If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#31
|
|||
|
|||
Mobile (cell) phones - to rent or buy?
"Dominic Kelly" wrote in
message ... This query is probably more for the non-Americans... My family and are visiting the USA (from Australia) for 11 weeks starting 26/3. We want to have a cell phone during our trip, which covers many different parts of the country. I've been researching this online, and there are clearly a few different options for getting a phone when we arrive. I'm starting to think that for a stay of 11 weeks it may well be better to buy rather than rent. Can anyone tell me whether one can buy or rent a handset or SIM card in LA airport? If so, would these stores tend to charge more for the same thing than could be obtained elsewhere in the city? I was in Target today (Northern California), and they were selling four different prepaid phones: -AT&T Free-To-Go with a Nokia 1260 TDMA phone -Boost Mobile (Nextel) with an iDEN phone -Tracfone with a CDMA 800&1900/AMPS Motorola V120C for $80. This is probably using Verizon's network Included car charger and AC charger. -Virgin Mobile with a 1900 Mhz CDMA phone Of these, avoid the Virgin or the Boost, due to coverage limitations. The Free-To-Go and the Tracfone CDMA would be fine. I'd lean toward the CDMA Tracfone because it'll be useful for longer, since TDMA coverage is declining as it is being replaced by GSM. There are plenty of Target stores around the LA area. There is one quite close to the airport on W. Century Boulevard, see http://tinyurl.com/34q36 Not all stores may carry all choices above. --multiplaza.nl.nu-- |
#32
|
|||
|
|||
Mobile (cell) phones - to rent or buy?
Thanks Steve,
I will get the Tracfone CDMA I think. We have CDMA on a small scale here in Australia and I am aware that it gives greater range in country areas than the GSM system which is almost universal here, at least in the major cities. The inclusion of the car charger will be very useful as we'll be spending a lot of time on the road, visiting many different parts of the USA and in some cases will be in relatively remote locations. I assume if need be our family in Australia can call us on this phone easily enough. If calling a cell phone from outside the 'States I guess you just call country code 1 then the cell phone number... Or is there something more to it? I've printed off the various Tracfone web pages tonight and will take them with me when we leave on March 26. We're staying in Venice Beach and it looks like there are several stores there (7-Eleven for one) that sell Tracfone. Anyway, I really appreciate all your help. It will make this task a whole lot easier and make it a lot less likely that I'll get screwed in the process! Kind regards, Dom "Steven M. Scharf" wrote in message link.net... "Dominic Kelly" wrote in message ... This query is probably more for the non-Americans... My family and are visiting the USA (from Australia) for 11 weeks starting 26/3. We want to have a cell phone during our trip, which covers many different parts of the country. I've been researching this online, and there are clearly a few different options for getting a phone when we arrive. I'm starting to think that for a stay of 11 weeks it may well be better to buy rather than rent. Can anyone tell me whether one can buy or rent a handset or SIM card in LA airport? If so, would these stores tend to charge more for the same thing than could be obtained elsewhere in the city? I was in Target today (Northern California), and they were selling four different prepaid phones: -AT&T Free-To-Go with a Nokia 1260 TDMA phone -Boost Mobile (Nextel) with an iDEN phone -Tracfone with a CDMA 800&1900/AMPS Motorola V120C for $80. This is probably using Verizon's network Included car charger and AC charger. -Virgin Mobile with a 1900 Mhz CDMA phone Of these, avoid the Virgin or the Boost, due to coverage limitations. The Free-To-Go and the Tracfone CDMA would be fine. I'd lean toward the CDMA Tracfone because it'll be useful for longer, since TDMA coverage is declining as it is being replaced by GSM. There are plenty of Target stores around the LA area. There is one quite close to the airport on W. Century Boulevard, see http://tinyurl.com/34q36 Not all stores may carry all choices above. --multiplaza.nl.nu-- |
#33
|
|||
|
|||
Mobile (cell) phones - to rent or buy?
