> Next month I'll be travelling to the USA to study for a year
> (Columbia, SC) and need some advice regarding my phone arrangements.
> Currently Im have a Nokia 5210 & PAYT Orange. As my handset is
> not triband and I dont think Orange support PAYT customers abroad I
> will need a new setup. My brother says he will give me his unlocked
> Orange SVP which I like & want to to take with me to use. My questions
> are as follows.
>
> 1) What network offer the best tarrifs for mostly incoming & some
> outgoing calls? Would a 'sim only' deal be my best bet as I don't need
> a handset.
>2) If I am on a UK network will I pay to recieve incoming calls from
> abroad or indeed from within the USA
> 3) As I'm going to be a whole year would it make more sense to put an
> American simcard in my phone (I presume it will work if my phone is
> triband & unlocked)? What will tarrifs be like for incoming/outgoing
> calls both internal & to the UK?

It makes more sense to come here and get a 1-year contract. You can also get
a free phone on the deal. You don't have to go GSM only, you can go CDMA or
TDMA as well with the free phone you get.

check out Verizon, ATTWS (they do both GSM and TDMA), T-Mobile, Cingular,
Sprint.
I got a free SE T300 with camera for 1 cent on a 1-year T-Mobile contract
from Amazon.

> 4) I believe if I take a SVP with me I'll only be covered on the GSM
> network which is not so great in the US. Would it make more sense to
> buy a US phone while out there? What sort of prices would I have to
> pay to get a decent phone... i.e. 'color' screen, tri band and camera.
> 5) Can a USA mobile recieve SMS sent from the UK?
>
Yes you can.

> I realise this is a lot of question but if anyone can help me or point
> me in the direction of some useful information I would be very happy.
>
> Thanks for your time
>
> Tim Addison
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