Using my mobile phone in the usa (2025)

We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

JSHARV31 Posts: 1 Newbie

31 July 2023 at 8:53AM in Mobiles

I will be travelling to the United States later this year.
My UK provider, O2 tell me that my my mobile phone, a Motorola Mota G(8), is not compatible with the American mobile networks. However, at the same time they seem to want me to purchase a "bolt-on" for £6 per day and they say I can use this in the States. I am now utterly confused.
I am elderly and, frankly I do not understand the ins and outs of mobile technology. I just want peace of mind while in the US so that I can make a call, in case of car breakdown or to call a cab.
I do not want internet or data.
After a lot of thrashing around on the internet it seems that my best option might be to buy a cheap phone and a suitable American SIM card. It has also been suggested that, because I will only make the occasional local call that I could simply turn on roaming with my current phone to make the call then switch ot off afterwards and accept the roaming charge. Can you advise, please? Thanks for your time.

Cashmygiro Posts: 101 Forumite

31 July 2023 at 10:54AM

Not sure how it works but surely if you use a UK sim card mobile in the US to call a US taxi you'll be paying international call charges as if you were in the UK and calling a US number?
1
savergrant Posts: 1,209 Forumite

31 July 2023 at 1:00PM

Cashmygiro said:
Not sure how it works but surely if you use a UK sim card mobile in the US to call a US taxi you'll be paying international call charges as if you were in the UK and calling a US number?
That is my understanding. 'Roaming included' allows you to call home and receive calls from UK as if you were in UK, as well as accessing data. Calls to a non-UK number will be charged at international rates.
saajan_12 Posts: 4,096 Forumite

31 July 2023 at 1:10PM

Roaming makes sense predominantly for data and calling / texting back to the UK. For that, I personally buy a PAYG Three sim for £10, which gives me good connection on 10GB data, unlimited minutes and texts. O2 is potentially doable but annecdotally they severely throttle connection to the point it has been unusable for friends (at least in New York) on top of the £6 a day and risk of mounting costs if you leave something on without the bold on properly applied.
If you want to call US numbers, that would have an additional costs of essentially making an international call (UK -> US). For that, I'd jsut get a US sim - connection will be markedly better than O2, and I expect $10-20 for a short period would cover an esim.
Re the handset, that's a separate issue.. if Motorola doesn't work with US networks, then that'll be an issue regardless of sim. Maybe check with Motorola, or pick up a cheapo £10 (non smart) handset ?
flaneurs_lobster Posts: 4,375 Forumite

31 July 2023 at 1:29PM

saajan_12 said:
Re the handset, that's a separate issue.. if Motorola doesn't work with US networks, then that'll be an issue regardless of sim. Maybe check with Motorola, or pick up a cheapo £10 (non smart) handset ?
Sticking a second US SIM in your phone would seem to be an option
Put your phone's IMEI into this site to see if it'll work in the US. T-mobile have 1-month call/text deals from $10.
https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/bring-your-own-device
BUFF Posts: 2,185 Forumite

31 July 2023 at 5:15PM

I would have thought a G8 would work on those US networks that use GSM (rather than CDMA).
These would be AT&T, T-mobile & any mobile virtual networks that use those.
1
eDicky Posts: 6,744 Forumite

31 July 2023 at 6:23PM

JSHARV31 said:

My UK provider, O2 tell me that my my mobile phone, a Motorola Mota G(8), is not compatible with the American mobile networks.
I wouldn't have much confidence in that kind of statement by a network CS agent. If it turns out to be true you could always purchase a cheap US handset with a month's PAYG from Walmart or convenience stores for making local calls.

Evolution, not revolution
1
mrcamp Posts: 309 Forumite

2 August 2023 at 10:08PM edited 2 August 2023 at 10:09PM

Your device is mostly compatible with US networks and should work fine. The primary LTE bands used by USA GSM networks (tmobile and AT&T) are 2, 4, 5, 12/17, 66. And according to the link below, you phone is mostly compatible. I am assuming you have the Europe version of the phone
https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_g8-10051.php
Excerpt:
4G bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 38, 40, 41 - Europe
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 28, 66 - USA
zagubov Posts: 17,915 Forumite

2 August 2023 at 11:06PM

Would a sim-only monthly contract with international calls be any use?
There's deals out there like this Lebara one for £4.
There is no honour to be had in not knowing a thing that can be known - Danny Baker
PHK Posts: 1,842 Forumite

3 August 2023 at 6:27AM

BUFF said:
I would have thought a G8 would work on those US networks that use GSM (rather than CDMA).
These would be AT&T, T-mobile & any mobile virtual networks that use those.
The European version of the phone is missing a couple of bands used in the US so there will be locations with no coverage.
spannerzone Posts: 1,551 Forumite

3 August 2023 at 7:21PM edited 3 August 2023 at 7:21PM

PHK said:
BUFF said:
I would have thought a G8 would work on those US networks that use GSM (rather than CDMA).
These would be AT&T, T-mobile & any mobile virtual networks that use those.
The European version of the phone is missing a couple of bands used in the US so there will be locations with no coverage.
Yes that was my expierence with a similar Moto phone a few years ago... and it's getting worse as most 3G networks are refarmed to 4G / 5G in the US and not all roaming let you use 4g for voice calls / 5g for data or such like nonsense.

Never trust information given by strangers on internet forums