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hennsch
Trad climber
Germany
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 2, 2013 - 07:53am PT
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I will be staying in the Valley for about 6 weeks and want to get a SIM-card for and an american phone number for the time.
Do you guys have suggestions for prepaid operators? I will probably mainly text and use the internet. Recharging the calling credit should be easy, so i would like to be able to buy the scratch-cards in valley stores. Which operators work best in the Valley?
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oli warlow
Trad climber
U.K.
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Hi,
you will have difficulty with an american pre-pay phone in the valley. From my experience (current in Fall 2012) you get a different kind of service depending on whether you have a contract or pre-pay phone.
Although Verizon claimed that their phones would work in Yosemite valley, they were in fact roaming on the 'golden state cellular' network, this meant that with a pre-pay phone you could only receive calls and send domestic text messages (not good if you want to text outside the USA). I was given the impression that this would be the same for other major networks. I would recommend checking this specifically before you buy any phone/sim card. The regular sales clerks in the shop might not actually know this, so make sure you get an answer from someone who does.
One solution is to get a phone/sim with Golden state cellular and therefore you will not be 'roaming' when in the valley, I do not know what other networks this will be true with (maybe a valley local will know).
The problem with Golden state cellular however (again current to fall 2012 so may be different now) was that they did not support international text messaging. Therefore you could not text anyone outside the USA (although i think you could receive).
So really the answer to your question is not that easy!
I was in the valley for 3 months last year and what I did was get a pre-pay phone with golden state cellular but with data ($60 a month i think). I got 3g signal everywhere in the valley, including all over el cap, which meant I could get email etc which i used to stay in touch with people outside the USA. expensive, but made life easier (you get crappy kiosk internet in the valley for $5 for 15mins so you will save a lot if you want to get online at all!). You can hook up to wifi in various places in the valley, free in curry village and by password in the lodge.
Perhaps locals will know a better solution to getting a pre-pay phone in the valley, but that is my 2c anyway!
Oli
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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ATT Gophone service is prepaid no contract
I have had very good luck with the ATT gophone service in the valley. Well as good as anyone gets. There is only one tower so line of sight is an issue in some places. It does well on the SE face of EC. Not so good once you round the Nose (spotty and occasional signal) Because my pre-paid phone worked so well there I now have gone to regular ATT service.
If all you need is talk and text You can purchase as little as $15 at a time and it is used up at $2 only on each day you use it. Once you use the phone that day it is unlimited use that day.
If you need Net then I think you have to purchase a month. $60 unlimited talk and text but 2G data. Each additional gig at $10.
4G LTE does work in the valley for gophone!
ATT is GSM (uses sim card) (verizon is CDMA and thier pre-pay does not use 4glte so no simcard and wont work for most or probably any international phone) You should be able to get the GoPhone service and sim card at any ATT store here in the states.
http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=24397&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=36623
New and existing AT&T GoPhone customers can bring their own 4G or 4G LTE smartphone or choose a GoPhone device to connect to AT&T’s nation’s largest 4G network. AT&T 4G and 4G LTE service is available with any of the new GoPhone smartphone plans, which include:
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WBraun
climber
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I use NET 10 pay as you go on a iPhone.
$50 a month for data, text voice all the usual stuff.
I only pay for the months I need it.
Usually only about 3 months.
You can buy the sim at Best Buy or online.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Very cool. But I don't think Net10 offers LTE does it? (i could be wrong)Although that may not matter for many folks unless they need to watch videos in Yosemite..lol
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ruppell
climber
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Simple Mobile uses ATT towers and has cheap unlimited plans. Is your phone unlocked to be able to use another carriers SIM? From your post it sounds like it is. Also look at wiki to see what cell frequencies the US uses and make sure your phone is capable of using the same frequencies before you go any further. If it's not then trac phone or the likes are the way to go.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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In Europe phones are unlocked by law. In the US we protect the corporations instead of the people and unlocking is illegal without the corporations permission.
SO as long as his GSM phone uses the proper frequencies (it almost certainly does) It will be fine on the ATT network once he gets the ATT sim card. If you go with Net 10 or Trac make sure they configure the account/simcard for the ATT network that they use.. not the Verizon or T-mobile which they also use.
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