philodog
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Re-using last years Telcel phone
Since I couldn`t recharge my minutes while back in the US my Telcel SIM became invalid. In the past I`ve gone to the main Telcel office in La Paz with
my passport and done the "correct" way of restarting the phone. But I heard you can go to any Telcel shop and they can do it. Is this possible/legal?
Any advice?
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dasubergeek
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It's perfectly legal... all they do is call customer service in the DF.
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nandopedal
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I just reactivated a phone but it was with Movistar and had to buy a new SIM card 160 pesos and included credit for 100 pesos of air time so basically
the card was only 60 pesos, don't know if its the same with telcel.
\"There are many dangers in Baja. The most serious of which is not going.\" Christophe Noel (EXPO)
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tripledigitken
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I've had a telcel phone for 5 years, for yearly visits of a week or two.
The cost for the sim card was minimal. Sometimes they ask to see a passport, fyi.
I have done it at telcel offices in Santa Rosalia, Loreto and Rosarito Beach. RB being my favorite as I'm good to go right away heading south.
Ken
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bajabuddha
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I use the Banda Ancha PC stick for internet, and it has a basic Telcel phone chip inside of it. After almost 5 months of non-service, i just took my
'number' written down (it's a Telcel phone # that runs the chip) to a Telcel store, gave 'em $500 pesos, and bingo, back in business, no questions
asked. I'm sure (most) phones work the same way if you're paying by the month or minutes of use. Try it, if not, buy a new one (don't forget your
passport, but i didn't have to show mine to renew).
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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estebanis
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Recharge Online!
I send a recharge online to keep mine alive. I also am able to help my friends by sending a little "Saldo" to their phones.
eztop.com
Esteban
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philodog
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Is there a way to recharge online? I was told it is not possible.
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dasubergeek
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I just did it yesterday. Go to https://www.mitelcel.com/mitelcel/login and get an account, then make sure you choose ESTADOS UNIDOS for your country (unless you have a MX card).
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Mulegena
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Certainly you can use your Telcel pay-as-you-go phone, even if the minutes have expired.
You can register the phone while you are in the US with an online site like eztop or zango and recharge it before you cross into Mexico.
Another alternative is to stop at a Pemex gas station or Oxxo store, or many other store, too, and buy a "tarjeta de saldo por Telcel'' (Telcel
minutes card) card from the cashier, follow the simple written directions on the card and re-up your "saldo" If you're uncomfortable reading Spanish
just smile and ask the cashier to help, no worries.
btw, did you know you can select English as the written and spoken language on your Telcel phone?
[Edited on 10-5-2013 by Mulegena]
"Raise your words, not your voice. It's rain that grows flowers, not thunder." ~Rumi
"It's the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." ~ Aristotle
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Riom
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| Quote: | Originally posted by philodog
Is there a way to recharge online? I was told it is not possible. |
If you have a Bancomer peso account with online access Telcel Amigo can be recharged from there.
Apart from the Mi Telcel site mentioned above there are also third party resellers that can recharge online , babblebug.com is one I've used in the
past (others available include ezetop.com). The phone doesn't have to be in Mexico (or even switched on) during the recharge.
When you add at least 100 pesos to the account you have up to 60 days to add more to keep the balance. I usually 100 pesos online (from the Bancomer
account, now) about every 50 days, so there's a good balance when I get back to Mexico.
Rob
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dasubergeek
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Mulegena
Certainly you can use your Telcel pay-as-you-go phone, even if the minutes have expired.
You can register the phone while you are in the US with an online site like eztop or zango and recharge it before you cross into Mexico.
Another alternative is to stop at a Pemex gas station or Oxxo store, or many other store, too, and buy a "tarjeta de saldo por Telcel'' (Telcel
minutes card) card from the cashier, follow the simple written directions on the card and re-up your "saldo" If you're uncomfortable reading Spanish
just smile and ask the cashier to help, no worries.
btw, did you know you can select English as the written and spoken language on your Telcel phone?
[Edited on 10-5-2013 by Mulegena] |
This may be a border-area thing, but the Oxxos, 7-Elevens, etc. no longer sell tarjetas de saldo (actual physical cards with codes you dial). It's all
electronic. You go up to the counter and say, "Dame una recarga Telcel de ____ pesos, por favor" and you pay. Then they open up a screen and ask you
for your phone number twice. You get a text message before you leave the store with the confirmation. When I asked for a card, they stared at me.
In Southern California, there are thousands of places to do a Telcel replenishment, but the prices are not very good, even taking into account any
foreign transaction fees on your credit card for doing it online via mitelcel.
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msteve1014
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How long will the sim card stay active if you do not add $ to the account? I would like to keep the same phone #, but not add $ every 60 days,
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Baja Bucko
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I have a Mexican Telcel phone used only in Baja California. When I am headed across into Mexico, I stop at Baja Cactus hotel in ER and they "charge"
up minutes for me...maybe 200 pesos for LOTS.
After abt 6 wks if I have used them all I have the Telcel place in San Ignacio do the same for me. I eventually go north to earn more money so I can
return. From late April often into 1st wk in Nov, my Telcel is unused in the US. I have never had any kind of problem getting it started up each and
every trip south.
If you have a bunch of minutes they are lost if not used in 6 months or something but going down 2X a year has never affected my phone ownership or
accessibility. Since I purchased my phone in San Ignacio I have a 615 area code which suits me fine since that is the area I spend much of my time.
WHERE you purchased also affects costs of calls depending on other area codes ie 616 etc.
My other 4WD is a Baja Mule!
La Mula Mil Survivor 2013-2014!
1000 miles by mule from the tip to Tecate!
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unbob
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| Quote: | Originally posted by msteve1014
How long will the sim card stay active if you do not add $ to the account? I would like to keep the same phone #, but not add $ every 60 days,
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My Telcel phone has stayed active now for almost 3 years even though it is unused while I'm in the US for 7
months of every year. I have let any (small) remaining balance expire so there's a zero balance and the SIM has stayed active allowing me to retain my
phone number.
When I return to Baja on my annual 5-month trip, I simply stop at a Telcel store and add pesos to my account to continue using my phone with the same
number. No problema!
"I'm too young to be this old!"
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msteve1014
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Thanks guys, I'm not worried about losing the time. I just want it to be easy to recharge when I return. Question answered, thanks.
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