From what I've read, there's a similar facility available for Australia. I don't like using citibank for my regular banking, but I suppose I could just leave an account open for when I need to transfer money to India.

Why not an NRE account with an operating mandate to the in-laws?

Haven't figured out yet if there's a way to transfer directly to their branch. This is a one off transfer and while I've been wanting to set up an NRE account for a while now and just getting down to deciding between citibank/hsbc (I did set one up with HDFC Bank but TT into it was expensive and pointless as it offered no convenience)

Same here, Citi has some atrocious fees for checking, but none for savings. So I'm just going to park some money there. I have a habit of keeping a backup ATM card, so I shall make Citi my backup.

Whats the difference between this and jt holders?

Whats TT?

thanks....please let me know....

Telegraphic Transfer.

(Bank-to-Bank transfer of funds, usually using the SWIFT network, but could use ABA (within USA) etc.)

AT&T just bought T-mobile USA but they will remain separate entities for a year, apparently - if the deal is okay'd by the FCC/other authorities.

However, I don't see why using a prepaid plan would restrict another phone from being used - I don't use Apple products, so I wouldn't know, but still there's no reason for them to be prejudiced about this - possibly only if you are using BB if ports are unique or something - like StarHub has here in SIN I just noticed!

Rates are amazingly cheap in SIN for prepaid - also wireless broadband is amazingly affordable - better than paying for internet in the hotel! ^

most cell phone carriers in the US are pretty daft about the fact that there are unlocked phones available outside the US....

the last time i went to at&t with a factory unlocked iphone they told me that it was illegal to get a phone unlocked....i told then it was factory unlocked so its legal....they had apparently never heard of that concept....

i have had a at&t contract for the last 8 years so its been a while since i bought a phone in the US but since my wife wants to use her iphone while in the US i need to get her a sim....the last time i asked either at&t or t-mobile for a prepaid sim they told me that i would have to buy a pay as you go phone along with the sim & the sim would only work on that phone....

NRE (Non Resident External) Accounts
- Funds can be repatriated freely from India
- Interest earned is not taxable in India

If you open an NRE account and give your inlaws the operating mandate, they can operate the account as it were their own; along with ATM access.

Basically, unless there's a need for any funds from within India to be deposited into the account, you are better of going with an NRE account than an NRO (which is essentially a standard account opened within India, interest being taxable and all that).

I think that is incorrect - since you need only voice, might as well buy the pay as you go phone and try the SIM in your iPhone - should work. (If not, you still have the phone to use, but the iPhone is probably 90% not barred from being used on their network with a prepaid SIM!)

Just as the UOB counter dimwit here in SIN said to my wife that the StarHub SIM would only work in a Nokia - turns out that this was incorrect - it worked fine on my daughter's LG phone as well! :cool:

(Oh yes, AT&T sucks royally - I tried to get a similar connection to what you have (as a resident/taxpayer/everything), but they pulled the plan for non-biz customers, and I ended up with T-mobile - 100x better than ATT. So, now it sucks that they are becoming one company!)

Yup, they confirmed it. I even specifically asked about an unlocked iphone. The only thing you can't do is send picture messages. You can receive them though.

great....looks like t-mobile it is then....

Had to make another follow-up call and confirmed this with another agent in the store. He said it is possible as long as the phone takes a SIM card. He even mentioned that Tmobile itself can unlock phones after 6 months of service with them. I somehow was under the impression that unlocked phones used to be illegal here.

Come to think of it, I have lately seen many small stores offer services such as unlocking. So I guess things are improving. Still pathetic though.

used to be a grey area with Apple trying to have it made illegal in the US of A - both unlocking and jailbreaking..... but July 2010 that was struck down and is very legal now

T-mobile gave me an unlock code immediately for a HD2 right after I bought it, as I had a BB contract with them, so they are actually very good. ^

When did the switch occur to NRE/NRO? I've always seen it as NRI. Is this the new politically correct thing? You'll have to forgive me. I'm....how do you say....mai gora hu

NRE / NRO refer to certain types of bank accounts in India. These have been around for more than 15 years.

NRI = you already know what that means.