Thanks Steve,
I will get the Tracfone CDMA I think. We have CDMA on a small scale here in Australia and I am aware that it gives greater range in country areas than the GSM system which is almost universal here, at least in the major cities. The inclusion of the car charger will be very useful as we'll be spending a lot of time on the road, visiting many different parts of the USA and in some cases will be in relatively remote locations. I assume if need be our family in Australia can call us on this phone easily enough. If calling a cell phone from outside the 'States I guess you just call country code 1 then the cell phone number... Or is there something more to it? I've printed off the various Tracfone web pages tonight and will take them with me when we leave on March 26. We're staying in Venice Beach and it looks like there are several stores there (7-Eleven for one) that sell Tracfone. Anyway, I really appreciate all your help. It will make this task a whole lot easier and make it a lot less likely that I'll get screwed in the process! Kind regards, Dom "Steven M. Scharf" wrote in message link.net... "Dominic Kelly" wrote in message ... This query is probably more for the non-Americans... My family and are visiting the USA (from Australia) for 11 weeks starting 26/3. We want to have a cell phone during our trip, which covers many different parts of the country. I've been researching this online, and there are clearly a few different options for getting a phone when we arrive. I'm starting to think that for a stay of 11 weeks it may well be better to buy rather than rent. Can anyone tell me whether one can buy or rent a handset or SIM card in LA airport? If so, would these stores tend to charge more for the same thing than could be obtained elsewhere in the city? I was in Target today (Northern California), and they were selling four different prepaid phones: -AT&T Free-To-Go with a Nokia 1260 TDMA phone -Boost Mobile (Nextel) with an iDEN phone -Tracfone with a CDMA 800&1900/AMPS Motorola V120C for $80. This is probably using Verizon's network Included car charger and AC charger. -Virgin Mobile with a 1900 Mhz CDMA phone Of these, avoid the Virgin or the Boost, due to coverage limitations. The Free-To-Go and the Tracfone CDMA would be fine. I'd lean toward the CDMA Tracfone because it'll be useful for longer, since TDMA coverage is declining as it is being replaced by GSM. There are plenty of Target stores around the LA area. There is one quite close to the airport on W. Century Boulevard, see http://tinyurl.com/34q36 Not all stores may carry all choices above. --multiplaza.nl.nu-- |
#34
|
|||
|
|||
Mobile (cell) phones - to rent or buy?
Thanks Steve,
I will get the Tracfone CDMA I think. We have CDMA on a small scale here in Australia and I am aware that it gives greater range in country areas than the GSM system which is almost universal here, at least in the major cities. The inclusion of the car charger will be very useful as we'll be spending a lot of time on the road, visiting many different parts of the USA and in some cases will be in relatively remote locations. I assume if need be our family in Australia can call us on this phone easily enough. If calling a cell phone from outside the 'States I guess you just call country code 1 then the cell phone number... Or is there something more to it? I've printed off the various Tracfone web pages tonight and will take them with me when we leave on March 26. We're staying in Venice Beach and it looks like there are several stores there (7-Eleven for one) that sell Tracfone. Anyway, I really appreciate all your help. It will make this task a whole lot easier and make it a lot less likely that I'll get screwed in the process! Kind regards, Dom "Steven M. Scharf" wrote in message link.net... "Dominic Kelly" wrote in message ... This query is probably more for the non-Americans... My family and are visiting the USA (from Australia) for 11 weeks starting 26/3. We want to have a cell phone during our trip, which covers many different parts of the country. I've been researching this online, and there are clearly a few different options for getting a phone when we arrive. I'm starting to think that for a stay of 11 weeks it may well be better to buy rather than rent. Can anyone tell me whether one can buy or rent a handset or SIM card in LA airport? If so, would these stores tend to charge more for the same thing than could be obtained elsewhere in the city? I was in Target today (Northern California), and they were selling four different prepaid phones: -AT&T Free-To-Go with a Nokia 1260 TDMA phone -Boost Mobile (Nextel) with an iDEN phone -Tracfone with a CDMA 800&1900/AMPS Motorola V120C for $80. This is probably using Verizon's network Included car charger and AC charger. -Virgin Mobile with a 1900 Mhz CDMA phone Of these, avoid the Virgin or the Boost, due to coverage limitations. The Free-To-Go and the Tracfone CDMA would be fine. I'd lean toward the CDMA Tracfone because it'll be useful for longer, since TDMA coverage is declining as it is being replaced by GSM. There are plenty of Target stores around the LA area. There is one quite close to the airport on W. Century Boulevard, see http://tinyurl.com/34q36 Not all stores may carry all choices above. --multiplaza.nl.nu-- |
#35
|
|||
|
|||
Mobile (cell) phones - to rent or buy?
