1. just txt and calls mam's Avatar
    My first trip to the U.S. and within a few days I realised your getting a really crap deal on your phones

    In the U.K. we operate on the sim card GSM which means getting a phone unlocked to take another companys sims is legal and a piece of cake.

    Say I chose as a pay as you go customer to have 4 sims from 4 different providers I could, pay 10 pounds to top it up get some free minutes and free txts, no connection or activation charges and certianly no charges to reciece calls or txts.

    Say I have a contract phone but want to carry a spare sim with for from another provider due to signal or coverage issues I can do that

    In Germany it's actually illegal for the companies to lock phones!

    But go to the states and you have to pay to recieve, pay a connection/activation charge, the phones can mostly only be used on that carrier and..well what gives..why do you tolerate such a protecionism market? I'm puzzled
    02-26-09 02:41 PM
  2. beavercountyemt's Avatar
    That's it I'm movin to the uk. Goodby verizon hello vodaphone. Oops oh wait nvr mind.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    02-26-09 03:35 PM
  3. editionfws's Avatar
    just so you know... we have GSM here too... you say it like we dont have, or know what GSM is. if you have an unlocked phone, you can put in another sim. its almsot the same thing as in the UK. also, if you want to carry a spare SIM with you in the UK, you still have to pay for that too... you pay for service and the SIM... you pay for the service to go to the sim not to the phone really...
    02-26-09 03:41 PM
  4. 12MaNy's Avatar
    I'm on a CDMA network and I don't mind. I'm with Sprint and I have one SERO line and a bunch of discounts as well, so my bill is probably cheaper than than the OP.
    02-26-09 03:48 PM
  5. just txt and calls mam's Avatar
    The local providers where I am staying in south dakota for 3 months are alltel and verizon. I emailed both and both replied (1) we don't do sims sir and (2) your gsm will not work on our cdma networks..go figure

    Of course I know you have sims in other parts of the states

    Actually edition we do not pay, we get the operators sims for free and no connection charge. All we do is get the free sim, put 10 pounds on and wait to be activated(no charge) within about 2-3 hours and off you go, we have no daily charge, no charge for people to call us

    although spotty youths posing as customer assistants in the mobile shop knowing nothing about thier product seems to be universal
    02-26-09 03:56 PM
  6. laurag84's Avatar
    I think other things in life probably balance this out - fuel perhaps? We do live in rip off Britain after all! I'm travelling to the US on Wednesday and can't wait! I know the exchange rate isn't brilliant but I bet most things will work out cheaper in the end.

    I do agree about the phone charge thing BTW, but we probably have a more expensive cost of living IMO.
    02-26-09 03:57 PM
  7. editionfws's Avatar
    okay so you only pay when you use it? we have the same thing... its called "pay as you go" or "pre paid"...

    you have alltel and verizon in your area and thats it? they are the same company now for 1... and 2... no att or tmobile? that sucks... they both have sims...
    on att in south dakota they have some coverage... AT&T Coverage Viewer
    and for tmobile... T-Mobile Coverage so they both do serve there... so heres what i suggest so you can feel at home...

    sign up for tmobile... get a quad band phone. get it unlocked, or buy a phone online. then, get a prepaid att SIM as a back up to carry in your pocket. so then, you have the coverage of tmobile... and the emergency coverage of att in your pocket if you need it...

    how does that work?
    02-26-09 04:07 PM
  8. just txt and calls mam's Avatar
    Laura

    I thought that too, I've never known such a restrictive mobile market with charges thrown in all over the place

    as for the cost of living if you haven't been before, as I hadn't be ready for a suprise. Fuel yes is around $1.90 a gallon here but around $7.50 a gallonin the U.K. but on everything else they are about 25% more costly I have to say I was shocked

    On the phone laura wherever you are going to check to see reception, cost's and extra cost's

    Have a good holiday though. As a consumer it's a very exspensive country, as a tourist..it's a great place to visit
    02-26-09 04:11 PM
  9. laurag84's Avatar
    I've been a number of times, we've always thought food in the supermarket was a little more expensive but generally we spend less. I think it's the fuel that really makes a difference, that reduces the cost of our holiday dramatically.

