How to stay connected in the USA

Planning a trip to the United States of America (USA)? Or are you planning to move there and are already wondering how you can get a sim card there? Then this article is definitely for you!

At the moment, there are many options for buying and connecting sim cards in America. This option differs from each other in the way of connection, cost and available features. For example, depending on the purpose of your stay, you can buy a physical sim card, get a virtual one and even get a free us virtual phone number.

SIM card options for connecting in the USA.

1. Firstly, we will consider the most classic variant of SIM card connection. This is the option of connecting a national sim card. There is a nuance in this option: if you want to buy a national sim card in the USA and get an official number, you must have a USA credit card and a good credit history. This option will suit those who plan to stay in the USA for a long period of time. However, if you are a tourist, you may not have a credit history most of the time.

2. The next option is roaming. This is one of the most popular options for staying connected in America. There are some downsides here: roaming, especially in America, is very expensive and sometimes inconvenient to connect. Your home carrier’s roaming rates may be too high. This option is suitable for those who are limited in time and plan to be in the US for only a few days.

3. The third option is to get a prepaid SIM card from a local carrier. If you are in the United States for a long time, you can use the services of local cell phone carriers. There are three biggest mobile operators in America that provide many tariffs for temporary use within America.

• T-Mobile is known worldwide and supplies SIM cards for most European countries and America. The main pros are that the company includes taxes in the price of the tariff plan, so you will immediately get the full price for the services. Also, the company often holds promotions, and the user can get a free Netflix account as a gift. However, there are disadvantages: if the card is registered but not used, fines may be charged.

Connection fees start at $15 for 2 GB of data, with the most expensive plan costing $40 for 10 GB of data. The number of calls is unlimited. You can buy SIM cards in special sales offices, shopping centers, in mini stores, and in the store with cell phones.

• AT&T is one of the largest U.S. communications companies and the second-largest wireless service provider in the United States. The operator issues a special SIM card variant for activation of American smartphones. With an AT&T SIM card you can activate unlimited calls in the US, Canada, Mexico, connect to a local US number at a cheap price.

AT&T supports only Apple smartphones, the sim card is difficult to purchase online, so you will have to buy and install it yourself.

Plans range from $30 to $50, the cheapest plan does not include mobile internet and the most expensive includes 8 GB of mobile internet. You can buy an AT&T communication SIM card with included Internet in various shopping canters, mini stores and gas stations.

• Verizon is the largest telephone company in the USA. The main advantages are that the company has excellent coverage throughout the U.S., the highest speeds of connection and communication thanks to 5G UWB technology, unlimited tariff plan from $30 per month.

The cheapest plan will cost you $35 with 1 GB of mobile internet included, the mid-range plan costs $40 with 6 GB of internet. The most expensive plan costs $50 with 16 GB of mobile internet included. Sim card is difficult to purchase online or by visiting the office of the mobile operator.

4. The fourth option is to connect a virtual SIM card. A virtual SIM card is a version of the classic physical SIM card, but it is not inserted into the smartphone, but is recorded on a chip that is already in the phone. With a virtual SIM card, you can record up to five numbers on the chip. Among other things, you can buy a mobile number of different countries, such as the United States.

To connect a virtual card, you need to download an application on your smartphone and set up the use of the number in the phone settings. Tariff plan and terms of use and payment of the card you can choose yourself in the settings of the application.

The average cost of connecting a USA virtual card is about 4.5 euros, the tariff includes 1 GB of mobile Internet. Virtual SIM cards with high traffic are required for those who want to be online all the time. With a virtual card, you will always be able to pick or change the tariff to a more suitable one for you.

To summarize, there are many options for getting connected in the USA. These options vary depending on various factors, such as the length of your stay in America, the cost you expect to spend on communications and the necessary features your SIM card will support. Also, when purchasing a sim card in USA, pay attention to nuances, such as the fact that taxes may not be included and that not all sim cards work with Android smartphones.