BajaNomad - T-mobile roaming access in Baja?

T-mobile roaming access in Baja?

Whale-ista - 12-30-2013 at 02:13 AM

Has Anyone tried to use t-mobile service via lada, telcel or whatever the MX cell company options are called?

Tmobile now offers free international data/text (but not calls). I want to try to use this, and also tether my Ipad to the iPhone.

As for SIM cards, for voice calling, will one work in any cell, even an old one not activated in the US? I have several old cell phones, not in use. Do I just need to charge the battery and purchase a MX SIM card to make calls?

Thank you for advice on this.

BajaNomad - 12-30-2013 at 05:32 AM

Most of the roaming coverage in Baja for T-mobile is through Movistar. Here is the coverage map:

http://q87.us/19B0K4d

Having a phone for t-mobile that can be both a mobile hotspot and make/receive wifi calls will (incredibly) add value in using this service in Baja.

Be aware that the "included" data plan for international roaming wth t-mobile is only 2G speed.

Calls are $.20/minute. Both incoming/outgoing texts are now included in the international roaming on the new "simple" plans.

"The cost of staying connected across borders is completely crazy. Today's phones are designed to work around the world, but we're forced to pay insanely inflated international connectivity fees to actually use them. You can't leave the country without coming home to bill shock. So we're making the world your network -- at no extra cost." - John Legere, CEO, T-Mobile

http://q87.us/1h8C5sK

tmobile-baja-movistar.jpg - 18kB

pauldavidmena - 12-30-2013 at 06:30 AM

Wow - this wasn't available when I last visited in July. I had enabled international roaming on my T-Mobile HTC One and ran up over $50 in charges in a matter of minutes after landing in Los Cabos. That prompted me to get a Telcel SIM card. If it truly turns out to be the case that I can use my current data plan in Todos Santos, it will be huge.

BajaNomad - 12-30-2013 at 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pauldavidmena
If it truly turns out to be the case that I can use my current data plan in Todos Santos, it will be huge.

You need to change service - if you don't already have it - to the new "simple" plan that started in October.

Depending on what plan you have, it might even save you $.

pauldavidmena - 12-30-2013 at 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNomad

Quote:

Originally posted by pauldavidmena
If it truly turns out to be the case that I can use my current data plan in Todos Santos, it will be huge.

You need to change service - if you don't already have it - to the new "simple" plan that started in October.

Depending on what plan you have, it might even save you $.

I did convert to the Simple Plan ($50 per month) and unlimited data ($10 per month), which lopped about $45 off my bill with the same services, some of which used to cost extra (e.g. tethering, mobile hot-spot). Having used Verizon, Sprint and AT&T before, I'm quite happy with T-Mobile. Ironically the worst coverage I get is at home, where I need to rely on WiFi to make calls. Go figure?

shari - 12-30-2013 at 07:45 AM

People are always disappointed that most of their phone servers dont work out here in the boonies...only AT&T or telcel work here.

pauldavidmena - 12-30-2013 at 07:54 AM

Telcel was trouble-free for me during my last visit. I used it primarily for data and only made one phone call. I may go that route after all, since we'll be in San Pedrito instead of Las Tunas this time, and it looks like Movistar's coverage might be limited there.

Whale-ista - 12-30-2013 at 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNomad
Most of the roaming coverage in Baja for T-mobile is through Movistar. Here is the coverage map:

http://q87.us/19B0K4d

Having a phone for t-mobile that can be both a mobile hotspot and make/receive wifi calls will (incredibly) add value in using this service in Baja...

"The cost of staying connected across borders is completely crazy. Today's phones are designed to work around the world, but we're forced to pay insanely inflated international connectivity fees to actually use them. You can't leave the country without coming home to bill shock. So we're making the world your network -- at no extra cost." - John Legere, CEO, T-Mobile

Thank you. Very helpful. Coverage looks good for areas I'm planning to visit this week. May need to change for future trips.

I remember the bad old days when cell phones services in Baja were outrageously expensive. We finally paid to have landline phone service installed in San Miguel. I mean that literally: The few of us who lived there in the early 90s paid for the telephone poles to be installed!

