The first choice for visitor is Lycamobile: www.lycamobile.us
Works in T-Mobile network.
$19/month - voice/text unlimited $29/month - voice/text unlimited, 1GB 4G data, 1000 free mins to Russia (landlines only) "International recharge" plan (This is a name for pay as you go) - 5 cents/min for inbound and outbound calls
If you do not need internet, any quad band GSM phone will work (T-Mobile uses 2G band 1900 MHz, so, if Russian phone used, it shall be quad band, but, fortunately, most of modern phones are quad band).
If you do need internet, the phone shall have so called 3G/UMTS/HSDA band 2 (1900 MHz). Many Russian/European smartphones do not have this band, so, verify this before you pay to Lycamobile.
Next, do not try to use Freedompop: while they have free plan of 200 mins/month (you pay 1-5 bucks only for SIM), they use VoiP for voice calls and the voice quality may be low.
Another option: RingPlus. They also have some kind of free plans, but the reliability of the service is bad and you do not want your brother to stay without working cell phone service for hours. Also, you need CDMA phone from Sprint or IPhone or Nexus 5x/6. (they all support CDMA in addition to GSM). See ringplus.net
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2016-08-12 01:34 am (UTC)The first choice for visitor is Lycamobile: www.lycamobile.us
Works in T-Mobile network.
$19/month - voice/text unlimited
$29/month - voice/text unlimited, 1GB 4G data, 1000 free mins to Russia (landlines only)
"International recharge" plan (This is a name for pay as you go) - 5 cents/min for inbound and outbound calls
If you do not need internet, any quad band GSM phone will work (T-Mobile uses 2G band 1900 MHz, so, if Russian phone used, it shall be quad band, but, fortunately, most of modern phones are quad band).
If you do need internet, the phone shall have so called 3G/UMTS/HSDA band 2 (1900 MHz). Many Russian/European smartphones do not have this band, so, verify this before you pay to Lycamobile.
Next, do not try to use Freedompop: while they have free plan of 200 mins/month (you pay 1-5 bucks only for SIM), they use VoiP for voice calls and the voice quality may be low.
Another option: RingPlus. They also have some kind of free plans, but the reliability of the service is bad and you do not want your brother to stay without working cell phone service for hours. Also, you need CDMA phone from Sprint or IPhone or Nexus 5x/6. (they all support CDMA in addition to GSM).
See ringplus.net