BajaNomad

Telcel Quandry

LRW - 3-3-2008 at 03:41 PM

Even tho my Verizon phone was promised to work in Baja last Fall...it didn't. So today I purchased a Telcel phone w/ came with some Amigo <g> minutes. Unfortunately, nobody spoke English..and I can't figure out if the minutes expire in a certain timeframe if not used...let alone the other ins / outs of the plan. I did not sign up for a monthly plan. It appears too that one is paying 3 pesos for a one minute local call. Does this sound right? Alot diff from my $30/month for 500 minutes in USA...ah, monopolies.

I figured someone else had asked this along the way, but doing a quick search couldn't find anything. Didn't really want to have to get a phone, but traveling thru Baja for several months per year, wanted the security that a phone can bring when one breaks down.
Would greatly appreciate your input..
Liane

dtbushpilot - 3-3-2008 at 04:50 PM

We have a Telcel phone. It works great but I am a bit language challenged also. What we have learned is this: You don't have a contract, you buy the cards for whatever amount you want to charge it with. You have 2 months to use your time. After 2 months the time expires but it is still in the phone, you have to buy some more time to use it. I don't know about the smaller denomination cards but if you buy a 500 peso card you get 900 pesos credit. I always get a 500 peso card.
Example: I left Baja with 200 pesos still on the phone. When I returned my 2 months had expired. I tried to use the phone but the message said I didn't have enough time for this call (or any call for that matter). I bought a 500 peso card and checked my balance which was then 1100 pesos.

You can call the states and talk for 20 minutes for 20 pesos. I think long distance is charged in 20 minute blocks. I think its a little less for local calls.

I'm not sure how incoming calls are charged, if at all, but I recieve calls from the US as well as locally. and I seem to be able to do a lot of talking for 50 bucks. It seems to cost more if you make calls from the mainland but it does work over there. It doesn't work at all once you cross the border. You have to use the phone to add time so you can't add time unless you are in Mexico but there is a Telcel office on every corner it seems.

It is cheaper to use than my US cell phone and I think it is a good value.......I think...

I hope I haven't confused you with the facts....as I believe them to be....I really need to learn to speak Spanish....dt

Diver - 3-3-2008 at 04:55 PM

Infortunately, there seems to be another deadline at which time they deactivate your "card" and phone number. After not using our phone for around 6 months each year, we are required to buy another card for $10 with a new phone number each year. We lose any minutes we have.

Also, buy the $500 pesos cards and they give you $900 or $1,000 pesos of value as a bonus.
.

once por veinte

jamesdbeckjr - 3-3-2008 at 06:01 PM

Believe you use 11 pesos for 20 minutes or less to US or Canada. You need to call customer service,ask for and English speaker and register for that plan or you will use up your pesos very rapidly as a friend did over the holidays. The phone has improved my wife's attitude in Mexico a lot.

Telcel Quandry

LRW - 3-3-2008 at 06:18 PM

<<You can call the states and talk for 20 minutes for 20 pesos>>

Now I am thoroughly confused. We were given 100 pesos on our phone per month for the next 3 months. Rate quoted us was local call at 3.48p / minute. Long distance to USA at 17 p / minute. ($1.70!) and Long distance Mexico at 6.64/ minute.

Also...in Mexico do we pay for incoming calls as well as outgoing? Could folks call us from the US and we avoid paying?

Liane

bajaguy - 3-3-2008 at 06:20 PM

On our Movistar phone, we can make calls to the US for about 20 pesos for 20 minutes

Natalie Ann - 3-3-2008 at 07:03 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by LRW
Also...in Mexico do we pay for incoming calls as well as outgoing? Could folks call us from the US and we avoid paying?

Liane


I believe there is a charge to your Mexican cell phone for receiving calls.... likely less than for making them.

Nena

telcel

makana.gabriel - 3-4-2008 at 02:36 PM

You can also just find an HSBC atm machine and purchase airtime for as little as 30 pesos to 200 pesos.

LarryK - 3-4-2008 at 08:39 PM

You can have your TelCel phone set up for English. Much easier to keep track of information.

amir - 3-4-2008 at 09:53 PM

No charge for incoming calls if the caller puts a "1" AFTER the country code.
Without this extra "1" both parties pay for the call. With the "1" the caller pays, but also they get added a surcharge by the US phone company, which then gets transferred to Telcel. In other words, Telcel makes money either way.

I was not aware that Telcel offers the 20 minute package to the US.
If they do, CaboRon will let us know, I hope...

telcel quandry

LRW - 3-7-2008 at 10:26 AM

<<There is no charge for incomming calls in Mexico (just like Europe). >>

I thought that too..until we left Loreto and went to LaPaz this week. Friend phoned me, talked 2.5 minutes. I was charged 18 pesos. Found a college kid in LaPaz who said that 'once you leave your area code' you pay either way..incoming / outgoing. Geez....
Called usatelcel.com and they are a company who can add minutes to your phone while in the States, but they couldn't answer any of my plan questions. I see alot of Mexicanos with cell phone and can't imagine them paying .35cents / minute. Is there something else out there I wasn't offered? The only other plan mentioned to me was every call is 5.5 pesos but you can talk up to 20 minutes for local calls. So confusing...