SIM Card Purchase in Ketchikan

[kiwi_girl]

I'm thinking of buying a pre-paid SIM for my Smartphone, mainly for Wi-fi on the ship while in port to publish my travel blog for the folks back home - our port stops will be excursion intensive, and I really don't want to take my tablet along with us so using hotspots in the ports is probably not an option and the price of the cruiseline's wireless is :eek:

 

Is there somewhere in Ketchikan I can buy a prepaid SIM? Which provider is best for Alaskan coverage?

 

I'm guessing there's no provider that does both Canada & USA with no roaming?

[1025cruise]

The US does not have the concept that other nations have of "buying a SIM card" for a phone. So, the answer is that you will most likely be unable to locate one. You might be able to get a prepaid phone that has data coverage.

[MikeySoft]

I have an unlocked T-Mobile mifi hotspot device. It will not work in that area. ATT appears to have service in that area. I called ATT and asked them if I could get a pre paid data sim card for my hotspot. They said Alaska is not part of the US so I had to get an international plan! ***? I went to a local ATT shop and they said they will set me up with a pre pay data sim with no problems. They will verify it will work in my device before I pay for it. I plan to do this about 2 weeks before the trip.

[1025cruise]

I will add that AT&T has the most coverage, of a regular US nationwide. There are also Alaska specific companies.

[aknursemom]

Alaska Communications has plans that include Alaska and Canada, but I don't know how good their coverage is in Ketchikan.

[donaldsc]

I called ATT and asked them if I could get a pre paid data sim card for my hotspot. They said Alaska is not part of the US so I had to get an international plan! ***? I went to a local ATT shop and they said they will set me up with a pre pay data sim with no problems. They will verify it will work in my device before I pay for it. I plan to do this about 2 weeks before the trip.

 

ATT must know something that the rest of us do not know. Did you ask them if you have to pay in Alaskan currency just in case they do not accept US dollars and if you need a passport to go into and out of Alaska?

 

What foreign country accent did the person who answered the phone have?

 

DON

[MikeySoft]

Lol

 

She sounded young and American I don't thing she did too good in geography class in school.

 

Mike

[PennyAgain]

Lol

 

She sounded young and American I don't thing she did too good in geography class in school.

 

Mike

 

Alaska is one of our United States. I can verify that.

 

I have an AT & T plan for my iPhone and have never paid a roaming fee in Alaska. Can't speak for other AT & T plans.

[Lookingforfacts]

Many ships offer WiFii, or at least an internet cafe. The cost should be, at lot, less then using your phone's data plan. Probably a better option.

 

PP are right. The typical cell phone customer in the US has a 2 year commitment, gets a phone for free (or with a significant subsidy) and has unlimited voice, text messaging and a reasonably large data allowance. There are no roaming charges, if you're in an area not serviced by your carrier you'll roam on another network.

 

There are starting to be companies which sell you a SIM card, let you use your own SIM card without a commitment. The material will frequently say something like no roaming charges. The reason there aren't any roaming charges is your phone won't roam. You're in an area where the carrier doesn't have coverage and you won't get service. Occasionally you'll get voice service not data. Sprint customers will get roaming covering in Alaska. Prepaid customers with companies like Boost, Virgin Mobile..use the Sprint network. The coverage doesn't offer roaming so you'll get very little coverage in Alaska.

 

Walmart, and others, offer a bring your own phone prepaid plan using T-Mobile. T-Mobile customers roam on AT&T in Alaska. Prepaid customers get no service.

 

AT&T is geared to selling you prepaid service with a phone. You might get what you want but it might not be worth the hassle. There is a radio shack store listed in Ketitchem. They might be able to help you.

[greatam]

OP is from NEW ZEALAND. No NZ phone is going to work without international roaming and that will cost a fortune. Using the ship's towers most likely won't work either in addition to the cost.

 

This will not be the cheapest option but probably cheaper than most. http://www.mobal.com/international-gsm-sim-card/. And you can use your own phone.

 

OR stop at the first Wal Mart you see and get a Trac Phone. They work in Alaska, just won't work on the ship.

[Lookingforfacts]

OP is from NEW ZEALAND. No NZ phone is going to work without international roaming and that will cost a fortune. Using the ship's towers most likely won't work either in addition to the cost.

 

This will not be the cheapest option but probably cheaper than most. http://www.mobal.com/international-gsm-sim-card/. And you can use your own phone.

 

OR stop at the first Wal Mart you see and get a Trac Phone. They work in Alaska, just won't work on the ship.

