Before you start

An unlocked handset, or an eSIM-capable one
A US address for postpaid, but not for prepaid
A payment method — prepaid accepts foreign cards, postpaid usually does not

Step-by-step

1
Activate an eSIM before flying, or buy prepaid on arrival
A US eSIM activates before you land so you have a working number immediately. No identity registration is required at any point, for either option.
OnlineWho: YouDay 1
2
Check your handset is unlocked and band-compatible
Phones bought on contract abroad are frequently locked, and US band combinations trip up some regional models. With 3G shut down there is no fallback network to land on.
OnlineWho: You
3
Start prepaid rather than fighting a credit check
Postpaid runs a credit check. With no US file you will be declined or asked for a deposit. Prepaid has no check and is usually cheaper for the same data.
OnlineWho: You
4
Check the FCC broadband map for the exact address before signing a lease
Fibre availability in Colorado Springs varies street by street between the older west-side grid and the newer eastern subdivisions. The FCC's national map is address-level and free, and checking it takes two minutes — considerably less than living with a bad connection for a year.
OnlineWho: YouBefore signing a lease
5
Assume no signal past the trailhead
Coverage across the city is good. Coverage in North Cheyenne Cañon, on Barr Trail and across most of Pike National Forest is not, and it varies between carriers in ways price comparisons never show. Download offline maps and tell someone your route.
Mobile appWho: You
6
Port rather than cancel if you switch later
Number portability is a legal right and works between carriers and MVNOs. Request the port from the new carrier — never cancel the old service first, or the number is gone.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport for postpaid; nothing at all for prepaid
US address for postpaid
A payment card — prepaid usually accepts foreign cards, postpaid rarely does

Things most newcomers don’t know

Check the address, not the city, for broadband.

The FCC's broadband map reports availability at address level. In Colorado Springs the answer changes within a few blocks — the older west-side grid and the newer eastern subdivisions were built out by different providers at different times. This is the cheapest pre-lease check available and almost nobody does it.

Source: FCC — national broadband map

Weather alerts here are worth leaving switched on.

The National Weather Service office in Pueblo covers southern Colorado, and this is severe hail and flash-flood country — burn scars from the 2012 and 2013 fires still generate debris flows in heavy rain. Wireless Emergency Alerts arrive without any signup and are the fastest warning you will get.

Source: National Weather Service — Pueblo

The US has no SIM registration at all.

Most countries in this app require passport registration to activate a SIM. The US requires nothing whatsoever for prepaid, which makes arriving with a working local number the easiest administrative task of the entire move.

Source: FCC — consumer guides

The credit check is the barrier, not the documentation.

Carriers check credit before offering postpaid, and a newcomer with no file gets declined or charged a deposit. Prepaid sidesteps it entirely and usually costs less for the same allowance.

Source: FCC — consumer guides

Common mistakes to avoid

Signing a lease without checking the FCC broadband map for that exact address.
Hiking or climbing west of the city relying on a mobile signal that is not there.
Bringing a carrier-locked handset and discovering it on arrival.
Applying for postpaid with no credit file and facing a large deposit.
Cancelling the old carrier before requesting the port, and losing the number.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.

Make it your personal checklist

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