# Prepaid Sim cards in the USA **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 25, 2011, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-sim-cards-in-the-usa/594011 "2011-08-25T07:09:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ajfrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ajfrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajfrod)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-sim-cards-in-the-usa/594011/1 "2011-08-25T07:09:12Z")
I plan to visit the us next month. How can i get a prepaid sim card for my gsm mobile? ---
**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-sim-cards-in-the-usa/594011/2 "2011-08-25T14:29:01Z")
Both AT&T and T-Mobile will sell you a SIM card and prepaid plan from their stores. Make sure you verify the frequency your phone uses to the frequency used in the US, as they may be different. [T-Mobile Frequencies](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-Mobile_USA#Radio_frequency_spectrum_chart) [AT&T frequencies](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T_Mobility#Radio_Frequency_Summary) (I think they’ve added the HSPA 2100 as well) ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-sim-cards-in-the-usa/594011/3 "2011-08-25T15:25:52Z")
> [@ajfrod](#): > > I plan to visit the us next month. How can i get a prepaid sim card for my gsm mobile? if you have a smartphone, pay as you go data is VERY expensive. Rates [here](http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-plans/pyg-cell-phone-plans.jsp?wtSlotClick=1-005ZH4-0-1&WT.svl=title&_requestid=38915). The only unlimited data plan is for non-smartphones I use an ATT GoPhone plan (10¢/minute) on an old iPhone, but I disable Cellular Data and rely on wifi. ---
**Author:** ![ajfrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ajfrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajfrod)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-sim-cards-in-the-usa/594011/4 "2011-08-25T15:27:33Z")
my phone will work there, can i buy a card online? ---
**Author:** ![ajfrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ajfrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajfrod)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-sim-cards-in-the-usa/594011/5 "2011-08-28T14:21:40Z")
guess i can ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-sim-cards-in-the-usa/594011/6 "2011-08-28T14:34:38Z")
Strange. When I talked to T-Mobile, the only way to get a prepaid SIM card was to actually buy the prepaid phone and remove the SIM from it. Do they actually sell just the SIM, then? ---
**Author:** ![ctnguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@ctnguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctnguy)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-sim-cards-in-the-usa/594011/7 "2011-08-28T15:19:34Z")
I bought a T-Mobile SIM from a T-Mobile shop in the international terminal at LAX. So they definitely do sell just the SIM (or at least they did a year ago). If I remember correctly, I paid $60 and it came with $50 of prepaid airtime. Or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![ajfrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ajfrod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajfrod)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-sim-cards-in-the-usa/594011/8 "2011-08-28T15:20:25Z")
> [@ctnguy](#): > > I bought a T-Mobile SIM from a T-Mobile shop in the international terminal at LAX. So they definitely do sell just the SIM (or at least they did a year ago). If I remember correctly, I paid $60 and it came with $50 of prepaid airtime. Or something like that. what about newark? (EWR) ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-sim-cards-in-the-usa/594011/9 "2011-08-28T21:41:52Z")
> [@ctnguy](#): > > I bought a T-Mobile SIM from a T-Mobile shop in the international terminal at LAX. So they definitely do sell just the SIM (or at least they did a year ago). If I remember correctly, I paid $60 and it came with $50 of prepaid airtime. Or something like that. I paid $15 for an ATT GoPhone SIM with $15 of airtime at an ATT store in a mall. I have heard that some independent dealers are funny about selling them without a phone or for use in an iPhone. Looking for a micro SIM may be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prepaid-sim-cards-in-the-usa/594011/10 "2011-08-28T22:49:19Z")
You can get a SIM for AT&T on the cheap by purchasing a pay as you go phone from Walmart or Target. I purhcased one for about $20