How things change in 20 years...

I appreciate your help!

unbob - 1-27-2014 at 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNomad
Most of the roaming coverage in Baja for T-mobile is through Movistar.

Calls are $.20/minute. Both incoming/outgoing texts are now included in the international roaming on the new "simple" plans.

Obviously that is not a good deal. With my Telcel 'Amigo Combinado 20' plan I'm paying only around 4 1/2 cents per minute when calling my "preferred" numbers (family, friends). 20 cents per minute is awful and unacceptable for me.

The unlimited data plan sounds great though!

pauldavidmena - 1-28-2014 at 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by unbob
The unlimited data plan sounds great though!

I was in Baja last week, and my T-Mobile phone indeed worked seamlessly on the Movistar network. Data speeds in Cabo and Todos Santos were often 4G, but in Pescadero I couldn't do better than 2G, and there was a pretty significant dead zone between Cerritos Beach and Cabo San Lucas.

I made both local calls and calls to the U.S. without issues, although it will be interesting to see how much I actually paid for these calls.

tjsue - 1-28-2014 at 11:36 AM

I switched to the T-Mobile Simple Choice plan, and it's great! I had numerous calls from the US last month, and expected a higher bill, but it only $65.12, and that's about $20 less than I was paying before.

willardguy - 1-28-2014 at 11:57 AM

this from riom back in october:

What T-Mobile announced last week was free data and texting while *in* Mexico (and many other countries), for T-Mobile users on certain monthly plans (postpaid only, no prepaid). Plus calls at 20c/min.

The data is 2G only (super slow), they hope to make money from selling packets of 3G data access.

The restrictions: no trip outside the US can be more than 6 weeks, and no more than half the data in three months can be outside the US (so you can't use it just for trips, has to be some domestic usage).

So, quite handy for those taking short trips who only need a bit of slow data (that they also use in the US), and some texting and calls. Not useful for anybody on long trips.

Should be coverage anywhere you get a Movistar signal (as T-mobile roam on them, not on Telcel). Their 3G coverage is much worse than Telcel's so the 2G is all you'll get in most places anyway.

soinclined - 2-8-2014 at 09:21 PM

After getting the benefit of many good answers on this site, I am pleased to be able to chime in with one of my own.

I use a GSM phone that was originally set up to work on T-Mobile but that I use on Straight Talk which I think is actually Walmart. They have an international flat pricing plan, unlimited everything, for $60. It has worked everywhere I have been in Mexico, but I hasten to add that isn't very far.

I am taking baby steps into Baja from SoCal. I've been in LA for three years and just now plucked up the guts. I believed too much in the media hype, I guess. The good news is that I can usually find sub-$20 fares on Greyhound to San Ysidro, where I can walk across at my own pace and poke around for a few hours and then come back. I will retire before long and I'm thinking I want to do it in Baja for all the reasons well stated by others. I'm alone now and there's nobody to please but me, and I was raised rural so I think it would be a fit.

I am being told that it works all up and down the coastlines, but I haven't yet tested that.

It is a comfort to me that I can call out and the kids can call and check on me with one number regardless of whether I am in MX or the US. Otherwise these days there's not much of anybody to talk to.

I do not have any affiliation with Walmart or ST, just a happy camper.

pauldavidmena - 2-9-2014 at 08:06 AM

Just got my T-Mobile bill, and the biggest surprise to me is that there were no surprises. No extra charge for data roaming on the Movistar network, and 8 phone calls - 7 to local Mexican numbers and 1 to the U.S. - totaling $2.60. That was the only addition to my normal bill. :cool:

DENNIS - 2-9-2014 at 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by soinclined
After getting the benefit of many good answers on this site, I am pleased to be able to chime in with one of my own.

Welcome to Baja Nomad, so inclined. Feel free to tell it like it be.

unbob - 2-10-2014 at 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguyThe restrictions: no trip outside the US can be more than 6 weeks, and no more than half the data in three months can be outside the US (so you can't use it just for trips, has to be some domestic usage).

