Best Prepaid Sim Card Deal San Diego

[Calikitkat 16]

Hi, guys!

Flying to San Diego this Sunday, so I was wondering if somebody can recommend me the prepaid sim card that offers the best deal if you're looking for unlimited data (minutes and texts don't really mind how much I get).

I have found some deals for $55.00 but I'm looking to pay $20.00 or so just like in London (12 pounds atm).

My fiance has a contract, but I already have my iPhone so would it make sense to have contract without phone?

Thank you.

[suzy0985 0]

just use Viber its a free app where you can text or call unlimited as long as their is internet

[PabloGarcia 36]

You probably arent going to find unlimited data for 20 bucks but I think T-mobile has the best prices if your phone is unlocked. There are Tmobile stores everwhere.

[Boiler 45,525]

if you do let me know.

[stackeria 280]

Sadly there are no GiffGaff's in the USA. Contract or not, the main carriers want you to pay $50 or more a month for any sort of decent access to their data network. Usually it's more like $70 a month.

Also note that their networks pale in comparison to what you might be used to if you've been to Europe or Asia. In San Francisco and New York, calls are dropped all the time and if you walk into a building, you often lose signal completely.

At least with AT&T's pay as you go plan, they don't allow you to roam outside of their own network. That doesn't sound like a big deal but if you decide to drive through the Dakotas or other rural parts of the country, you will be without signal for days. AT&T's policy has been to punish iPhone users who are not on a contract so I would advise against them.

T-Mobile's no-contract plans are currently the best out of the big carriers but they still suck. If you're in and out of the country a lot, their daily plans might make sense for you. If you don't care about calls and texts, you could try and order a data-plan SIM and stick that in your iPhone. I haven't tried this myself but it might be worth a shot. Note T-Mobile's network has many dead spots. Downtown SF you're on 4G. 10 blocks away inside a building, you have to open a window and hang your arm out and throw salt over your right shoulder just to get a voice signal. If you're driving on a major interstate between major cities, you will probably have Edge service at best and sometimes nothing.

If you have a GSM unlocked phone, let's not even mention Verizon... Because in the land of the free, this carrier exists simply so we can build phones and towers that will generate patent and license revenues for Motorola and other american companies.

There are virtual carriers (like GiffGaff in the UK) that mostly use AT&T and Sprint's network but none of them have been around or successful for long enough to be trusted. Sprint's network is a complete joke.

I tried LycaMobileUSA about a year ago just to check it out. It was a complete disaster.

There is StraightTalk which runs on AT&T but I've never tried them.

Another one that might be worth checking out is FreedomPop but their website is difficult to understand.

My experience with cell phones in the US is that we pay through the nose for ####### service and there is no way around that. It's the same with internet in the home by the way.

EDIT: Check check and triple check what frequencies your phone supports and those used by the network you are getting a SIM card for. In the USA, different networks run on different frequencies. The carriers love it because it forces most people to buy the phones from them.

EDIT2: Here's a link with some actual useful information (as opposed to my ranting): http://prepaidwithdata.wikia.com/wiki/United_States

Edited August 28, 2014 by stackeria

[US/UKHubbyUKWife 1]

Hi, guys!

Flying to San Diego this Sunday, so I was wondering if somebody can recommend me the prepaid sim card that offers the best deal if you're looking for unlimited data (minutes and texts don't really mind how much I get).

I have found some deals for $55.00 but I'm looking to pay $20.00 or so just like in London (12 pounds atm).

My fiance has a contract, but I already have my iPhone so would it make sense to have contract without phone?

Thank you.

if you're looking for a short term option or you dont mind changing your number regularly, I can recommend these guys:

http://www.readysim.com/shop.html

Used a 21 day option earlier this year in the LA area, no problems at all

[Calikitkat 16]

Thanks a lot for the comprehensive review of the mobile networks, stackeria! It'll most definitely gonna be a challenge to find smth cheap to work on my iPhone bought from Romania.

us/ukhubbyukwife i was actually looking at ready sim myself! they are the ones i mentioned with 55 usd per month for unlimited everything! so pricey! good to know that it works fine tho! u never had issues with signal or anything or slow internet right?

[US/UKHubbyUKWife 1]

Thanks a lot for the comprehensive review of the mobile networks, stackeria! It'll most definitely gonna be a challenge to find smth cheap to work on my iPhone bought from Romania.

us/ukhubbyukwife i was actually looking at ready sim myself! they are the ones i mentioned with 55 usd per month for unlimited everything! so pricey! good to know that it works fine tho! u never had issues with signal or anything or slow internet right?

No problems - I used it with my iPhone 4s, my wife used with her Nexus 4, both had good signal, and solid internet throughout the greater LA area. The internet was slow in Kaua'i but I think that was more a Kaua'i issue than a ReadySim issue!

[stackeria 280]

No problems - I used it with my iPhone 4s, my wife used with her Nexus 4, both had good signal, and solid internet throughout the greater LA area. The internet was slow in Kaua'i but I think that was more a Kaua'i issue than a ReadySim issue!

ReadySim is on the T-Mobile network which in HI isn't very good outside of Honolulu.

Another issue that you get if you have an iPhone bought outside the US is the supported 3G frequencies aren't always compatible with the network you're on in the US. So you will get either 4G/LTE or Edge but never 3G.

In Hawaii on T-Mobile with a european bought iPhone 5, I saw 4G/LTE in Honolulu and Edge everywhere else, including Kauai. Good thing that in Kauai, you don't really need or want mobile internet anyway...

[Calikitkat 16]

Thank you guys! I am planning to go to Hawaii for honeymoon but don't plan to use any devices there if possible I'll plan everything ahead

Yes in London I can't get 4G on my iPhone so hopefully in the US as long as I get 4G LTE (which is the fastest right?) I'm good.

[nobbie 105]

Good luck finding something, having a cell phone in the US is a lot more expensive than in the UK, you pay for texts and calls received as well as the ones you make, it's a right rip off.

[stackeria 280]

Thank you guys! I am planning to go to Hawaii for honeymoon but don't plan to use any devices there if possible I'll plan everything ahead

Yes in London I can't get 4G on my iPhone so hopefully in the US as long as I get 4G LTE (which is the fastest right?) I'm good.

It seems T-Mobile currently offer a $30/month plan that looks like it will fit your needs (unlimited data and texts, 100 minutes):

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans (click on "which plan is right for you").

In the past they've had plans that you can only subscribe to online. I'm not sure if this is one of those. It looks sweet though. If it's real, I might jump on it too!

[Calikitkat 16]

Oh wow! Sounds good! Thanks a lot! I'll check it out abd let u know!

[Kiwinyc 62]

i've used my unlocked UK Iphone 4S (bought from Apple in the UK) in the US with a AT&T 'go phone' sim for the last 3 years. No problems with network compatibility. Depending on how much data you want tariffs start from $25 a month.