Phone, Internet & TV
Mobile phone & surfing
To be able to make mobile phone calls and to surf in the internet using mobile phone, it is worthwhile to have a SIM card from a provider for the USA.
Prepaid SIM cards have at least three advantages over a contract:
lower costs, full cost control, and no contract term.
The SIM cards can be bought online and in local shops (e.g. at Best Buy).
Most packages and prepaid cards can be ordered online. The payment is usually loaded directly onto the SIM card within 24 hours. After the payment is done and the SIM card was activated, the phone number is usually valid for another two months (60 days).
Most providers offer 5G or 4G LTE data with 1GB to Unlimited GB per month.
Some providers offer plans with multiple lines. For example, spouses or families can use 2 to 5 SIM cards as part of the 2 to 5 lines Plan.
Warning: If your current mobile phone has a SIM lock, you cannot use the phone with a prepaid SIM card. You then need a smartphone without a SIM lock.
An example of a family plan with 2 activated lines in Boost Mobile (Status: April 2021):
• Unlimited Talk and Text in the USA
• 12 GB of data
• $ 60 per month ($ 30 per person)
We highly recommend to compare the prepaid plans to find the best one for your needs.
Examples of prepaid plans:
Boost Mobile: https://www.boostmobile.com/
Mint Mobile: https://www.mintmobile.com/
Metro by T-Mobile: https://www.metrobyt-mobile.com/
Hello Mobile: https://hellomobile.com/
INTERNET PROVIDER & TV
Most popular Internet Providers in Tuscaloosa are:
AT&T, XFINITY and Spectrum.
You should check which of the providers offer internet connection in your address and whether you need only Internet or Internet and Cable TV.
We highly recommend to compare the tariffs to find the best tariff for your needs.
XFINITY from Comcast
Xfinity from Comcast is the largest residential cable internet provider with accessibility to approximately 111.6 million people. Other primary services that Xfinity offers are TV and phone services. Download speeds for their cable internet plans range between 100-1,000 Mbps.
Link: https://www.xfinity.com/
Spectrum
Approximately 102.7 million people have access to Spectrum’s cable internet, making it the country’s 2nd largest residential cable provider. In addition to providing internet, Spectrum also provides cable TV and phone services, which may come in bundles or standalone plans.
Link: https://spectrumspecial.com/
AT&T Internet
AT&T Internet’s DSL internet is available to around 122.8 million people and is recognized as the nations’ 2nd largest residential DSL provider. On top of their internet services, AT&T offers digital TV, digital landline phone service, and satellite TV via DirecTV.
Link: https://attspecial.com/
How much should I expect to pay for internet in the USA?
Among the cable providers with internet-only plans, prices range between $29.99-99.99/month. DSL providers offer internet-only plans with a price range of $14.95-49.99/month. As for fiber-optic internet-only plans, prices will vary between $39.99-99.95/month.
What internet speeds are expected in the USA?
Cable internet plans in the U.S. will offer speeds between 10-1,000 Mbps; DSL with speeds between 3-100 Mbps; and fiber-optic with speeds between 50-1,000 Mbps. For satellite customers, speeds range from 12-100 Mbps.
Source: https://broadbandnow.com/All-Providers
