Will my finance's Thai cell phone work in Los Angeles ?

[Tango777 3]

Hi everyone here at VJ and thanks for all your help. It was a marathon on ours, over 14 months but she has the visa and is flying Friday. I'm wondering now if her Thai cell will work at LAX? I can call her through my 800 (to Thailand then back to the States I guess) if her phone can get a signal. I'm not sure if she can set up wifi there for us to talk on Line which would good too. I'll be at the gate but you know it's a big place. Thanks - T

[Karee 4,190]

Hi everyone here at VJ and thanks for all your help. It was a marathon on ours, over 14 months but she has the visa and is flying Friday. I'm wondering now if her Thai cell will work at LAX? I can call her through my 800 (to Thailand then back to the States I guess) if her phone can get a signal. I'm not sure if she can set up wifi there for us to talk on Line which would good too. I'll be at the gate but you know it's a big place. Thanks - T

Not unless she has international roaming on her Thai phone. If she uses prepaid scratch cards, she wont have it.

[Ralph and Meghan 19]

check if her phone supports the bandwidth they use here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_frequencies

If the phone supports all bands she should be fine.

[slowlyman 118]

Well there you have it, one for and one against.

My wife's phone does not work here.

[Karee 4,190]

check if her phone supports the bandwidth they use here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_frequencies

If the phone supports all bands she should be fine.

He's asking if her phone with a Thai SIM card in it will work in the U.S. If it's a prepaid SIM card, the answer is no. Thai prepaid SIM cards do not support international roaming.

[Ning 619]

Hi everyone here at VJ and thanks for all your help. It was a marathon on ours, over 14 months but she has the visa and is flying Friday. I'm wondering now if her Thai cell will work at LAX? I can call her through my 800 (to Thailand then back to the States I guess) if her phone can get a signal. I'm not sure if she can set up wifi there for us to talk on Line which would good too. I'll be at the gate but you know it's a big place. Thanks - T

I doubt her phone will work. I found what Karee said was correct.

Its a big place but everyone is channeled thru immigration, then customs. Once past that there is only one way out. That's up the ramp that leads to the doors that allow people outside. If you are at the top of that ramp she cant miss you.

[Tango777 3]

Thanks everyone. I've been through there twice but it's hard to remember coming in and just wanting to get to the hotel. I do remember the ramp part now, everyone there waiting. I just now told her it will take 1 -2 hours to get through, I know it's been over an hour each time for me.

[TEX_715 6]

have a few usd on hand so at least a payphone could be used in emgency

[slowlyman 118]

Payphone? Do they still have those at the airport?

[novedsac 355]

Payphone? Do they still have those at the airport?

And do they accept dollars?

[long_ 3]

The answer is depends on the carrier. My wife had a prepaid dtac sim with her iPhone and it worked in Japan and in LA when we landed sms only. They have an agreement with AT&T however the rates are very expensive. Yes she will be able to connect to wifi and use line to call you but when she is clearing customs and immigrations she will not be able to turn her phone on until she leaves the immigrations area. Like Ning said "there is only one way out. That's up the ramp that leads to the doors that allow people outside. If you are at the top of that ramp she cant miss you." Congrats!!!!!

[TEX_715 6]

yes they still have payphones at the airport

and no, they dont take dollars, only quarters (chicago airport)

[slowlyman 118]

Back in the old days when I traveled a lot. I would carry little handy wipes just for the pay phones. The big airports had banks of them. Doesn't seem that long ago, but I guess it was. Of course, I also remember rotary dial phones.

[Karee 4,190]

Back in the old days when I traveled a lot. I would carry little handy wipes just for the pay phones. The big airports had banks of them. Doesn't seem that long ago, but I guess it was. Of course, I also remember rotary dial phones.

I work with this guy that has never had a home phone at all. Only cell phones.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Tom Bradley International Terminal has free wi-fi.

If she can log on to the free wi-fi, you guys can communicate through any VOIP program (Skype, Tango, Whatsapp, etc.).