How to use unlocked cell phone in U.S.A.

[RK_and_Inday 10]

Dear fellow VJ members, I am wondering if you can help me with the following please:

My fiancee (Inday) would like to bring her current handphone/cell phone to U.S.A. to use because she exceptionally enjoys the features available. However, the desire is to pay for use of the phone in manner similar as she does in Philippines (i.e., purchases load). I myself am rather ignorant as to cell phone use in general/overall so don't know how this is to be done in U.S. I think I understand that Inday's phone is currently unlocked and the desire is to keep it unlocked. If so, can any of you tell me step-by-step how Inday can use her phone in the U.S. in similar way as she does in Philippines? (i.e., just periodically adding load instead of monthly payments/bill)? I've tried reading some on this topic but the information is so general it is difficult for me to understand how, step-by-step unlocked phone is to be used in U.S. Thank you much for your help! --RK

[kzielu 1,149]

Go to AT&T, tell you want to buy pre-paid SIM card, put it in the phone, use...

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Dear fellow VJ members, I am wondering if you can help me with the following please:

My fiancee (Inday) would like to bring her current handphone/cell phone to U.S.A. to use because she exceptionally enjoys the features available. However, the desire is to pay for use of the phone in manner similar as she does in Philippines (i.e., purchases load). I myself am rather ignorant as to cell phone use in general/overall so don't know how this is to be done in U.S. I think I understand that Inday's phone is currently unlocked and the desire is to keep it unlocked. If so, can any of you tell me step-by-step how Inday can use her phone in the U.S. in similar way as she does in Philippines? (i.e., just periodically adding load instead of monthly payments/bill)? I've tried reading some on this topic but the information is so general it is difficult for me to understand how, step-by-step unlocked phone is to be used in U.S. Thank you much for your help! --RK

You go to somewhere like Best Buy/Walmart, buy a SIM card, and buy credit. That easy. You can also go to any of the bigger carriers and get a SIM card from them.

Here's some SIM cards from Best Buy: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Mobile-Phones/Unlocked-Mobile-Phones/pcmcat156400050037.c?id=pcmcat156400050037

Here's a Walmart one: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Family-Mobile-SIM-Card-Activation-Kit/15219626

Edited November 14, 2011 by Vanessa&Tony

[CristiFur 15]

You can get pre paid plans (just like buying loads in PI) from AT&T or Tmobile, but depends on your location. Tmobile is more flexible in regards to using your own phone than AT&T and the rates are cheaper. I have my son on a prepaid I usually load $20 per month and that's unlimited text and .10c per min on voice calls..

[RK_and_Inday 10]

Kzielinski, Vanessa&Tony, Cristifur--Thanks for the speedy replies, the good leads, the links, and a very clear explanation. I have followed the links you provided, V&T, and I will follow-up on AT&T/T-mobile inquiries, etcetera. For now, with my quick read, the links seem to describe in-U.S.A. calling for the most part and international communication focuses on text. Off-hand, are any of you aware which (method/company) offers international voice calling? As said, am just asking in case you have additional info at hand but I will certainly continue to do my due diligence and do follow-ups, additonal inquiries using the information you have provided. Thank you for getting me off to a good start! --RK

[mapletree 33]

She will quickly find the systems are different here. Pre-paid / load works there because many of the phone carriers like it to work best and no one has credit. Here, people can be tracked down and held accountable, and as such subscription services often permit better deals.

Just about any unlocked phone will work on systems here, but her “features” may not. Things like Meebo, and some data services may not work on her phone here. She may find that all she has is basic text and calling.

So while the phone may work fine for basic things, I am sure quickly she will want a new phone to work fully on the local system.