    Thanks for the advice re coverage maps. We're going to Florida, I guess as I'm on T-Mobile UK I'll end up on T-Mobile there too. Will check tho, thanks!
    02-26-09 04:14 PM
  10. editionfws's Avatar
    where in florida are you visiting? im in florida.
    02-26-09 04:17 PM
  11. laurag84's Avatar
    Orlando area, I'm running the Disney Princess Half Marathon on Sunday 8 March, tres excited!
    02-26-09 04:19 PM
  12. just txt and calls mam's Avatar
    Edition thanks for the links

    The Tmobile shows the area as A roaming area so roaming cost's being what they are are not practicable

    As for the coverage for at&t they say the can't find my address I'm staying at from the zip then show a block where the address is, I click it..they say an error has occured...several times..helpfull

    But Thanks anyway
    Last edited by just txt and calls mam; 02-26-09 at 04:31 PM.
    02-26-09 04:21 PM
  13. editionfws's Avatar
    i live in orlando, Disney marathons are always popular! have fun, but be safe!
    02-26-09 04:21 PM
  14. editionfws's Avatar
    Edition thanks for the links

    The Tmobile shows the area as A roaming area so roaming cot's being what they are are not practicable

    As for the coverage for at&t they say the can't find my address I'm staying at from the zip then show a block where the address is, I click it..they say an error has occured...several times..helpfull

    But Thanks anyway
    sorry i didnt really look at the tmobile one... all those colors, its hard for me to figure out what what color is (im colorblind).
    but thats weird it wont find your zip code on the att website... maybe there really isnt service in your area and they just dont want to tell you... hmm, oh well, sorry.
    02-26-09 04:23 PM
  15. just txt and calls mam's Avatar
    No worries I appreciate the assistance.. more than verizon can be arsed to do
    02-26-09 04:25 PM
  16. laurag84's Avatar
    i live in orlando, Disney marathons are always popular! have fun, but be safe!
    I'm hoping it's fun enough to distract from the pain! Plenty of water stations and my parents are coming too so should have a good time. I'm just looking forward to running through Cinderella's Castle
    02-26-09 04:27 PM
  17. editionfws's Avatar
    im actually going to be at disney on tuesday.
    the castle is huge. you cant go through the whole thing, but it is alot bigger than it looks on tv!
    running through it will be pretty cool, expecially if its your first time.
    try to stay a day and make some time for the rides!
    02-26-09 04:30 PM
  18. laurag84's Avatar
    This will be my 6th time in Florida, so I've done most of Disney but I always enjoy it. First time I've run there tho, but I couldn't resist entering.
    02-26-09 04:32 PM
  19. sicksubz's Avatar
    Cus I got bread lol

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    03-01-09 08:47 AM
  20. CipherDias's Avatar
    Orlando area, I'm running the Disney Princess Half Marathon on Sunday 8 March, tres excited!
    We NEED to see pics!! ;-)
    03-01-09 01:08 PM
  21. laurag84's Avatar
    Well, I look uncannily like Minnie Mouse...

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    03-01-09 01:11 PM
  22. CipherDias's Avatar
    Well, I look uncannily like Minnie Mouse...

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    What without the costume?! this I GOTTA see!! ;-)
    03-01-09 01:14 PM
  23. laurag84's Avatar
    I often get mistaken for her, can be quite a pain!

    Seriously tho, all pics of me running make me look like I'm about to die! My dad insists on taking them.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    03-01-09 01:17 PM
  24. CipherDias's Avatar
    I often get mistaken for her, can be quite a pain!

    Seriously tho, all pics of me running make me look like I'm about to die! My dad insists on taking them.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    Take pics BEFORE U start the run then! Come on U got me intrigued as to what a Nottingham Minnie Mouse looks like LOL!
    03-01-09 01:19 PM
  25. laurag84's Avatar
    I'll try and get some pics beforehand, I'll probably be half asleep as the race starts at 7am!

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    03-01-09 01:24 PM
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