BajaNomad

The cell phone question again!

fishbuck - 8-6-2009 at 04:25 PM

I have a very specific cell phone question.
What is the best phone company in San Quintin?
I always forget to ask but the boat captains can use their phones well out to sea in San Quintin because the antennas are on the top of one of the volcanos near the beach.
But I don't know what company they use there. Anybody know?
I did notice that Telcel had some very cute girls dancing by the side of the street near the mercados in town.

woody with a view - 8-6-2009 at 04:54 PM

i would think any cell phone would be able to acquire a signal from that tower.....

fishbuck - 8-6-2009 at 04:56 PM

You would thinks so but my Sprint phone wouldn't work there.

Udo - 8-6-2009 at 04:57 PM

I know ATT works in town and out in the water.

tripledigitken - 8-6-2009 at 05:00 PM

My Verizon doesn't work very well in Baja Period.

fishbuck - 8-6-2009 at 05:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by udowinkler
I know ATT works in town and out in the water.


Okay maybe this is the right one then. I'll check it out.

woody with a view - 8-6-2009 at 05:11 PM

my ATT fone works in almost every town with a stoplight. it is usually on telcel's network. my nextel seems to only work from the border to maneadero....???

fishbuck - 8-6-2009 at 05:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by woody in ob
my ATT fone works in almost every town with a stoplight. it is usually on telcel's network. my nextel seems to only work from the border to maneadero....???


Okay I think we're on to something here!:yes:

BAnn - 8-6-2009 at 05:24 PM

AT&T has a plan called At&t Viva Mexico. Any body have that plan? If so what do you think of it? What about the coverage in Baja?

fishbuck - 8-6-2009 at 05:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BAnn
AT&T has a plan called At&t Viva Mexico. Any body have that plan? If so what do you think of it? What about the coverage in Baja?


I was just looking at it. $4.99/month and .59 minute for calls in Mexico.

woody with a view - 8-6-2009 at 05:56 PM

i pay about 80 cents per minute while in baja on the telcel (or whichever) network. save the $5/month and just make the calls you need to make. if you have a bluetooth sticking out of your skull and are connected all day it MIGHT make a difference. we're talking tens/hundreds of pennies per month difference to just check in once a day and/or brag to yer bro's how they REALLY shoulda came on the trip with ya!!!!

:light:

BajaNuts - 8-6-2009 at 06:04 PM

we just swapped to ATT (didn't really have a choice since our rural company got bought out...)
We were told ATT work all through Mexico on the Telcel network but at a higher per minute charge. .49/min or something like that.

Howard - 8-6-2009 at 10:21 PM

For 2 or 3 years I have had my AT & cell phone with the "international plan". I costs $4.99 a month with great reception in most parts of Baja, North and South. By paying the $4.99 a month it entitles calls from Baja to the Sates at the rate of .59 a min rather than.70 a min. without the International calling plan. My cell phone reads TelCell after I cross the border. I am very pleased with the Baja coverage.

fishbuck - 8-6-2009 at 10:25 PM

Okay thanks! I think that is 3 votes for AT&T.

redhilltown - 8-6-2009 at 11:51 PM

...and another negative one for Verizon!

El Camote - 8-6-2009 at 11:55 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Howard
By paying the $4.99 a month it entitles calls from Baja to the Sates at the rate of .59 a min rather than.70 a min. without the International calling plan.


I have AT&T w/o the int'l plan and it's .98 / min. calling home from Baja for incoming or outgoing. I can't justify the $5/month since I'm only down there a few weeks out of the year. The signal is always strong in populated areas, unfortunately. :mad:
I have no trouble not using the phone except when it's urgent but the wife keeps calling to check up on me. :lol:

Riom - 8-6-2009 at 11:56 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by fishbuck
Okay thanks! I think that is 3 votes for AT&T.


For Telcel really - AT&T (and T-mobile) just roam on their network.

Verizon, Sprint, Virgin etc use a different technology so can't use most of the Telcel network.

[Edited on 2009-8-7 by Riom]

Bajajorge - 8-7-2009 at 08:55 AM

From what I gather, AT&T is the only one that works in Baja. They just signed a new deal with TelCel. The others only work on mainland Mexico. AT&T just came out with a new plan, $54 a month and your phone will work in the US and Baja using your roaming and roll over minutes. Additional minutes over and above your roaming and rollover is 29 cents per minute. They give 450 minutes, plus I think something about 1000 evening and weekend. The plan is so new that some of the AT&T salespeople don't know about it yet. When I signed up for the new program I had to convince the salesperson I wasn't lieing.

