Roam Mobility Launches Ready SIM: Self-Activating Prepaid SIM Cards for U.S. Roaming

ready sim

Vancouver-based Roam Mobility has announced the launch of a Ready SIM, a new self-activating SIM card for Canadians and other travellers looking to take advantage of prepaid voice and data plans to use in the United States:

“This is the first truly instant prepaid SIM-based product to hit the consumer market,” says Emir Aboulhosn, Founder and SVP Business Development of Roam Mobility. “Every other mobile service can require a complicated paper work and dealer activation process, but with Ready SIM, you just pop it in your phone, text us your zip code, and you’ve got instant access and a local number with affordable, unlimited nationwide talk and text, with 4G data add-ons.”

Ready SIM is the first self-activating SIM card on the market, according to Roam Mobility. Various SIMs will offer US nationwide prepaid talk, text and data plans off the shelf. Ready SIM cards will be available in 3, 7, 14, or 30 days of unlimited nationwide talk and text, and data at “very competitive rates” notes Roam Mobility. Tethering will be included as part of Ready SIM prepaid plans.

How does the Ready SIM work? Users just insert the SIM into their unlocked device, text their ZIP code to 7850, and will be immediately up and running with no registration whatsoever or contracts. Once activated, users will have access to the T-Mobile 4G network in the U.S. (along with Hawaii and Puerto Rico). Ready SIM will be available for purchase on November 19th at various distributors and dealers in the U.S. only.

iPhones normally would only be able to connect to EDGE data connections on T-Mobile due to network compatability issues, but with the recently announced upgrades, iPhones are now able to experience faster HSPA+ speeds in select cities:

T-Mobile customers can now experience these improvements in:

Washington D.C.: Alexandria, VA; Arlington, VA; Chevy Chase, MD; Falls Church, VA; Laurel, MD; McLean, VA; and Silver Spring, MD.
Baltimore: Glen Burnie and Towson, MD
Houston: Cypress, Jersey Village, Humble, Kingwood, and The Woodlands.

T-Mobile network advancements also continue in additional cities including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York metro area, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Diego and Seattle. Customers in parts of these metro areas are already experiencing improved coverage and iPhone “speed sightings” on T-Mobile’s 4G network.

Stay tuned! There are five markets live now – Baltimore, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas and Washington D.C. – and we expect to launch multiple additional major metro areas by the end of the year.

For those that have traveled internationally you know how easy it is to purchase prepaid voice and data SIM cards. Looks like this is another option for Canadians looking to get convenient access to instant voice and data plans without dealing with carrier registration or setup.

Would you be interested in using a service like Ready SIM in the U.S.?

P.S. - Like our news? Support the site with a coffee/beer. Or shop with our Amazon link. We use affiliate links when possible--thank you for supporting independent media.