phones in cozumel ?

[ccannon707]

The local cell phone topic is always a good one. I have one and have done research as well as had conversations with others - this is the info I have gleaned.

I bought a sweet little uncomplicated Nokia phone with Telcel service in Coz in 2008 for around $30. Very very handy to have to make calls and (especially for me) for local people to call you. It also has a currency converter, calculator and a timer/alarm - things I use. There is no plan, it is a pay as you go phone.

Ostensibly due to the drug dealer issue you do have to register it with your passport. Easy to do at any Telcel office. I asked at a local Telcel office and my bad Spanish understood this: You have to add airtime (I think of this as adding minutes) every 2 months (60 days) or you will lose any airtime credit that is on the phone. The phone will give you the next date when you add minutes. You can get that info + how much airtime you have (in pesos) with a code you punch in. I still don't know what the minute to peso rate is. I do know many locals text instead of talk because it is so much cheaper.

You have to use the phone at least every 6 months or you will lose the number... this is still unclear. Conflicting info: by registered your cellphone your phone # is now yours for life and could be reactivated. Maybe you don't lose your number but it is frozen and you have to go thru a re-activation process.

As Telcel is affiliated with ATT, if you fire up your Mexican phone in the states it will connect, so that is easy to deal with. Make one quick call and you're done. I call my home # by dialing 1- area code-phone#. I also share my phone with another Coz traveler, so it gets used. It sucks up airtime at a very expensive/fast rate in the states, so I don't use it there other than for this.

Buying minutes, aka replenishing air time, can be more difficult for some. I live in an area with a sizable Mexican population and found a store that can add airtime to my phone. I don't need to bring the phone, I just give them the number, $10 and bingo: Telcel sends me a msg that I have more airtime. $5 a month is not bad and I end up using the credit once I am in Mexico. Any yes, the phone works all over Mexico where Telcel is, not just in Coz. I've used mine in Playa, Cancun, Merida, Mahahual and Cabo San Lucas.

Your replenish question prompted me to go back to the internet and find out if I can add airtime this way. This has been a major point of discussion on another board with no clear answers. And I think I have found at least one. Caveat: I haven't used it yet, I just found it. They seem to charge 99 cents for the service. But it's the first one I've found. When I have used it successfully I will report back. Or if anyone else does let us know.

International Cellular

Hope this helps. Anyone with additional info please chime in.

 

[ccannon707]

On the original question of using your US phone in Mexico: call your phone service provider and ask about all charges including their overseas plans. There are roaming charges as well as minutes charges. Both charges can get out of hand very quickly. ATT has a plan you can buy temporarily for your trip that fixes the roaming cost (under $10) and lowers the cost of minutes. I'm sure Verizon has something similar. Personally I don't use the plan. I use Skype for an extensive call home or make a very quick (under 3 minutes @ $1/min) call on my American cell. I've also used my Mex cell to call home and that works too. People can call you on your American cell and it will work, but again it will be an expensive call on both ends with the %@&* roaming charges.

Really, I'm not a cell phone yakker, but over the years these things have come up.

 

[njones259]

Thanks for the good info.

 

[tridacna]

You have to use the phone at least every 6 months or you will lose the number... this is still unclear.

After 6 months of non-use, you will lose the number. No ifs or buts. And you will lose any balance remaining on the card.

I travel extensively. I have pay as you go phones in 8 countries. I leave the SIM cards with friends/colleagues in each country and each makes a call with it every month to keep it alive. I retrieve the SIM when I get there. You cannot do this from the USA. Those calls don't count and would kill the balance in a minute or so.

 

[Airleron]

I have Verizon, and we add international to Mexico for the week we are in Coz. We only take 1 phone between us. It adds about $30 to our bill at the end of the month, BUT you must call them and remove the service when you get back

 

[willmann_nc]

Cell phones don't work in Cozumel... that's what I tell my employer and they believe it.

Cheers!

 

[azscubadude]

I have Verizon, and we add international to Mexico for the week we are in Coz. We only take 1 phone between us. It adds about $30 to our bill at the end of the month, BUT you must call them and remove the service when you get back

I have Verizon and don't add any international calling plan and the roaming charges are 99 cents a minute. I don't use my phone much while down there but one time left my laptop at home and to confirm my outgoing flight (and being on hold by the airlines before I got an operator) it cost me about $11.00 for the call.

As was mentioned earlier, if you have a new Verizon iPhone (which I just got) make SURE you turn off "cellular data" and "data roaming" before you land in CZM. Turning the phone to Airplane Mode will cut off everything so you won't be able to make a call even if you want to. If you turn on the phone (off Airplane Mode) to make a call you will be activating the cellular data and data roaming.. and will get roaming charges on both if you forget to turn it back on to Airplane Mode.

