Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

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Jags4186
Posts: 8198
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 7:12 pm

Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

Post by Jags4186 »

Trying to help my mom out here. She travels internationally for 2-3 months of the year. She really wants to keep her US number and not use Skype, Google Voice, WiFi calling, etc. She is also quite cheap and is looking to save money. She currently uses Cricket $30/mo plan and wants to go cheaper. No issues paying extra for international roaming.

I was initially going to recommend switching to Mint Mobile 4gb plan for $180/yr. They offer international roaming. I would be able to load an eSIM on her phone for data needs, and she could pay the $0.25/minute rate while overseas. But now I see Mint Mobile is being acquired and I would prefer to not have to go round and round every year finding her a new plan. Any suggestions?
kd2008
Posts: 1274
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 5:19 pm

Re: Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

Post by kd2008 »

Check out T-Mobile connect plans. They are prepaid plans. $10-$25 per month depending on the data bucket you choose.
https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans/connect

You can upgrade to $40/month or higher plans and add $5/month Canada and Mexico roaming when traveling.
https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

Of course check that her smartphone is compatible and the network coverage works for her.

If she travels to other locations then ask get to get local sim card or more expensive postpaid plans from the US.

Mint mobile is being acquired by T-Mobile whose network it rented. So there is really no issues there. Things will work out just fine. It's not like they are being shuttered.
Last edited by kd2008 on Fri Mar 17, 2023 8:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
gtd98765
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Re: Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

Post by gtd98765 »

Google Fi makes sense for people who travel internationally a lot - but not if you are abroad for 2 - 3 months straight, since there is an undisclosed limit on how much data you can use abroad during one time period. But if she is going to come and go from the US throughout the course of a year that would be okay. However, Fi is not really a "cheap" plan so it may fail that test. There is the Flexible plan, wherein you pay $20/line plus $10 for every gigabyte you use, but if you use much data it is not cheap - it is really oriented toward people who are on wifi most of the time.
tj
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Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:10 pm

Re: Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

Post by tj »

kd2008 wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2023 8:45 am Check out T-Mobile connect plans. They are prepaid plans. $10-$25 per month depending on the data bucket you choose.
https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans/connect

You can upgrade to $40/month or higher plans and add $5/month Canada and Mexico roaming when traveling.
https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

Of course check that her smartphone is compatible and the network coverage works for her.

If she travels to other locations then ask get to get local sim card or more expensive postpaid plans from the US.

Mint mobile is being acquired by T-Mobile whose network it rented. So there is really no issues there. Things will work out just fine. It's not like they are being shuttered.
T mobile connect specifically says international cannot be added.
Sleepless
Posts: 193
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:00 am

Re: Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

Post by Sleepless »

+1.
I would love to have a US number for receiving texts while traveling for all those 2-factor-authentication websites. Google Voice is useful but some websites don't accept VoIP numbers.
I was tired yesterday and I'm tired again today. I'm retired.
talzara
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Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:40 pm

Re: Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

Post by talzara »

Jags4186 wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2023 6:13 am Trying to help my mom out here. She travels internationally for 2-3 months of the year. She really wants to keep her US number and not use Skype, Google Voice, WiFi calling, etc. She is also quite cheap and is looking to save money. She currently uses Cricket $30/mo plan and wants to go cheaper. No issues paying extra for international roaming.

I was initially going to recommend switching to Mint Mobile 4gb plan for $180/yr. They offer international roaming. I would be able to load an eSIM on her phone for data needs, and she could pay the $0.25/minute rate while overseas. But now I see Mint Mobile is being acquired and I would prefer to not have to go round and round every year finding her a new plan. Any suggestions?
Your mother appears to believe in a common misconception about Wi-Fi calling. It's not an app that she has to learn. It's a seamless way of using your domestic phone service from anywhere in the world.

Although its name is Wi-Fi calling, it does not rely on Wi-Fi, and it is not limited to calls. It also works over a cellular data connection, and it can also send and receive text messages. Turn on Wi-Fi calling, connect to a foreign data eSIM, and she'll be connected to her domestic phone service, just like she would if she were traveling to another state in the US.

International calling rates are much lower on Mint Mobile than international roaming rates. For example, calls to the UK from her domestic phone service are free, but calls to the UK on international roaming cost $0.25 per minute. You can look up the rates for the countries she's traveling toL
kd2008
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Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 5:19 pm

Re: Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

Post by kd2008 »

tj wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 10:05 pm
kd2008 wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2023 8:45 am Check out T-Mobile connect plans. They are prepaid plans. $10-$25 per month depending on the data bucket you choose.
https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans/connect

You can upgrade to $40/month or higher plans and add $5/month Canada and Mexico roaming when traveling.
https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

Of course check that her smartphone is compatible and the network coverage works for her.

If she travels to other locations then ask get to get local sim card or more expensive postpaid plans from the US.

Mint mobile is being acquired by T-Mobile whose network it rented. So there is really no issues there. Things will work out just fine. It's not like they are being shuttered.
T mobile connect specifically says international cannot be added.
Yup, thats why you upgrade to $40 plan (which is not a connect plan) and then add it :D
To get around that limitation.
sailaway
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Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 1:11 pm

Re: Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

Post by sailaway »

I use Mint Mobile for $15/mo in US, then you buy international roaming as you go.
talzara
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Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:40 pm

Re: Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

Post by talzara »

Sleepless wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 10:29 pm +1.
I would love to have a US number for receiving texts while traveling for all those 2-factor-authentication websites. Google Voice is useful but some websites don't accept VoIP numbers.
Just use Wi-Fi calling.

Wi-Fi calling doesn't require Wi-Fi, and it isn't limited to calls. Wi-Fi calling just tunnels packets back to your home carrier. It also works over cellular data, and it also works for text messages.

Since you only want to receive text messages, you don't need to buy a plan that lets you send international text messages. If you just want to receive texts while connected to Wi-Fi, then you don't need to buy anything at all. You can use Wi-Fi calling from a hotel Wi-Fi connection.

If you want to receive texts when you don't have Wi-Fi, then you'll need to connect to a foreign cellular carrier for data. You'll need a phone that has dual SIM or eSIM.
tj
Posts: 9368
Joined: Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:10 pm

Re: Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

Post by tj »

kd2008 wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 11:16 am
tj wrote: Mon Mar 27, 2023 10:05 pm
kd2008 wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2023 8:45 am Check out T-Mobile connect plans. They are prepaid plans. $10-$25 per month depending on the data bucket you choose.
https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans/connect

You can upgrade to $40/month or higher plans and add $5/month Canada and Mexico roaming when traveling.
https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

Of course check that her smartphone is compatible and the network coverage works for her.

If she travels to other locations then ask get to get local sim card or more expensive postpaid plans from the US.

Mint mobile is being acquired by T-Mobile whose network it rented. So there is really no issues there. Things will work out just fine. It's not like they are being shuttered.
T mobile connect specifically says international cannot be added.
Yup, thats why you upgrade to $40 plan (which is not a connect plan) and then add it :D
To get around that limitation.
Oh interesting - so you can upgrade and downgrade at whim? BTW - Do either or both of these plans include T Mobile Tuesdays?
kd2008
Posts: 1274
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 5:19 pm

Re: Prepaid Plan that offers international roaming talk and text

Post by kd2008 »

tj wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 12:07 pm
Oh interesting - so you can upgrade and downgrade at whim? BTW - Do either or both of these plans include T Mobile Tuesdays?
You can upgrade anytime. Downgrade is effective at end of billing cycle. No TMO Tuesdays.
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