vivaloha
Nomad
Posts: 140
Registered: 11-12-2007
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Mood: mellow
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movistar cell phone vs. telcel cell phone vs. using gringo cell phone
hello nomads -
hey, I'm using movistar cell phone down south and its dirt cheap.
you pre-pay minutes, sometimes you can double minutes, and its just
all good and once again cheap, cheap, cheap...called the states a bunch
recently and just blabbed on and on...only paid 500 pesos for my re-charge
and they gave me 1000 pesos worth of minutes...forget about it...great
service, good call quality, and easy peazy...
sure it might be nice to use my gringo line and stuff but i'm sure this is the best
price.
telcel i have no idea about...
this is a raging endorsement for MOVISTAR by yours truly-
vivaloha
Baja California can be a heaven or hell experience - often the determining factor is your AWARENESS in the moment.
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Russ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6742
Registered: 7-4-2004
Location: Punta Chivato
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Some thing you should be aware of about Movistar. All those great free minutes, well,at least here, they're only good for calls in Mexico or maybe
even just local minutes. But still for a 20 min. call to the States for 11pesos or so you can't beat it.
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lingililingili
Nomad
Posts: 449
Registered: 2-24-2008
Location: La Paz, Bahia Asuncion
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When we left La Paz in June we had quite a few minutes on our movistar. Knowing that we would lose them if we didn't use them I tried the phone in San
Fran and was surprised to find that the phone worked there! I don't have a clue how much the calls cost, but I guess it was better than losing those
minutes.
•Life is just one damned thing after another
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schwlind
Nomad
Posts: 362
Registered: 8-30-2008
Location: Daytona Beach, FL/San Antonio Del Mar (Colonet)
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We have two cell phones, both with Telcel. In San Antonio Del Mar (near Colonet) we have had problems with signal levels and since the national
pastime for some of the locals is striping the copper wire out of the wiring for the cell towers, sometimes, we've had no signal at all for weeks.
Then Telcel went to a new format (maybe G3). Whatever it was, required a new digital phone which Telcel was only too happy to sell you.
We have a different type of plan for each phone. We have what we refer to as our "house" phone (not portable) that has been set up using the Telcel
Amigo plan. Within MX the calls are very inexpensive, but calling the states is outrageous (at least for us). Over $1.00 to $1.50/minute. I do know
I can run through the $200 peso card very quickly
when calling the US.
Then we have a cell phone which we purchased in Ensenada for not much money and put it on a plan that allows up to a 20 minute call to the US for 10
pesos. However be careful and ask, as the last time I checked on this plan, calls within MX were at the rate of 6 pesos per minute. I don't recall
the name of the plan, but it is very cost effective for calling the US.
In May when we were last there the wiring had been restored to the towers and the signal was good.
Also it's my understanding that with Telcel that if you don't use your phone at least once every 60 days they basically freeze your account. To
reactivate it, you have to enter another phone card. It is further my understanding that you don't lose the money on the phone, and when you add a
phone card, it is added to your last remaining balance. If however, the phone is dormant for six consecutive months, you lose your money and your
phone number.
The one other item that Telcel also does (which sounds like Moviestar) is as an example, you enter a 500 peso phone card, Telcel effectively doubles
the amount of money in your "account" to 1000 pesos.
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beachbum1A
Nomad
Posts: 442
Registered: 6-17-2006
Location: Punta Banda, BC
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Russ
Some thing you should be aware of about Movistar. All those great free minutes, well,at least here, they're only good for calls in Mexico or maybe
even just local minutes. But still for a 20 min. call to the States for 11pesos or so you can't beat it. |
Correct! That's what I discovered this past week. Had $380.00 pesos available on my phone but I could not make a call to the US. MovieStar told me the
"free" minutes were only available locally in Mexico. The "hard cash" minutes could be used to call the US. Beats me how they tell the difference
though!!
Just do it!
