Iflyfish
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cell phones in Mexico
We plan to be in Mexico for a couple of months and want to purchase a cell phone to use in Baja and the mainland.
What phone have you purchased and how?
Is there a phone that covers the entire Baja?
Thanks amigos,
Iflyfish
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Diver
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The only phone that covers all of Baja is a satellite phone. You can rent them for your trip.
For cell, most use Telcel phones. Look for the blue Telcel signs anywhere south of the border. You can buy a cheap phone with as many prepaid minutes
as you like. You then buy cards almost anywhere to add minutes when you run low. Next trip when you add more minutes, your phone is reactivated.
They only work near towns for the most part, at least south of San Quinton.
In Mulege for example, the service stops about 1 mile south of the Pemex so almost all of conception is without service.
We have a Telcel phone we got a few years ago. We also bring two VHF handhelds with a booster antenna (we have a small boat), two small handhelds to
keep track of each other at times and a CB in the truck.
I can't justify the satellite phone expense and I really don't want to be THAT connected anyway !!
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Bruce R Leech
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Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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the tellcell is the one with the biggest coverage and best service .
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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FARASHA
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dos telcell also provide textmessages?(sms). When I was there I couldn't use this feature. I used a local cellphone from a friend, and was told this
does not work in BC, or at least not with telcell.!
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BajaWarrior
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Tel Cel has good service. If you want to avoid the service contract in Mexico there is another way stateside.
I have a Cingular North America plan. All of Mexico, U.S., and Canada. $64 dollars monthly, 600 minutes anytime with rollover. Its not cheaper than
Mexican Tel Cel service, but for me, it's easier with a U.S. bill that comes to my house. It roams on Tel Cel and Mexico 030 systems. Their coverage
map states service where ever Tel Cel has service, including the Mainland.
Perhaps there is some Nomads further south than I in San Felipe that has success with their service that can chime in. I'd like to know too how well
and how far the service goes.
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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jorgie
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AT&T will get you a no roaming charge unit which will connect as a local call in USA and Canada will also connect to telcell in Baja but the cost
is high but, if you need it , you need it. Hand held VHF is a good idea as is CB. Jack Sword put up a very good post that gave the frequencies for the
channels. The AT&T unit can be reduced after the trip to emergencies rate which is nominal then you can reactivate to no roaming charge for your
trip to Quenell........
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Iflyfish
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Hose A
What a generous offer. It would be a pleasure to meet you and to both find phones and eat some of those delicious fish tacos!!!!
Thank you.
I will contact you u2u.
Thanks to other Nomads also for this very helpful information.
I am not familiar with VHF handhelds. Shari asked us if we had one. Any info on this would be appreciated. Is this an option for a cell phone? My
intention is to have the phone only to call an insurance agent if necessary. My purpose is emergency use only.
I love this site!!!
Ilfyfish
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Diver
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VHF are marine band radios.
They are used by boaters and by many other people for local communications.
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Iflyfish
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Thanks Diver. I will google them. Are they expensive?
Iflyfish
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Diver
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You can get 5 watt handhelds from about $100 and up each.
You want the higher power units with adjustable output.
Try pasting this site for a sample of what's available;
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SiteSear...
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jerry
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cingular world will work in a lot of places in bajasur if you allreaddy have cingular it costs $4.99 a month you get a discount rate of $.59 a minuite
insted of $.99 calling out of mexico and $.09 from the states to mexico i just got the paperwork make sure you check my first time they charger me
$i.49 a minuite
the north american plan was only offered for a short time if you got it never give it up its a steal
jerry and judi
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beachbum1A
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Diver
VHF are marine band radios.
They are used by boaters and by many other people for local communications. |
But remember that the VHS radio is for marine use only and at least in the US, againt the law to use them on land.
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Iflyfish
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I notice referance to VHS and VHF. What is the difference?
Thanks,
Iflyfish
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Bob and Susan
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VHS comes with a TV screen
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JZ
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I have the Cingular NA plan. Super cheap.
But if you are in MX for an extended period of time a US based cell doesn't make any sense. It will cost locals too much to call you (long distance
for them), and cost you a ton to make calls. You are gonna want a Telcel Mexican phone.
One trick a lot of people use is to combine Skype (or Vonage) with the Mexican cell. You can use Skype to have a US based number. When you are out
of the house have calls to your Skype number forwarded to your Mexican cell. That way locals can call you on your Mexican cell directly and people
from the US can call your US based Skype number which gets forwarded to your cell. Recently, Telcel elimated the charge to receive incoming
international calls so this trick is even better now.
It is VHF; VHS is a typo.
[Edited on 12-9-2006 by JZ]
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Bob and Susan
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hey jz
think that would work with a vonage phone?
let's say i get a mexican cell...
someone calls my number in the the USA (vonage)
would I get reception on that cell phone???
they are using repeters here in Conception now like they do in San Felipe.
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JZ
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What you state works with Skype.
I'm not that familar with Vonage, but would be surprised if they didn't have call forwarding capability. If they do, I think it would work.
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Cypress
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About those Satellite Phones. If you just happen to drop one those $1,000+ high tech pieces of work and it goes funky? Who you gonna call?  
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oladulce
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Cell phones in our part of Baja Sur (Pta. Pequeña)are pretty much useless. 99% of the time reception is nada, nada,limonada.
To paraphrase a comment of yours about 4wd, Cypress:
"Satellite phone necessary? Not unless you need it. "
I'm glad we have one for emergencies but I agree, it's a bummer that everything seems to cost more out in the boonies. Although, the day they install
a repeater anywhere near us could be the sign that it's time to move on.
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Cypress
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oladuce!! You've made your point.
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