<p>Hello,
I was wondering if anyone else has had problems getting a cell phone in the US without a SSN?</p>
<p>What are our best options?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Get a prepaid plan or pay a security deposit (a local AT&T store here gives international students a contract in exchange for a security deposit of about a year’s worth of contract fees).</p>
<p>I have a US cellphone to use when I’m there, I just got a regular pre-pay one that I top up when I need to. Am on AT&T.</p>
<p>argh cell phones are driving me crazy, they plans are all so super expensive! but I need one, luckily have a SSN though <em>US CITIZENSHIP FTW</em> haha</p>
<p>one thing i noticed was groups of students banding together and getting on family plans. lower charges.</p>
<p>the family plans are WAY better, but how do you find people to band with is the question? everyone who lives there already is generally on a family plan already with their ACTUAL family</p>
<p>I’m an international student who chose the AT&T pre-paid plan. I thought it was pretty flexible, but I realized that due to changes with the plan, I was topping up by $25 almost every 10 days. You top up with $25, spend $9.99 on a 1000 text messaging package, each message received, as well as each message sent takes one text each from your plan, so you go through it much quicker. Also, on the first phone call each day takes $1 from your balance. 10 cents per minute is taken off your balance for calls received or made to users on other networks. If you call internationally without using a calling card, a 30 minute conversation can cost $12. </p>
<p>I’m already shopping around for a new plan because I can’t afford to keep up with putting money in my phone all of the time. I think I will go with the US Cellular Monthly prepaid plan as it looks very flexible. I would advise you to get a dorm phone, so that you can recive calls internationally & that cost is on your parents. Poor Mom & Dad! My family usually calls on Friday evening and, in case they urgently need to speak with me, they text my cell phone & ask when I’ll be back in my room. </p>
<p>I really think you should shop around before purchasing. Most people are on AT & T, but I would definately check all of the networks websites: Verizon, US Cellular, Sprint, etc & look for their prepaid section. If there is one reason why I’d like you to stay away from AT&T prepaid, it’s that it has very poor coverage for prepaid customers. My friends are on regular AT&T plans & whenever I go to visit them in their respective states, I can never get coverage in areas outside of major towns/cities, but they have network coverage.</p>
<p>T-Mobile prepaid is decent if you don’t use your phone much and just want a cellphone for the rather few calls you’ll make - $100 initially, then $10 per year. I’ve had bad experiences with Cingular/AT&T prepaid too as it wouldn’t give coverage even in the outer suburbs (infuriating).</p>
<p>Oh, and always always always get a calling card if you’re ringing home - far cheaper.</p>
<p>I totally agree with Agneisse about the calling card!</p>
<p>Hey, </p>
<p>I will be going to the US in around 2 weeks. </p>
<p>So is there any special phone deal you guys would recommend for 1 year? I don’t use a phone much, or text much. I would prefer Verizon because Verizon has the best reception compared to other services at my school.</p>
<p>If Verizon is recommended then go with that? You’d want a prepaid plan and Verizon prepaid is $100 a year - one of the better deals for that time length. This is assuming your cellphone habits continue and you just want a number for emergencies/one-off uses etc.</p>
<p>Iwirelesshome.com</p>
<p>You can have unlimited talk for $60 a month, and if you want unlimited texting, it is $15 more, so $75 total. You can either order online or if you are near a Kroger grocery store, they sell them there as well.</p>
<p>@GA2012MOM</p>
<p>You can get unlimited talk for far less tahn that.
For $50, you can get it from T-Mobile. (T-Mobile uses GSM, which is great for internationals who want to keep their own phone.)
For $50, you can get unlimited talk and text from Virgin (on Sprint’s CDMA network with no contract).
For $50, you can get unlimited takl, text and data from Boost (on Sprint’s CDMA/EvDO network with no contract).</p>
<p>The Boost and Virgin offers are good for internationals who don’t mind buying a new phone as they’re off-contract, so you can suspend service over the summer with no fee, and they don’t require a SSN.</p>
<p>AT&T are on GSM and SIM cards, too, right? I would like to get a plan with a phone bundled in. For international calls, I’ll probably use Skype.</p>
<p>Nationwide, Verizon has the most customers, and therefore the largest free mobile to mobile community. For $59.99/mo you get 450 mins, unlimited N&W, and unlimited texting with either Verizon or AT&T. The only issue is that you will have to pay a $400 deposit with Verizon and a ~$500+ deposit with AT&T. The benefit of these deposits is that you get them back within a year, with interest. Take it from experience, you don’t want a prepaid phone for everyday use, they cost way too much.</p>