Path on the Vz-iPhone to turn off settings is.. got to Settings / General / Network / Cellular Data (turn off) / Data Roaming (turn off). Leave your WiFi on.

You can still use your cell phone to make calls with the above settings off like normal and will be charged roaming charges for your call, but you won't be able to go on the internet or check your email unless you are near a WiFi hotspot. But you also won't be charged stiff roaming charges for the whole week you are there while the phone is constantly hunting for your email and data links if you are away from the WiFi hotspot like it normally does using the Vz 3G Network when you are in the states.

This is all per the tech at Verizon.

Hope this isn't to confusing.

 

[DandyDon]

I turn off my cellphone when they tell me to on the plane in Houston before we take off for Cozumel, and it stays off until we land in Houston on the way back.

I used to. Now I turn it on for the alarm clock, then off. Family knows where I am if needed and Skype is so cool.

BTW, if you want to call home a lot, get the $2.99/month (virtually) unlimited US & Canada calling plan, then call home up to 40 Hours/week for free. I can't see anyone doing that much, but if you want to call home for more than 2 hours total, covered...!

I have Verizon, and we add international to Mexico for the week we are in Coz. We only take 1 phone between us. It adds about $30 to our bill at the end of the month, BUT you must call them and remove the service when you get back

So how much do you use it for $30 - minutes, texts, data?

I have Verizon and don't add any international calling plan and the roaming charges are 99 cents a minute.

That's not what I was told but then I haven't tested it.

I don't use my phone much while down there but one time left my laptop at home and to confirm my outgoing flight (and being on hold by the airlines before I got an operator) it cost me about $11.00 for the call.

Next time call the US number.

As was mentioned earlier, if you have a new Verizon iPhone (which I just got) make SURE you turn off "cellular data" and "data roaming" before you land in CZM. Turning the phone to Airplane Mode will cut off everything so you won't be able to make a call even if you want to. If you turn on the phone (off Airplane Mode) to make a call you will be activating the cellular data and data roaming.. and will get roaming charges on both if you forget to turn it back on to Airplane Mode.

Path on the Vz-iPhone to turn off settings is.. got to Settings / General / Network / Cellular Data (turn off) / Data Roaming (turn off). Leave your WiFi on.

You can still use your cell phone to make calls with the above settings off like normal and will be charged roaming charges for your call, but you won't be able to go on the internet or check your email unless you are near a WiFi hotspot. But you also won't be charged stiff roaming charges for the whole week you are there while the phone is constantly hunting for your email and data links if you are away from the WiFi hotspot like it normally does using the Vz 3G Network when you are in the states.

This is all per the tech at Verizon.

Hope this isn't to confusing.

Actually, I am confused, but don't feel up to calling Verizon. Still interested tho.

Did the thread originator ever say which carrier he uses?

 

[Grover48]

I have AT&T service. When I get ready to go to Mexico, I activate the International Calling Plan for Mexico. The price is $5.00 per month, pro rated. The per minute charge is $.59. I turn off the data plan but leave the WiFi working. I can send and receive emails. Calls are kept short so a not to have a huge bill. I call AT&T when I get home and turn off the service. YMMV

 

[azscubadude]

Actually, I am confused, but don't feel up to calling Verizon. Still interested tho.

Don.. on the iPhone (and other Smart Phones) there are 3 modes.

1. Cell phone to make calls
2. Data - to get email, internet and any auto update Apps (like stock listings, etc).
3. WiFi - same as Data but through WiFi

I am sure you knew the above but broke it down anyway.

When in CZM you don't get any roaming charges on #1 above if you don't make a call.

When in CZM you don't get any roaming charges on #3 above because WiFi is free at a WiFi hotspots or hotel you are staying.

#2 above. When in CZM if you have any Apps on your phone that auto update (I think Verizon calls it Push), like stock market quotes, GPS, mapping, email and all other programs that normally work on the Verizon 3G network while you are moving around and update automatically (a lot of programs do this).. this is where the Data Roaming charges will cost you a ton because they roam and update 24/7 as long as your phone is on.

Example.. Like GPS, if you walk from your hotel room to the restaurant, data Pushes info to your phone so as soon as you look at it the info is there, already pushed (updated) to your phone. Go back to your room and it tracks you. This is data roaming and costs nothing in the USA but a ton if outside the USA cause it runs 24/7.

This is what you have to turn off using my first post. The phone (for calling) and WiFi can remain on all the time and no charges apply unless you make a call.

But.. if you are in a WiFi hotspot and logged into a WiFi network all apps will update through WiFi but will quit updating as soon as you are out of the range of the hotspot. WiFi takes precedence over Data Roaming because it is faster.

Hope this clarifies my first post.