Free SIM Cards in US ?

Hi, currently I have an iPhone 5. It has a Nano SIM card from Vodafone UK because I'm based in the UK right now although I will be going to California this May for two months. I want the cheapest way of making/recieving calls while I am over there. How do I go about this?
If things were switched around and a US citizen coming to the UK, I would tell them to wait until they got to the UK and then order a free SIM card from one of the networks because mobile carriers dont deliver SIMs abroad. However, I dont think this would work quite the same because I have read that in the US everyone has to buy a mobile phone to get a SIM.
So, is it true that I would need to buy a new phone to get a SIM, or can I use my iPhone 5 there?
Are there any other potential issues I might face?

No. You don't need to buy a phone to get a SIM.  Your choices will be limited when it comes to service, though.
AT&T is the only supported GSM carrier in the US and they do not permit iPhones on pre-paid plans. You can get SIMs for carriers like T-Mobile (not fully compatible, but calling will work fine) and StraightTalk.

Similar Messages

  • Unlocked iphone 5 come with a sim card?

    Ok, so i was looking at the iphone 5 (unlockedd version) and i was looking at what would be in the box, however, i'm not sure if the sim card comes with the actual phone or  if you have to buy it on your own. please someone let me know?
    thsnks...

    a sim card is not something you buy a sim card is the subscription with the carrier
    when you sign up for a tariff you get a free sim card from the carrier

  • WHAT IS WRONG WITH APPLE. IM GETTING SICK!! NO SIM CARD??!!

    Hello,
    I recently had my bro in law order me an ipad online.
    When we got the receipt 1 day later , everything was wrong on it.
    They had sent us a receipt for an ipad 2 wifi ( not 3g ) .
    I called them and they confirmed that it was a "glitch" in the system & that we had gotten the 3g and re sent us the correct receipt. With all the correct information along with the "ROGERS IPAD SIM CARD - ONLINE-CAF" written , thus confirming that I was supposed to get a Rogers sim card with my order .
    When it arrived today we got the 3g , but low and behold , no sim card !!! I had to drive to the nearest future shop and pay 10$ for the wrong sim card. I got home , tried to activate it and Rogers would not let me unless I went on a MONTH TO MONTH basis with them aside from being on a pre - paid - the problem was that sim card - as future shop , best buy , etc have been assigned certain sim cards for 3g plans on a pre paid basis. I was given the sim card for month to month. So there goes 10$ for a sim card I did not even need. That is not my issue , my issue is how apple is not proffessional. I honestly think we were sent the wrong ipad the first time but they caught it in time before it was sent out to me, and forgot to add the sim card.
    I really do not want to go to Apple ( downtown ) and be asked to pay 10$ for something I initially was supposed to receive for free. Should I take my receipt with me and my ipad just to confirm to them that I got the Ipad on the 12th , just to be on the safe side as they dont generally hand out sim cards about serious investigations.
    Or should I call customer service for Apple online and give them crap, make them send me free stuff to make it up to me - because its seriously caused a headache and i cannot stand bad customer service reps or someone that messed up my order and then blames it on a damb fake glitch!
    Regards,
    H.

    sorry the quote
    " about serious investigations "
    i do not know what I was trying to say lol - ignore it.
    Its supposed to be " apple store doesnt generally hand out sim cards ".
    I had a friend that went there and got a free sim card no questions asked , and another friend went and they told her she had to buy a product. It depends on what staff is on.  But i'v got proof i never received a sim card because on my receipt it says ROGERS SIM CARD. But on the delivery box , where it says " whats in the box" - it only mentions an IPAD , no SIM CARD . A sim card is considered a product since it has value, and I never received it. I do not think I should be paying another 10$ for a sim card I was supposed to get for free. Unfair and Unprofessional on Apple's part.

  • Bought SIM Card from Retailer

    Bought a Moto X from eBay and went to the Verizon Wireless Retailer in the Galleria Mall in White Plains, New York to help get it activated. I needed a new SIM card because my old one was too large. The sales person tried to check the SIM by opening the back even though I told her the back doesn't open but she opened it anyway and there were cracking sounds that didn't sound good. After putting it back on, it looks fine, but it is loose. Then they sold me a SIM card for $10.84 when it is free in the Verizon corporate store right down the road. But the kicker is that the SIM card is incompatible with my Moto X and the Retailer refuses to give me a refund. I believe it is wrong that Retailers are not required to tell customers that a SIM card can be received in the mail for free or go to a corporate store to receive a free SIM card.
    If certain things change about my relationship with Verizon, I plan on switching my entire family plan to any other carrier. Just because Verizon has the most extensive network doesn't mean I have to constantly get screwed with terrible customer service.

