To activate your USA PAYG SIM Card please click here. You'll be asked to enter some information about your SIM Card and confirm the date on which you want your bundle to start.
Important: your USA PAYG SIM Card remains unactivated until you follow the instructions in the link above.
Once you have completed the activation of your SIM Card, please make sure to read the remainder of the information set out below otherwise your SIM Card may not work properly or at all.
Thanks for purchasing your USA Phone SIM Card from usapayasyougosimcard.co.uk. We really appreciate your purchase from us. We are a small London based business and it has been incredibly difficult for us over the last 18 months and we are as happy as you are that travel to the USA has now resumed!
SUMMARY
1. As clearly stated on our website, the SIM Card doesn't work in the UK. There's no roaming in the UK. You can't receive calls or texts in the UK. However, it's perfectly fine to insert the SIM Card into your phone in the UK (it just won't connect to any network).
2. Your USA mobile number is not allocated until the SIM Card is activated. You'll be able to find your number in your phone's settings when you get to the USA.
3. You must ensure that your phone is both network unlocked and technically compatible to use the SIM card.
"Network unlocked" means that your phone can use any SIM Card. If you have an iPhone read the information on Apple's website here. You can also find more information about unlocking your phone on the EE website, Vodafone website, O2 website, Three website.
"Technically compatible" means that your phone works on the mobile network frequencies used in the USA. Just because you've used your phone overseas before doesn't necessarily mean it will work in the USA. All iPhones from iPhone 6 onwards are technically compatible, and most other Smartphones are technically compatible. You can check if your phone is technically compatible on the T-Mobile network by clicking here.
By continuing to use the USA SIM Card you expressly acknowledge and agree that you have confirmed that your phone is both network unlocked and technically compatible and that you will not receive a refund if it turns out that your phone is not network unlocked and/or not technically compatible.
4. The SIM Card does NOT include minutes or texts to UK numbers, unless you added the Calling & Texting Abroad Add-On. We find that most customers use apps such as WhatsApp, Viber or Facebook Messenger.
5. If you are not using an iPhone (for example you are using a Samsung, HTC, Android etc) you'll need to change the APN setting on your phone. Details about how to change the APN are set out further below.
6. Are you going to Canada and/or Mexico? If you purchased the Canada & Mexico Add-On you can use your SIM Card inclusions in Canada and Mexico. Please turn data roaming to "ON" in your phone settings when you are in Canada and/or Mexico.
7. Please ensure that any pre-existing profiles installed on your iPhone are deleted, otherwise data will not work when you get to the USA. You may have previously installed a profile when using a different SIM Card in your iPhone on a previous overseas trip. Please check at Settings, General, then check for, and remove (if applicable), any profiles you see at the bottom. If you don't see any, it means there are none to remove.
8. The USA Phone SIM Card only works in a phone. It won't work in an iPad, Tablet or Mobile Hotspot Device.
9. Need to keep receiving calls on your UK mobile phone? There's a few ways to do this. Click here to be taken to our website and read the FAQ titled "CAN I KEEP USING MY REGULAR UK NUMBER WITH THE USA PAYG SIM CARD?"
Please take the time to review what is and what isn't included in your USA SIM Card plan, by looking at the table below.
| How long does my SIM Card last? | Your SIM Card lasts for as long as the bundle you purchased, ie 7 days, 14 days or 30 days. Day 1 is the USA date you specified in your order. Your SIM Card will STOP WORKING COMPLETELY after 11:59pm on the 7th, 14th or 30th day (depending on which plan you purchased) |
| How much data and what speed? | Unlimited data at 4G speed - if you happen to use more than 50GB of data your data speeds may be reduced during times of network congestion. |
| Can I hotspot (tether) my phone and share the data with my Tablet, Laptop etc? | Yes - data speeds 3G only when hotspot/tether. |
| Can I call and text American numbers? | Yes - unlimited |
| Can I call and text other people using the USA SIM Card? | Yes - unlimited |
| Can I use the SIM Card in Canada and/or Mexico? | Yes - but only if you purchased the Canada & Mexico Add-On with your initial purchase |
| Can I call and text UK numbers? | Yes - but only if you purchased the Calling & Texting Abroad Add-On with your initial purchase Alternatively you can use apps such as, but not limited to, Whatsapp, Viber, Facebook Messenger |
IMPORTANT DETAILS
How do people back home call or text me? They need to dial/text in international format. For example, if your family and friends are in the UK, and your USA mobile number is 310-123-4567 then:
- To call, they will dial 00 1 310 123 4567 (if dialing from a landline) or +13101234567 (if dialing from a mobile);
- To text, they will text +13101234567.
How do I call or text other people using the USA SIM Card? Just call or text their number without adding any prefixes. Some customers feel the need to add 00 or 1 or 44 or some other strange prefix before calling or texting. Do NOT add any prefix. Just call or text the other USA SIM Card by literally dialing or texting their exact number without any prefix or additional digits.
Email settings? If you've configured your phone's email app for your work or ISP email, then you need to change some email settings. Click here to read more.
If you experience any issues with your phone, please reboot it before calling or emailing us for help. This means turning the power completely off for a full three minutes and then back on.
UNLOCKING YOUR PHONE & TECHNICAL COMPATIBILITY
Your mobile phone must be both network unlocked AND technically compatible to use the USA SIM Card. You will not be entitled to a refund under any circumstances whatsoever if the SIM Card does not work because your phone is network locked and/or not technically compatible. It is solely your responsibility to check this.
Your phone must be network unlocked
The USA SIM Card only works in a network unlocked phone. You will not a get a refund if your phone is network locked (and therefore the USA SIM Card does not work).
The easiest way to check if your phone is network locked is to insert into it a different network SIM Card. For example if you usually use EE, then insert an O2 or Three SIM Card and confirm it connects to the different network.
If your phone is network locked, please contact your network provider to request it to be unlocked. You may also wish to read the official Apple instructions about how to unlock an iPhone.
Your phone must be technically compatible
The USA SIM Card only works in a technically compatible phone. By this we mean that your phone must operate on any of the following frequencies:
All iPhones from iPhone 6 onwards are compatible as are most other recent model unlocked Smartphones. iPhone 5 is not compatible for data (only calls and texts). Confirm your phone operates on at least 4G LTE Bands 2, 4, and 12.
Most other recent model Smartphones are also technically compatible, but to check, search for your phone's specifications at gsmarena.com.
You will not a get a refund if your phone is not technically compatible (and therefore the USA SIM Card does not work).
CHANGING APN SETTINGS
If you are NOT using an iPhone then you may need to change APN settings on your phone. The APN setting is how your phone knows how to connect to the AT&T data network (think of it like a key).
You do NOT need to change APN settings if you are using an iPhone.
You do NOT need to change APN settings if you are on the SAVER PLAN (since it has no data, so there is no need to change the APN).
Sometimes the T-Mobile network will automatically change the APN settings on your phone when you first connect to the network on arrival in the USA. So if data is working for you after you land, then there's no need change APN settings. But if data is not working, then manually change APN settings as described in this T-Mobile support article.
You can insert the SIM Card into your phone whenever you want: a week before departure, on the day of departure, on the plane or when you get to the USA. The USA SIM Card will NOT work in the UK or Europe.
If you are using an iPhone remember to take a SIM eject tool with you.