USA prepaid mobile phone SIM cards

We searched for the best value pay-as-you-go mobile phone SIM cards for travellers visiting the United States and found that the Red Pocket and T-Mobile SIM cards are the best deal.

Red Pocket SIM cards

Best coverage (AT&T network; 850/1900 Mhz - best for quad-band phones) Cheapest international calls

T-Mobile USA SIM cards

Free calls 7pm-7am Free calls to other T-Mobile USA mobile phones 1900 Mhz network (best for triband phones)

Which is the best deal? Red Pocket or T-Mobile USA?

It depends on several factors such as the coverage you need, if you are travelling alone or with a group, the amount of international calls you will make and if you intend to make most of your calls during the evening.

Red Pocket use the AT&T network, which gives much better coverage than T-Mobile's network. If coverage is your main concern, then Red Pocket is your best option. However if you have a triband phone (that works on the 1900 Mhz frequency, but not at 850 Mhz) then T-Mobile may give you better coverage.

T-Mobile lets you call other T-Mobile customers for free, which makes it a better deal if you're a group of friends or family travelling together with several SIM cards.

Red Pocket have very low international call charges. If you need to make lots of international calls, then Red Pocket is your best deal. However if all your international calls are to just a few numbers, then T-Mobile may be cost effective when combined with Rebtel (especially you call in the evening). Because T-Mobile's international call charges are high, you'll need to set up an account with Rebtel to handle the international portion of the call before you travel.

If most of your calls are in the evening, then T-Mobile may be a better deal. T-Mobile gives you free calls between 7pm and 7am, which means free incoming calls and free calls to mobiles and landlines within the United States. If you have friends or family that will regularly call during these hours, then T-Mobile will be a better deal.