Prepaid Cell Phones for the US.

Petee_C · 2009-03-12, 09:08 AM

We are going to Disney next week (really? - during March Break? - who'd thunk that?).

Anyways, thinking about getting a prepaid cell phone to use down there, one with texting maybe so that my wife and I could text each other if we get out of GMRS (sp? - extended FRS) range..... which likely won't be that often

My fatherinlaw has a tracfone, but he's had horrible luck calling Canada with it... what's been your experience?

Also, does anyone know the texting rates in the states for a Rogers PayasUGo plan? <-- nevermind, free to receive, but $0.60 to send.... I believe that is in $CDN)

P

james99 · 2009-03-12, 09:14 AM

The SMS rate might depend on the provider you are connected to in the US. If you have an unlocked GSM phone I would get a local GSM card and a local pay as you go plan.

magnet · 2009-03-12, 09:52 AM

When we went to California last year for 12 days, we bought 2 x NET10 phones @ walmart USA for $30 each (they came with car charger/ wall charger/ and a holder) - they also come with 300 minutes to anywhere in the USA.

If you want to call back to Canada you have to call customer service to allow calling to Canada. I think the rate was 1.5 units a minute to Canada and you had to dial a 1-800 number.

Because the phones were identical, we used the sticker from our luggage tag to deferential the two... one was "Heavy", the other was "Lourd".

We setup a speed dial between "Lourd" and "Heavy".

The only problem was... in amusement parks... it was sometimes too loud to hear them and you had to pay attention to feel the vibrations. So you'd check the phone after your ride to see if you have "missed any calls".

I didn't have enough gumption to return them for a full money back return the day before we left.

In Canada, they will not work, except as an emergency 911 phone.

warpdwhim · 2009-03-12, 11:36 PM

I travel alot in the US and have a Net10 phone. You definitely need to have canadian calling activated if you want it - if you have access to the net when you're in the US you can log into their website and setup a local canadian number (in some of the major centers only) so friends & family don't have to dial long distance to reach you. The calls back to Canada are done through an 800 number as previously said, or dial *1 & follow the prompts.
I believe the calls going back to Canada are processed through some sort of VOIP - there are longs delays in conversation & sound quality isn't the greatest - but it is the cheapest way to do it down there in my opinion.

Nuje · 2009-03-14, 03:08 AM

I just got to the US, and after years of having a VirginMobileUSA cheapie phone that I just bought top-up cards for ($15 lasted for three months - calls were $.10/min.; $.20/min. to Canada), I bought a O2 wireless SIM for my iPhone.

Got two of them from - one for me and wife; $.14/min. (bummer), but the nice thing is we don't have to learn a new phone, all the features (contacts, apps, etc.) on our phones are still there. No data, but that's no biggie for the 10 days we're here.

Professor Frink · 2009-03-14, 02:41 PM

I think the best deal going - especially if your going to be calling a small group of people is AT&T GoPhone that has unlimited AT&T calling for $1 a day.

2009-03-12, 09:08 AM	#1
Petee_C Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Heidelberg,ON Posts: 992	Prepaid Cell Phones for the US. We are going to Disney next week (really? - during March Break? - who'd thunk that?). Anyways, thinking about getting a prepaid cell phone to use down there, one with texting maybe so that my wife and I could text each other if we get out of GMRS (sp? - extended FRS) range..... which likely won't be that often My fatherinlaw has a tracfone, but he's had horrible luck calling Canada with it... what's been your experience? Also, does anyone know the texting rates in the states for a Rogers PayasUGo plan? <-- nevermind, free to receive, but $0.60 to send.... I believe that is in $CDN) P __________________ Panny 47wx52, DMR-e80C DSR500x2, XBOX 360, Toshiba 26hf84, LG 37LC2D Last edited by Petee_C; 2009-03-12 at 09:13 AM. Reason: found part of the answer*

2009-03-12, 09:14 AM	#2
james99 Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Burlington Posts: 23,034	The SMS rate might depend on the provider you are connected to in the US. If you have an unlocked GSM phone I would get a local GSM card and a local pay as you go plan. __________________ Blu-ray and HD DVD Neutral! PS3 and 360 Neutral! My DVD Collection

2009-03-12, 09:52 AM	#3
magnet Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Dartmouth, NS Posts: 3,040	When we went to California last year for 12 days, we bought 2 x NET10 phones @ walmart USA for $30 each (they came with car charger/ wall charger/ and a holder) - they also come with 300 minutes to anywhere in the USA. If you want to call back to Canada you have to call customer service to allow calling to Canada. I think the rate was 1.5 units a minute to Canada and you had to dial a 1-800 number. Because the phones were identical, we used the sticker from our luggage tag to deferential the two... one was "Heavy", the other was "Lourd". We setup a speed dial between "Lourd" and "Heavy". The only problem was... in amusement parks... it was sometimes too loud to hear them and you had to pay attention to feel the vibrations. So you'd check the phone after your ride to see if you have "missed any calls". I didn't have enough gumption to return them for a full money back return the day before we left. In Canada, they will not work, except as an emergency 911 phone. __________________ When it comes to humility, I am the greatest!

2009-03-14, 02:41 PM	#6
Professor Frink Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Calgary Posts: 324	I think the best deal going - especially if your going to be calling a small group of people is AT&T GoPhone that has unlimited AT&T calling for $1 a day. __________________ Toshiba 40RV525R with HD-A3 HD-DVD, DSR505 and Xbox 360 Sportster 5 and Boombox with Best of XM

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2009-03-12, 11:36 PM	#4
warpdwhim Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 14	I travel alot in the US and have a Net10 phone. You definitely need to have canadian calling activated if you want it - if you have access to the net when you're in the US you can log into their website and setup a local canadian number (in some of the major centers only) so friends & family don't have to dial long distance to reach you. The calls back to Canada are done through an 800 number as previously said, or dial *1 & follow the prompts. I believe the calls going back to Canada are processed through some sort of VOIP - there are longs delays in conversation & sound quality isn't the greatest - but it is the cheapest way to do it down there in my opinion.

2009-03-14, 03:08 AM	#5
Nuje Veteran Join Date: May 2002 Location: A charted un-desert isle Posts: 2,086	I just got to the US, and after years of having a VirginMobileUSA cheapie phone that I just bought top-up cards for ($15 lasted for three months - calls were $.10/min.; $.20/min. to Canada), I bought a O2 wireless SIM for my iPhone. Got two of them from - one for me and wife; $.14/min. (bummer), but the nice thing is we don't have to learn a new phone, all the features (contacts, apps, etc.) on our phones are still there. No data, but that's no biggie for the 10 days we're here.