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jeffg
Nomad
Posts: 175
Registered: 11-25-2004
Location: Vista, CA
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Regarding the Telcel cost to call the U.S. - that is the standard Amigo plan, but if you call their customer service number you can get switched over
to a plan that makes calls to the U.S. much more economical. It's either 11 or 15 pesos for any call up to 20 minutes.
| Quote: | Originally posted by schwlind
We have two cell phones, both with Telcel. In San Antonio Del Mar (near Colonet) we have had problems with signal levels and since the national
pastime for some of the locals is striping the copper wire out of the wiring for the cell towers, sometimes, we've had no signal at all for weeks.
Then Telcel went to a new format (maybe G3). Whatever it was, required a new digital phone which Telcel was only too happy to sell you.
We have a different type of plan for each phone. We have what we refer to as our "house" phone (not portable) that has been set up using the Telcel
Amigo plan. Within MX the calls are very inexpensive, but calling the states is outrageous (at least for us). Over $1.00 to $1.50/minute. I do know
I can run through the $200 peso card very quickly
when calling the US.
Then we have a cell phone which we purchased in Ensenada for not much money and put it on a plan that allows up to a 20 minute call to the US for 10
pesos. However be careful and ask, as the last time I checked on this plan, calls within MX were at the rate of 6 pesos per minute. I don't recall
the name of the plan, but it is very cost effective for calling the US.
In May when we were last there the wiring had been restored to the towers and the signal was good.
Also it's my understanding that with Telcel that if you don't use your phone at least once every 60 days they basically freeze your account. To
reactivate it, you have to enter another phone card. It is further my understanding that you don't lose the money on the phone, and when you add a
phone card, it is added to your last remaining balance. If however, the phone is dormant for six consecutive months, you lose your money and your
phone number.
The one other item that Telcel also does (which sounds like Moviestar) is as an example, you enter a 500 peso phone card, Telcel effectively doubles
the amount of money in your "account" to 1000 pesos. |
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Jack Swords
Super Nomad
Posts: 1095
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: Nipomo, CA/La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
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We have had the prepaid cell phone in La Paz for the past 6 years through Telcel. We do call the US for 20 minutes for 10 pesos, the phone is frozen
after 3 months of non-use. However, putting money on the phone reactivates the phone and we keep our old balance and it is added to the new card. We
do not use the phone for 6 months or more and have always received our old balance and same phone number when we reactivate. BUT, others we know have
different experiences, are told "that plan" is unavailable, etc. So, as usual, depends on who, where, when. We just try to be prepared for
inevitable changes.
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schwlind
Nomad
Posts: 362
Registered: 8-30-2008
Location: Daytona Beach, FL/San Antonio Del Mar (Colonet)
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| Quote: | Originally posted by jeffg
Regarding the Telcel cost to call the U.S. - that is the standard Amigo plan, but if you call their customer service number you can get switched over
to a plan that makes calls to the U.S. much more economical. It's either 11 or 15 pesos for any call up to 20 minutes. |
Yes, that is why we have two cell phones... one on the Amigo plan for calls within MX and the other on the plan that permits up to a 20 minute call to
the US for 10 pesos.
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Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
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A friend just got a movistar phone to recieve calls. She pays $10 for 3 months unlimited incoming calls and texting.
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schwlind
Nomad
Posts: 362
Registered: 8-30-2008
Location: Daytona Beach, FL/San Antonio Del Mar (Colonet)
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Is that from MX or from US as well?
[Edited on 11-15-2008 by schwlind]
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Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
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Both
| Quote: | Originally posted by schwlind
Is that from MX or from US as well?
[Edited on 11-15-2008 by schwlind] |
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tjBill
Senior Nomad
Posts: 516
Registered: 10-6-2007
Location: Tijuana
Member Is Offline
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Doesn't Telcel have better connections than Movistar? Any opinions?
