Comments on: Prepaid U.S. Mobile Phone Howto for U.S. Visitors http://blog.weaverling.org/2009/08/23/prepaid-us-phone-howto/ Just what the world needs, yet another blog Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:43:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Mike Kohl http://blog.weaverling.org/2009/08/23/prepaid-us-phone-howto/comment-page-1/#comment-14407 Mike Kohl Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:43:48 +0000 http://blog.weaverling.org/?p=439#comment-14407 I recommend Tracfone. You can buy one with double minutes from there website for ten bucks! You can pay 20 bucks to keep it active for 3 months. Great signal and coverage. No-brainer! Get it. I recommend Tracfone. You can buy one with double minutes from there website for ten bucks! You can pay 20 bucks to keep it active for 3 months. Great signal and coverage. No-brainer! Get it.

]]> By: Tony http://blog.weaverling.org/2009/08/23/prepaid-us-phone-howto/comment-page-1/#comment-12166 Tony Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:26:40 +0000 http://blog.weaverling.org/?p=439#comment-12166 Airtime PIN is on the receipt!! Found out the hard way with a Net10 airtime card. Kept trying to punch in the barcode on the back. I think the bar code was only for the cash register to know the product number. The valuable information is on the cash register receipt. KEEP THE RECEIPT!! Weird thing is when there are no more "airtime" cards in the store, the cashier can't generate a receipt with the PIN. Airtime PIN is on the receipt!!

Found out the hard way with a Net10 airtime card. Kept trying to punch in the barcode on the back. I think the bar code was only for the cash register to know the product number. The valuable information is on the cash register receipt. KEEP THE RECEIPT!!

Weird thing is when there are no more “airtime” cards in the store, the cashier can’t generate a receipt with the PIN.

]]> By: L Phil http://blog.weaverling.org/2009/08/23/prepaid-us-phone-howto/comment-page-1/#comment-9641 L Phil Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:34:46 +0000 http://blog.weaverling.org/?p=439#comment-9641 Nice & useful post, WEAVE, good for folks who want a "real phone" with camera/data when they're here. However not everyone trusts ebay items; my experience there has been touch and go. The $20-$50 option mentioned briefly above is more-or-less buying a cheap new phone at the same store you'd be buying the refill cards. This is good in case you wish to physically see it, gauge it's size and color/etc, or price shop features (camera, music) before buying. It also gives you access to companies who specialize in prepaid phones (no SIM only service) such as VirginMobile and others, which often offer lower refill amounts--though they are often marketed towards teens. If the option exists, buy one at a mega-retail store in the suburbs, because it will be much cheaper than at a pharmacy (chemist) or airport kiosk (which are not at every international teminal). A final note, one must charge the battery (4-6 hours or overnight) before using it, though activation is often possible online or by calling from a hotel phone. Having someone do this for you before you arrive is obviously best. Refill/top up issues mentioned above still exist; also keep in mind that "toll free" numbers, such as accessing an international calling card, will cost you prepaid minutes. Nice & useful post, WEAVE, good for folks who want a “real phone” with camera/data when they’re here. However not everyone trusts ebay items; my experience there has been touch and go.

The $20-$50 option mentioned briefly above is more-or-less buying a cheap new phone at the same store you’d be buying the refill cards. This is good in case you wish to physically see it, gauge it’s size and color/etc, or price shop features (camera, music) before buying. It also gives you access to companies who specialize in prepaid phones (no SIM only service) such as VirginMobile and others, which often offer lower refill amounts–though they are often marketed towards teens. If the option exists, buy one at a mega-retail store in the suburbs, because it will be much cheaper than at a pharmacy (chemist) or airport kiosk (which are not at every international teminal). A final note, one must charge the battery (4-6 hours or overnight) before using it, though activation is often possible online or by calling from a hotel phone. Having someone do this for you before you arrive is obviously best.

Refill/top up issues mentioned above still exist; also keep in mind that “toll free” numbers, such as accessing an international calling card, will cost you prepaid minutes.

]]> By: Chris Chan http://blog.weaverling.org/2009/08/23/prepaid-us-phone-howto/comment-page-1/#comment-7719 Chris Chan Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:03:27 +0000 http://blog.weaverling.org/?p=439#comment-7719 The other alternative is to buy a Net10 prepaid phone. They are widely available here. You can get one that comes with 300 minutes for $30 and since they charge 10¢ a minute, the phone is basically free. Plus, international calls to most countries are only 15¢ a minutes, which is a fantastic deal. The other alternative is to buy a Net10 prepaid phone. They are widely available here. You can get one that comes with 300 minutes for $30 and since they charge 10¢ a minute, the phone is basically free. Plus, international calls to most countries are only 15¢ a minutes, which is a fantastic deal.

]]> By: Brooke http://blog.weaverling.org/2009/08/23/prepaid-us-phone-howto/comment-page-1/#comment-7472 Brooke Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:21:17 +0000 http://blog.weaverling.org/?p=439#comment-7472 I sure wish I'd known any of this a month ago! I had a foreign visitor come with NO cell service and not get off the bus I was meeting. Scary. :( No one at the bus station would even venture a guess as to where the bus might be, or any passengers thereof. I'm going to post this to my facebook, thanks. :) I sure wish I’d known any of this a month ago! I had a foreign visitor come with NO cell service and not get off the bus I was meeting. Scary. :( No one at the bus station would even venture a guess as to where the bus might be, or any passengers thereof.

I’m going to post this to my facebook, thanks. :)

]]>