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Ask HN: prepaid cell w/ data for hackers visiting US
Hi, any cell phone recommendations for hacker-entrepreneurs visiting the u.s. who visit regularly but not enough to justify having a monthly contract?
I'd like to play with the latest mobile apps etc while using a local #, and without dealing w/ data roaming charges etc.
Previously I've done T-Mobile $100 prepaid for 1000 minutes for a year -- just voice. But I would like to have something I can use w/ some data plans (e.g. messing around w/ iPhone/Android apps) when I am hanging around w/ Silicon Valley friends...
Anyone else in a similar situation? What's worked for you?
- alnayyir 16y agoI live here and would love this for my own purposes.
- nkurz 16y agoI just happened to be researching this. While I haven't done it myself, the consensus seems to be that the prepaid AT&T "Go Phone" is the best solution for low cost data in the US without a contract. The data itself is very expensive by global standards ($20/100MB) but the entry cost is very low presuming you already have a compatible GSM device. But if you're mostly playing around in Silicon Valley, you can probably arrange to have most of your data delivered by unmetered WiFi. This link has good information: http://forum.brighthand.com/smartphones/268235-payg-dataplan-can-work.html http://forum.brighthand.com/smartphones/268235-payg-dataplan... This is iPhone specific, but might help too: http://theappleblog.com/2010/07/26/how-to-give-your-old-iphone-new-life-with-prepaid-data-and-minutes/ http://theappleblog.com/2010/07/26/how-to-give-your-old-ipho...
- adrianscott 16y agothank you