Require help with Prepaid Sim Card [1st time US visitor]

[whocarez]

Hi I am from India and coming to US later this week for a month long training. I already have a quadband unlocked GSM phone (SE W810i)

Now what I understand with my limited knowledge is that there is no concept of "Free Incoming calls" in US unlike other countries around the world.

I have done some homework and come up with this option

1. Go for AT&T's "Pay As You Go Unlimited Talk"
2. Fill is $25 (30 day validity scheme)
2. Opt for 3000 Night & Weekend Minutes for $19.99 (available only with Unlimited Mobile to Mobile plan)

Now I have few questions.

1. If I opt for AT&T's Pay as you Go.. Do I have a compulsion to buy a phone from AT&T? Or my unlocked W810i would work just fine?

2. Lets say someone in India calls me on weekend. Then apart from paying in minutes from the 3000 Mins quota and being deducted $1 for using the phone (daily charge). What other charges do I have to pay for receiving an international call?

3. Hidden charges etc I should be aware of with this arrangement

4. I'll be pretty much staying in New York City for the entire month. Does anyone here propose a better solution to receive free incoming calls during night/weekends

Thanks a lot for all the help

~whocarez

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by whocarez Hi I am from India and coming to US later this week for a month long training. I already have a quadband unlocked GSM phone (SE W810i) Now what I understand with my limited knowledge is that there is no concept of "Free Incoming calls" in US unlike other countries around the world. I have done some homework and come up with this option 1. Go for AT&T's "Pay As You Go Unlimited Talk" 2. Fill is $25 (30 day validity scheme) 2. Opt for 3000 Night & Weekend Minutes for $19.99 (available only with Unlimited Mobile to Mobile plan) Now I have few questions. 1. If I opt for AT&T's Pay as you Go.. Do I have a compulsion to buy a phone from AT&T? Or my unlocked W810i would work just fine? 2. Lets say someone in India calls me on weekend. Then apart from paying in minutes from the 3000 Mins quota and being deducted $1 for using the phone (daily charge). What other charges do I have to pay for receiving an international call? 3. Hidden charges etc I should be aware of with this arrangement 4. I'll be pretty much staying in New York City for the entire month. Does anyone here propose a better solution to receive free incoming calls during night/weekends Thanks a lot for all the help ~whocarez

You seem to have done a good job on your research, you can use your current phone & buy just the SIM by going to an AT&T Corp. store.
I do not believe you will be forced to buy a phone to get the SIM.

The only Hidden charges are the Taxes when you buy the SIM/plan which in NYC can be hefty.

There will not be any other fees for accepting incoming calls from outside the US, it will just deduct from your N&W minutes.

T-Mobile is your only other GSM carrier in this area of the country, and they don't offer the N&W package.

Hope this helps some.

[whocarez]

Originally Posted by Fire14 You seem to have done a good job on your research, you can use your current phone & buy just the SIM by going to an AT&T Corp. store. I do not believe you will be forced to buy a phone to get the SIM. The only Hidden charges are the Taxes when you buy the SIM/plan which in NYC can be hefty. There will not be any other fees for accepting incoming calls from outside the US, it will just deduct from your N&W minutes. T-Mobile is your only other GSM carrier in this area of the country, and they don't offer the N&W package. Hope this helps some.

thanks a lot and that was quick. Now can u tell me little more about the order of the taxes. I hope I'll be taxed once and not everytime 1 make or receive a call.

I really appreciate the help

~whocarez

Welcome to WA Whocarez.
Because the SE W810i is a Quadband unlocked GSM handset, you can use it with any GSM carrier, and that includes at&t's prepaid Go Phone service.

You are correct in the fact that there is no "Free Incoming" calls for prepaid service.

There is no additional charge to receive international calls. (see att.com/wireless for additional rates to make international calls.)

As far as I know there are no hidden charges. Just be aware that if you plan on sending any Multimedia Messages with your camera phone that in addition to the $0.25cent/message sent and received, you will also be charged $0.01cent/Kb. per message.

International text messages is charged at a rate of $0.20cents per message sent, and $0.05cents per message received.

You can find out more information about at&t's Go Phone service here: Get Started - AT&T, formerly Cingular Wireless

Originally Posted by Fire14 You seem to have done a good job on your research, you can use your current phone & buy just the SIM by going to an AT&T Corp. store. I do not believe you will be forced to buy a phone to get the SIM.

You can also buy at&t's Go Phone starter kits for under $10.00 on eBay. I see they now sell at&t's new 3G cards on here. eBay - Cingular sim cards, Phone SIM Cards, Cell Phones items on eBay.com

The only Hidden charges are the Taxes when you buy the SIM/plan which in NYC can be hefty.

