Prepaid US Cell Plans for Canadian travellers with Smartphones

[cisland]

It all depends on the plan. If you have a small data plan, you're guaranteed to be charged the heck out of it over and above, because laptops don't really care how much internet they use. Now, if it is unlimited (look at the fine print - some unlimited plans actually have a cap), it WILL have a fair use policy - in other words, if you stream movies all day, they're in their full right to shut you off. But browsing should be fine, I would think.

EDIT: Oi, so I just received my SIM card in the mail, and THEN I discovered I need an activation code, which didn't come with the one I got...Does anyone know where I can buy a code, or do I need to buy a SIM and code bundle?

T-Mobile SIM? I think there are 2 different kind. One is to replace the original(monthly plan), another one is for Pay As You Go. I just activate my Pay As You Go 2 minutes ago, and it hops on to Rogers after I pop in the SIM card.

[l69norm]

I have an iphone 3Gs locked to Rogers and I'm going to Vegas next weekend for a few days, and would like to use data. What are my options? Last time I was in Buffalo for 2 days I had almost $200 in data roaming and hardly used it. Will a AT&T or T-Mobile sim card work?

You first need to get your phone unlocked. Someone with iphone experience will have to give you adivice on that. Once you have successfully unlocked, go to a Tmobile or ATT store in Vegas and get a PAYG account/SIM See the first few posts in this thread for plus/minus of each carrier PAYG plans

[TheLamma]

T-Mobile SIM? I think there are 2 different kind. One is to replace the original(monthly plan), another one is for Pay As You Go. I just activate my Pay As You Go 2 minutes ago, and it hops on to Rogers after I pop in the SIM card.

Hm, okay. Does the Pay As You Go work with Pay By Day? That's the main reason I didn't order that one. If it does work with Pay By Day, I'll have to order one of those (the site I get them from ships pretty fast.)

[riverlet]

where are you all ordering your T-Mo sims? I went on the T-Mo website to send it to my fiance's address in the US and it will not accept my Canadian credit card.

If you are getting it off ebay, any sellers you tried that are trusted and provide the activation code as well that ship to Canada?

[pathfinder35]

where are you all ordering your T-Mo sims? I went on the T-Mo website to send it to my fiance's address in the US and it will not accept my Canadian credit card.

If you are getting it off ebay, any sellers you tried that are trusted and provide the activation code as well that ship to Canada?

I ordered from the seller that I previously posted - I haven't received it yet (just ordered last week)...

[TheLamma]

I ordered from the seller that I previously posted - I haven't received it yet (just ordered last week)...

I ordered from that site, due to your recommendation. So far so good. Received exactly what I ordered. It comes in a plain envelope with nothing but the SIM, but that's alright. I ordered a blank one, however, not realizing what I was doing. I have now ordered the pre-activated card, so let's hope that works.

[pathfinder35]

oh, that's too bad. I was confused about blank vs activated vs unactivated sims also so emailed the seller before ordering an activated sim...

[cisland]

Hm, okay. Does the Pay As You Go work with Pay By Day? That's the main reason I didn't order that one. If it does work with Pay By Day, I'll have to order one of those (the site I get them from ships pretty fast.)

I am pretty sure it works. After I log in to T-mobile's site, I do have the option to choose the $2 or $3 Pay by day plan.

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It had bugs me a while and I finally take the time to look into T-Mobile's 4G spec. Because I keeps thinking 4G = LTE.

Here is what I found

T-Mobile's "4G" is actually using the same 3G technology "HSDPA+" in Canada, just latest version which support "up" to 42Mbps(backward compatible). It's not the same as "Roger/Telus LTE". According to T-Mobile's own support forum. "You need to be able to access both 1700MHz & 2100MHz at the same time to get 3G speed, else it drops to 2G/EDGE." And there are also report they are using
1900MHz too for the "4G"

http://support.t-mobile.com/message/72022
http://support.t-mobile.com/message/71738#71738

Mobilicity's phone use the same 3G(1700 & 2100) frequency as T-Mobile, so if you prefer to purchase phone locally that works on T-Mobile's "4G" network, you know where to look now.

If you got those world phone that support HSDPA 1900 & 2100; you can try your luck and see if is on "4G" or "2G" speed.

Hope this helps those that got really confuse with the data connection

[TheLamma]

I am pretty sure it works. After I log in to T-mobile's site, I do have the option to choose the $2 or $3 Pay by day plan.

Sweet, I am really glad to hear that, since I ended up ordering a pre-activated Pay As You Go SIM card.

Hope this helps those that got really confuse with the data connection

Hm, so I guess the key here is that I would need BOTH 1700 and 2100, having just 2100 won't work. You mentioned something about 1900 - what were you saying about that?

oh, that's too bad. I was confused about blank vs activated vs unactivated sims also so emailed the seller before ordering an activated sim...

Blank, apparently (at least with T-Mobile), is to replace an old card or to have a spare. You cannot create a new activation on it. Unactivated is a previously unused card, but should come with an activation card. Activated cards are either pre-used cards, or, in the case of the card I ordered, a card which a seller has activated prior to shipping for convenience.

[Ctrl-Z]

So it's been confirmed in this thread that T-Mobile online takes Canadian credit cards for on-line refill. Is the same true for AT&T? Thanks.

[pathfinder35]

So it's been confirmed in this thread that T-Mobile online takes Canadian credit cards for on-line refill. Is the same true for AT&T? Thanks.

Yes. Last summer, I bought a data plan online for my AT&T Go phone $2/day plan using my CC.

[redflag999]

Yes, TM does have regular 2G data for standard GSM phones. You get unlimited 2G data, voice, txt for $2 per day.

Also note that if you do $100 in refills during the first year (i.e. reach gold rewards), then every year afterwards a $10 refill lasts for 1 yr instead of 90 days. (i.e. year 1 = $100 total , year 2 =$10 minimum total, year 3 =$10, etc)

FYI. In addition to getting the 1 year expiration after you reach Gold status, every refill after your first $100 will give you an extra 15% of minutes.

[redflag999]

I am pretty sure it works. After I log in to T-mobile's site, I do have the option to choose the $2 or $3 Pay by day plan.

Yes with Pay as you go, you can choice with pay by minute or pay by day. I have only been using pay by minute with my cheapo 7-11 phone for the last 2 years with I travel to the states. Now I got a smart phone with Wind, I am thinking of the pay by day option, I know I can switch back and forth between pay by day and pay be minute online. And I read somewhere long time ago that you will only get charged your $1/$2/$3 IF I use my phone during the 24 hours period and there is no charge if I am not using, is that correct? Or if my account will be debited $1/$2/$3 everyday I am on pay by the day plan.

so I figure if there is no charge as long as I am not using it (like when I am in Canada), I will just keep the pay by day plan. But if they automatically charge , then i will keep the pay by minute and only switch to pay by day when I am in the US and need to use data, and switch it back the next day (if I don't need data anymore). Can someone comment on that, thanks

[riverlet]

If I get the $2 T-Mobile Pay-Per-Day which includes data, but not BIS, will I still be able to use bbm via wifi? (and that won't count as a charge)

[godfather2729]

I'm a bit confused about the SIM card. I went to the suggested website, and this seemed like the most relevant choice. But it specifies "Pay As You Go", if I want to get the 30$ plan with T-Mobile, which as far as I know is not considered Pay As You Go, is this still the correct SIM card for me? If not, can someone direct me to the correct one? Thanks