Taking Verizon phone with me, any advice?

[Texasguy]

Well, I'll be on the island for 2 weeks, will need some sort of cell service. In US I have a Verizon phone. I can take it with me. First, I can use it to call through wi-fi for free or use it roaming for probably as much as $1/min.

Is there a cheap way of getting some local calling on a cell? Say, I can still buy some cheapo cell that takes regular SIMs, is there a way on the island to get a pre-paid SIM or get some local service for a few weeks?

Anyway, any advice?

 

[Mossman]

Verizon Wireless has "Nationwide plus Mexico" plans. You maybe be able to switch over before you go, then switch back when you get home. They're usually good about prorating the costs.

 

[modustollens]

When I travel I just buy a local sim and some prepaid air time. Usually cheaper than paying for roaming charges. One time when I got off the plane the stewardess handed out free sims for the local country (this had happened flying into Thailand on Etihad).

Just be sure you don't end up a victim of this sort of ridiculousness:

What would you do with a $200K cellphone bill? - Your Community

MT

 

[Fin59]

Call Verizon and have them change you to a Nationwide + Mexico plan. We make our rate plan change effective the day after arrival since we don't usually need it that day. When we get back to Houston we call and change back to our normal rate plan with the effective day that day if we haven't used it before we left Cozumel that day. Your minutes will be pro rated for the time you have the rate plan. It's .05 to receive text and .50 to send while in Cozumel. Also, know that sending pics while in Cozumel will use data which can get expensive, but you can get a global data plan. If you don't, make sure you turn off your Gloabal Data Roaming Access and just use the free wi-fi at your hotel. Friends and Family does not work while in Mexico so any calls you make will use minutes.

We've done the Nationwide + Mexico 1350 minutes while there which works out to about 360 minutes for 8 days. It cost us about $22.

 

[kixy1]

Just got back from Coz, and we have Verizon.... What Fin59 said.

Call and they will switch you, they set up cancellation after 2 weeks at the same time so I didn't have to call back. Only thing to understand is TURN OFF the data and don't OPEN texts. There's no text plan available, they will all cost you. However, if you don't open them until you get back to the states you won't be charged. Data is really $$$, but almost everywhere has wifi (printed on the menus or posted somewhere) so you'll still be able to connect.

We made a bunch of calls home and even more to Mexican numbers...no problems, no charge. Only bummer was friends with Mexican numbers couldn't call us. Our US numbers would have been too expensive, but they just emailed or IM'd through Facebook. It all worked out.

 

[Lorenzoid]

As typical American owners of locked phones, my wife and I finally bought a cheap GSM multi-band phone in another country--unlocked, of course, as that's the way they are in most countries outside the US. It's not a smartphone, but it was cheap, and it's a good enough phone. Now, when we travel outside the US, we just buy a local prepaid SIM card and pop it in that phone.

If your main concern is calling to and from the US, then there may be better options. Sounds like Verizon's Nationwide+Mexico plan would be ideal.

 

[cvchief]

Why is it when I am in Mexico, all kind of people that never text me decide to start?

 

[kelemvor]

If you have a VZ phone that uses a sim card you can generally call and get them to unlock it for you after having been with them for 6 months or more. The US+Mexico plan is probably simpler though.

 

[Carlos Diver]

I also have Verizon and the texting is my concern. I dont make a lot of calls, but I text a ton. Does the US plus Mexico plan give me unlimited texting while in Mexico? Ill just use the hotel wifi to load pics and read news.

 

[kelemvor]

If it's a smartphone, another option might be to use an app like textplus. They send text messages over data and will definitely work with wifi. My daughter used to use it on her regular iPod before I got her a cell phone. Skype will let you do phone/text/video calls over wifi as well. There's probably many other options for texting over wifi.