You can also buy at&t prepaid cards here: Cheap International Prepaid Phone Cards. Use this code: Cingular10 to save 10% off of the price, along with no taxes. I buy all of my PP cards from them and have never had any problems.

Originally Posted by whocarez thanks a lot and that was quick. Now can u tell me little more about the order of the taxes. I hope I'll be taxed once and not everytime 1 make or receive a call. I really appreciate the help ~whocarez

You will not be charged any tax to make and receive calls. The prepaid cards that you buy from the stores already include the taxes.

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by MobilePrincess You can also buy at&t's Go Phone starter kits for under $10.00 on eBay. I see they now sell at&t's new 3G cards on here. eBay - Cingular sim cards, Phone SIM Cards, Cell Phones items on eBay.com You can also buy at&t prepaid cards here: Cheap International Prepaid Phone Cards. Use this code: Cingular10 to save 10% off of the price, along with no taxes. I buy all of my PP cards from them and have never had any problems.

Yes these are options & I wasn't sure if the OP was going to have time to wait for a SIM card to be delivered since I wasn't sure when they were coming here.

Originally Posted by MobilePrincess You will not be charged any tax to make and receive calls. The prepaid cards that you buy from the stores already include the taxes.

Correct the only tax is on the fee for the card, being each state is different I can not say for 100% sure what NYC would charge, but I believe they are 8% state and there is a city tax.
You may be cheaper coming to NJ to buy the SIM, we have 7% state tax & outside the bigger cities no city tax. (it's a short trip across the Hudson & you can see the sites)

Originally Posted by Fire14 Yes these are options & I wasn't sure if the OP was going to have time to wait for a SIM card to be delivered since I wasn't sure when they were coming here.

The PP refill cards that you purchase from cheapphonecards, will give you an instant prepaid refill pin code that will be sent directly to a persons email address, and also pops up on the screen once the payment has been verified, which usually takes less than 30 seconds. However it will require the use of either a credit or debit card. The first time that a customer uses this service there is a wait anywhere from 3 to 24 hrs. while CPC verifies all the information that was given to them.....I only waited 3 hrs. to receive the first code from them, and the rest have been instant.

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by whocarez Hi I am from India and coming to US later this week for a month long training. I already have a quadband unlocked GSM phone (SE W810i) Now what I understand with my limited knowledge is that there is no concept of "Free Incoming calls" in US unlike other countries around the world. I have done some homework and come up with this option.......

Hello & WELCOME to WA and to the US later this week. I hope you enjoy your visit and get to do some sight seeing while you are in NYC.

You have done a lot of homework & the few questions that you had have already been answered.

I just wanted to add that for someone coming to the US temporarily and probably not having a US credit card, going into a at&t/Cingular corporate store is the best & the most hassle-free way to get set-up for your Pre-Pay account in my opinion.

When I got mine I just got the SIM also for my unlocked SE z520i, so you shouldn't have to buy another phone.

Hope this helps.

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by MobilePrincess The PP refill cards that you purchase from cheapphonecards, will give you an instant prepaid refill pin code that will be sent directly to a persons email address, and also pops up on the screen once the payment has been verified, which usually takes less than 30 seconds. However it will require the use of either a credit or debit card. The first time that a customer uses this service there is a wait anywhere from 3 to 24 hrs. while CPC verifies all the information that was given to them.....I only waited 3 hrs. to receive the first code from them, and the rest have been instant.

That's fine, but if the OP wants to use a Prepaid SIM from the US vs his home coountries, then this isn't going to help him without a SIM card.

If he wants to use his current SIM & worry about any additional fees for using the service here in the US vs India, he can go this route and that is if he/she has a CC.

Originally Posted by Fire14 That's fine, but if the OP wants to use a Prepaid SIM from the US vs his home coountries, then this isn't going to help him without a SIM card. If he wants to use his current SIM & worry about any additional fees for using the service here in the US vs India, he can go this route and that is if he/she has a CC.

I realize the fact that it wouldn't help with the sim card, however, I did feel that it was worth mentioning where he/she could purchase refill cards from at a cheaper rate "if" he/she has a CC, or travel card. Some people do purchase temporary cards for travel in which any amount that you put on these cards will be deducted from your bank account at home. This is what we used when my husband and I went to Bermuda......I don't know if these type of cards would work as a form of payment with CPC or not though.

