| Pages:
1
2 |
desertcpl
Super Nomad
Posts: 2405
Registered: 10-26-2008
Location: yuma,az
Member Is Offline
|
|
Cell Phones
question, does any one have any experience with Verizon
we are planning on going to Mulege will be spending some time there,, and I will need my cell phone with me, business matters,
we have Verizon at this time, we will go in today and inquire about there Mexico plan,,
any one have any suggestions?
|
|
|
john68
Nomad
Posts: 207
Registered: 7-9-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
check out AT&T's Viva Mexico plan--it's very reasonable.
Our reception in Los Barriles is OK, not great.
|
|
|
MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
|
|
GO Phoning
The BEST U.S. Phone for communicating with the U.S. IF you're in the coverage area, in my opinion, is the ATT GO-Phone. Depends on usage, of course,
since the domestic per-minute charge is higher. A Flat 25 Cents per minute, U.S. or Mexico. Coverage is the key since the GO phone map for Mex and
Baja is different (less inclusive) from the other ATT plans. Check their website. A $25 card has a 90-day life after installation so monthly cost is
under $9.00 depending on usage.
When the Telcel brouhaha came up, I bought a GO-Phone as a Backup in Mex since my H2O prepaid ($.09 minute) services didn't work in Mex.
Even though all worked out with Telcel, I've been keeping the backup. It has the added advantage of being an anonymous phone and I've been using it
lately when you have to leave a number with vendors, etc. Keeps them off my regular home Landline or cell phones.
GSM (Att, etc) Trumps CDMA (Verizon) service in Mexico overall, it seems.
[Edited on 9-14-2010 by MrBillM]
|
|
|
BAJA.DESERT.RAT
Senior Nomad
Posts: 980
Registered: 11-5-2009
Location: BAJA SUR
Member Is Offline
|
|
Hola, if you're a businessperson, you must be carrying a laptop ? if so, sign up to skype and you can call from mexico for about 2 cents a minute and
you can recharge your account with a m/c.
i have good reception but occasionally, there is a blip and have used it from los barriles and points north coming and going.
i also have just a regular ATT&T account from los angeles and the reception is very good but the cost is $ 1.00 a minute. obviously, i rarely use
it and only when i can't get wifi.
BIEN SALUD, DA RAT
|
|
|
BMG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1776
Registered: 6-10-2007
Location: La Paz / Bahia Asunci�n / Away from home
Member Is Offline
|
|
I never saw a signal on our Verizon phone anywhere between Ensenada and La Paz.
I think the world is run by C- students.
|
|
|
Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
Member Is Offline
Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
|
|
My vote is for AT&T with the Viva Mexico plan.
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
|
|
|
BooJumMan
Senior Nomad
Posts: 929
Registered: 8-11-2007
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
|
|
I just bought an AT&T Go Phone before my last trip, and was stoked. I am a Verizon customer, but Verizon does not get service after Ensenada.
AT&T phone will pretty much get full service the length of Baja. I didn't hear of the Viva Mexio plan when I got mine, but I got the $25 plan and
calling from Mexico is 25 cents a minute, so thats only 100 minutes, but is good enough for me. Also the phone was only $30.
|
|
|
desertcpl
Super Nomad
Posts: 2405
Registered: 10-26-2008
Location: yuma,az
Member Is Offline
|
|
thanks
well this is what we will be doing, ATT for sure, the Mx plan.
I did go into Verizon this afternoon,, got a map up on the coverage of MX,, they do cover alot of main land around Mexico City,, but nothing at all
that I could see in Baja
thanks for the input
Ken/Jane
|
|
|
redhilltown
Super Nomad
Posts: 1130
Registered: 1-24-2009
Location: Long Beach, CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
Good decision!! Verizon sucks in Baja!!!!
|
|
|
MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
|
|
ATT GO Phone Update ?
FYI
Just bought another GO phone from Walmart for my Stepson. Same model Nokia that I had bought.
$19.95 includes $15.00 air time AND the calling (in the U.S. at least) is 10 cents per minute instead of 25. Can't say if it's different for Mex
since he'll never use it there. My existing phone still charges at the 25 cent rate even in the U.S.
HOWEVER, I also found that the "Anonymous" phone registration was no longer available. The included brochure showed the same procedure, But when I
tried it, it directed me to either Call their Customer line or sign up on the Internet. Either method REQUIRED Name and Address.
