SIM card question
 

I'm still new at this, so I hope this is not a dumb question. I use Verizon here in the states (CDMA). I've bought a second, unlocked GSM phone to use in Europe. I'm going to buy local SIM cards there. It occurs to me that I might get a pre-paid SIM card here, with a small amount of minutes, so that I can use the phone right away for emergencies until I get the local SIM card.

Any suggestion on which carrier would be best to buy a US-based SIM card here on a pre-paid basis for this purpose?

Your choice is Att Cingular and T-mobile... It depends on how the carrier is in your area.... Here in NYC area ATT seems to be the right way to go.... (If you want GSM service, otherwise Verizon is better)

I think* T-mobile is better in the SFO part....

I can't directly answer your question, except to point out that US prepaid plans generally require adding time/$ every 30-90 days to keep the invested time alive.

Most, if not all, North American GSM operators do not provide any international roaming capabilities to the users of their pre-paid services...

All operators in the US have the same problem; expiring call credit.

You'll need to keep adding money every 90 days or so or the credit will expire.

Not a single US based pre-paid GSM provider allows International roaming that I know of. You can however buy pre-paid sims before your trip at this web site:
http://www.telestial.com

O2 in the Uk do pre paid sims with credit that doesn't expire as long as you make or receive a call once every couple of months, they work anywhere in the world and are very cheap, you can normally buy them for £1 on line direct from the website.

I checked out that website above and oh my god!! $40 dollars for a card that are nealry given away

Link to there website where you can find out the charges for calls in a specific country

http://travelabroad.o2-uktech.com/coverage.php?n=b

Dino

best thins is the buy before leavgin
 

From an in country providor. Like Virgin, t-mobile, etc.

There are companies that will sell online, or go with an ebay seller. Find osmeone with mnay cards, and ask them for one of each once you win an auction.

no us providors do interneational at all

You should be able to purchase a SIM card at the airport upon arrival. They are MUCH more readily available in Europe than in the US. If you tell us where you are arriving I'm sure someone here can even tell you where in the airport to find such a shop!

Having just returned from London with my unlocked GSM phone I can tell you that my US T-Mobile prepaid card did not work in the UK. I quickly found a stationary store and purchased a Virgin Mobile pre-paid SIM. Unlike purchasing a prepaid card in the US; there were no forms to fill out, ID to produce, or credit card to be given.

What was the cost, and how many minutes were included? Is Virgin Mobile 1800MHz only? (My phone uses 900 MHz overseas).

You don't need this in the US either.

They ASK for a name and DOB but that is only for your own account security. You can give them any name and DOB you want, as long as you remember it.

You do not need ID or a CC to get a US (T-mobile) prepaid sim.

Virgin mobile sim is GBP10 with GBP5 call credit.

Virgin is a virtual operator on the One2One network so it's fully GSM1800.

You can buy a starter kit with Nokia phone for just GBP40 or with a colour Motorola for just GBP50.

Are you talking about Virgin USA, because it clearly is CDMA... It would've been nice if they offered GSM service here in the States, then it will be easy for people from UK to use their Virgin Services while in the States....

Prepaid SIMS are terribly easy to find in Europe and some will let you roam here. As Dino2020 pointed out, the prices charged by this web site are in my opinion, bordering on obscene. Check out the web sites for companies like Virgin Mobile, Vodafone and Orange to see how cheap these cards are if you buy them in the country you are travelling to.