iPhone 4 solution for visitor to the USA
 

I shall be traveling to the USA next week with my wife. We each have an unlocked European iPhone 4. We are looking into getting local USA SIM cards (obviously pre-paid) for our phones but it seems like quite a minefield. We currently also have two very simple T-Mobile phones from a previous trip which still have credit, and I guess we could use their SIMS in the iPhones instead (I have a SIM-microSIM cutter) but I have heard that T-mobile's data coverage for such iPhones is only at the EDGE speeds which are much slower than 3G. However, T-mobile have an attractive $2/day pre-paid plan which would suite us quite well.

I have tried looking into AT&T but cannot see whether they have any pre-paid rate for talk and data - their overall coverage seems much better than T-mobile and they don't have the EDGE speed problem (or so I am led to believe).

We shall be part of the time in Yellowstone, where I understand we will need Verizon CDMA phones. That means we shall have to get a couple of simple Verizon pre-paid phones. One thought that occurred to me was that if there are simple such phones for Verizon pre-pay which can create a mobile hotspot we could use them for talking and use the iPhones for data via wifi.

Does anyone know more?

Some people have signed up for ATT prepaid on a generic phone and sucessfully moved the SIM over ATT. I recommend purchasing a chip from a virtual network using the ATT network --Straight Talk (Walmart); H20 Mobile, etc. Straight Talk is $45 a month for unlimtied domestic talk, text, and data. It has the advantage of being widely available.

I was in Yellowstone last year. I had coverage on ATT outside the park, at Old Faithful, at the Village, and at Roosevelt. There is also some wifi at Canyon Village. I had some coverage in Grand Teaton. The coverage was perfect in Jackson Hole and Red Lodge. I also have a Verizon MiFi and don't think coverage think their coverage was perfect, but I don't swear to it. I know that when Verizon covers some place and ATT doesn't I put iPhone on Verizon via MiFi. I don't recall doing so, but don't want to swear to it.

Does anyone have any first-hand experience with the Straight Talk SIM? Do you have to choose either AT&T or T-Mo? Or does it roam on both? Do you really get 3G? Unlimited? On 850 Mhz for AT&T?

It seems like you have to purchase one of four SIMS:

Please choose the type of phone you have:

1. Phone is a CDMA (i.e. Verizon, Sprint, Metro PCS), TracFone, SafeLink, NET10, Straight Talk or BlackBerry
2. Unlocked GSM Phone (Phone must operate in 850 and 1900 MHz bands)
3. AT&T Compatible Phone
4. T-Mobile Compatible Phone


The SIM is $14.99, the plan is $45.

Not sure if SIM #2 (above) would also work on AT&T?

Some say there is a 2 GB limit, and if so, what happens after that threshold? 2G?

Not sure if you can let the plan lapse, then re-up some months later?

The Wal Mart on-line store merely has service cards, as far as I can determine, and no SIMs. I guess you can buy those in a regular Wal Mart?

If anyone has any first-hand experience using the Straight Talk SIM and service (on AT&T, specifically 850 Mhz 3G), please share.

I wonder if AT&T's ceding of 1900 Mhz to T-Mo impacts one's choices/performance?

Thanks for all the info. The european iPhone 4 I have is in category 2: Unlocked GSM Phone (definitely does 850/1900).

I see they have a website (http://www.straighttalk.com).
I get the impression from some bulletin boards that the AT&T connections give the best 3G speed. If I have an unlocked GSM Phone will the AT&T version work with it (category 3)?

Another question: On the Straight Talk website they say that international text messaging is only available with the Samsung Galaxy Precedent? (M828C) and LG Optimus Q? (L55C). Does that mean they have a way to block international text messaging from other models? Would that prevent me from sending international text messages?

One more: I currently have a very simple T-mobile pre-pay phone. Is there a way to transfer the number to the Straight Talk SIM?

Can anyone please correct me if I am mistaken.

The following AT&T plans seem to fit all of my requirements:
AT&T GoPhone $50 monthly unlimited
+$25 1G data package
+$10 International long distance package

Would I be able to get all this by just walking into an AT&T store in a mall?
Would they do a microSIM or should I bring my SIM cutter?

AT&T's policy is to not allow iPhones on prepaid plans. If you want AT&T, you will need to bring a non-iPhone to the store to activate. When you leave, you can cut the SIM and put it in your iPhone.

I can't personally vouch for them but I know a few people using this with iPhones: www.h2owirelessnow.com

Thanks for the reply.
Are you sure of this? On their webpage they write:
"Smartphone users must purchase a data package to use data services on eligible plans. Pay–per–use data is not available with Smartphones"
I am purchasing a data package.
I went through their terms and conditions and could not see anything about iPhones not being permitted.

It looks like they are also an MVNO for AT&T.


I admit I haven't stayed up to date on this topic but it used to be that you could not activate an AT&T pre-paid SIM in an iPhone as this was blocked by the IMEI. So you needed to activate the SIM in a non-iPhone, then once activated you can use it unrestricted in an iPhone, after making any necessary physical alterations.

Not true, I've picked up a prepaid microSIM from an AT&T store. The SIM itself is free, but if you want to use data, you have to buy a data plan.

tb

There is a lot of conflicting information out there. This guy demos how you can get voice, but not data on the ATT $50 GoPhone unlimited plan. Even using APN changer he couldn't get it to work.

An iPhone is not treated as a PDA or a smartphone by ATT. It is treated as a unique category. It doesn't make sense to me, but that is what they do.

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7Y5t...e_gdata_player


Sent from my iPad

FWIW, I unlocked my ATT iphone 3GS and swapped in a straighttalk sim card and have no problems at all. (Note that straighttalk sells a sim card that can be used on a locked ATT iphone, as well as one that works on an unlocked iphone).

I have no idea about the "block" on international texts, but I would think that imessaging between the phones would work even if there is such a block.

I presume it is only outbound international texts which are blocked. If that is the case, buying a 10 euro card from Fishtext. They will spoof your caller-id and allow you to send outbound texts over data.

OK. I basically did what I had worked out before, but with a few changes based on what I had read on the net.

Firstly, I bought the cheapest AT&T gophones I could find fom Best Buy. It is MOST IMPORTANT not to buy from AT&T direct (read on)! Next get the SIM out of the package, log on to the AT&T registration site and give the SIM's number AND THE IMEI OF THE CHEAP PHONE. DO NOT GIVE THE IMEI OF THE iPhone, it will be blocked! DO NOT PUT THE SIM INTO THE CHEAP PHONE, as it will then be locked to that phone for 6 months! If you buy the SIM from AT&T they will 'help' you by putting it into the cheap phone for you, which will rather mess things up!

Next, cut the SIM into microSIM format with a cutter. It may now be put into the iPhone. You will need to buy a data program (I got the $25 one) and anything else you need (I got the $10 international calls addon).

I did this with two phones this week, with no problems at all. I even ported over two T-mobile numbers to the new SIMs. Calls, data, SMS - all I might need, without paying extortionate roaming charges to my local phone companies (in Israel).

Aha! Good job - thanks for sharing the details.