TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums United States & Canada Pre-paid cell phones in the US

Anyone have experience - is it even available?

You mean like a trac phone or something like that? If so, all over the place. You can pick them up at any drug store, walmart, etc.

I wasn't very clear, don't need a phone, just a sim card, something like chippie????

And thanks Eric. Just Googled Trac phone. Has a lousy reputation <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif" alt="" />

Lousy reputation for what? They sell millions of them..

There are several like the trac phone, t-mobile, virgin, etc.

But yes there are prepaid sim cards available in the US. T-Mobile, AT%T, etc. You can get them at Best Buy and some other places. You might consider getting them over the internet also. There are quite a few online sites that carry them and will ship internationally, although that would add to the cost.

Goggle it and this is the second hit:

http://www.phonedog.com/carriers/tracfone/reviews/

Thanks Eric - I'll look into the prepaid cards. Just have never looked while in the states. We're paying a LOT for an AT&T plan that we only use about a month a year and would love to dump it.

You can get the prepaid cards at convenience stores, Jut make sure they are for International and not just Mexico. There are different types.

Thanks, but don't want to call international. Just within the US

AT&T do prepaid sim cards but watch out for the terms and conditions. I bought a sim December 2012, used it for a month then went back to the UK. Came back to Florida December 2013 and not only did the sim not work because the minutes had expired, AT&T wouldn't reactivate it so I had to buy a new sim and get a new number. Not really a big deal but I've got better things to do with my time than spend it in an AT&T store filling in forms.

Just remembered something else... You can't buy new minutes from outside of the U.S. unless you have a U.S. credit or debit card. The website won't accept foreign cards.

I have a tracphone, works well mostly, not so much in certain areas of the florida keys. It can be filled online from anywhere. Phone cost less than 10 bucks at walmart, card was $19.95 for 90 days and around 200 minutes with all the deals they offer (check online). So for less than $100 bucks a year I have fairly good cell phone service.

I have Virgin Mobile USA and spend $35 month for unlimited text, web and 300 minutes of talk. It think! LOL
Hardly ever talk on it but text a lot. And check emails.
Cheers
irina