Thanks Steve,
I will get the Tracfone CDMA I think. We have CDMA on a small scale here in Australia and I am aware that it gives greater range in country areas than the GSM system which is almost universal here, at least in the major cities. The inclusion of the car charger will be very useful as we'll be spending a lot of time on the road, visiting many different parts of the USA and in some cases will be in relatively remote locations. I assume if need be our family in Australia can call us on this phone easily enough. If calling a cell phone from outside the 'States I guess you just call country code 1 then the cell phone number... Or is there something more to it? I've printed off the various Tracfone web pages tonight and will take them with me when we leave on March 26. We're staying in Venice Beach and it looks like there are several stores there (7-Eleven for one) that sell Tracfone. Anyway, I really appreciate all your help. It will make this task a whole lot easier and make it a lot less likely that I'll get screwed in the process! Kind regards, Dom "Steven M. Scharf" wrote in message link.net... "Dominic Kelly" wrote in message ... This query is probably more for the non-Americans... My family and are visiting the USA (from Australia) for 11 weeks starting 26/3. We want to have a cell phone during our trip, which covers many different parts of the country. I've been researching this online, and there are clearly a few different options for getting a phone when we arrive. I'm starting to think that for a stay of 11 weeks it may well be better to buy rather than rent. Can anyone tell me whether one can buy or rent a handset or SIM card in LA airport? If so, would these stores tend to charge more for the same thing than could be obtained elsewhere in the city? I was in Target today (Northern California), and they were selling four different prepaid phones: -AT&T Free-To-Go with a Nokia 1260 TDMA phone -Boost Mobile (Nextel) with an iDEN phone -Tracfone with a CDMA 800&1900/AMPS Motorola V120C for $80. This is probably using Verizon's network Included car charger and AC charger. -Virgin Mobile with a 1900 Mhz CDMA phone Of these, avoid the Virgin or the Boost, due to coverage limitations. The Free-To-Go and the Tracfone CDMA would be fine. I'd lean toward the CDMA Tracfone because it'll be useful for longer, since TDMA coverage is declining as it is being replaced by GSM. There are plenty of Target stores around the LA area. There is one quite close to the airport on W. Century Boulevard, see http://tinyurl.com/34q36 Not all stores may carry all choices above. --multiplaza.nl.nu-- |
#36
|
|||
|
|||
Mobile (cell) phones - to rent or buy?
Thanks Steve,
I will get the Tracfone CDMA I think. We have CDMA on a small scale here in Australia and I am aware that it gives greater range in country areas than the GSM system which is almost universal here, at least in the major cities. The inclusion of the car charger will be very useful as we'll be spending a lot of time on the road, visiting many different parts of the USA and in some cases will be in relatively remote locations. I assume if need be our family in Australia can call us on this phone easily enough. If calling a cell phone from outside the 'States I guess you just call country code 1 then the cell phone number... Or is there something more to it? I've printed off the various Tracfone web pages tonight and will take them with me when we leave on March 26. We're staying in Venice Beach and it looks like there are several stores there (7-Eleven for one) that sell Tracfone. Anyway, I really appreciate all your help. It will make this task a whole lot easier and make it a lot less likely that I'll get screwed in the process! Kind regards, Dom "Steven M. Scharf" wrote in message link.net... "Dominic Kelly" wrote in message ... This query is probably more for the non-Americans... My family and are visiting the USA (from Australia) for 11 weeks starting 26/3. We want to have a cell phone during our trip, which covers many different parts of the country. I've been researching this online, and there are clearly a few different options for getting a phone when we arrive. I'm starting to think that for a stay of 11 weeks it may well be better to buy rather than rent. Can anyone tell me whether one can buy or rent a handset or SIM card in LA airport? If so, would these stores tend to charge more for the same thing than could be obtained elsewhere in the city? I was in Target today (Northern California), and they were selling four different prepaid phones: -AT&T Free-To-Go with a Nokia 1260 TDMA phone -Boost Mobile (Nextel) with an iDEN phone -Tracfone with a CDMA 800&1900/AMPS Motorola V120C for $80. This is probably using Verizon's network Included car charger and AC charger. -Virgin Mobile with a 1900 Mhz CDMA phone Of these, avoid the Virgin or the Boost, due to coverage limitations. The Free-To-Go and the Tracfone CDMA would be fine. I'd lean toward the CDMA Tracfone because it'll be useful for longer, since TDMA coverage is declining as it is being replaced by GSM. There are plenty of Target stores around the LA area. There is one quite close to the airport on W. Century Boulevard, see http://tinyurl.com/34q36 Not all stores may carry all choices above. --multiplaza.nl.nu-- |
#37
|
|||
|
|||
Mobile (cell) phones - to rent or buy?
