Bringing overseas phone into US to use, what's the deal?

[eljefe3]

Where I am they simply give you a new free sim card at the airport when you arrive and you can pay for minutes/data practically everywhere.  Is it like this in the US? I plan on having a family holiday and need to get my dual sim phone working so I have my TH number and a temp US number going at the same time, and buy some sort of temp data package.  Any recommendations or tips for this?

[Brad]

I would talk to your carrier at home, they probably have a partner carrier in the US and can set you up before you leave.

[grnidone]

Easy enough just to buy a drug dealer phone from a discount store and use that.  They are reasonably priced and actually, the phones are surprisingly good quality.

[eljefe3]

Are there no sim cards used by US Carriers?  Everywhere else I've been it's simply a matter of sliding in a local sim card and off you go with a local number with your trusty phone.

[werty]

I don't think you can get one at the airport, but maybe?

Anyhow something like this would work:
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-phone/T-Mobile-Prepaid-SIM-Activation-Kit

Pretty sure you can go to the store and get one, but just make sure you specify pay as you go, otherwise they will get you into a contract.
http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/cell-phone-detail.aspx?cell-phone=t-mobile-sim-card

[Brad]

Are there no sim cards used by US Carriers?  Everywhere else I've been it's simply a matter of sliding in a local sim card and off you go with a local number with your trusty phone.

Yes there are.  Of the big US carriers AT&T and T-Mobile are GSM cell carriers and use sim cards like most of Europe.  Verizon and Sprint are CDMA carriers that do not use sim cards.

[eljefe3]

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-phone/T-Mobile-Prepaid-SIM-Activation-Kit

Thanks, looks like this should do the trick.