Prepaid SIM only. USA then Canada

[OziTraveller]

Hi,

Please help confused Aussie traveller

I am travelling to Hawaii (1 week) , San Francisco (1 week), Vancouver Canada (2 weeks).

I have a Nokia 6234 Quad band + 3G unlocked phone.

I am looking for a prepaid SIM only provider that will give me coverage in both of the USA cities and let me roam to Canada. Also I need data (preferably 3G)

Can anyone suggest the provider and name of package/product that would best suit me.

Any help is much appreciated.

I am mainly using the phone for incoming calls (international) and to check my emails (hence the need for data)

Cheers!

[PhotoJim]

Getting affordable data on prepaid GSM here is tricky.

For voice: options:

T-Mobile US - cheap in US, 69 cents US a minute in Canada
Cingular - cheapish in US, no service in Canada on prepaid
Rogers - cheapish in Canada, expensive roaming in US
Fido - cheap in Canada, not sure if it roams in US or not

There are some virtual operators, too.

As for data, T-Mobile supports basic data only (you might get full Internet access but it's not officially supported). If it works it's free. It is not 3G.

There is very little 3G coverage in North America yet. In Canada, the Toronto area has it but Vancouver is still being deployed. We do have EDGE and GPRS though.

[Motel75]

Note also that North American 3G deployments are so far incompatible with UMTS phones from anywhere else.

[Przemolog]

Originally Posted by Motel75

Note also that North American 3G deployments are so far incompatible with UMTS phones from anywhere else.

Do you mean 1900 vs 2100 band or something else?

[OziTraveller]

Thanks for info. Looks like just GPRS for data.

Also i think getting 2 separate SIMS would be better than 1 then using roaming, if i get a big call (which may happen as I do tech support) then roaming charges will mean big $$.

Can anyone see a problem with this offer by Cellularabroad?

Both SIMS shipped together to my hotel in Hawaii.
USA SIM $59 via JOLT: http://www.cellularabroad.com/usppsc.php
Canada SIM $49 via Rogers: http://www.cellularabroad.com/canadappsc.php

Thanks for this help its great to talk to people who know the industry so well.

[OziTraveller]

Thanks for info.

I think getting 2 separate SIMS would be better than 1 then using roaming, if i get a big call (which may happen as I do tech support) then roaming charges will mean big $$.

Can anyone see a problem with this offer by Cellularabroad?

Both SIMS shipped together to my hotel in Hawaii.
USA SIM $59 via JOLT: http://www.cellularabroad.com/usppsc.php
Canada SIM $49 via Rogers: http://www.cellularabroad.com/canadappsc.php

Thanks for this help its great to talk to people who know the industry so well.

[AdmiralAK]

Here ya go:
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=824482

This is a list of all prepaid SIMs in the US and Canada.
No US prepaid SIMs work in Canada, and from what I remember with my Fido experience, their prepaid does not roam in the US.

[PhotoJim]

Originally Posted by AdmiralAK

Here ya go:
http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=824482

This is a list of all prepaid SIMs in the US and Canada.
No US prepaid SIMs work in Canada, and from what I remember with my Fido experience, their prepaid does not roam in the US.

T-Mobile prepaid works in Canada. I have it and I've tried it.

[PhotoJim]

Originally Posted by Przemolog

Do you mean 1900 vs 2100 band or something else?

Europe seems to be using 2100 MHz for UMTS.

In North America it's different. Rogers has HSDPA (3.5G) on GSM 850 and 1900. T-Mobile is deploying either UMTS or HSDPA at 1700 MHz as I understand.

[dg7feq]

Originally Posted by Przemolog

Do you mean 1900 vs 2100 band or something else?

They start 3G on the most interestng frequencies over there. Not compatible to the rest of the world as usual