So, quite handy for those taking short trips who only need a bit of slow data (that they also use in the US), and some texting and calls. Not useful for anybody on long trips.

Not true according to a personal friend who is using his cell with a T-Mobile account in BCS.

He says "I called customer service and they assured me that there is no 6 week limit... I have been roaming for free in BCS for 3 months now. Also I believe voice calls are 10c per minute now."

Riom - 2-11-2014 at 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by unbob
He says "I called customer service and they assured me that there is no 6 week limit... I have been roaming for free in BCS for 3 months now. Also I believe voice calls are 10c per minute now."

This plan is described on http://www.t-mobile.com/simple-choice-international-plans.ht...

The small print is fairly vague:

"Not for extended international use; you must reside in the U.S. and primary usage must occur on our U.S. network. Device must register on our U.S. network before international use. Service may be terminated or restricted for excessive roaming or misuse." Also says: "Standard speeds approx. 128 Kbps. No tethering.".

But, in the FAQ on that page:

"What if I plan to be abroad for several months on sabbatical – can I take advantage of T-Mobile’s Simple Choice plan while abroad?

T-Mobile’s plan is intended for customers who live in the U.S. and are traveling outside of the U.S. for work or casual travel. Customers living or traveling abroad for extended durations (e.g., more than 5 weeks) would be better served with other international options, like local service, as the majority of your usage must be on T-Mobile’s U.S. network."

Calls are still 20c, according that page.

So it doesn't look they're enforcing the limit for your friend yet (as it's not a fixed limit, more a guideline). I do know some people who had their AT&T Go Phone service terminated for using it mostly while roaming, but as the T-Mobile service is newer they may not have any over-use processes in place yet.

Bajaboy - 2-11-2014 at 09:08 PM

We switched over to Republic Wireless last fall and haven't looked back since. The company is relatively new and is getting a lot of positive press. The company uses hybrid technology that encourage users to use wifi instead of cellular. One of the downsides is that you are limited with phone selection. You must use one of the phones they sell. With that said, one of the phones they offer is the Motorola Moto X.

There are four price plans based on your needs ranging from $5 to $45 per month. My wife and I chose the $25 plan which includes unlimited data, text, and phone calls. You can switch your plan up to two times per month.

I knew we would not get cell coverage with our new phones but thought I would try the wifi only package during our two week trip at Christmas. Just before crossing the border, we switched over to the $5 plan. We had unlimited data/text/and phone calls wherever we had wifi. Since we have wifi at our place in Asuncion, we were in luck. From streaming Netflix to calling back to the States, we had no issues. We also used it at our hotel in San Quintin.

We absolutely love Republic! I think we might get a cheap Mexican phone for emergency use. Check them out! https://republicwireless.com/meet-republic

pauldavidmena - 2-11-2014 at 09:34 PM

I should mention that I wasn't able to tether when I was in Mexico last month with my T-Mobile smart phone, something I could do when I used a pre-paid Telcel SIM card with the same phone last July.

unbob - 2-12-2014 at 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by unbob

Quote:

Obviously that is not a good deal. With my Telcel 'Amigo Combinado 20' plan I'm paying 4.8 cents per minute when calling my "preferred" numbers (family, friends). 20 cents per minute is awful and unacceptable for me.

The unlimited data plan sounds great though!

pauldavidmena - 2-12-2014 at 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by unbob

Quote:

Originally posted by unbob

Quote:

There's definitely a trade-off between paying less for local calls and having unlimited data at no extra charge. For me - being in Baja for only a week and only making 8 calls total - the convenience of not having to get a Mexican SIM card outweighed the extra $2.60 I paid for the week.

soinclined - 2-12-2014 at 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Welcome to Baja Nomad, so inclined. Feel free to tell it like it be.

Thank you very much!

pauldavidmena - 12-22-2014 at 09:19 AM

Quote: Originally posted by pauldavidmena

Quote:

Originally posted by unbob

Quote:

Originally posted by unbob

Quote:

I guess a follow-up question to this is: what phone number do Mexican cell phones see when I call them from my T-Mobile phone? Do they see my U.S. number, as I assume to be the case? If that's the case, do incoming cell phones get charged as if they were receiving an international call? And is the answer different for Movistar versus another Mexican carrier?

