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Author: Subject: Cell activation for Baja iphone
wiltonh
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[*] posted on 8-26-2014 at 11:58 PM


Republic Wireless uses the Sprint network in the US which is CDMA. Most Mexican cell phone companies run GSM so I question just how this works. In the limited Verizon areas there is a CDMA network but that is mostly in big cities.

The phone should work just fine on WiFi as that is VOIP.

I use an unlocked iPhone with a Telcel Sim and calls to the states are about 16 cents per minute. You can add money to your account from a credit card or on the Telcel web site but it is in Spanish. You can also add money to your account using Pinzoo. I put 10 dollars on about every 3 months so that I do not loose my cell phone number.
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mrfatboy
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[*] posted on 8-27-2014 at 04:30 AM


I have have an unlocked Verizon iPhone 5s with a telcel sim. There is a telcel app that lets you put money via a credit/debit card. No need to go to the website. It's much nicer. I do believe you initially have to the go to the website to add the credit debit card. The minimum amout is 20 pesos. You can top up at any oxxo also.

I add money (20 Pesos) to my sim every 6 months to keep the number. There is no official time limit for the sim to expire documented. 6 months has been working for me and i have read others have even gone longer. YMMV.

Use a google number to call back to states for free on wifi or minimal data usage on the telcel data network.

Here are the telcel data plans in pesos.

Consumo Bajo
Vigencia MB/GB Incluidos Precio IVA Incluido Clave
1 hr. 10 MB $ 5.00 bajo1h
1 día 30 MB $ 19.00 bajo1
2 días 50 MB $ 39.00 bajo2
7 días 200 MB $ 59.00 bajo7
15 días 600 MB $ 199.00 bajo15
30 días 1 GB $ 299.00 bajo30


Consumo Medio:
Recomendado para enviar y recibir correos, mensajerías instantáneas, Redes Sociales y navegación moderada en páginas de Internet.

Vigencia MB/GB Incluidos Precio IVA Incluido Clave
1 hr. 30 MB $ 9.00 medio1h
1 día 50 MB $ 29.00 medio1
2 días 100 MB $ 59.00 medio2
7 días 400 MB $ 99.00 medio7
15 días 1 GB $ 229.00 medio15
30 días 2 GB $ 339.00 medio30


Consumo Alto:
Recomendado para enviar y recibir correos, mensajerías instantáneas, Redes Sociales y navegación total en Internet.

Vigencia MB/GB Incluidos Precio IVA Incluido Clave
1 hr. 100 MB $ 12.00 alto1h
1 día 150 MB $ 49.00 alto1
2 días 300 MB $ 79.00 alto2
7 días 1 GB $ 169.00 alto7
15 días 1.5 GB $ 249.00 alto15
30 días 3 GB $ 399.00

[Edited on 8-27-2014 by mrfatboy]
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Ateo
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[*] posted on 8-27-2014 at 07:36 AM


As my son was heading out the front door to school I asked him where in Baja has he received texts and used the phone.

I didn't receive a solid answer. He doesn't remember town names very well at his age. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

He said he's definitely used it in the Puerto Nuevo area. The other towns he mentioned as possibilities I didn't get the feeling he was very sure of. I've seen him using it a few times so it is working somewhere. I wasn't tracking the locations previously because this question of service areas hadn't come up yet. I will track it next trip south and report back as to what carrier the phone says it's using and where.

I believe it uses Sprint in the USA so yep, that would make it a CDMA which would limit it's Baja use correct? The companies own website says it doesn't work internationally at this time, but I know that's not correct as he received a text message while we were camping in a remote area of the Baja coast recently.

Will advise.

EDIT: I apologize if I made this sound like a perfect Baja phone. If it was, I'm sure everyone would be using this plan. All I know is I saw him using it in Baja and was like, "Turn that thing off, we're gonna get nailed with roaming fees". Then when we got the bill there was nothing extra.

[Edited on 8-27-2014 by Ateo]




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wiltonh
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[*] posted on 8-27-2014 at 09:16 AM


My friend that has Republic is using a Moto X phone. It was sold unlocked and has both CDMA and GSM radios in it. That means you could purchase a Telcel card and get the cheap minutes.

To get the 16 cents per minute rate, you need to purchase 200 pesos each time. If you purchase less, the price goes way up.

The speed of data in Mexico varies a lot. In TJ I saw speeds on a 3G network that were faster than my home WiFi. In rural areas the data network is often so slow that it will not do email.
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