 

I thought Vodafone in New Zealand uses GSM. Don't at least some of their phones have the capability of uses the same frequency as is used in the US? If not your international SIM card won't work. If so why couldn't he use a US SIM card, assuming the carrier permits bring you own equipment and they're willing to active a card for his phone.

 

The OP is primarily interested in internet. Does tracfone even offer data?

 

I think ships internet will work better (make that easier) for what the OP is looking for.

[frugaltravel]

ATT must know something that the rest of us do not know. Did you ask them if you have to pay in Alaskan currency just in case they do not accept US dollars and if you need a passport to go into and out of Alaska?

 

What foreign country accent did the person who answered the phone have?

 

DON

 

Do you ever post anything besides snide remarks and putdowns?

 

I thought Vodafone in New Zealand uses GSM. Don't at least some of their phones have the capability of uses the same frequency as is used in the US? If not your international SIM card won't work. If so why couldn't he use a US SIM card, assuming the carrier permits bring you own equipment and they're willing to active a card for his phone.

 

The OP is primarily interested in internet. Does tracfone even offer data?

 

I think ships internet will work better (make that easier) for what the OP is looking for.

 

You are correct. Actually I know someone who has a European GSM phone and can buy a US SIM card (can buy one on EBay or elsewhere - I think even directly from T Mobile). I know that works with tri-band T Mobile phones normally used in Europe. My friend did so just last December during her visit to the US. I am sure they are not the only company.

[donaldsc]

Do you ever post anything besides snide remarks and putdowns?

 

 

 

.

 

I do not think that calling out an AT&T service employee for not knowing that Alaska is part of the US is being either snide or pathetic. I do think that an employee who is hired to provide service to the public has such a bad knowledge of geography is pathetic. In fact, if I was the one who had called her - I would have asked to talk to her supervisor and suggest that either some retraining or worse would be in order.

 

If she had bothered to look at her own coverage map instead of giving out bad information, she would have seen as we all know that AT&T has coverage over most of the populated areas of Alaska.

 

What would you think if the people at the cruise companies or your TA if you use one gave you the same "accurate" information. You would probably and correctly be very displeased.

 

BTW - if you look at my posts, you will see that there are a lot of very useful positive posts with good information in them.

 

DON

[donaldsc]

Lol

 

She sounded young and American I don't thing she did too good in geography class in school.

 

Mike

 

In all likelihood, she did not take a geography course in high school.

 

DON

[MikeySoft]

I do not think that calling out an AT&T service employee for not knowing that Alaska is part of the US is being either snide or pathetic. I do think that an employee who is hired to provide service to the public has such a bad knowledge of geography is pathetic. In fact, if I was the one who had called her - I would have asked to talk to her supervisor and suggest that either some retraining or worse would be in order.

 

If she had bothered to look at her own coverage map instead of giving out bad information, she would have seen as we all know that AT&T has coverage over most of the populated areas of Alaska.

 

What would you think if the people at the cruise companies or your TA if you use one gave you the same "accurate" information. You would probably and correctly be very displeased.

 

BTW - if you look at my posts, you will see that there are a lot of very useful positive posts with good information in them.

 

DON

 

I politely told her she was wrong and that Alaska was the 49th state. We then got disconnected. Sometimes my home phone does that so I don't think she hung up. I called back. The CSR said I could only get a prepaid data sim card for a tablet, or get a voice/data sim card for a smart phone. ATT's web sight said I could get one for a hotspot. I decided to go to a location ATT store. The guy there was over 40 and said no problem as long as my device is unlocked. It is and we talked a little more. I'm returning to the store about 2 weeks before my trip to get one.

[MikeySoft]

The US does not have the concept that other nations have of "buying a SIM card" for a phone. So, the answer is that you will most likely be unable to locate one. You might be able to get a prepaid phone that has data coverage.

 

You can get prepaid voice sim cards in the US as long as your phone is unlocked and supports the frequency, 850 mhz and/or (i think)1900mhz for many carriers. T-Mobile is one of them. Data sim cards are a different story as seen in my other posts.

 

Mike D

[fredflint]

you will not be able to use onshore services while on the ship due to distance away so you are probably just as well getting a package from the ship, or you can type the posts up then send when you arrive in ports using free wifi.

 

but something like this will work but see if your carrier offers something for the US. Verizon here does not sue SIM cards but they offer world phones for customers with data plans for folks who travel to other countries.

 

 

For here getting a prepaid hotspot at Walmart could be your cheapest solution

 

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Virgin-Sierra-Wireless-Overdrive-Pro-3G-4G-Mobile-Hotspot/21082068

[frugaltravel]

I do not think that calling out an AT&T service employee for not knowing that Alaska is part of the US is being either snide or pathetic.

