Pay as you use plans/phones?

Tracphone

 

T-Mobile allows to buy a SIM ( and phone number) and do pay as you go. I think you buy it with an initial set of minutes and data and then add as you like. I've did a few times myself. No commitments, and bring your own GSM phone if you wish.

Just go to a store or on line to buy. The way I remember there is no expiration date on the minutes and it last for months, longer if you add a few bucks now and then.

I don't know about AT&T selling just the SIM but I haven't looked in a while. They did have a phone package that was pay as you go.

T-Mobile seems the most hassle free as of a few years ago.


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I was curious, and yes one can buy the ATT 'Go Phone' SIM for your phone, and gear a voice and data plan on a monthly basis.

Just compare the various carriers ( GSM, T-Mobile and ATT) that would suit your overseas visitors.


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I've had an AT&T Go Phone SIMS card in the past. I think I've seen them in Best Buy stores now or you can call AT&T and order one, which is what I did last time to use on my work phone.

This goes back a ways, but they use to allow you to put your number on vacation for $5 a month, if it was going to inactive for a while, so you wouldn't lose your number. I don't know if they still allow that or not.

@KevinJames use to work for AT&T and probably has more details. If he pops in this thread,

 

I did indeed work for ATT but in one of their corp offices and not in mobile, but rather in Information Technology (I.T.). I have no experience with pay-as-you-go plans, so I'd be of no help. However, I would ask dandelos to expand on the statement: "Are there still any viable ....." In this context, what in your mind is "viable"? In a list of "pros and cons," what would be your "pros"?

Prepaid phones are offered in Amazon, Walmart, many pharacies, some grocery stores, and other small retailers. If dandelos is looking specifically for services that can be started and stopped at will and without penalties, all the carriers have such. Make sure to read the fine print.

The links below all go to Amazon as SAMPLES of what is available.

Go Phone

Net10

Red Pocket

TracPhone

There are others.

 

Most of the prepaid services are shifting to monthly service; you pay X dollars and get unlimited text and voice calling and a data bucket. There are a few that allow you to pay per minute or per MB/GB, but if you are interested in any kind of data, prepaid monthly service is the way to go.

I know that Tracfone and T-Mobile have SIM kits that can be bought separately if you have a device.

Plenty of MVNOs to choose from as mentioned above.

Personally, I do have a Tracfone SIM in a smartphone with the triple minutes promotion. $20 yields me 180 minutes, 180 texts, and 180 MB of data. Ideal for very light use. Airtime expires after 90 days unless you refill before then.

 

Talking about MVNO's there's a ton of them now:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_virtual_network_operators

 

A bit old and it's my first post in years, but my younger son has a Axon 7 and loves it on Cricket. 35.00 a month unlimited talk and text and 2.5 gb of data, on ATT network.
Other son is on Tracphone, but they have him using over 1gb a data per day, with the device off. Trying to figure that one out.

 

Sounds like there's a clone SIM card or phone on your other son's

 

2nd that opinion (about cloned card). You can't use data if the phone is off. AND, one gig per day is pretty hefty! I just got a Verizon prepaid 1GB plan to use with a wireless hotspot when I'm in hospitals. I've had it on only a few times for less than 10 minutes and have only used 3MB. Further, I am actually an ATT subscriber (for over a decade). My MONTHLY usage is barely 3GB and that's with 2 phones and constant usage.

 

My mother in law was able to use 1 gig in a day by watching youtube. I believe it took her about 8 hours of watching to get up to that.