iphone pay as you go option with data in the US?

[zimu]

hey guys,

is there any affordable pay as you go phone service for an unlocked iphone in the US?

Surprised I can't find anythign easier. I'm in the UK right now and for about $25 pretty much every single provider will give you a bunch of minutes, heaps of texts and unlimited internet on a monthly rolling contract plan.

been recommended a t-mobile plan by some friends but that's a $100 top up and I'd have to pay for data. I know the US is quite far behind with this sort of stuff but there must be SOMETHING?

 

[DivideBYZero]

What provider are you using in the UK? Vodafone have abolished roaming charges this summer.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Might just be in Europe though. Still, worth asking your current provider how much roaming will cost. Could be cheaper than running PAYG in the US.

 

[zimu]

using O2. vodafone's offer doesn't include data, data is the thing i'm more interested in!

roaming rates are pretty ridiculously high! plus i'd have to have people call an international number to get in touch with me!

 

[pm]

With a GSM phone, your only two big options are T-Mobile and AT&T and of the two of them, T-Mobile is the cheaper. Your best bet is to go to a T-Mobile store and sign up for a "Flex Pay" plan with unlimited data. There's no contract for this - you pay up-front.

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/p...lexpay-cell-phone-plan

Their minimum plan is $30 (individual 300), unlimited data is $20, and there's a SIM fee of something like $10-20, plus a couple of other fees. And you'll be stuck on EDGE because T-Mobile's 3G service doesn't work with the iPhone. Total cost will be in the $60-70 range, and the minutes expire in a month.

If all of this sounds like a lot of hassle and pretty expensive compared to what it is in the EU (or pretty much everywhere else in the rest of the world), you are right. For unlimited data in the US on GSM without a contract, this is the best that I know of.

 

[zimu]

what about 3G? that's just ATT then?

 

[pm]

3G for the iPhone is AT&T only.

In the pseudo-prepaid catagory, AT&T has their GoPhone "Pick Your Plan" option which has a $30 plan (200 minutes) and 100MB of data for $20 - which should be 3G although they don't say that that I can see. They will also have a SIM fee of $10-20 and various other fees and it will cost the same as T-Mobile, except it's 200 minutes (vs. 300) and 100MB of data vs. unlimited.
http://www.wireless.att.com/ce...p-cell-phone-plans.jsp

Alternatively, AT&T has a true prepaid plan where it's $0.25/min (or $3/day unlimited) and then you pay for data at $0.01/kB.

 

[zimu]

t-mobile seems to want me to select a phone regardless of plan, no sim only.
i'm still in shock, never seen such a sh*t collection of prepaid options, these US providers really need to get up to par with the world. such a damned rip off!

 

[pm]

Originally posted by: zimu
t-mobile seems to want me to select a phone regardless of plan, no sim only.
i'm still in shock, never seen such a sh*t collection of prepaid options, these US providers really need to get up to par with the world. such a damned rip off!

Normally I tend to be a bit nationalistically protective of my country and it's faults... but in this case you are right. Our cell phone system is pretty expensive and not as modern or as easy to use (in terms of switching carriers and phones easily) as the the EU, Asia and pretty much everywhere that's not the US and Canada (our Canadian bretheren have a crappy system too).

And yeah, it's a rip off.

Still, if you go into a T-Mobile store with your iPhone and ask about their Flex plan in person you'll find that you don't need to buy a phone and they will happily take your ~USD$70 and give you a month's worth of 300 minutes and unlimited EDGE access. You don't need to buy a phone.

In the US's defense, one thing that has always amazed me is when I'm driving on I25 north of Cheyenne, Wyoming (one of the least habitated areas of the world - seriously, look it up), and still have 5 bars of service and decent 3G access (although, it's roaming, but it's covered so I don't care). The US has a decent network given the size of the place. It's expensive, it wants to lock you into long-term contracts, and it's on different frequencies and protocols to the rest of the world... but when are in Hiland, Wyoming (population 10) and the last place you saw another car - another car! - was about an hour ago in Casper, Wyoming and you can get your email on your iPhone... well, that's something anyway.

 

[zimu]

Originally posted by: pm

Originally posted by: zimu
t-mobile seems to want me to select a phone regardless of plan, no sim only.
i'm still in shock, never seen such a sh*t collection of prepaid options, these US providers really need to get up to par with the world. such a damned rip off!

Normally I tend to be a bit nationalistically protective of my country and it's faults... but in this case you are right. Our cell phone system is pretty expensive and not as modern or as easy to use (in terms of switching carriers and phones easily) as the the EU, Asia and pretty much everywhere that's not the US and Canada (our Canadian bretheren have a crappy system too).

And yeah, it's a rip off.

Still, if you go into a T-Mobile store with your iPhone and ask about their Flex plan in person you'll find that you don't need to buy a phone and they will happily take your ~USD$70 and give you a month's worth of 300 minutes and unlimited EDGE access. You don't need to buy a phone.

In the US's defense, one thing that has always amazed me is when I'm driving on I25 north of Cheyenne, Wyoming (one of the least habitated areas of the world - seriously, look it up), and still have 5 bars of service and decent 3G access (although, it's roaming, but it's covered so I don't care). The US has a decent network given the size of the place. It's expensive, it wants to lock you into long-term contracts, and it's on different frequencies and protocols to the rest of the world... but when are in Hiland, Wyoming (population 10) and the last place you saw another car - another car! - was about an hour ago in Casper, Wyoming and you can get your email on your iPhone... well, that's something anyway.

totally agree - given the size of the US it is amazing how impressive the coverage is. prior to the 3G coverage days when I lived in the US the tables were quite turned - I was always amazed by PCS and how better the call quality was over calls via GSM in the UK. UK calls sounded synthesized! 3G has changed the game quite a bit.

each system still has its pros and cons - i love the unlimited calling options the US offers and the far superior (on contract) number of minutes (typically). but then you pay for incoming calls which while a pain in the ass at least the maker of the call is not being charged horrendous rates. UK is stupidly expensive to call mobile phones from landlines or abroad. US it costs the same as a landline - in fact you can't even distinguish typically as to whether you're calling mobile or cell.

i'll check out a tmobile store when i get there thanks for the help!