Buying Prepaid SIM Card in LA Airport

[Froggy]

Hi guys can offer advise on purchasing prepaid SIM cards in LA airport when I arrive?

It's for my iPhone4s and I will be there for only 18 days.

1. Which is the best service provider?

2. Which is the best plan? (I wish to have unlimited data plan)

any other tips. Thanks. I think I do away with the MIFI cos I can use my iPhone4s as a hotspot for my other devices and also wife's iPhone

 

[singveld]

USA is not so easy to buy sim card for telephone, not like singapore or thailand or UK, it is more like japan, harder to find.

i do not think it is available in the airport, it is also not available in most phone shop. They only deal with contract or sell phone with prepaid sim lock to their network. You can find a lot of card to charge up the prepaid phone you buy in petrol station and 7-11. But you have to buy their phone.
You have to leave the airport and drive to an Fry's home electronic store or best buy(not all).

try simple mobile - you pay fixed 40 US dollars for one month (unlimited plan), good luck trying to register the number to get it to work on internet, i cant get it to work, only after i call their helpdesk, then they set it up for me.

http://www.mysimplemobile.com/
http://www.frys.com/product/6885866?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG


best buy

or h20 wireless unlimited
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/H2O+Wir...138638814&skuId=9646907&st=sim card&cp=1&lp=2

or O2 wireless sim card
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/O2+Wire...011463039&skuId=9010474&st=sim card&cp=1&lp=3

Dun forget to eat http://www.in-n-out.com/ , burger and fries, oh they are so good and so cheap. Yummy. I told you before, just to remind you.

 

[eatshitndie]

it's complicated in the u.s. if you're trying to get a prepaid sim for your iphone 4s. for other gsm/edge/umts/hspa phones, it's easy to pop in a sim, and it works. for the iphone 4s, you need to check with at&t and t-mobile when you arrive. or you can browse their sites to see if they offer or support prepaid sim for the iphone before you board. t-mobile doesn't have a contract with apple to sell and service the iphone, so any use of their sim is rogue. the other 2 iphone providers, sprint and verizon, use the CDMA technology for 3G.

from tripadvisor q&a, no one has the answer on whether at&t offers prepaid sim for the iphone. so far, i don't think so. anyway, you will need to find their store at lax (if any) or outside of the airport to get one, which is pretty challenging. i suggest you consider a mi-fi hotspot as an alternative or last resort if you can't find any prepaid sim for the iphone.

 

[eatshitndie]

update: check out go phone on at&t prepaid sim for iphone on amazon. they sell it online. at&t has it.

 

[laksaboy]

America is dominated by four major telcos: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon.

 

[Froggy]

update: check out go phone on at&t prepaid sim for iphone on amazon. they sell it online. at&t has it.

Thanks eatshitndie.

I believe the easiest thing to do is MIFI. Trouble is I need to order one with a local address and how to do it when I in Thailand you know what I mean? I wonder if they have MIFI in the store.

 

[Froggy]

Saw this posted

http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/xcom-global-opens-lax-service-center-the-jetset-get-data-withou/

But then this is more like you rent to travel overseas. Wonder if they got it for domestic.

 

[eatshitndie]

for domestic, yes. go phone.

http://www.amazon.com/AT-Go-Phone-Prepaid-Micro-iPhone/sim/B003X7INLK/2

 

[Froggy]

for domestic, yes. go phone.

http://www.amazon.com/AT-Go-Phone-Prepaid-Micro-iPhone/sim/B003X7INLK/2

Ok I am so happy now. I just discovered. Called Xcom Global, spoke to the sales staff and place order there and then. Now waiting for confirmation email. I will be picking up the MIFI at LAX on 28th. Its actually pretty simple.

Thanks to all you guys especially eatshitndie. I am so happy.

 

[singveld]

http://www.amazon.com/AT-Go-Phone-Pr...m/B003X7INLK/2

you cannot get these in shop, only online

 

[singveld]

Ok I am so happy now. I just discovered. Called Xcom Global, spoke to the sales staff and place order there and then. Now waiting for confirmation email. I will be picking up the MIFI at LAX on 28th. Its actually pretty simple.

Thanks to all you guys especially eatshitndie. I am so happy.

That cost US$272 dollars for 18 days rental while if you go to sim card (mini SIM) you pay US $50 dollars only for 1 month. Easy but expensive.

