Before you start

An unlocked handset, or an eSIM-capable one
A US address for postpaid, though not for prepaid
A payment method — prepaid accepts foreign cards, postpaid usually does not
A specific street address before you can check home internet options

Step-by-step

1
Activate a US eSIM before you fly, or buy prepaid on landing
An eSIM bought before departure means you land with a working US number, which matters because so much else depends on SMS verification. No identity registration is required at any point in the US, which is startling if you are arriving from the Gulf or South Asia.
Mobile appWho: YouDay 1
2
Check your handset is unlocked and band-compatible
Handsets bought on contract abroad are frequently carrier-locked, and some regional models miss US band combinations. With 3G shut down there is no fallback network. Run your exact model through the carrier's compatibility checker before you rely on it.
OnlineWho: You
3
Start prepaid rather than fighting a credit check
Postpaid plans run a credit check and a newcomer with no file is declined or asked for a deposit of several hundred dollars. Prepaid has no check, no contract, and is usually cheaper for the same data — the workaround is also the better deal.
OnlineWho: You
4
Get the US number in place before you need it for verification
Banks, the DMV portal, rental applications, the city Revenue Division and most government sites send codes to US numbers and frequently reject foreign ones. Having the number early unblocks a surprising amount of the first fortnight.
Mobile appWho: YouWeek 1
5
Check home internet by exact address before signing a lease
Portland's internet map is a patchwork. Ziply's fibre reaches parts of the city, Comcast cable covers most of it, and CenturyLink's copper still serves some blocks at speeds that will not support two people on video calls. Availability changes street by street, so check the address rather than the neighbourhood.
OnlineWho: You
6
Port your number rather than cancelling if you switch
Number portability is a legal right and works between carriers and MVNOs alike. Always request the port from the new carrier. Cancelling the old service first releases the number and you will not get it back.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

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

Things most newcomers don’t know

The US has no SIM registration of any kind.

Most countries in this app require passport registration to activate a SIM and several require biometrics on top. The US requires nothing at all for prepaid — you can buy one with cash and never give a name. Arriving from the Gulf, South Asia or Southeast Asia the absence of paperwork reads like an oversight. It is deliberate, and it is the fastest thing you will do all month.

Source: community-reported

The credit check is the barrier, not the documentation.

Carriers screen credit before offering a postpaid plan, and a newcomer with no file is declined or charged a deposit of a few hundred dollars. Nobody at the counter explains that prepaid sidesteps the check entirely, costs less for the same network, and can be ported to postpaid later once you have six months of history. Start prepaid on principle.

Source: community-reported

Portland's home internet quality varies by street, not by neighbourhood.

The city has no single dominant fibre provider. Two flats on the same street can have gigabit fibre and 20 Mbps copper respectively, because build-outs happened block by block over twenty years. If your income depends on video calls, check the exact address on the provider's availability tool and treat the answer as a lease-signing criterion rather than a detail to sort out after moving in.

Source: community-reported

MVNOs run on the same towers for meaningfully less.

Mint, Visible, US Mobile and Google Fi lease capacity from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. Coverage is identical and the trade is deprioritised data during congestion plus lighter customer support. For a single line in a metro area with good coverage, the saving is large and the compromise close to invisible.

Source: community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Bringing a carrier-locked handset and discovering it after landing.
Applying for a postpaid plan with no credit file and facing a several-hundred-dollar deposit.
Relying on a foreign number for bank, DMV and city government SMS verification.
Signing a lease without checking internet availability at that exact address.
Cancelling the old carrier before requesting the port, which loses the number permanently.

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