Post Pay T-Mo does have roaming coverage south of the border in both the CA and TX areas. I have also seen adds outside a Cingular store about international roaming, Europe, Mexico, and others.

I am not quite sure why US prepay will not roam. I can tell you the prepaid Fido Canada card I had did not roam in the US. I think you admitted MEX prepays do not roam here either or only on a limited basis. My guess is the companies just have not wished to discuss the matter FOR PREPAID. Suspect prepaid is only a small market segment in comparison to the post pay contracts.

Stan

Well, was looking at hofo and found this of the prepaid thread:

Yesterday, 21:58
Kar98's Avatar

Called customer service a few minutes ago to change my cell number. Kept minutes, gold rewards rates and 1yr expiration date, got converted to an actual local phone number, and was informed that (without me asking about it) off-network roaming will be introduced "in a few months".

==============

On the same thread here is another link see especially 6:

http://go4prepaid.blogspot.com/

T-Mobile To Go Developments (have to start somewhere)
Sorry, but I've been doing various things for the past several days and haven't caught this blog up to the changes made in the prepaid world on and around February 1st. I'll tackle T-Mobile To Go and Virgin Mobile tonight, with the others later.

First of all, T-Mobile's voicemail now works normally, namely that you get the specially-formatted voicemail message that lets you listen to a newly received message with just one button push. Nice...

Second, though little know, the $25 and $50 cards are now 166 and 500 minutes on Gold Rewards, respectively. I got all this info from a TMo rep, but sounds right.

Third, if you want to get free text messaging don't hope to keep it for too long; T-Mobile knows about the bug and is starting to work to patch it, or so I've heard. But it's not patched yet so have fun while it lasts...

Fourth, T-Zones is going to get bigger any day now. It'll still be free and not unlimited, but it will be larger than what it is right now.

Fifth, an account management system (but no call logs yet) will be added as well as an online photo album funtion (MMS charges apply, so it will cost 25 cents per photo uploaded) around the time the new T-Zones comes out.

Sixth, and probably the best of all, T-Mobile To Go will get (at the same time as it gets T-Zones and account management I think) free (yes free) roaming on Cingular's and Centennial Wireless's towers! Roaming in Mexico and Canada will also be available, albeit at an extra cost. Hey, I'll take 10 cents a minute with a $100 1-year card that's good almost everywhere where a normal, expensive, Tracfone GSM phone would have coverage. And no, there won't be any more fees for this...more on why I said that bit later...maybe tomorrow...

Stan

I've checked with Beyond and the prepaid GSM does NOT have international calling (i.e. you can't call internationally FROM the US), plus as usual no international roaming.

Makes it much less useful for visitors! Pity, as a sim-only pack would be very popular.

They are however launching a companion calling-card next month, to enable international calls. Sounds like an interesting price as well, I'm checking the details.

Visitors to the US, should they be brave enough to attempt to enter FORETRESS AMERIKA, should STILL be able to use callbacks or US or foreign calling cards with either local or toll free #s. Of course the user would incur both the international LD charge and the local charge.

Stan

yep, that's not too much - just my two cents

That's bad, I updated the page on this site...

And I see they added SMS rates which weren't on the site before! :D

Boost Mobile/Nextel does have limited prepaid roaming in Canada (on Telus Mobility you have PTT, SMS, MMS, and WAP but no phone calls) and in Baja Mexico there is full service at higher rates (surcharge of 69 cents US a minute for phone calls to USA and 10 cents a minute surcharge for PTT) : Baja Mexico prepaid coverage map . However this is using 800 Mhz Motorola Iden handsets.

This was interesting until I saw the coverage (three cities only, two of them on the border). Still, it is a rare case of a US prepaid roaming internationally, and is useful for commuters. (it would explain why the 7-11's in Calexico have Boost for sale but have never heard of their own Speakout).

I wonder if they realise titling a map "Baja, Mexico" is like titling a map of New York State "New, America".

If it can be found, the Beyond Wireless SIM-only kit would probably be the best solution for the visitor to the US who already owns an unlocked quad-band phone.

Just ordered a Beyond Wireless SIM chip for myself. The price per minute, no daily surcharge, and coverage where I needed it was an irresistable combination. Will swap as needed with a Riiing chip in my phone.

I agree it would be good for international visitors to the US, but there is one sticky point:

Their website says "Shipping & Returns: We do not accept international orders.
US ORDERS ONLY" on their shipping policies page. :thumbdown:

Hopefully, a lot of retailers will be interested in this product so an international visitor could still buy a kit at a convenience store or cell phone kiosk in a mall, and call a tollfree number to activate it. Maybe it could also be indirectly purchased through a web retailer that would ship abroad. :thumbup: