Cell Phones (Mobiles)
Many people in the United States own and use cell phones (mobile phones) for communication. Most cell phone companies will give you a free basic phone or a discounted smartphone if you sign a contract to use their service for two years.
Some major cell phone service providers in the Boston area are:
- Verizon: http://www.verizonwireless.com/
- Sprint: https://www.sprint.com/
- AT&T: http://www.att.com/shop/wireless.html
- T-Mobile: http://www.t-mobile.com/
Another option is to go to an electronics store or a "big-box" store (a general merchandise store), where they will sell you a phone and a service plan. Some stores in the Boston area are:
- Best Buy: http://www.bestbuy.com/
- Target: https://www.target.com/c/cell-phones-electronics/-/N-5xte8
Bringing a Phone from Your Home Country
If you want to bring your cell phone from home, you may or may not have to purchase a new cell phone to get a U.S. service plan. Depending on the type of phone you bring, it may be compatible with certain U.S. companies.
To see if your phone is compatible with a company‘s network service:
- Determine the U.S. company‘s network (for example, CDMA, GSM, AMPS) and then check to see if it matches the network of your cell phone.
- Or, take your cell phone into a cell phone service provider store once you have arrived in the U.S., and they will be able to tell you if it can be used with a U.S. service plan.
If you do not have a Social Security Number or U.S. credit card, you probably will have to pay a deposit usually of a few hundred dollars to get cell phone service.
Also, when you go to the store, make sure you bring along identification (passport, ID card, Social Security Card, etc.).
Discounts on Cell Phone Service
Some cell phone service plans are available for the employees of Partners hospitals at discounted prices. You should check for these discounts on the Partners intranet using a hospital computer.
“Bundled Services”
Ask the phone company if they sell what is called “bundled services” so that you can get home phone service, cell phone service, internet service, and (sometimes) TV service for a lower price if you buy all the services at the same time.
Prepaid Phones
Most cell phone service plans last 2 years and there is a penalty fee if you cancel your plan early. There are companies that sell cell phones without requiring you to enroll in their service plan. They sell "prepaid phones" or "pay-as-you-go" phones. Some companies offer month-to-month plans that can be cancelled without a monetary penalty. Other companies allow you to purchase cell phone services in advance (e.g. buying minutes for phone calls).
Some popular providers of prepaid phones are:
- Cricket Wireless: https://www.cricketwireless.com/cell-phones
- Boost Mobile:https://www.boostmobile.com/
- Verizon: https://www.verizonwireless.com/smartphones/prepaid/
- T-Mobile: https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/prepaid
- AT&T: https://www.att.com/prepaid/index.html
Some stores sell multiple brands of prepaid phones. A few in the Boston-area include:
- Best Buy: http://www.bestbuy.com/
- Target: https://www.target.com/
- Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/