Cell phone

[teknitroxdiver]

I have the international $5/month plan and it costs .49/minute.

 

[mstevens]

Take the phone to TelCel when you get on the island. You should be able to get a SIM card. It'll probably be for the Amigo plan which is the prepaid credits. If you plan to make calls to the US then before you leave the store get them to switch you to the cheaper US plan.

A TelCel SIM would the way I would go, but only if the phone is not locked to some other network. Most phones sold in the US *are* locked. Just about any Motorola GSM phone should be quite easy to unlock. ATT will do this with no fee or argument if you meet some minor requirements. Many EU carriers are required to unlock for free or nominal cost upon request. If you get to the island and your phone is locked to T-mobile or some other carrier, there will be nothing TelCel can do for you.

 

[Garrobo]

It is a TMobile phone which I bought used but I sent it in and made sure that it was unlocked a couple years ago. I used a TMobile Simm card for a while but then signed up for a Nextel unit and haven't use the phone since then. I turned it on the other day and the battery is still charged and it has no service so I figure that it should be OK in Mexico. The Nextel phone has a TMobile name on it also. Wonder if it will work in Mexico also.

 

[Ron Brandt]

Make sure its a gsm and compatible with the Telcel network. Personally,I bought a Nokia last year from Telcel for $300Pesos with 300 minutes on it. This year, I just went to Telcel,got a new sim card($100 pesos) and and an Amigo $100peso pay as you go. I only make and receive calls locally and to Playa. I do Have a Blackberry World Edition that I'm told if I inserted the sim,it would work. The Nokia is much smaller and lighter though.

A bit pricey,but convenient for what I use it for.

Ron

 

[Diver Kat]

We have T-mobile - we have the $1.49 a minute, no roaming or monthly fees option. I believe you can also choose a $4.99 a month, 39 cents a minute option as well.

 

[Garrobo]

I probably wouldn't have any need to make any local calls, just back to the US to let my managers (concerned or maybe nosey friends) know that I'm still alive. I've been using the Internet for this but was thinking that it would be easier if I had a phone on hand. It is a GSM phone by the way with 800/900/1800/1900 frequencies if I remember correctly. Thanks everybody.

 

[BTravlin]

I was surprised that our calls on our ATT/Cingular phone were only .99/minute. No roaming fees at all. Our family plan includes international calls so we don't have the $5/month charge. I have to admit it's comforting to be connected to home whether we need it or not.

Jean

That's the plan I have as well. No monthly fee and it's always available. A little higher per minute charge but no starting and stopping the $5 per month plan all the time. I don't normally make that many calls back home so the $.99 per minute cost is not that big a deal.

 

[DandyDon]

if it is cingular now att they have a mexico plan to add on for a month for 5.00 and the phone will work fine. I was in mexico in oct and had np problem

It's 5 bucks a month and a lot per minute though.

no its not and you can cancel it when you gey back i used it when i went to mexico

I was surprised that our calls on our ATT/Cingular phone were only .99/minute. No roaming fees at all. Our family plan includes international calls so we don't have the $5/month charge. I have to admit it's comforting to be connected to home whether we need it or not.

Jean

I have the international $5/month plan and it costs .49/minute.

We have T-mobile - we have the $1.49 a minute, no roaming or monthly fees option. I believe you can also choose a $4.99 a month, 39 cents a minute option as well.

That's the plan I have as well. No monthly fee and it's always available. A little higher per minute charge but no starting and stopping the $5 per month plan all the time. I don't normally make that many calls back home so the $.99 per minute cost is not that big a deal.

Wow! I am surprised at how happy some of y'all are at $1 min roaming.

I used to like having my cell phone work only as an alarm clock in Cozumel, but now Alltel has agreements with companies in the Yucatan so last trip I changed my phone to the North America plan just in case - and it became very handy when I needed to escape hurricane Dean. The local numbers were no answering at night, taking forever in daytime, so I just call Continental US reservation line and booked my escape at no charge. I was on the $60/450 min plan that included 1,000 nights & weekends plus free calls to my circle of 10.

When I saw George and the rest of the group looking at computer screens and talking about booking escapes, I told them I'd found a better way - thot they heard me but were happy with their approach, so I shrugged and went to breakfast. Only later did I learn how much many of them paid to get out, and that none of them had noticed me walk up to the group all facing the leader nor heard my suggestions. Edit: I had the wrong Georege...! :silly:

I just change for the one month of travel, change the rest of the family phones as needed to fit them, then change back when I return. Individual Plans

I had a better map showing where the plan covered on the mainland, but can't find it at the moment? Learned about it on this thread http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cozumel/189452-alltel-cell-phone-coverage.html

 

[BTravlin]

Wow! I am surprised at how happy some of y'all are at $1 min roaming.


I just change for the one month of travel, change the rest of the family phones as needed to fit them, then change back when I return. Individual Plans

No offense, Don, but I'm still happy paying the $.99/min for the few times I might need to call home and not have to worry about changing back and forth. I seldom make calls back to the US and they are short calls when I do.

 

[DandyDon]

OK. Glad I didn't do that last time. I was allowing for "just in case" and it happened. :11: