BajaNomad

Best MOBILE PHONE service?

micah202 - 12-10-2017 at 11:27 PM

...wondering what's the best data and/or phone service on Baja nowadays? :?:

..Coming for 2 months,, have a couple of unlocked phones, so would prefer just a SIM card purchase if possible.

...thanks for suggestions!

JZ - 12-11-2017 at 12:48 AM

AT&T for US carriers.

ehall - 12-11-2017 at 04:59 AM

My Verizon phone works in alot of places now. It never used to work more than a few miles from the border.

basautter - 12-11-2017 at 05:07 AM

I have used my US phones in Baja with both AT&T and Verizon. AT&T wins, hands down.

nobaddays - 12-11-2017 at 06:45 AM

T Mobile and ATT have the best connections in Mexico because they are the same system as TelCel.

tobias - 12-11-2017 at 07:39 AM

Isnt it better and much cheaper to get a mexican sim card ?
I used my american service down there last year and they really throttle the data for americans. Using the same towers I was having a hard time doing basic browsing while people with mexican sim cards were streaming youtube.

Sim card

bajaguy - 12-11-2017 at 07:56 AM

Get a Sim card for the Telcel Amigo plan. 200 pesos per month for phone and data.

PaulW - 12-11-2017 at 08:33 AM

Put a Telcel sim card in and got a Mexico number for our IPhones. Excellent coverage and usually excellent signal. When we head north we will use the US sim card and revert to our US phone number. The contact list stays the same. Cost is 100 pesos every 21 days and has no cost for text, & voice to Canada US and all of Mexico. Works in the US to call back to Mexico and to any number in the US or Canada, Same deal - no charges other than the 100 peso/21 days. The phone collects my email as usual, but I have data turned off so it only collects email when I am on wifi. I do the same thing in the US. I never heard of Amigo, I just use one of the standard plans, but they have other plans to choose from. Recharging on the web is possible, but I just use OXXO which is faster and convenient here in Mexico.

tobias - 12-11-2017 at 08:41 AM

Is there any way to get unlimited data? I see the young people in La Paz using scads of data just like american kids do.
What the heck data plan are they on?

JZ - 12-11-2017 at 12:14 PM

Quote: Originally posted by tobias  
Is there any way to get unlimited data? I see the young people in La Paz using scads of data just like american kids do.
What the heck data plan are they on?


AT&T is unlimited in North America.

I even use mine as a hotspot to stream TV to my computer.

JZ - 12-11-2017 at 12:16 PM

Quote: Originally posted by nobaddays  
T Mobile and ATT have the best connections in Mexico because they are the same system as TelCel.


https://www.theverge.com/2015/1/26/7907073/att-buying-wirele...

JZ - 12-11-2017 at 12:17 PM

Quote: Originally posted by tobias  

I used my american service down there last year and they really throttle the data for americans. Using the same towers I was having a hard time doing basic browsing while people with mexican sim cards were streaming youtube.


This is fake news. I was hitting 30 Mbs in the marina in San Carlos a couple months back.


[Edited on 12-11-2017 by JZ]

BajaMama - 12-11-2017 at 01:29 PM

AT&T provides unlimited use in Mexico and Canada if you have a data plan. I like it because we don't have to worry about using it and racking up charges. It works fine in areas with service, but remote areas like El Rosario or Punta chivato, not so much. You are at the mercy of the signal.

Nashville Frank - 1-12-2018 at 08:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW  
Put a Telcel sim card in and got a Mexico number for our IPhones. Excellent coverage and usually excellent signal. When we head north we will use the US sim card and revert to our US phone number. The contact list stays the same. Cost is 100 pesos every 21 days and has no cost for text, & voice to Canada US and all of Mexico.


Hey Paul,
Thanks for this help on cellphones. I go down to El Rosario 3x a year for 4 to 12 days at a time. I have Verizon with all their special Mexico plans. But, it doesn't matter because even in "downtown" El Ro, near Mama Espinoza's, at my friends house I often can't get a signal unless I walk out by Highway. Verizon hooks up with both MovieStar and Telcell. My friend has Telcell and gets a great signal!

WHERE can I purchase this SIM CARD for my iPhone? At OXOX?

We also bring 50 folks into El Rosario in the summer to help out in the community. We've really had trouble with communications within town (Alta, Baja, and Nuevo Uruapan)! Antonio Munoz with Fire/Rescue has offered to let us use their repeater with pro radios to communicate with our vans and work trucks. But, I'm going to try out some consumer Midland radios first.

Thanks for your assistance!
N.F.