    Problem solved.
    I noticed under Settings - General - Network that the "Not Available" setting could be expanded, which displayed "SIM not provisioned". This led me to believe there was a SIM card issue.
    Sure enough, I was given a regular SIM card, not a pre-activated.
    Depending on the data plan you want you need to decide between the regular SIM and pre-activated:
    Regular SIM: Used for all traditional phone/data services where you pay $XX for XX MB per month, every month.
    Pre-activated SIM: Used for pre-paid plans (or pay-as-you-go). You pay $XX for XX MB and when it's used, you're offline until you "charge" your SIM again.
    For what it's worth, I stayed with the regular SIM anyway, since Rogers has a flex data plan and Best Buy is offering 2 $25 credits to be used against your monthly invoices. Not sure how long that's going.
    The Rogers plan is $20/500GB and if you go over it bumps you to $35/5GB automatically. After that it's $.05/KB.
    Hope this helps someone else with a headache.

  • How can I open an Apple App account for downloading free apps?  I will not let me open a new account without a sim card.

    I just bought a used 1st Generation Apple iPad 64 GB, 3G. How can I open an Apple App account?  I am trying to download a free app and it says I have to have an account, however, everytime I try to set up a new account I can fill only fill out some of the information but then the screen goes black and I cannot proceed with the account.  At one point it said "no sim card" and I am not sure where one would go if I had one.  Do you need a sim card to download free apps?  Why won't it let me set up an Apple Account?  Any suggestions?

    I can think of no reason at all why you need a sim card to creat an Apple ID. Try this first - reboot the iPad and reset the memory.
    Reboot the iPad by holding down on the sleep and home buttons at the same time for about 10-15 seconds until the Apple Logo appears - ignore the red slider - let go of the buttons.
    Afte the iPad starts up again, follow the directions in this support article - exactly - to creat the account without a credit card.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2534
    IF ... You are signed into another Apple ID on the iPad you will have to sign out of that ID in order to create a new one. Settings>Store - you can sign out there.
    You MUST try to download a free app in order to start the process off correctly. If you were using an email address with another ID that you already created, you will have to have another email address to associate the new ID with.

  • Can I use more than one SIM card in my iPhone if I buy it SIM free?

    Can I use more than one SIM card in my iPhone if I buy it SIM free?

    Sim free is not enough, you can use different sim if it's unlock.

  • I have an SIII and will be traveling out of the country.  Do I need to get a micro SIM card ? (I was told that Verizon has them for free but it needs to be set up and there was a charge for this.

    I have a Samsung SIII and will be traveling out of the country. Do I need to get a micro SIM card instaslled for international ?  I was told Verizon has them free for customers but that it needs to be "sert up". Also, are there alternatives to going through the verizon data plan (which is very expensive.
    Thanks

    Your phone already has a micro SIM card in the device so it can connect to the VZW network. You will need an international plan from VZW if you intend to use that SIM card. Otherwise you can get a new SIM card from the local carrier and setup the phone for global use with a separate APN with that carrier's specific information.

  • If I buy a sim free phone here and take it to the Ukraine, can I get a local sim card and the phone still work properly, while in the Ukraine?

    If I buy a sim free phone here and take it to the Ukraine with me, can I get a card there in the Ukraine to use the phone with.  If that is possible, when I return to the states can I get an AT & T sim card and the same phone work in the states?  Thanks in advance for your help.

    If you buy an unlocked phone, it will work on any compatible GSM network anywhere in the world. If you buy an unlocked phone in the US, it will not work on LTE networks outside of North America. The warranty is also only valid in the country where the phone was originally sold.

  • If i buy a sim-free iphone 5s in America, can i use it in China with a Chinese sim card?

    i've bought a sim-free iphone 5s  in apple store in America but i am worried that i cannot use it with a Chinese sim card. Can someone help me?
    Thank you very much!