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by MobilePrincess I realize the fact that it wouldn't help with the sim card, however, I did feel that it was worth mentioning where he/she could purchase refill cards from at a cheaper rate "if" he/she has a CC, or travel card. Some people do purchase temporary cards for travel in which any amount that you put on these cards will be deducted from your bank account at home. This is what we used when my husband and I went to Bermuda......I don't know if these type of cards would work as a form of payment with CPC or not though.

Yes I understand you can buy cards to use overseas & acknowleged that fact, and it may be more money in the long run for the OP especially with the auto deduct part only they know for sure.

I don't know if they would work as a form of payment either with CPC, and hopefully by the way the OP posted their question, they did enough research to know pretty much which route they can afford to use to the extent they need for the month.

It sure would be nice if we had the same abilities other countries have where you can go to most stores & buy a pre-paid SIM right there & use it right away vs having to go to a wireless store.

[Charlyee]

I believe the OP's questions pertained to using his phone for calling within the States & receiving calls from India during N&W. This ofcourse has already been answered by Fire14.

However, if the OP is interested in low rate calling plans from his US phone back home to India, there are many such calling cards.

One of the most popular & the most hassle-free (that's my keyword for today ) is Reliance.

Just wanted to add my 2 cents.

Originally Posted by Fire14 Yes I understand you can buy cards to use overseas & acknowleged that fact, and it may be more money in the long run for the OP especially with the auto deduct part only they know for sure.

I don't think you understand what I was trying to say. .... (I'm not talking about international calling cards.)

These cards that I am talking about, are the same prepaid refill cards that you buy at a regular US store, only they sell them at a cheaper rate without the sales tax. Cheap International Prepaid Calling Cards - Prepaid Mobile Refill Cards Mobile phone prepaid refill cards This link shows all the at&t refill cards that are available.

I was only trying to save the OP some money, since I know how expensive they can be. If the OP is on the $1/day plan "only" when they use the phone, he/she can plan on buying a lot more than just one $25 refill card, depending on how often the phone is used.

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by MobilePrincess I was only trying to save the OP some money, since I know how expensive they can be. If the OP is on the $1/day plan "only" when they use the phone, he/she can plan on buying a lot more than just one $25 refill card, depending on how often the phone is used.

A noble thought and yes it can be very expensive.

Since I can't help being a Smart A$$ (or fresh per Joe), I have to say the OP, whocarez if he is still up at 11:12 pm IST, is saying Who Cares, after he got his answer in the first couple of posts......

Originally Posted by Charlyee A noble thought and yes it can be very expensive. Since I can't help being a Smart A$$ (or fresh per Joe), I have to say the OP, whocarez if he is still up at 11:12 pm IST, is saying Who Cares, after he got his answer in the first couple of posts......

I see. So you are saying that the only person who would benefit from all of these posts on WA, is the person who starts all the posts?......I think not! These forums benefit all who visit them and not just the OP.

I can be a smart A$$ too! So just make sure that you can take it, as well as dish it out!!!

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by MobilePrincess I see. So you are saying that the only person who would benefit from all of these posts on WA, is the person who starts all the posts?......I think not! These forums benefit all who visit them and not just the OP.

Thank you for pointing that out, and yes I am well aware of that, but there is such a thing as "information overload" specially for a new poster with a few specific questions and someone who has done a commendable amount of research before posting. I don't see where I said "only" and as I said it was a flip comment.

Originally Posted by MobilePrincess I can be a smart A$$ too! So just make sure that you can take it, as well as dish it out!!!

Never been a problem.

Originally Posted by Charlyee Thank you for pointing that out, and yes I am well aware of that, but there is such a thing as "information overload" specially for a new poster with a few specific questions and someone who has done a commendable amount of research before posting. Besides as I said it was a flip comment.

Well as for your "flip comments", who cares? I know I don't, nor do I appreciate them. Who are you to say what is information overload on here? I was trying to clarify my post for Fire14, and that had nothing to do with you.

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by MobilePrincess Well as for your "flip comments", who cares? I know I don't, nor do I appreciate them. Who are you to say what is information overload on here? I was trying to clarify my post for Fire14, and that had nothing to do with you.

Excuse Me?

Originally Posted by Charlyee Excuse Me?

Oh, I'm sorry Charlyee. What part of that post didn't you understand?

[bobolito]

Ok ladies....show's over. No more replies.

[Matt]

That's enough. Let's try and keep these type of threads as specific as possible; addressing only the items that the OP is asking about....unless the OP asks again. Stating "there are other options that can save you more money" is enough for now, I think.

Edit: I was typing; got distracted, and bobo jumped in.