Easiest prepaid SIM to get in N.Y.C.?

[Kam]

We're visiting NYC for a few days; can anyone recommend an easy-to-buy prepaid SIM? I don't want to sign up with a carrier with any kind of permanency...! Thanks.

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[bendee]

For something easy to get, I would look at T-Mobile No Annual Contract. SIMs are available at multiple dealers for around $5, if you can order it online and ship it to where you are staying it is $.99. SIM cards come with $3.34 (I know, weird number) of airtime. Pay by the day plans are $1-$3/day depending on what you want.

Another options is an AT&T GoPhone SIM. Rates are $2/day for unlimited talk/text on the days used, as well as $.01/5KB data.. A little more expensive than T-Mobile, but the 3G/4G data frequencies are more universal. I don't know much about Fido, so I couldn't tell you which frequencies your phone aligns with.

[AM Radio]

For something easy to get, I would look at T-Mobile No Annual Contract. SIMs are available at multiple dealers for around $5, if you can order it online and ship it to where you are staying it is $.99. SIM cards come with $3.34 (I know, weird number) of airtime. Pay by the day plans are $1-$3/day depending on what you want.

Another options is an AT&T GoPhone SIM. Rates are $2/day for unlimited talk/text on the days used, as well as $.01/5KB data.. A little more expensive than T-Mobile, but the 3G/4G data frequencies are more universal. I don't know much about Fido, so I couldn't tell you which frequencies your phone aligns with.

+1 for AT&T GoPhone

i walked into some AT&T joint near Times Square, walked out 10 minutes later with 500MB data and a bunch of nationwide talk/text. $50, i think?

[ppa]

Fido uses the same bands as AT&T.

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[Bad Liar]

I use AT&T when I travel. It works fine, though it was painfully slow in Los Angeles.

[lmcjipo]

If you are near Chinatown in New York City, you can try to get a Red Pocket Mobile SIM. They offer the ability to call Canada direct without paying any additional long distance charges. The only thing is that their prepaid plan doesn't have data.

Otherwise you can go for T-Mobile or AT&T... there are plenty of their stores around New York City... at least in Manhattan which is where I normally go. I have a T-Mobile SIM and other than being restricted to EDGE speeds on my unlocked (Fido/Rogers) phone, I don't find them that bad since it only costs me $10 to renew the expiry date by 1 year (I've achieved Gold Rewards already).

[Kam]

Thanks very much for the kind advice, guys! I'm with Fido, but I have a few old, unlocked quad-band GSM phones that I can use for voice-only. I think I'll considergo with AT&T GoPhone Prepaid.

[lmcjipo]

Thanks very much for the kind advice, guys! I'm with Fido, but I have a few old, unlocked quad-band GSM phones that I can use for voice-only. I think I'll considergo with AT&T GoPhone Prepaid.

If you are only concerned about voice/SMS (and very little data usage), it might actually be cheaper for you to go with T-Mobile in the long run since after putting $100 in airtime, you will automatically be able to extend the expiry date by 1 year by putting $10 into it.

[SmackDaddy]

GoPhone made changes in April that prevent you from adding data packages to your prepaid account, unless you are using one of the $25 or $50 recurring monthly prepaid "plans". For occasional users (particularly travelers) this has reduced the overall value and flexibility of GoPhone prepaid (if you need data at all).

There are details in the GoPhone forum.

I travel in the US a few times a year, and have been using GoPhone prepaid since 2005. I haven't yet decided what I'm going to do now that adding a small data package has become a whole lot more expensive. Likely I will look at T-Mobile.

Cheers,
SD.

[Bad Liar]

GoPhone made changes in April that prevent you from adding data packages to your prepaid account, unless you are using one of the $25 or $50 recurring monthly prepaid "plans". For occasional users (particularly travelers) this has reduced the overall value and flexibility of GoPhone prepaid (if you need data at all).

There are details in the GoPhone forum.

I travel in the US a few times a year, and have been using GoPhone prepaid since 2005. I haven't yet decided what I'm going to do now that adding a small data package has become a whole lot more expensive. Likely I will look at T-Mobile.

Cheers,
SD.

Not true. My girlfriend is in Florida right now and I lent her my AT&T sim card.

[SmackDaddy]

Yes, I'm clearly making this up. And so are the people in the 50 page long post in the GoPhone forum.

If you activate a new prepaid GoPhone sim this WILL affect you. If you found a way around this problem, many many people would be very appreciative to hear what you did. Including me.

Cheers,
SD.

[Bad Liar]

I know you're not making it up, as I had heard the same. I just figured it hadn't taken effect yet. I guess I am grandfathered in as long as I keep the account active?

[SmackDaddy]

You are very lucky indeed. I don't know anyone who has been able to retain the ability to add data packages on their older GoPhone SIM. I have an older $2 a day SIM, and it tries to force you into a plan change of $50 per month when you try and add data. There are literally 50 pages of people in the GoPhone forum that have the same problem with their old SIM cards.

There is a loop hole with one of the older $1 a day plans, and that's the only other option that I'm aware of. Some people have been able to squeak a month out data-only by selecting the $50 plan at activation, but only adding enough money to cover the data plan. I was going to try this on my iPad. Cruise the GoPhone forum and you will see it, YMMV.

Oh, and next time please expand on your idea further instead of simply discrediting another user by shouting "not true". I was honestly trying to save the OP some hassles with his original question. Thanks.

Cheers,
SD.

[Maverick_6453]

I recently tried Simple Mobile (MVNO - TMobile) - drove from Toronto to NYC. Coverage was not as great as my historical experience with AT&T however it did decent job.

Cost:
$10 Sim
$ 50 plan (30 day pay go)
http://www.mysimplemobile.com/Simple-Mobile-Plan.aspx

$50 Unlimited Nationwide included:
Unlimited Talk (Local & Long Distance)
Unlimited Text (Domestic & Global)
Unlimited Data 4G speeds
VM
CID
CW
Free $5 credit long distance to Canada
3-Way Calling

The process took less than 10 minutes.
Data speeds fluctuated however it was enough to stream the Olympic Games and watch videos.

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