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BMG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1776
Registered: 6-10-2007
Location: La Paz / Bahia Asunci�n / Away from home
Member Is Offline
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We've had good reception with our Movistar cell in Baja and on the mainland. Not sure if it's better or worse than Telcel though. We also brought our
Verizon cell with us this year since it is on a Canada/U.S./Mexico plan. The Verizon works fine here in La Paz but we never got a signal between here
and Ensenada on the drive south.
I think the world is run by C- students.
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schwlind
Nomad
Posts: 362
Registered: 8-30-2008
Location: Daytona Beach, FL/San Antonio Del Mar (Colonet)
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Dave
A friend just got a movistar phone to recieve calls. She pays $10 for 3 months unlimited incoming calls and texting. |
Wow, that is great from both MX and US. Any idea what the name of that plan is?
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sourdough
Junior Nomad
Posts: 42
Registered: 11-14-2008
Member Is Offline
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FYI:
Here in Loreto we've been using the internet service "SKYPE" for about 3 years now. It allows us to call both US and Mexico numbers for 2 cents a
minute. We talk through our computer's microphone and use a headset for clarity. Our daughter lives in Alaska and a 30 minute call costs 60 cents! DSL
is a requirement. Download of Skype is free,
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Iflyfish
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
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sourdough
I have used Windows Live Messenger for years to speak with my brother on the mainland. It is free! Sign up for the program and it is downloaded on
your computer. Then have the people whom you talk with most frequently sign up also. There is a feature that allows you to be notified when your
friends are online. This feature can be disabled, put on hold etc. at any time. So if you don't want to accept calls you just change your status. It
also allows the display of video images from your computer camera. So it is possible to have BOTH audio and video converstaions and it is FREE!
I have used this on the road all over the US, Baja and Canada. Great service in all locations, anywhere you can get wifi you can get Windows Live
Messenger. I have never paid ONE CENT for telephone and video calls to my brother in Mexico. Try it, one of the great bargains still left.
Iflyfishwhennottrackingthedaytodayactivityofmybrotherinquereteromexicoorwhereverhemaybeatthetimewithhislaptop
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sourdough
Junior Nomad
Posts: 42
Registered: 11-14-2008
Member Is Offline
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Iflyfish,
Won't work for me-I have an ibook- however, Skype has all those features as well. We've found computer-to-computer rather inconvenient so opted for
the computer-to-phone choice. I was unaware of the Windows program and will consider it if I purchase a new PC. Thanks,
sourdough
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schwlind
Nomad
Posts: 362
Registered: 8-30-2008
Location: Daytona Beach, FL/San Antonio Del Mar (Colonet)
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by sourdough
FYI:
Here in Loreto we've been using the internet service "SKYPE" for about 3 years now. It allows us to call both US and Mexico numbers for 2 cents a
minute. We talk through our computer's microphone and use a headset for clarity. Our daughter lives in Alaska and a 30 minute call costs 60 cents! DSL
is a requirement. Download of Skype is free, |
We've used SKYPE as well. Since we can't get DSL in our locale, our access to the internet is through Starband satellite, sometimes it works and
sometimes it doesn't... think it has something to do with the alignment of the stars or how you're holding your mouth...
The last time we were down, we had pretty good luck with SKYPE though...
Instead of renewing my number through SKYPE recently, I thought I'd give magic jack a try. The thing I like about magic jack (in concept anyway) is
that you can connect your phone such as a VTech system which has 2 additional extension phones that do not have to be connected to a phone jack, and
then you can have phones in 3 locations. Don't know how it's going to work... but I'll give it a shot.
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LOSARIPES
Nomad
Posts: 283
Registered: 8-14-2008
Member Is Offline
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Acting on the tip from these postings, I went to Telcel office and asked them about the 20 min for 10.00pesos deal. They said it is 15 min for 10.00
pesos. They took info from our phone chips, told us they would ctc us which they did 5 days later. We both, my wife and I received text msgs telling
us our phones were ready.
Still, 15 min for less than a buck is a good deal.
Aripes
God bless America
and Baja tambien
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