Travelling in the USA with your cell phone

[RedFish]

Usually someone in this great group has the answer to whatever people ask, so here goes:

I will be on holiday in the USA for 2.5 weeks in March.      I am with Rogers, and I can buy a travel package through them to use with my existing phone.    I would get 40 minutes for 23.75 (0.63c/min), or 100 minutes for $47.50 (0.50c/min).
http://www.rogers.com/web/Rogers.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=AppsAddons&category=12

The phone will be needed so that my travelling companions and I can call each other (to find each other when we split up), or call from the house where we will be staying.  There is no land line in the house.

One sister is buying a disposable phone in the US.    I can't find any websites that show me clearly how easy it is to buy a disposable, and if it is cheaper to do that, than to just add North American minutes to my exisiting phone.

We won't be texting, as we plan to borrow a netbook and will have wireless available, so we will be emailing with family at home.  Also, no data plan will be used.

So, anyone travel and use their existing phone, or bought a disposable in the US for use?

Thanks!

[Brine]

If you have a gmail account you can call from the laptop. Calls are free within the US and Canada. Look for the call phone link on the left sidebar.

[bt]

One sister is buying a disposable phone in the US.    I can't find any websites that show me clearly how easy it is to buy a disposable, and if it is cheaper to do that, than to just add North American minutes to my exisiting phone.

You walk into WalMart and buy one.  It might not actually be cheaper for 2 1/2 weeks though.

[Darth]

the difference between a burner phone and a travel plan is usage, the burner phone will cost you more to start up, but give you a lot more freedom, with rogers either plan you take should you exceed those minutes your rate is such 63 cents or 50 cents so it really depends on how much you plan to use the phone. Your best option is wait till you get there go to walmart and price it out

[JetJumper]

http://www.walmart.com/browse/Cell-Phones/No-Contract-Phones-Plans/Prepaid-Cell-Phones/_/N-9709?fromPageCatId=3944&ic=48_0&path=0%3A3944&ref=+428985&refineresult=true&tab_value=Online&catNavId=1072335

Walmart US to give you an idea.  I see one for $10 on that list however prices may change before then.  If you have a GSM phone, you should be able to get a prepaid Sim chip down there and just put it in your phone you have now and it will work off that.  UNLESS your phone is locked, then thats a different story. 

[bt]

If it's a phone that actually came from Rogers, it's likely locked.

[RedFish]

Brine:  Yes, we can call from the laptop to call home, but we need a phone for between us in the states.   The laptop isn't easy to carry in my purse

My phone IS unlocked, (I have both a simple phone and a Blackberry, both unlocked) so I could buy a prepaid sim card.   But I have read on forums and elsewhere that the prepaid sim cards are hard to find.   Also I read that many people had a difficult time actually activating the card, that you need an already active phone to activate the card, which is just silly.

I have been trying to find someone who, in 2011, actually went through the process.

I feel like buying the Rogers plan before I go is the easiest way to go, and then I will have to make sure I don't go over the minutes. "Pick me up outside J.C. Penny!  Gotta go - Bye!"

But if it IS cheaper and easier just to pick up a SIM card there, then I will do that.    At the same time, I don't want to get down there and THEN find out I should have bought the Rogers plan before heading down.
I'll just keep looking around...

[Darth]

u can buy the plan while your there as well u should get a text once you cross the border just save the text and then if you need it add it it activates right away

[RedFish]

u can buy the plan while your there as well u should get a text once you cross the border just save the text and then if you need it add it it activates right away

Oh, Ok - I will check into that, so that I understand completely how that works.   Then I would have either option open.


Thanks to everyone for the help and suggestions!

[rockgarden]

Lynn:

Last January, I wandered around Florida for a couple of weeks with a fellow from Toronto.  I had my iPad and we purchased a cheap phone from AT&T. Various brands available at WalMart. Getting started was easy.  American Express credit card works better for setting up an account than Visa and Mastercard for some reason related to the country of origin/address issue with the latter two but they might have solved those issues by now. I eventually got a sim card for my iPad.  Went to the carrier's retail outlet and basically said install the card and I'm not leaving until I know that it works (had a problem on a previous attempt).  Had no problems with phone we purchased nor with the sim card.

Ron

[HappyGuppy]

At the same time, I don't want to get down there and THEN find out I should have bought the Rogers plan before heading down.
I'll just keep looking around...

The above posts offered some great tips, all of which I +1 to.  However your last line, quoted above, leads me to this point.  What is peace of mind worth?  At least buy the rogers cheaper plan for both phones, then when down in US explore your options.  Over all it is a small price compared to the other expenses of your trip, and why subject yourself to extra stress.  *Maybe* you'll save ten bucks or so in the States by buying something there, but if you get something now then that'll be one less thing to worry about.

Good luck & have fun on your trip!

[Greatwhite]

A couple things...

I travel to the US a lot, and always buy the smaller voice package because I'm only down for a few days, and it only takes a few minutes to phone home to check in with the wife and say goodnight to the kids every night.  I had gone down without it a few times, and regretted it once I got my bill.  Roaming charges are ridiculous and COMPLETELY BOGUS since Roger & AT&T are the same company and that's generally the network I end up on in the states.

You can buy a prepaid phone easily.  However if you're flying into a big airport, there are also some cell phone rental places where you can rent a phone for the length of your trip.  I have seen this service in Vegas, and haven't looked for it elsewhere.  You get a cheap phone with 100 minutes or so on it, and you drop it in a bin on your way by when you're heading home.  They then sanitize it, and rent it out again.  You can add minutes easily with a prepaid minutes card.  I have heard that if you are late returning the phone, you might get charged as if you kept the phone.

There was a 7-11 in Vegas with real cheap prepaid phones though, so I'm not sure what the ideal approach is.  I like my own phone so always opt to use it.

If you have data on  your phone - TURN IT OFF AT THE BORDER.  Look for a setting to disable data roaming and remember to check it regularly to have it OFF.  Smart phones are not so smart with data usage, and you get NAILED with data roaming.  1 week driving to Annapolis and back with 4 days there resulted in an $800 wireless bill - and that was with very light usage on the phone.  I think it auto updated a bunch of apps while I wasn't looking.

Fortunately I was able to call Rogers and ask why my bill was so high.  I told the guy that if I had known my dumb phone was going to be so expensive even without using the data features, I'd have just bought the $25 data plan (10MB) just in case....  The guy said "oh, since you know about the plan and would have bought it, here".. BAM! Charged me $25 instead of $800.

Rogers is good at knowing when you cross the border, and  you'll get a text reminder that you are now roaming and have the option to buy a voice/data plan there.  You can also do it from your laptop at any time if you forget or can't find a cheap prepaid alternative.  You can do it from your phone if it has internet too, so don't panic and rush out to pay for a plan if you want to see if you can buy/rent a cheap phone first.

[RedFish]

Ah you guys are awesome.  You've answered all my questions.

I am going to take my own phone, buy a voice package before I go (peace of mind) and I don't have data so that is a non-issue.
I will email Rogers and run all this by them before I go, in case they think of something I haven't.