TMobile and can be renewed/lasts for 30 days and she can buy add options to call Australia included in the cost.

    Both options are prepaid.

    Depending on where she is landing, it’s easy to find a store for T Mobile. metro PCS can be harder to find.

    I wouldn’t roam with an Australian SIM but YMMV if she needs her number for sms authentication on phone banking.

    I would recommend she has some data. Just for maps, Uber,etc.

    Edit. If she is staying in a hotel. You could ask the hotel to get the SIM for you.

    • Iggemo on 23/11/2017 - 13:14

      Thanks, yes she was concerned about the sms authentication thing actually, that's a bit of an annoyance

  • iceshadow on 23/11/2017 - 13:41

    I just came back recently from a 2 week trip to the US. Brought a H2O Wireless SIM (uses the AT&T network) for US$19.99 and was posted to my home in Melbourne (price includes postage). Postage took about 2 weeks and activation of the sim is very straight forward.

    Sim has unlimited calls to landline in Australia and $10 credit for calls to Australian Mobiles.

    Link to sim card: http://www.ahprepaid.net/H2O-Wireless-Prepaid-Sim-Card-With-…

    • CheapskateQueen on 01/05/2018 - 08:30

      hey mate, just checking this sim out

      it says "2 GB 4G LTE data then 2GB" - does that mean 4 gig total?

  • josetann on 23/11/2017 - 15:58

    How many calls/texts will she need? You say data isn't important…does that mean you don't need data at all? Or just very little?

    I have some extra Tracfone sim cards, but you'd need to buy a plan with them. You might even need to use a VPN, I can't access quite a bit of their website from here (though my mom in the US has no trouble).

  • cjbowden on 23/11/2017 - 20:28
    +1

    I recently used a TMobile sim I purchased in Australia via simcorner.com.au

    I got 4GB of 4G speed data for around AUD$55 which appeared a better deal than I could get in the US (at the airport anyway).

    I saw cheaper sims, but they were either 3G speeds, or less data allowance. The SIM came with unlimited calls and txts to US numbers, but no credit at all for calling international.

    • camcam on 28/11/2017 - 16:01

      Do you know if that works in Hawaii?

  • hd2002 on 28/11/2017 - 22:01

    I used the Tmobile $30 prepaid start kit exclusive for walmart.

    something similar to below link one but with 3 maybe 5GB of data, https://www.walmart.com/ip/T-Mobile-Complete-SIM-Kit/3908149…, which seems to be a good value for money

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