Phones are just different there.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Kzielinski, Vanessa&Tony, Cristifur--Thanks for the speedy replies, the good leads, the links, and a very clear explanation. I have followed the links you provided, V&T, and I will follow-up on AT&T/T-mobile inquiries, etcetera. For now, with my quick read, the links seem to describe in-U.S.A. calling for the most part and international communication focuses on text. Off-hand, are any of you aware which (method/company) offers international voice calling? As said, am just asking in case you have additional info at hand but I will certainly continue to do my due diligence and do follow-ups, additonal inquiries using the information you have provided. Thank you for getting me off to a good start! --RK

I am with Verizon and have an international calling plan through them. It's not for long phone calls though. If she wants to make long calls I suggest you send a MagicJack to her family. http://www.magicjack.com/

There is also Vonage of course. http://www.vonage.com/

Edited November 15, 2011 by Vanessa&Tony

[TeapotGirl 66]

I love my cellphone (Nokia X3-02) here but Verizon said they do not recognize the make and can't connect their line to it.

How about roaming sim from the PHilippines?

[A and T 82]

It wont take long in the USA before she realizes how screwed up the cell phone system is . She will quickly learn that prepaid in the USA actually costs more than being on contract, which is why most Americans are suffering $50 a month and up cell bills while hardly using them

Know what my cell bill is in the Philippines? About $4 a month, Strange how a country like the USA can't get it together when it comes to communications companies but yet the philippines beats them in every fashion

[RK_and_Inday 10]

@mapletree--Thanks for the info and the "heads-up"

@Teapotgurl, Vanessa&Tony--Thank you very much for the additional ideas.

@Adam&Thet--I was wondering why info about prepaid, or the use of prepaid, seemed relatively uncommon (compared to contract/regularly billing method). Interesting...

.. Matter of fact this whole topic is turning out to be more interesting than I had anticipated and I truly, truly appreciate everybody's input.

--RK

[Hank_ 9,174]

I second setting up a magicjack with a local number then sending it to the Phils. You can call that number as a local number and using the magic jack see can call you home, cell or whatever as a local call... all the way from the Phils!! Yes you need a computer and a broadband internet connection to use the magicjack.

[A and T 82]

If your carrier is gsm in the usa (which means Tmobile, and Att) She can sign up for the junk phone with tmobile (whatever free phone they offer) and take the sim out and put it in her phone and then use her phone on contract. If its a smart phone , both carriers with auto detect it via the IMEI and add the forced $30 data plan monthly, even if she doesnt use data.

Sucks a lot

[sea-town 5]

I second setting up a magicjack with a local number then sending it to the Phils. You can call that number as a local number and using the magic jack see can call you home, cell or whatever as a local call... all the way from the Phils!! Yes you need a computer and a broadband internet connection to use the magicjack.

with the new magic jacks u do not need a computer just need internet

voip is the way to go i use vonage seems to be more clear and less issues but it is more expensive than magic jack

[GLJ1322 5]

I love my cellphone (Nokia X3-02) here but Verizon said they do not recognize the make and can't connect their line to it.

How about roaming sim from the PHilippines?

I did this before when I worked outside Philippines. Any phone will work as long as yeah it recognizes networks and true most commonly Nokia mobiles. And to make her phone work here in US she should have a sim card that is roam activated (either smart, globe netwok etc..)and I suggest your fiancee should activate or buy a roaming sim before she gets to US so she won't be charge of any amount. And the only thing makes it not so cool is having a maintaining balance(load)of 100php or else she can't text nor call but she can still receive though. Well, anyway when she buys the sim card there will be instructions with it so she'll be ok. Good luck.

[john_and_marlene 162]

Dear fellow VJ members, I am wondering if you can help me with the following please:

My fiancee (Inday) would like to bring her current handphone/cell phone to U.S.A. to use because she exceptionally enjoys the features available. However, the desire is to pay for use of the phone in manner similar as she does in Philippines (i.e., purchases load). I myself am rather ignorant as to cell phone use in general/overall so don't know how this is to be done in U.S. I think I understand that Inday's phone is currently unlocked and the desire is to keep it unlocked. If so, can any of you tell me step-by-step how Inday can use her phone in the U.S. in similar way as she does in Philippines? (i.e., just periodically adding load instead of monthly payments/bill)? I've tried reading some on this topic but the information is so general it is difficult for me to understand how, step-by-step unlocked phone is to be used in U.S. Thank you much for your help! --RK

Is the unlocked phone tri-band or quad-band? If not, it won't work in the U.S. If it is, just get a new sim card