Three Data Sim Cards.

[Begonia]

I'm off to the USA in the near future for a couple of weeks (What a rubbish exchange rate! Silly me! Grrr! Ah well).....

Anyhow, on the topic of SIM cards for phoning home and for surfing for info' round California and keeping up with UK News, etc., what's the best sort of SIM card to pop into my unlocked Samsung Galaxy mobile phone whilst I'm there? Any ideas?

[Begonia]

After I'd asked my question above, I realised the high complexity of the question and also for its the answers.

So I did a bit of 'Googling' and came across the following web site:

https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/b...obile_Networks

From that link, I think this has to be the answer to my question:

Roaming On Your UK SIM Card
The simplest and easiest way to use your smartphone in the US is through international roaming on your normal UK SIM card. The prices for using your mobile phone in the US can vary depending on your home UK mobile network.

The 'Best Network' for doing this is Three where, within the price of the SIM, all Incoming and Outgoing Calls and Texts and also Surfing is included.

Also, "If you’re roaming on a UK-based SIM card, you can normally benefit from coverage on both AT&T and T-Mobile USA (your smartphone will automatically choose the network offering the strongest coverage)."

Actually, it's not just that simple:

Also, "Your inclusive minutes and texts can only be used for calling a UK-based phone number. This includes any friends or family members who are also abroad with you at the same time and using a UK-based phone number of their own (e.g. your friends or family members could also be using another SIM card from Three). Phone calls to a US-based phone number will cost you £1.40/minute, though you can often side-step this by using a voice-over-IP application like Skype or Google Voice."

[scw]

Having used 'Three' in the US very many times over the last ten years, I'd note that they do throttle bandwidth significantly when roaming. It'll be good enough for basic browsing/messaging, but you can forget about any kind of streaming.

They also disallow personal hotspot when roaming.

That said, it's still the best value for money out of all the UK operators, from a roaming point of view anyway.

Steve

[nu11eaf]

Originally Posted by Begonia

After I'd asked my question above, I realised the high complexity of the question and also for its the answers.

So I did a bit of 'Googling' and came across the following web site:

https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/b...obile_Networks

From that link, I think this has to be the answer to my question:

Roaming On Your UK SIM Card
The simplest and easiest way to use your smartphone in the US is through international roaming on your normal UK SIM card. The prices for using your mobile phone in the US can vary depending on your home UK mobile network.

The 'Best Network' for doing this is Three where, within the price of the SIM, all Incoming and Outgoing Calls and Texts and also Surfing is included.

Also, "If you’re roaming on a UK-based SIM card, you can normally benefit from coverage on both AT&T and T-Mobile USA (your smartphone will automatically choose the network offering the strongest coverage)."

Actually, it's not just that simple:

Also, "Your inclusive minutes and texts can only be used for calling a UK-based phone number. This includes any friends or family members who are also abroad with you at the same time and using a UK-based phone number of their own (e.g. your friends or family members could also be using another SIM card from Three). Phone calls to a US-based phone number will cost you £1.40/minute, though you can often side-step this by using a voice-over-IP application like Skype or Google Voice."

I have stopped topping up my grand daughters phone as she and all her friends never use texts or phone calls these days, they use WhatsAp for messaging group chat and voice calls so a data sim is the best value, I used to top up her phone and she would not use a single minute in calls or text anyone before it ran out after 30 days, all communication was via Whatsap. I would think this would be the thing to do when abroad. No call charges just data use.

[Begonia]

Thanks for the WhatsApp tip.

Utterly brilliant idea!

At https://www.whatsapp.com/ it says:

WhatsApp Messenger is a FREE messaging app available for Android and other smartphones.
WhatsApp uses your phone's Internet connection (4G/3G/2G/EDGE or Wi-Fi, as available) to let you message and call friends and family.
Switch from SMS to WhatsApp to send and receive messages, calls, photos, videos, documents, and Voice Messages.

[Lexman8]

WhatsApp Messenger is a FREE messaging app

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

If you're not a Facebook fan because of the many privacy and security issues be aware that WhatsApp is part of Facebook and data is shared between them.

[simonjedrake]

Originally Posted by Begonia

Thanks for the WhatsApp tip.
WhatsApp Messenger is a FREE messaging app available for Android and other smartphones.
WhatsApp uses your phone's Internet connection (4G/3G/2G/EDGE or Wi-Fi, as available) to let you message and call friends and family.
Switch from SMS to WhatsApp to send and receive messages, calls, photos, videos, documents, and Voice Messages.

Apple iMessage works in the same way with all messages being sent as data so zero cost between iPhones/iPads/etc

[tem]

Not sure if this is of any interest, but I came across this article today:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-49126035

If Three, update their PAYG Data SIM cards to 5g (They did this free of charge when 4g became available), then those who initially live in the main catchment areas of the U.K. with benefit tremendously.

Of course, it is early days and I am not sure how it will pan out?

tem.

[simonjedrake]

Originally Posted by tem

Not sure if this is of any interest, but I came across this article today:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-49126035

If Three, update their PAYG Data SIM cards to 5g (They did this free of charge when 4g became available), then those who initially live in the main catchment areas of the U.K. with benefit tremendously.

Of course, it is early days and I am not sure how it will pan out?

tem.

Just a shame the onboard Volvo VTM module will still be only operating at 4G speeds - in fact Volvo have only just updated recently from 3G to 4G!

[tem]

Originally Posted by simonjedrake

Just a shame the onboard Volvo VTM module will still be only operating at 4G speeds - in fact Volvo have only just updated recently from 3G to 4G!

Give them time.
You never know.

tem.