ozgirl

Hi everyone. Last year I took my brand new iPad to Europe (mainly France) thinking I would buy a pre-paid micro sim and be set for the trip - big mistake! The iPad had only been released around 6 weeks before in France and the whole notion of an aussie buying a pre-paid sim was too hard until the last three days we were there!

Later in the year, I travelled to NZ , purchased a micro sim at the Vodafone store in the airport and was online in ten minutes - perfect!

So, this year will be flying into Boston and setting off straight away for road trip through Maine, the Maritime Provinces and ending up in Quebec City.
I have read many confusing reports on various forums so hope Fodorites can help...

It appears that AT&T have pre-paid sims but that a US credit card is required to activate?

Does anyone (especially an Aussie!) have recent experience?

I will NOT be travelling with a laptop or similar, will I need to sync with iTunes? I did in France (but they did it for me in the Apple store) but didn't have to in NZ.

Will the AT&T micro sim (if I get one working) carry me into Canada? If not does anyone know the score in Canada?

Lastly, apart from landing in Boston we will hopefully be spending most our time away from bigger centres so would like to sort it out fairly quickly and not have to be chasing Apple stores or similar - does anyone have experience of the MaxiRoam sim card idea and would this be easier all round?

Many thanks for any help!
(Also posting on Tips Forum)

doug_stallings

The midpriced hotel chains in the US all have free wifi .. Including Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn. That may make the need for a cell plan less necessary. You can certainly buy a SIM here, but I've never heard that you need a US credit card. But data usage in the US is madly expensive.

Hopefully you will get an answer from someone with firsthand experience.

doug_stallings

I should also say that I have never heard of a "micro" SIM. My iPad doesn't have mobile service built in.

Geordie

In the US, I've never been able to find a prepaid sim that includes data, let alone a 'micro SIM' with data.

As Doug mentions, I would just use the free WiFi that is widely available

Geordie

In the US, I've never been able to find a prepaid sim that includes data, let alone a 'micro SIM' with data.

As Doug mentions, I would just use the free WiFi that is widely available

ozgirl

Hi guys, my understanding is that the sim card that the iPad takes is smaller and called a 'micro sim' as opposed to the'sim' that goes into an iPhone for example and the micro sim is purely 'data.'
We will not be staying in hotel chains but more often self catering so whilst we may have wireless in some places would prefer to use the 3G iPad as it was intended!

doug_stallings

Then I think you're going to have problems. There's only one mobile company in the U.S. that supports ipad (AT&T). I'd contact them directly to see if they have a prepaid option. My guess is that they do not, so you may be out of luck. I'd look into buying an international data roaming plan from your cell phone provider.

There are MANY places in the U.S. that offer free WiFi. Panera Bread is one, Starbucks and some McDonald's are others. In most places, local coffee shops or restaurants (and sometimes libraries) offer free Wi-Fi. The list goes on. You're going to have to do your own homework on this one, I think.

travellinguy

I have a prepaid phone with internet access in the USA. It is from Straight Talk and it is a Nokia E71 phone. I can connect my laptop to the phone, which then works as a 3G modem and I have got internet access anywhere in the USA. I assume that this would also be true for an Ipad. This way you would have a phone and internet anywhere in the USA. Straight TAlk is sold at Walmart or online. Otherwise, as has been suggested, there is free Wi Fi all over the place. For example, in Miami Beach, there is free WI FI over the whole area, I suppose to encourage tourism. You can sit on the beach and be online with the WI FI.