Thanks Steve,
I will get the Tracfone CDMA I think. We have CDMA on a small scale here in Australia and I am aware that it gives greater range in country areas than the GSM system which is almost universal here, at least in the major cities. The inclusion of the car charger will be very useful as we'll be spending a lot of time on the road, visiting many different parts of the USA and in some cases will be in relatively remote locations. I assume if need be our family in Australia can call us on this phone easily enough. If calling a cell phone from outside the 'States I guess you just call country code 1 then the cell phone number... Or is there something more to it? I've printed off the various Tracfone web pages tonight and will take them with me when we leave on March 26. We're staying in Venice Beach and it looks like there are several stores there (7-Eleven for one) that sell Tracfone. Anyway, I really appreciate all your help. It will make this task a whole lot easier and make it a lot less likely that I'll get screwed in the process! Kind regards, Dom "Steven M. Scharf" wrote in message link.net... "Dominic Kelly" wrote in message ... This query is probably more for the non-Americans... My family and are visiting the USA (from Australia) for 11 weeks starting 26/3. We want to have a cell phone during our trip, which covers many different parts of the country. I've been researching this online, and there are clearly a few different options for getting a phone when we arrive. I'm starting to think that for a stay of 11 weeks it may well be better to buy rather than rent. Can anyone tell me whether one can buy or rent a handset or SIM card in LA airport? If so, would these stores tend to charge more for the same thing than could be obtained elsewhere in the city? I was in Target today (Northern California), and they were selling four different prepaid phones: -AT&T Free-To-Go with a Nokia 1260 TDMA phone -Boost Mobile (Nextel) with an iDEN phone -Tracfone with a CDMA 800&1900/AMPS Motorola V120C for $80. This is probably using Verizon's network Included car charger and AC charger. -Virgin Mobile with a 1900 Mhz CDMA phone Of these, avoid the Virgin or the Boost, due to coverage limitations. The Free-To-Go and the Tracfone CDMA would be fine. I'd lean toward the CDMA Tracfone because it'll be useful for longer, since TDMA coverage is declining as it is being replaced by GSM. There are plenty of Target stores around the LA area. There is one quite close to the airport on W. Century Boulevard, see http://tinyurl.com/34q36 Not all stores may carry all choices above. --multiplaza.nl.nu-- |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Cell phones in Indochina | Matt Kelly | Asia | 0 | March 26th, 2004 09:37 PM |
Another Word on Mobile (Cell) GSM Phones in Europe | emeryt | Europe | 26 | March 14th, 2004 12:45 PM |
Mobile (cell) phones - to rent or buy? | Dominic Kelly | Australia & New Zealand | 4 | March 8th, 2004 10:51 AM |
Heads Up - Driving wth Hand Held Cell Phones | Brian K | USA & Canada | 22 | January 29th, 2004 07:38 PM |
Cell phones + phone cards? | tim | Europe | 0 | October 13th, 2003 10:51 PM |