TonyC - 8-7-2009 at 04:14 PM

AT&T uses Telcel in Mexico. I use mine like a local phone when I'm in San Quintin....616####### works great, don't know how how my amigos dial me, but I'll ask. The signal in El Socorro sucks for me. Mike, how were you dailing me when you called me last month?

T mobile uses Movie Star, and won't work in San Quintin., but works in Ensenada.

[Edited on 8-7-2009 by TonyC]

Bajaboy - 8-7-2009 at 04:48 PM

We have TMobile and have made plenty of calls with no problems. And for the record, we pick up the Tel Cel towers.

woody with a view - 8-7-2009 at 04:58 PM

so that settles it. it's a baja mystery..... some work, some don't. it really makes perfect sense, no?:?:

wakemall - 8-7-2009 at 05:49 PM

I have a Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T phone. AT&T is the only one that works. I can tether the AT&T Blackberry to my laptop and receive data. Although data is not cheap.

Just like everyone stated, add the AT&T Intl plan while in MX. Remove it when you do not need it. It is easy and saves you a little money.

With all the comments regarding MX cell phones it really seems to be advantageous to purchase and use a MX based phone and service while in Baja.

bajacrawler - 8-7-2009 at 07:35 PM

Anyone have anymore information on the new AT&T plan? Sounds like a good deal. I have checked their web site no information.

Riom - 8-7-2009 at 11:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by wakemall
With all the comments regarding MX cell phones it really seems to be advantageous to purchase and use a MX based phone and service while in Baja.


Totally agree - the Telcel Amigo pre-paid is very easy to find and use. It's useful to be reachable on a local number, especially if you are building.

Also, Movistar now have a pre-paid tariff "Movistar 123" http://www.movistar.com.mx/prepago/p_prep_123-f.html (link in Spanish) that charges the same to call the US and Canada (from Mexico) as it does to call within Mexico: 3.30 pesos/min (25c/min) - and Mexico-wide free incoming.

This reduces to 1.67 pesos/min (13c/min) if you use over 220 pesos per month. Much better deal than most contract plans, especially as you only pay for what you use and no monthly fee.

BCSTech - 8-8-2009 at 07:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajajorge
From what I gather, AT&T is the only one that works in Baja. They just signed a new deal with TelCel. The others only work on mainland Mexico. AT&T just came out with a new plan, $54 a month and your phone will work in the US and Baja using your roaming and roll over minutes. Additional minutes over and above your roaming and rollover is 29 cents per minute. They give 450 minutes, plus I think something about 1000 evening and weekend. The plan is so new that some of the AT&T salespeople don't know about it yet. When I signed up for the new program I had to convince the salesperson I wasn't lieing.
This must be a revamp of ATT's old International Plan that they rolled out for 6 or 8 months in 2005 and then immediately shut it down. It was good for 450 anytime minutes and 1,000 night and weekend anywhere across the US, Mexico and Canada, no roaming for $59.95 per month. Great deal because you can call Mexican cell phones, essentially for about 13 cents per minute.

Heard they shut it down because of fraud in Mexico. We happened to sign up for the original plan while the door was open, and keep extending our contract although the plan is no longer offered.

We have always been able to get a connect with the ATT phone anyplace where's cell phone coverage. Mostly connects thru TelCel but sometimes Movistar.

[Edited on 8-9-2009 by BCSTech]

MikeLikeBaja - 8-10-2009 at 09:39 AM

The AT& T North America Plan (hasn't been offered in 3-4 years) is great. They don't offer it but they still do honor it). 450 anytime anywhere minutes a month 1000 Night and weekend minutes (anywhere) after taxes comes to 64-66 bucks a month. Keep your eyes open they may offer it again sometime. Coverage is fantastic. Only one drawback, caller i.d. doesn't work sometimes.

David K - 8-10-2009 at 09:45 AM

My Sprint phone (with International option) only seems to work to the Ensenada area (digital roaming) and again around San Quintin... not at all on the San Felipe side.

I think AT&T is the answer Mike.

Pompano - 8-10-2009 at 09:49 AM

Great info on cellphones for Baja. I'm just about to buy one today and will check out AT&T with some others. Glad to hear it will work via Mulege's tower.

Gracias. Nomads always supplies great Baja info..kudos.