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Visiting the US for a couple of weeks. Best option for cheap data?
carguy143
17-10-2016
Hi,
I'm off to the US in about a month or so. What's the best option for data out there? I'll be on the road a lot as I'm visiting family and friends spread out between Houston and Arkansas.

Using my UK mobile SIM isn't an option as they charge £15 for 100mb of US data.

Thanks,

Rik.
steffangl
17-10-2016
T-Mobile US Tourist SIM for $30

or a 3 UK PAYG SIM with an add-on with data which you can use abroad at no extra cost with the 'Feel like home' service.
carguy143
17-10-2016
Originally Posted by steffangl:
“T-Mobile US Tourist SIM for $30

or a 3 UK PAYG SIM with an add-on with data which you can use abroad at no extra cost with the 'Feel like home' service.”

Thanks, I thought the 3 deal was only available if you'd been with them on pay and go for three months. I'll look in to the SIM. I guess it would be easy enough to pick up over there.
BKM
17-10-2016
Originally Posted by carguy143:
“Thanks, I thought the 3 deal was only available if you'd been with them on pay and go for three months
.”

I think this is (or perhaps was) CONTRACT - not PAYG.! Remember on 3 PAYG you have to purchase an add-on (eg £10 buys 100 minutes, 3000 texts and 1024Mb data - other options are available) as "Feel like Home" does not use PAYG cash-credit.
bikerlad
17-10-2016
With Three FAH you should top up whilst in the UK and if possible use it a bit, to show some usage in the UK. If you only top up and then use it abroad they may suspend it.
planetf1
18-10-2016
How much data do you think you'll need? The T-mobile plan is 2GB really - then gprs speeds though it doesn't stop apparently. Three will give you 12GB. They do though channel all traffic back to the UK so latency really does take a hit in the USA. overall speeds vary quite a lot from good to frustrating in my experience. Of course since I'm already a 3 customer I'd go with that option.
swb1964
19-10-2016
Oh for gawds sake leave yr smartphone at home and enjoy your holiday!!!
rasseru16
19-10-2016
Originally Posted by carguy143:
“Hi,
I'm off to the US in about a month or so. What's the best option for data out there? I'll be on the road a lot as I'm visiting family and friends spread out between Houston and Arkansas.

Using my UK mobile SIM isn't an option as they charge £15 for 100mb of US data.

Thanks,

Rik.”

Simple Mobile offer "Unlimited" 4G LTE data using the T-Mobile US network for $60. (About £48) or cheaper plans available depending on your data needs.
https://www.simplemobile.com/wps/por...nlimited-plans

You can buy the nano sim here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USA-Simple...UAAOSwLnBX5Axc
Gaz82
20-10-2016
Originally Posted by swb1964:
“Oh for gawds sake leave yr smartphone at home and enjoy your holiday!!!”

How is a comment like this contributing to the OP's question??
If you're not interested in using a smart phone whilst you're on holiday then that's your choice of course, just skip past the thread.
But purposing reading a thread that you clearly have no real interest in and then posting an unhelpful comment is quite honestly pathetic!

OP, another option is Straight Talk mobile - available at any Walmart Store: https://www.straighttalk.com/wps/por...p/serviceplans
carguy143
20-10-2016
Originally Posted by planetf1:
“How much data do you think you'll need? The T-mobile plan is 2GB really - then gprs speeds though it doesn't stop apparently. Three will give you 12GB. They do though channel all traffic back to the UK so latency really does take a hit in the USA. overall speeds vary quite a lot from good to frustrating in my experience. Of course since I'm already a 3 customer I'd go with that option.”

Thanks. I reckon the couple of gig would be enough as whilst I will be downloading maps for offline use there's bound to be the odd time where I'll be out and about needing to look things up, or killing time whilst waiting for other people.

I used to be with Three a couple of years ago and whilst speed tests etc would show great speeds in the US the reality was that it would barely work.. For example, youtube videos wouldn't play. I noticed everything, as you say, is piped back to the UK through some kind of VPN as the BBC website was ad free on mobile data but full of ads when connected to the local wifi.
carguy143
20-10-2016
Originally Posted by Gaz82:
“How is a comment like this contributing to the OP's question??
If you're not interested in using a smart phone whilst you're on holiday then that's your choice of course, just skip past the thread.
But purposing reading a thread that you clearly have no real interest in and then posting an unhelpful comment is quite honestly pathetic!

OP, another option is Straight Talk mobile - available at any Walmart Store: https://www.straighttalk.com/wps/por...p/serviceplans”

Thanks very much. Comments like the other certainly don't help but it's a case of each to their own. I would be using my phone to enhance my trip, as it will be needed for looking places up whilst out and about, streaming a little music in the 20 hour round trip car journey I'll have to do. it will also be used to allow me to stay in touch with my daughter as her mum refuses to let her come on holiday with me.

Walmarts are everywhere so I'll check them out, too.
drabble
21-10-2016
I've used T-Mobile USA as I wanted to try some more advanced features and a 3 UK 321 PAYG SIM with Feel Like Home. Didn't get any data roaming on T-Mobile with Feel Like Home at the time and it is limited to 3G/HSPA.

Remember to check that your handset is unlocked and which network bands it supports as they are quite different to the UK.

AT&T use bands 2 and 5 for 2G/3G. Bands 2,4,5 and 17 with 12, 29 and 30 for 4G LTE depending on market. 2G is being phased out all together shortly.

T-Mobile USA use band 2 for 2G, bands 2 and 4 for 3G and bands 2,4 and 12 for 4G LTE.

I believe Straight Talk is a MNVO with national agreements with the big four networks so should be good coverage wise.
carguy143
22-10-2016
Originally Posted by drabble:
“I've used T-Mobile USA as I wanted to try some more advanced features and a 3 UK 321 PAYG SIM with Feel Like Home. Didn't get any data roaming on T-Mobile with Feel Like Home at the time and it is limited to 3G/HSPA.

Remember to check that your handset is unlocked and which network bands it supports as they are quite different to the UK.

AT&T use bands 2 and 5 for 2G/3G. Bands 2,4,5 and 17 with 12, 29 and 30 for 4G LTE depending on market. 2G is being phased out all together shortly.

T-Mobile USA use band 2 for 2G, bands 2 and 4 for 3G and bands 2,4 and 12 for 4G LTE.

I believe Straight Talk is a MNVO with national agreements with the big four networks so should be good coverage wise.”

Thanks, I should have mentioned I have a Nexus 6P so it should work on all but Verizon/Sprint. I know for a fact I won't get 4g as the US use different bands for 4g which aren't compatible with non US versions. I miss the days when having a TRI-BAND phone was sufficient.
drabble
22-10-2016
Originally Posted by carguy143:
“Thanks, I should have mentioned I have a Nexus 6P so it should work on all but Verizon/Sprint. I know for a fact I won't get 4g as the US use different bands for 4g which aren't compatible with non US versions. I miss the days when having a TRI-BAND phone was sufficient.”

I also have the global model 6P, it works fine on most of the main US 4G LTE bands from my experience, just no band 12 and 13 support for T-Mobile and Verizon, 25 and 26 for Sprint and 28 and 29 for AT&T.

Also missing is CA support on the US bands but at least you can still get a signal.

My experience of using the 6P on T-Mobile USA in California last year:
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2123401
Susan_Hall
27-10-2016
You might also want to check out Target's website. Interestingly they now have a "UK" site with payment in GBP and shipping to the UK . Not checked out prices.
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