I'm thinking that while T-mobile international roaming is great for American tourists traveling abroad, it's probably an inconvenience to local cell phone users, who might not take my calls if they appear to be coming from the U.S.

cell phones

captkw - 12-22-2014 at 10:07 AM

Hola, I cant get the republic wireless site to work..any one where the site or number is ??

rts551 - 12-22-2014 at 05:33 PM

I do not get an international charge on my telcel phone when my wife calls using t-mobile. and I see her number. same in mexico as the US

BajaRat - 12-22-2014 at 09:16 PM

Quote: Originally posted by shari

People are always disappointed that most of their phone servers dont work out here in the boonies...only AT&T or telcel work here.

I'll be trying Telcel America roaming this winter in Asuncion, will report :cool:

Love the phone and can make 100 min to Mex cell phones a month for 29 bucks
The bring your phone to Mex is 60 bucks a month roaming

[Edited on 12-23-2014 by BajaRat]

tecatero - 12-23-2014 at 04:38 AM

My experience with T-mobile in Baja is you have to be in the center of the town.......worked great in cabo but then flat 5 miles north until I hit center of Todos,,,,,,,,same thing in LaPaz, Constitucion, etc.........Most of central Baja I had nothing , whereas my ATT had reception everywhere. However Tmobile is truthful on their billing, no surprises . Unlike ATT that always nails you for around $200.......

pauldavidmena - 12-23-2014 at 04:48 AM

My T-Mobile experience was fairly interesting. The Cabo airport is in the middle of nowhere, and accordingly I had zero reception. I had 5 bars throughout San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, but it dropped to nothing once I started driving north on the highway, with pockets of shaky reception in each small town. I had 4 bars fairly consistently in downtown Todos Santos, even as far north as Las Tunas. Pescadero was a little spottier, particularly right at the coast but a bit stronger close to the highway.

monoloco - 12-23-2014 at 07:34 AM

Quote: Originally posted by pauldavidmena

Quote:

Originally posted by unbob

Quote:

Originally posted by unbob

Quote:

There is no charge for incoming calls on a Telcel phone regardless of where they're from.

RnR - 12-23-2014 at 08:18 AM

[/rquote]There is no charge for incoming calls on a Telcel phone regardless of where they're from.[/rquote]

x2

TelCel's slogan is "El que llama, paga"

"He that calls, pays."

pauldavidmena - 12-23-2014 at 08:43 AM

How about phone calls to Movistar (the other major carrier in BCS)? T-Mobile uses Movistar as a carrier in Mexico, so I thought Movistar customers might get a break.

My upcoming trip in January is only for 5 days, so I probably won't bother getting a SIM card, but when I stay for a week or more, I might explore that option.

pauldavidmena - 1-12-2015 at 03:59 PM

Quote: Originally posted by monoloco

There is no charge for incoming calls on a Telcel phone regardless of where they're from.

Just to clarify - does this mean international calls as well? Even though T-Mobile uses the Movistar network in Mexico, I presume my U.S. phone number will appear on the receiving party's phone.

24baja - 1-12-2015 at 09:25 PM

WOULD love to have a cell site in LA BAY.

Funonewi - 2-2-2015 at 09:06 AM

HI, has anyone tried Telcel America's $60 plan with 1000 minutes of useage with 1 gig of data? I just purchased this for a 10 trip to Cabo San Lucas. I believe that it roams on telcel's network. Also the nice thing is that I get a local number with my exchange "920" so for contacting from the states is very easy. In the past, I have gone to telcel and purchased sim card usage, but get a mexican phone number. Has anyone used this? Here is the link https://www.telcelamerica.com/

[Edited on 2-3-2015 by BajaNomad]

tjsue - 2-2-2015 at 12:15 PM

I used my T-Mobile phone when I lived in Tijuana. I have the Simple Choice plan, and I never had any extra charges on my bill the entire time that I live there.

I wasted my money by getting a Magic Jack Plus, which I gave away when I moved back to San Diego.