Vegas Trip Information for anyone looking to go this year.

[RED-DOG]

OK, nits gonna nit.

USA SIM card.  Last year was a real ballache, I had a USA phone (crap basic phone) and it took me hours to reactivate, time driving to buy top ups and was tilting.  This year, I want to use my own phone and have the USA SIM in my hand before I go.  I'd like a fixed price plan with plenty of roaming data being the main priority, calls/texts within USA needed, calls/texts to UK nice to have.  UK mob number auto-forwarded to US SIM nice to have.  My phone is unlocked.

So far, I'm looking at £90

Anyone have better suggestions?

Last year I got free US calls, one free UK number and unlimited data for one month. $80 from O2

[Simon Galloway]

Ty - was that as an existing customer (I am not) or as a "walk in" deal?  Will try and google it, if you have a link that would be great.  On a recent O2 store visit, they had no clue.

[Marky147]

I might try and get an american phone or something again this year as my phone bill was just under £400 last year

I didn't have whatsapp last year either which obviously should bring the cost down significantly anyway and I have Skype too now.

[Fenix35]

ok newb question


£Uk to $us what is the nut way?

wire transfer?
cash?

if cash, wheres best?

tyty

I used http://www.thomasexchangeglobal.co.uk/ in the past and would really recommend their services. They'll give you a much better rate than the bank/airport etc. and are good for large amounts. You need to scan/send in a few documents but they're pretty efficient and fast at confirming them. You then bank transfer them the money in £ and they send the $ in the post to you next-day delivery with insurance. Also they have a good buy-back scheme in-case you don't punt it all off in strip clubs etc.

[Fenix35]

I might try and get an american phone or something again this year as my phone bill was just under £400 last year

I didn't have whatsapp last year either which obviously should bring the cost down significantly anyway and I have Skype too now.

If you have a car out there/living off the strip I'd still say buy a total budget phone for calls/texts only. Worked out pretty cheap for me and you can still update twitter if doing tournament updates by sending a text to a twitter number. I also took my iphone around for photos/notepad/games/music etc. and for internet as venetian and rio did have free wifi although it was a little dodgy at times

[Marky147]

I might try and get an american phone or something again this year as my phone bill was just under £400 last year

I didn't have whatsapp last year either which obviously should bring the cost down significantly anyway and I have Skype too now.

If you have a car out there/living off the strip I'd still say buy a total budget phone for calls/texts only. Worked out pretty cheap for me and you can still update twitter if doing tournament updates by sending a text to a twitter number. I also took my iphone around for photos/notepad/games/music etc. and for internet as venetian and rio did have free wifi although it was a little dodgy at times

Yeah the burners normally cost about $50 and they're good for a few weeks calling/texting each other. We had them last year, but I got tilted trying to set it up and just threw it in the bin.

I'll be in hotels only and think I'll just make do with my phone using whatsapp/skype. I never play poker really anyway, when I do I'm not bothered about updates stripclub updates might be a possibility though

[tonytats]

Hogs n heifers looks a good place to go too

[KarmaDope]

Phones - there's a good post in my Vegas thread, either here or APAT. I'll dig up the link, give me 6 mins...

[KarmaDope]

Bollocks, can't find it.

The gist of it was that you can go to at AT&T store or a T-Mobile store and buy a SIM on a pre-pay 30 day contract. Think the T-Mobile deal was better...

[Simon Galloway]

Ty, altho I like the idea of having the SIM in advance, to give out the number to others and so I don't have to muck about sorting it whilst there.  So if it isn't a very good saving, will be looking to get something sorted at this end.

[ForthThistle]

Bollocks, can't find it.

The gist of it was that you can go to at AT&T store or a T-Mobile store and buy a SIM on a pre-pay 30 day contract. Think the T-Mobile deal was better...

Does the sim fit an Iphone?

[tonytats]

Could you take an old phone and put a " local" sim in n use it ? Then if a few of you do it swap numbers to stay in touch ?

[Simon Galloway]

The aren't big on selling SIM cards out there.  It's not like walking into the local corner shop and buying a Lebara SIM.  The all seem to want you to sign contracts to get your SIM, which may work out financially better, but is a ballache I could do without.

Basic:  Go to wallmart and buy a $10 phone and load it up with credits - throw it away later.  Pros:  easy enough, cheap.  Cons: just going to be USA domestic voice and SMS.

Intermediate: Go to Tmobile store, sign a contract.  Pros & Cons:  don't know much about it, but when I tried in the FSM last year, I gave up 30 seconds into the sales pitch.

Advanced:  Buy a SIM in advance.  Pros: you have a USA #, call fwd from UK #, data included, use your own (hopefully better!) phone, allowance of UK calls. Hassle free.  Cons: £90

Lazy:  Just take your phone and come back and see what your bill is.

[KarmaDope]

The aren't big on selling SIM cards out there.  It's not like walking into the local corner shop and buying a Lebara SIM.  The all seem to want you to sign contracts to get your SIM, which may work out financially better, but is a ballache I could do without.

Basic:  Go to wallmart and buy a $10 phone and load it up with credits - throw it away later.  Pros:  easy enough, cheap.  Cons: just going to be USA domestic voice and SMS.

Intermediate: Go to Tmobile store, sign a contract.  Pros & Cons:  don't know much about it, but when I tried in the FSM last year, I gave up 30 seconds into the sales pitch.

Advanced:  Buy a SIM in advance.  Pros: you have a USA #, call fwd from UK #, data included, use your own (hopefully better!) phone, allowance of UK calls. Hassle free.  Cons: £90

Lazy:  Just take your phone and come back and see what your bill is.

Really?

All I did was go to the nearest AT&T store and ask for a SIM only deal I'd seen - 30 days no contract just top up $60 credit if i wanted to use it after 30 days was up and it'd restart the deal.

[Simon Galloway]

Fair enough ~ you found something I wasn't able to.  I will have a sniff online for the AT&T deal, but it pretty much looks like I am going to cough for the hassle free "all sorted before you go" deal.