What kind of prepaid cellphone SIM can I use in New York, USA?

Question

I live in the UK and I am travelling to New York, USA, next week. In the past when travelling I have bought a 'pay as you go' SIM card from the country I am travelling to so that I can make calls to local numbers without having pay roaming charges.

In the UK we call it a 'pay as you go SIM'. What is this known as in the USA and what would be the best provider to go for?

Answer 1

I would strongly recommend T-Mobile.
See link #1 for a list of phones, you need a 1900MHz capable phone in the U.S. and/or Canada (or 850Mhz in some areas)

See coverage map of Manhattan-link#2

See a list of T-Mobile stores in Manhattan (ZIP code: 10010)- link #3

Refills (a.k.a. top up) can be bought in Refills are available at over 90,000 locations nationwide, including T-Mobile retail stores, authorized dealers, and other retail locations including Circle K, Costco, Eckerd, Office Depot, 7-Eleven, Target, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, and more.

Answer 2

Yes there is an unlimited MetroCard that will get you unlimited rides on the subway. They come different denominaton and there as follow: 1-day Fun Pass: $7 ($10 after March 1) 7-day Pass $24 ($25 after March 1) 30 day Pass $76 ($80 after March 1) Now, you're wondering while the 2 different prices. Because NYC Transit, the operator of the subway and bus system in the city, announced in December to raised fare on both the buses and trains in order to raise revenue. And since you didn't state when you're going to New York, that's the reason for the double pricing. If you're transfer from one line to the next, all transfers on the subways are free. I hope this information was very helpful. If you have any questions or need travel direction, just drop me a line by clicking on the Avatar and the e-mail icon in the profile. Good luck and enjoy you trip Native New Yorker

Answer 3

It is also called pay-as-you-go or prepaid here. T-Mobile is pretty good, but there are other providers as well which do prepaid such as Cingular, Tracfone, Boost, Virgin Mobile, etc. Note that while Verizon probably has the best reception in the NYC area (or it did when I lived there a year ago), it uses CDMA (not GSM) if I remember correctly.

I like T-Mobile prepaid as their rates are very competitive.