I suppose they're responding to the Hue and Cry over anonymous use and the threat that Congress is going to pass legislation.
No problem, I just made up phony information and it worked fine.
|
|
|
MitchMan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1856
Registered: 3-9-2009
Member Is Offline
|
|
Use a quad band phone and get a mexican simm or buy a Mexican cell from telcel and get the prepaid plan if you stay in one city in the baja. Calls
from that Mexican city to USA are 11 pesos for ten minute blocks and only a few pesos per minute to call a local cell or local land line. When you
buy telcel phone credit, if you pay 200 pesos, you get 260 pesos of credit.
Using a prepaid plan prevents you from getting humungous unexpected bills as opposed to having a regular phone account where you are charged for what
ever you actually use. The problem with that is that one never really knows exactly what all the various charges are as phone companies change their
rates without noticeand phone personel are seldom completely in the know on their own rates and give you bad rate info.
|
|
|
MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
|
|
Telcel Credit
Be aware that the 60 bonus pesos on Telcel 200 peso cards is LOCAL time only. I found that out when I couldn't call the U.S. and it "appeared" I had
plenty of time, but it was mostly accumulated bonus minutes.
|
|
|
capitolkat
Senior Nomad
Posts: 510
Registered: 3-9-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
I have the verizon plan. It's a US number and it rings in Mex. I used it earlier this month for several days in La Paz and folks just called my
Michigan number and it rang in La Paz. 450 per month minutes and I can call back to the states on my minutes- no extra charges. The Mexico plan covers
all of Baja as I used it between La Paz and Cabo and in Cabo at the airport just to check it. It was the best for me as no one has to pay roaming or
international charges and I didn't need a laptop or use any of the magic jack or Skype connections. 4 bars everwhere. Norm
Life is too short to drink bad wine
|
|
|
MitchMan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1856
Registered: 3-9-2009
Member Is Offline
|
|
Mr Billm is right. Bonus telcel minutes can only be used for local calls and not on long distance calls to the USA. Still a good deal, though.
|
|
|
Riom
Nomad
Posts: 492
Registered: 12-17-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by capitolkat
I have the verizon plan. It's a US number and it rings in Mex. ... The Mexico plan covers all of Baja as I used it between La Paz and Cabo and in Cabo
at the airport just to check it. |
The coverage of IUSAcell (which is Verizon and Sprint's roaming partner in Mexico) is very limited in Baja outside of a few main cities (which,
luckily, is where you were!). A list of the places covered is at
http://www.iusacell.com.mx/New_Site/411/ingles/
Rob
|
|
|
amirravon
Nomad
Posts: 127
Registered: 12-14-2008
Location: encino CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
Is anybody know how is the AT&T reception in San Jose Del Cabo marina ?
|
|
|
Riom
Nomad
Posts: 492
Registered: 12-17-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by amirravon
Is anybody know how is the AT&T reception in San Jose Del Cabo marina ? |
In Mexico, AT&T roams on Telcel, and (not AT&T prepaid) Movistar. So it's the coverage of those networks, especially Telcel, that you need.
Neither has detailed coverage maps online, but here's a Telcel coverage map from GSMworld (purple areas are claimed coverage:
Looks like they take boating coverage seriously, so you'd expect coverage in the Marina, looks good from the map.
More about using US phones in Mexico (San Felipe specific, but much of it applies to other areas):
http://www.sanfelipelife.com/post/Using-a-US-cellphone-in-Sa...
Rob
[Edited on 2010-10-16 by Riom]
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
Going to Wal-Mart now for my AT&T Go Phone and Mexico cards.
Ain't WalMart grand?
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
Riom
Nomad
Posts: 492
Registered: 12-17-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
Going to Wal-Mart now for my AT&T Go Phone and Mexico cards.
|
AT&T Go Phone includes Mexico. No separate Mexico card needed.
Rob
|
|
|
kiterkip
Nomad
Posts: 139
Registered: 10-17-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
So let me get this straight....
If I purchase a Telcel or other prepaid Mexico based phone while on my drive south (like in Loreto), will it be "local" to only Loreto?
My travel plan is to drive the Baja, and then take the ferry across to the mainland for a 4 month stay.
Would like to have the best plan for my primary destination of Manzanillo. I plan on many calls to locals in Manzanillo after my long drive south, but
would still like the security of phone service during the drive.
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
