Purchasing local GSM SIM cards in various locations
Mar 24, 2011, 9:48 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: Krisflyer Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 62
Purchasing local GSM SIM cards in various locations
I will be travelling to Hong Kong, US and Paris on vacation. Would anybody have info on whether it is possible to easily purchase pre-paid local SIM cards (GSM not CDMA) at these places? Will save quite a bit on roaming fees.
If the pre-paid plan has data in addition to voice, that is a bonus. Also will they have the mini-SIM for the iphone4?
Thanks in advance.
If the pre-paid plan has data in addition to voice, that is a bonus. Also will they have the mini-SIM for the iphone4?
Thanks in advance.
Mar 24, 2011, 11:46 am
#2
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,854
I've recently discovered a great site (with which I have no connection) that tracks all this sort of stuff. Take a look at http://www.prepaidgsm.net/
Mar 24, 2011, 3:27 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: HGP/SPG: Apprentice Kettle; UA/AA/DL: Journeyman Kettle
Posts: 866
I will be travelling to Hong Kong, US and Paris on vacation. Would anybody have info on whether it is possible to easily purchase pre-paid local SIM cards (GSM not CDMA) at these places? Will save quite a bit on roaming fees.
If the pre-paid plan has data in addition to voice, that is a bonus. Also will they have the mini-SIM for the iphone4?
Thanks in advance.
If the pre-paid plan has data in addition to voice, that is a bonus. Also will they have the mini-SIM for the iphone4?
Thanks in advance.
In the USA pre-paid SIM cards can be purchased from T-mobile. (as long as it is still T-mobile.
In Hong Kong a pre-paid SIM can be purchased for any of the major telecoms at the 7-11 and other convenience locations.
Mar 24, 2011, 3:46 pm
#4
Senior Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
Posts: 12,396
Also, the FlyerTalk Travel Techology forum has a consolidated thread on SIM card availability, use and activation issues here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...-thread-6.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...-thread-6.html
Apr 5, 2011, 12:43 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: USA - HNL, SEA, DEN, ORD, MCO, and all points inbetween
Programs: Way too many!
Posts: 1,188
Paris is tough.
The French government "Frowns" on any NON-CITIZEN getting a French Phone Number - thus the French Sim Card has been hard for me to get. Maybe you will have luck. As an American, I used www.britishsims.com and got a British Sim on the "ORANGE" network, and that works in France since they have ORANGE - I got a decent rate and roaming cost. You'll see "ORANGE" wireless stores all over Paris.
I have not been able to get a French Sim or phone number.
US and China should be fine.
NOTE! YOU MUST BE SURE YOUR PHONE IS "UNLOCKED" OR IT WILL NOT WORK WITH A FOREIGN SIM! Call you service provider and get the unlock code. At least that is the way it works in the US. Assume it is similar abroad.
Have a great trip!
The French government "Frowns" on any NON-CITIZEN getting a French Phone Number - thus the French Sim Card has been hard for me to get. Maybe you will have luck. As an American, I used www.britishsims.com and got a British Sim on the "ORANGE" network, and that works in France since they have ORANGE - I got a decent rate and roaming cost. You'll see "ORANGE" wireless stores all over Paris.
I have not been able to get a French Sim or phone number.
US and China should be fine.
NOTE! YOU MUST BE SURE YOUR PHONE IS "UNLOCKED" OR IT WILL NOT WORK WITH A FOREIGN SIM! Call you service provider and get the unlock code. At least that is the way it works in the US. Assume it is similar abroad.
Have a great trip!
Apr 7, 2011, 11:04 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PDX
Posts: 908
Hmm... Last time I could buy a pre-paid SIM card from Orange without any hassle. You still need documents, of course, but they even accepted my US passport card for number registration. Did anybody else have troubles getting a pre-paid SIM card in France?
Apr 7, 2011, 9:48 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PDX
Posts: 908
Apr 8, 2011, 1:54 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: USA - HNL, SEA, DEN, ORD, MCO, and all points inbetween
Programs: Way too many!
Posts: 1,188
Did not try walking into their stores.
Maybe they changed their policy? At the time, they stated I had to be "LIVING IN FRANCE".
Interesting. I'll try it again!
Apr 8, 2011, 2:20 am
#11
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond 1.7MM, Starlux Insighter, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,947
For Hong Kong, I recommend a SIM from 3 (owned by Hutchison Whampoa, which is actually based in hkg). The rates are super and the SIM is easy to acquire; there is even a 3 shop in the airport on the departures level outside security.
Data is also affordable, IIRC, although I didn't use it last trip
as with all prepaid GSM, write down the APN settings before you get there or you will find the setup process frustrating to impossible - for some irritating reason the providers never remember to put that info in the sim package.
Data is also affordable, IIRC, although I didn't use it last trip
as with all prepaid GSM, write down the APN settings before you get there or you will find the setup process frustrating to impossible - for some irritating reason the providers never remember to put that info in the sim package.
Apr 8, 2011, 4:22 am
#12
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,031
Setup process? I've been using prepaid GSM for years and have never encountered any setup processes that were more complex than: 1) put card in phone; 2) turn on phone; and maybe 3) add funds to the card. What are APN settings?
Apr 8, 2011, 6:18 pm
#13
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM MM SC; GE; Bonvoy Titanium; IHG Diamond
Posts: 2,310
I bought a pre-paid data SIM in Paris in February. Just needed to show my passport (I went to the Orange store on Place de la Madeleine).
Apr 8, 2011, 6:22 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM MM SC; GE; Bonvoy Titanium; IHG Diamond
Posts: 2,310
I have an unlocked MiFi and have used local data SIMs in Ireland, England, France and Italy and the only time I needed to change the APN was in Italy. The other countries, I just popped in the SIM and was all set.
Apr 9, 2011, 6:46 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 634
More technical details at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Access_Point_Name