 

[Froggy]

That cost US$272 dollars for 18 days rental while if you go to sim card (mini SIM) you pay US $50 dollars only for 1 month. Easy but expensive.

Singveld thank you very much. Ya its easy but costly not including the 15mins IDD placing the order. Anyway its necessary for my business so no choice la.

 

[singveld]

Singveld thank you very much. Ya its easy but costly not including the 15mins IDD placing the order. Anyway its necessary for my business so no choice la.

Yes, if that is for business it is the best, it took me a few hours to find a shop to sell prepaid sim and then several hours to activate it. USA is not a good place for prepaid SIM.

If you do not want to use cash in USA, and not use your thai credit card, you can go to any super market and buy VISA gift card or american express gift card, you can put money in when you buy it, up to $500 dollars and use it everywhere, supermarket, fast food, shops, you do not have to register. But wait 12 hours -24 hours before you can use it.
https://www.vanillavisa.com/home.html?product=giftcard
https://www.americanexpress.com/gift-cards/

 

[Froggy]

Yes, if that is for business it is the best, it took me a few hours to find a shop to sell prepaid sim and then several hours to activate it. USA is not a good place for prepaid SIM.

If you do not want to use cash in USA, and not use your thai credit card, you can go to any super market and buy VISA gift card or american express gift card, you can put money in when you buy it, up to $500 dollars and use it everywhere, supermarket, fast food, shops, you do not have to register. But wait 12 hours -24 hours before you can use it.
https://www.vanillavisa.com/home.html?product=giftcard
https://www.americanexpress.com/gift-cards/

Thank you so very much singveld for this tip. I have prepared some cash to last me through without using cards but then if need to will use card too la like renting car and hotel. Cash is more for shopping, buying petrol, tips, buying tickets or entrance fee etc etc.

 

[nirvarq]

why don't just ask your telco to provide roaming to your existing phone number then even Singapore people still can reach u. Just have to tell some people that u're out stationed to USA & to cut short conversation. Just turn off data roaming so u won't accidentally surf the net. They have hi Card roaming too i think.

http://info.singtel.com/roaming/travelling-overseas/mobile-roaming-tips

 

[Froggy]

why don't just ask your telco to provide roaming to your existing phone number then even Singapore people still can reach u. Just have to tell some people that u're out stationed to USA & to cut short conversation. Just turn off data roaming so u won't accidentally surf the net. They have hi Card roaming too i think.

http://info.singtel.com/roaming/travelling-overseas/mobile-roaming-tips

Hi nivarq. Call roaming is something that my mobile provider AIS offers me and I have it wherever and whenever I travel. However Data Roaming is a different thing as it could be very expensive. So I normally subscribe to the "unlimited data package". AIS has links with all ASEAN and many other Asia countries and so these "unlimited data package" is rather inexpensive like 350baht per day or 1500baht per 5 days. For USA, AIS do not have any connection or agreement with any of their telco. Therefore I needed a local supplier for unlimited data connection. This is for my work. I finally found it.

Xcom Global finally confirmed my order as follows

We at XCom Global would like to thank you for your recent order. Important information regarding your order is listed below. If you have any questions, please give us a call and reference customer #00004286.

Product Information:
Equipment: Unlimited aXcess - MIFI
Quantity: 1
Destination(s): United States
Insurance: Yes
USB Battery Pack: No

Shipping Address:
Pick Up at LAX

Important Dates:
Product Ship Date: 4/26/2012
Product Arrival: 4/27/2012
Usage Term: 4/28/2012 - 5/13/2012

Estimated Total: $293.35
(Card on file will be charged upon equipment return to XCom Global, Inc.)

Price include insurance

 

[Froggy]

Just picked up the device. It's a breeze. For those who require unlimited wifi connection can consider this service. I'm using it now while waiting for my bus to pick up my rental car.

 

[Froggy]

This is actual unit but battery lasts only 3hrs given spare. No car charge. But I do have battery pack so no problem.

 

[singveld]

Just picked up the device. It's a breeze. For those who require unlimited wifi connection can consider this service. I'm using it now while waiting for my bus to pick up my rental car.

300 bucks, no, unless i can claim on business cost, i am going for the cheaper SIM card , 1 month unlimited sim.

 

[singveld]

This is actual unit but battery lasts only 3hrs given spare. No car charge. But I do have battery pack so no problem.

easily solve by a drive to nearest best buy

$26