Blade trip to USA

[Guest marazion]

I am going to the USA for a month at the end of April with a Blade/San Francisco phone. I am currently with Orange PAYG. I want an American sim card for a month with data to read my home emails and to use for free wi-fi in hot spots and 'in car' GPS as I travel from coast to coast. What do you recommend?

[Guest Phoenix Silver]

AT&T :D

[Guest shadowninty]

I think AT&T works on Gen2

T-Mobile should be fine

[Guest marazion]

I think AT&T works on Gen2

T-Mobile should be fine

Thanks for the responses but so far my research shows that AT&T and T Mobile require me to sign a two year contract. Is there a way that I can avoid doing this?

[Guest Sebastian404]

If you walk into any wallgreens or similar drug store you can pick up a PAYG Sim, or even if you can find an AT&T store they sell them there, its what I used to do....

I believe if you search Ebay you'll find guys who will sell you one before you even leave the country.

Beware tho, that not everywhere has 950, and the debate about it works with Gen2 devices is sill ongoing... I'm too chicken to flash mine and try it :D

[Guest dud89]

For T-Mobile you can buy a Sim Card at a T-Mobile store for $10 and unlimted 24 hours web access for $1.49 as you need it. There's also some monthly plans here: Prepaid calling plans. Beware that with T-Mobile in the US you will be stuck with 2G only as they use different bands for 3G. Co-Pilot with US only maps is only $5 if you want a GPS without data.

Edited April 8, 2011 by dud89

[Guest thunderman1000]

http://www.holidayphone.co.uk/cheap-mobile...CFcoa4Qod8mx6Cg

[Guest aardys]

my wife is taking her orange san fran to las vegas next week ,

its set to roaming and we intend to keep in touch with texts,

does anyone know if the standard orange payg sim works ok in usa ?

[Guest marazion]

If you walk into any wallgreens or similar drug store you can pick up a PAYG Sim, or even if you can find an AT&T store they sell them there, its what I used to do....

I believe if you search Ebay you'll find guys who will sell you one before you even leave the country.

Beware tho, that not everywhere has 950, and the debate about it works with Gen2 devices is sill ongoing... I'm too chicken to flash mine and try it :D

Thanks Sebastian, however, I am so new to the Blade that I don't understand 950 or even Gen2.

What I want to do is to go to a hot spot in New York and using the free wi-fi look at my email and phone the relatives that I am going to visit as I travel from New York to California (by train). So far it looks like I would have to take out a two year contract. I have found a guide but it for an iphone. It involves getting an AT&T Go Phone sim from ebay and cutting it down to fit (I can't find out whether the Blade's sim card would need to be cut down).

I leave in two weeks so I must do plenty of homework!!

[Guest flyingscotno1]

I have to say, last time I was there I found it just as easy to get a $20 phone in the US. I bought a cheap Tracfone at Walmart that did the job, but it is possible to get a sim card no contract.

[Guest aardys]

wifey going to las vegas,, will her san fran payg work ok ,

web site says it has roaming on it , anyone tried an orange san fran in usa yet ?

Edited April 8, 2011 by aardys

[Guest Lew247]

The main thing to look for and check is

Does your blade support 850Mhz GSM or 3G?

The US uses different frequencies than we use in Europe and indeed most of the world

We use 900Mhz and 1800Mhz for GSM the US uses mainly 850Mhz and 1900Mhz

Again the 3G bands are totally different also

You need to check what frequencies the carrier (network) your planning on using it with in America uses

And then check to see if it your blade (rom)will work on those frequency bands

[Guest dud89]

wifey going to las vegas,, will her san fran payg work ok ,

web site says it has roaming on it , anyone tried an orange san fran in usa yet ?

Read my post above, using San Fran fine in USA with T-Mobile Prepaid. Only works on 2G/Edge.