kaotix

I am going to America in a few months and I wanted to do some prior planning for using my Nexus One while I'm there.
I've previously taken my iPhone and used a pre paid sim for voice calls and txts to and from the UK.

The main problem with the SIM I used is that it doesn't support 3G or any sort of data, so having a smart phone is pretty much useless as I cannot use google maps or any other location based services without having a Wi-Fi connection.

I want to find a pre paid SIM that I can use that has a data plan available as well that I can obviously top up while I'm there or over the internet while I'm there.

I would appreciate any help with this.
Thanks.

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konman795

Do you know which model your Nexus One is? Because we have had 2 Nexus One releases in the Americas, each having support for 3G bands of 2 different companies: AT&T and T-Mobile. You may have to figure that out before picking out a carrier.

danimar

if he's from the UK I'm quite sure it will be a T-Mobile one.

Last time I checked (4 months ago) I couldn't find any prepaid SIM that offered data in the US

Hook

AT&T offers data with their Gophone (prepay) SIM at 100Mb for $20 for 30days (it will rollover if you need to, but you have to add 1Mb for $5 at the end of 30 days to get it to roll over for another 30 days.

Prepaid cell phone, GoPhone® - Wireless from AT&T

T-Mobile has a non-contract prepay month-to-month SIM offering a number of configurations including unlimited everything for from $50-$80 dollars for the month. It's called the "Even More Plus" plan, and yes, you can buy just the SIM, you don't have to buy a phone.

T-Mobile Even More Plus

Roze

It looks like you need to sign a contract to get the 'even more plus' plan since it's a monthly plan.

Hook

No. No contract. It is month-to-month.

You do have to pay an activation fee, but you can quit any time.

konman795

Oh yea, T-mobile has some really nice plans here...forgot about that! And they are also CHEAPER if you aren't on contract.

errfoil

I just talked to T-Mo and they confirmed everything that Hook posted; pay $25 to start, and then just pay for whatever level of service you want on a month to month basis. When you are done, just go home! No contract, no recurring charges, no cancellation fees.

Watch out for AT&T. They have something similar (GoPhone), but they have a separate coverage map for their GoPhone service, and it covers nothing but large cities, very, very limited. Don't get suckered in by the coverage map for their contact plans

Also, as someone else mentioned, if you already have a phone then you don't have a choice. You either have an AT&T phone, or you have the T-Mo version.

Hook

I use the gophone plan and it works nicely for me, but you are right in issuing your caution.

Here is a thread I started on Brighthand, describing the plan and why my peculiar circumstances make it right for me (a lot of good reading contributed by other people as well in that thread). I started it back when I had a Nokia 5800, now I use it with my Nexus One.

Talderon

Reason it is cheaper is because if you want this plan, you have to either already have a phone or pay full price for a phone (although, they have EIP now so you can spread that cost into monthly payments, however, if you cancel before you pay it off, you have to pay the balance).

The plan prices are cheaper w/o contract because they don't have the cost of subsidizing a phone for you.

You may think you are getting a "free" phone, but when you pay higher for a contracted rate with a subsidized phone, is it really free?

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kaotix

I read about the AT&T plans but think they're a joke and not supposed to be used for smartphones. How could anyone limit themselves to 100mb within a month?
The T-mobile plan does sound interesting. I have a similar plan here in the Uk. The o2 simplicity 15 which is unlimited texts and 300 mins and I pay £5 extra for unlimited data on the smartphone plan.
How would I go about getting a T-Mobile SIM? Can I just go into a store in America and pick one up? Idealy I would like to get one before I leave and activate it some how.
Does T-mobile USA have a coverage map? I'm going to California and Nevada so I need to know if I'll be covered for both states.

Oh and just to clarify I have the GSM (T-Mobile) unlocked Nexus One direct from Google.

Thanks for the info though, I'll see about getting that T-Mobile SIM.

Talderon

T-Mobile Coverage Maps

As for getting a SIM before you get here, not sure how that would work out. Normally, for the pre-paid plans, you can just go into the store and walk out with one all activated and everything.

TIP: Find a T-Mobile Corporate Store, try to avoid the dealer stores as most will charge extra for the SIM and all that (since they have to buy them from T-Mobile and would want to recover those costs vs T-Mobile Corporate stores just getting a supply of them). You can tell the dealer stores as they will have T-Mobile all over them, but they will have somewhere hear the T-Mobile sign something like "Authorized Dealer" or "Exclusive Dealer" or something like that, and they will most likely not have T-Mobile shirts or badges.

Don't get me wrong, you can get most everything you need from a Dealer Store and I like them, but overall, for things like this, I would go to a corporate store.

kaotix

Thanks for the information, I'll be sure to try and find a corporate store to get a SIM. I did look on eBay and I think I might be able to pick one up that's already activated but they have different state numbers so it may not be worth my while.