    The iPhone is sold as "unlocked and contract-free" when purchasing that option from the Apple Store, though Apple's verbiage is using "unlocked" and "SIM-free" rather interchangeably:
    The unlocked iPhone includes all the features of iPhone but without a wireless contract commitment. You can activate and use the unlocked iPhone on the supported GSM wireless network of your choice, such as AT&T or T-Mobile in the United States. The unlocked iPhone will not work with CDMA-based carriers, including Sprint and Verizon Wireless.
    If you don’t want a multiyear service contract, or if you prefer to use a local carrier when traveling abroad, the unlocked iPhone is the best choice. If you choose T-Mobile, your iPhone comes with a T-Mobile SIM card already installed. You will need to contact T-Mobile or visit an Apple Retail Store to activate your iPhone.
    Otherwise, the unlocked iPhone does not come with a micro-SIM card for iPhone 4s, or a nano-SIM card for iPhone 5c or iPhone 5s so you’ll need to get one from any supported GSM carrier worldwide. To start using your iPhone, simply insert the SIM card into the slot and turn on iPhone by pressing and holding the On/Off button for a few seconds. Then follow the onscreen instructions to set up your iPhone.
    Purchasing an unlocked iPhone means you will not qualify for the lower iPhone price associated with a contract. The unlocked iPhone 5c model is A1532 (GSM). The unlocked iPhone 5s model is A1533 (GSM).
    To help decide whether the locked or unlocked option is right for you, compare wireless service plans. Or call our iPhone Specialists at 1-800-MY-APPLE.
    Be aware that if you purchase an iPhone in the US, that will be the only place you will get support from Apple should you need it. You will not get any support for a US-sold iPhone in China.
    Regards.

  • I bought an iphone6 T-Mobile Contract free from US. Can i gift it to my parents in India. Will a nano-SIM card with any Indian carrier work? Will my international warranty still be valid?

    I bought an iphone6 T-Mobile Contract free from US. Can i gift it to my parents in India.?
    Will a nano-SIM card with any Indian carrier work? They will have to just toss away the T-Mobile SIM and put in nano sim for any Indian carrier, right?
    Will my international warranty still be valid? In case of any repairs/services, can that be done in India? Will these services be charged while the phone is in warranty period?

    If the phone is purchased in the united states, warranty service will need to be provided in the united states.

  • Is the contract-free iphone6 lock to the T-Mobile sim card or will i be able to use any other carrier sim card in iphone6?

    Is the contract-free iphone6 lock to the T-Mobile sim card or will i be able to use any other carrier sim card in the phone?

    The phone is NOT locked.

  • If I didn't ask for a SIM card when I purchased today, can I still get one for free tomorrow?

    If I didn't ask for a SIM card when I purchased today, but after I went back home I found that I indeed need a SIM card for my new iPhone. Can I still get one for free tomorrow? Or... will I be charged for SIM card?

    Depends where you purchased the iPhone and who your carrier is ,ask them

  • Trying to use 3 SIM card in SIM-free 6260

    Hi there. My Nokia 6280 has to be sent back to Three for repair, so I'm trying to get my Three SIM card to work in my old Nokia 6260, which I bought SIM free so is not tied to any particular network. When I boot up it just gives me the error "SIM card rejected". Is this because my 3 SIM is a newer design that is not compatible with the 6260, or are all SIMs interchangeable? Is it because my 3 SIM is faulty? (it works fine in my 6280). Is there any other unblocking I need to do to get it to work? Any help much appreciated. Cheers

    Indeed, all common complaints with the 6280 on 3 UK.
    Most of them are network related regardless of what 3 say in my opinion.
    Calls on a 3G network require more power than on GSM, which can cause the heat issues, temperamental reception is due to the handset always seeking the strongest signal be it 3G or GSM and can cause the battery problems as well. You can't lock it to GSM only mode because 3 have disabled the option on the handset because when you roam on to their 2G partner network which at the moment is o2 and is soon to be Orange it costs 3 money.
    Anyways, the latest firmware version is 5.92 and does fix plenty of common 6280 problems, however I am not 100% sure if 3 UK have clear it for use on their 6280's. Something for you to enquire about at the service centre.
    Best of luck by the way in getting fixed.
    First use the search to see if your question has already been answered...
    Secondly I will not knowingly assist in breaking the forum rules.
    My information is always changing, what I post at the time is usually true.

  • Iphone 6 SIM card free

    Hi, will iPhone 6 SIM card free (model A1586 sold on Apple store) work in Europe with any carrier ?

    Hello Tomasz,
    For that model of iPhone, it will work on 3, BT, EE, O2 and Vodafone. For more information, take a look at the article below.  
    Ultrafast LTE
    https://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
    Regards,
    -Norm G. 

  • Can a contract free iphone 6 be used in China with a GSM sim card?

    I just bought a contact free iphone 6, and I want to give this as a gift to my friend in China. Can he use this iphone 6 with a GSM sim card? Thanks!

    You'll have to check with the Chinese telephone company if they have nano sims and are configures with the same frequency of your iPhone.

Maybe you are looking for