Inquizitive
New member
I would be traveling to NYC on a tourist visa for 3 months this Summer. I have a Nokia N79 that I plan to use. Could someone suggest any providers and their specific plans? My main usage would be to be in touch with my family (in my home country in Asia).
Please first read the below details on my expected usage:
1) I would buy a calling card from my country that allows me to make calls to my country at 60% cheaper rates if I call using a "toll-free" number or at 80% cheaper rates if I use a local number (to access international number). I am also told that some providers in USA charge a surcharge for dialing a toll-free number? Is it true?
2) International sms can be very expensive (unless someone has a plan to suggest). So I was planning to use "FRING" as my IM. How does IM work in USA? I find there are separate rates for IM and internet. How do these providers distinguish if I am using yahoo chat or using maybe yahoo email? Anyways I was thinking an unlimited text plan will be useless and as I would hardly text to any US numbers but instead would prefer an unlimited data so I can IM with my family in my home country at cheaper costs?
3) Last but not the least, will I be able to buy a sim over the counter? I am a tourist so would have no credit documents, no SSN and so on. How will I be able to buy a sim?
The only option I have shortlisted is T-Mobile sidekick prepaid as I get unlimited text and IM (still don't understand how service providers ditinguish IM and data) and then use toll-free number to make international calls. But then it has local calling at 15c/min which is not that attractive.
Also, as the N79 has wi-fi, I was also wondering what are different wi-fi providers? Maybe I should not even take a unlimited data plan on the cell phone and rely on wi-fi for data? Though I am not in favour of this option.
Please first read the below details on my expected usage:
1) I would buy a calling card from my country that allows me to make calls to my country at 60% cheaper rates if I call using a "toll-free" number or at 80% cheaper rates if I use a local number (to access international number). I am also told that some providers in USA charge a surcharge for dialing a toll-free number? Is it true?
2) International sms can be very expensive (unless someone has a plan to suggest). So I was planning to use "FRING" as my IM. How does IM work in USA? I find there are separate rates for IM and internet. How do these providers distinguish if I am using yahoo chat or using maybe yahoo email? Anyways I was thinking an unlimited text plan will be useless and as I would hardly text to any US numbers but instead would prefer an unlimited data so I can IM with my family in my home country at cheaper costs?
3) Last but not the least, will I be able to buy a sim over the counter? I am a tourist so would have no credit documents, no SSN and so on. How will I be able to buy a sim?
The only option I have shortlisted is T-Mobile sidekick prepaid as I get unlimited text and IM (still don't understand how service providers ditinguish IM and data) and then use toll-free number to make international calls. But then it has local calling at 15c/min which is not that attractive.
Also, as the N79 has wi-fi, I was also wondering what are different wi-fi providers? Maybe I should not even take a unlimited data plan on the cell phone and rely on wi-fi for data? Though I am not in favour of this option.