Phone info on making calls from America?

[bizzylizzy]

Hi everyone, we're shortly going to travel to the US. Our travel company Trailfinders sent us details of a company providing sims for making cheaper calls from the States. You load up the sim and pop it into a sim free phone and away you go apparently.

However, besides the fact we'd have to pay to have a phone unlocked. We've just been told our ancient phones probably won't work as you need a tri-network phone.

Can anyone suggest the cheapest option? Either buying the cheapest tri network phone we can find that's sim free over here, or should we buy a cheap phone in the States.

I just need a phone to be in touch with my parents (my dad's poorly) and also for the usual things, booking places to eat, making hotel enquiries etc.

Any help would be gratefully received. Our holiday costs are mounting up and this wasn't one that we'd planned for.

Thank you.

[237SJ]

Get a phone card. You can use it on your hotel phone and bypass the exhorbitant charges.

[boxtops]

Buy a cheap phone over there?

[bizzylizzy]

Thank you, but a phone card wouldn't be any good because my parents need to be able to contact me when I'm over there. We're wondering about buying a reconditioned phone to take. I hadn't even thought of this problem. Silly me.

[ChuckFickens]

asda!

All asda phones are unlocked.... go into a local branch and look to see whats tri or quad band going cheap

[Buenchico]

Take care if you're buying from Asda. I've frequently mentioned (as Chuck has just done) that all of their phones are unlocked to all networks. That statement was based upon their in-store advertising material and upon what was shown on their website. But a couple of weeks ago I noticed that their Stowmarket store was displaying some phones on specific networks (which I assume they're locked to). When I next called into their Ipswich store I looked at where the display used to state that all phones sold by Asda could be used on any network. That information is no longer displayed. Further, I can't find it on their website any longer.

It looks like all of the phones Asda sell online are still unlocked but some phones they sell in-store may now be tied to specific networks. However Asda is probably still a good place to try.

Alternatively you can buy a used (tri-band) Nokia 6100 (tested and with 3 months warranty) for £19 here:
http://www.phatphones.com/phones_to_clear.htm

Chris

[bizzylizzy]

Thank you so much frozengal but the original post was 2010, we went on our hols back then. But thank you for your post, that was very kind x