 

That is the saddest part - you don't even realize it especially when you say :eek:

 

What foreign country accent did the person who answered the phone have?

[greatam]

I thought Vodafone in New Zealand uses GSM. Don't at least some of their phones have the capability of uses the same frequency as is used in the US? If not your international SIM card won't work. If so why couldn't he use a US SIM card, assuming the carrier permits bring you own equipment and they're willing to active a card for his phone.

 

Can use a US SIM IF you can find one WITHOUT going to an AT&T/T Mobile/Verizon store (which is more hassle than searching out WalMart). They don't sell them in kiosks or the corner store like they do in Europe and Asia.

 

Buying one on Ebay/Craigslist, etc. etc. may or may NOT work. I KNOW the Mobal cards work in most any phone worldwide. They are big sellers overseas to military contractors. They work in 190 countries including the US but I really don't know the exact capability for data. I know it worked in my friend's Iphone in Vietnam to access her email. I know the phones work extremely well from almost any place in the world. I have two-one for overseas only and one that can be used in the USA. NEVER have I not had service and that includes in the middle of the desert in Iraq and the middle of the Mekong in Vietnam/Cambodia.

 

The OP is primarily interested in internet. Does tracfone even offer data?

 

I think ships internet will work better (make that easier) for what the OP is looking for.

 

Straight Talk-$45.00 per month unlimited data, phone, text. Have to buy a phone (some as cheap as $39.00) but some Walmart's also sell just the SIM. Straight Talk as well as Net 10 are all part of Carlos Slim's telecommunications empire which is Trac Phone in the USA.

[greatam]

This should work just fine for the OP IF the phone is compatible. WILL NOT work on the AT& T network anymore but MAY roam to AT&T in Alaska. http://www.talkandroid.com/149593-straight-talk-no-longer-offering-att-compatible-sims/

 

http://www.straighttalksim.com/

 

Don't know whether they will ship to NZ but worth checking out.

[Planned to a T]

So...are you saying that our Verizon phones will work OK in port? My iPhone 5 is unlocked, but my hubbies iPhone 4 is not. Will my verizon tablet work?

 

Thank you for any help you can give.

[Lookingforfacts]

OP said she's wants internet so she can post a blog.

 

The Walmart plan is probably the best deal. $15 for the SIM card and $45 for monthly service. The service uses T Mobile which has virtually no coverage in Alaska. I assume the Walmart store in Ketchikan either has a supply of the older cards which use AT&T or will confirm the card they sell you will roam at no extra charge.

 

Alternately they should be able to sell you a phone (hopefully on the At&T network which will work. They have phones which cost under $50.

 

What cruise line? HAL offers internet $55 for 100 minutes and 250 minutes for $100. They have small activation fee. Use your smartphone for WiFii.

[MikeySoft]

While at Walmart, and looked at there prepaid mifi hotspots for data (internet) only. While their coverage maps all covered the lower 48 states, and some had Hawaii, some also had Puerto Rico, none had Alaska. This Walmart did not have att. It looks like I'll be able to get a prepaid data sim card for my unlocked T-Mobile mifi hotspot as I posted earlier.

 

Mike D

[Lookingforfacts]

While at Walmart, and looked at there prepaid mifi hotspots for data (internet) only. While their coverage maps all covered the lower 48 states, and some had Hawaii, some also had Puerto Rico, none had Alaska. This Walmart did not have att. It looks like I'll be able to get a prepaid data sim card for my unlocked T-Mobile mifi hotspot as I posted earlier.

 

Mike D

 

Which Walmart? Straight Talk is a WalMart private label Tracfone plan. The actual carrier you get is based on the zip code you plan on using the phone. Straight Talk is available to customers who live in Alaska. The ST customer doesn't literally pick the carrier. The carrier which costs Walmart/ST the least amount of money, which offers adequate coverage in the service area, is offered.

 

Visiting,or maybe calling, a Walmart in AK is the best way to get accurate information.

[MikeySoft]

Thanks for the info. I was talking about a sim card for data (internet) only for my unlocked mifi. This is slightly different then the OP as she talking about a smart phone. I felt my mifi was similar enough as a new thread would have redundant results. Sorry if it caused any confusion.

 

Someone had a reply about a virgin mifi but the coverage map at my (Boston area) WM did not include Alaska.

 

I don't remember the Walmart having a coverage map for smart talk. It also looks like they are using T-Mobile which I understand does not have data coverage for Alaska, so the best thing may be to call a Walmart in Alaska as you suggested.

 

Mike D