Verizon finally brings back discount Mexico roaming packages...!!

[DandyDon]

Verizon long ago killed the old Nationwide Plus Mexico plan I used to enjoy on trips. I found it quite helpful one trip calling to book my escape in advance of Hurricane Dean, a Cat-5 that was aiming for the island. I should have canceled before I flew in, but after a couple of days of watching for it to veer off, which is didn't until the day before expected, I decided discretion is the better part of valor and tried calling my airline. The local and Mexican numbers had long hold times, and closed at night, but it was easier for me to call Continental's 800 number back in Texas, for free. Loved those 1,000 free Night minutes. The plan is grandfathered for those who have kept it, and had a history of using it for less than half the months - but no longer available.

What we can have now is a Mexico Vacation plan that is not as generous, but is easier to change to - and in some ways less costly. Start here and answer the queries to get to the explanation page International Trip Planner
but basically...

$15/month for 100 minutes, 100 texts sent, unlimited free texts received, and 100 Mb of data. Picture messaging is counted against the texts plus the data allowance and you have to have data abilities at the time. More details available at the site.

$30/month - plan not showing now but available on request - for 250 minutes, 250 texts sent, unlimited free texts received, and 250 Mb of data.

Overage charges are 10c/minute and 10c/text, so still a lot cheaper than Pay As You Go of 99c/minute and 50c/text sent plus 5c/text received. You do have to call in to request the addition, can't do it online - and you may well want to start/backdate it to the first of the billing cycle of your arrival date. You'll have to ask about overage charges on data as I don't remember and that's not showing now, but it's pricey as I recall.

Even if you don't plan on using your cell during your visit, it's a good idea in case something comes up. I do get confused on when to use how many digits dialing from my cell? It looks like I can dial 7 digits or 10 digits locally, but use 01 then 10 digits calling to another town in Mexico, or use 001 plus 10 digits calling the US? I'll have to store Mexican numbers both ways under names I suppose. The Spanish recordings I get are no help at all to me.

 

[Sloeber]

Don,

In regards to how to dial numbers in Mexico give this a read. It is confusing for me, too, but this spells it out.

Yucatan Living » Yucatan Survivor » How To Dial a Phone Number in Mexico

FWIW You can purchase a phone in Mexico for about $10 and for $13 you can get 200 minutes, 200 texts, etc. Only need to pay for the month you are here, not year round. For calling to the states I use Facetime when possible (free) or Skype if I need to call a cell or landline and for about $5 I get a ton of minutes. I put $5 into Skype in January and still have $4.50 credit on it.

---------- Post added May 14th, 2015 at 03:01 PM ----------

Also At&T purchased a cell carrier in Mexico. I believe calling between Mexico and USA is now considered a domestic call on the AT&T package. If it isn't yet, it will be very soon. I've heard t-mobile works here as well but I have no experience with it.

 

[dberry]

What an opportune post! Dealing with the cell phone was near the top of to-do list for Coz in June. For my last couple of international trips I've bought a nano-SIM for my iPhone from local phone companies (Vodaphone, etc.) Although it gives the phone a new #, this does let me keep using my familiar e-buddy while traveling, and with a little data plan I can keep messaging and using FaceTime with family back home. I know this works for Verizon iPhones (which are unlocked), as long as the local cell network uses one of the frequencies the phone can access. I'm not sure if other US cell companies (AT&T, etc.) sell unlocked phones.

Has anyone used a local SIM in an iPhone in Cozumel or anywhere in Mexico? Any recommendations where to buy one in Coz or for a vendor, if there is a choice of cell companies? Okay, I'll admit it: maybe I can live without calls and emails, but I'm really addicted to having GoogleMaps, GPS, and Yelp while exploring a new city or country. Plus I can keep up with SB during SIs on the beach

 

[DandyDon]

Oh, Skype is a great option - been using that for years. I enroll in the $2.99/month Unlimited US & Canada calling plan before I leave, then call the US as much as I want for free, cancel it when I get home. It's kinda nice to keep the same cell phone with the same phone book for the visit tho. It's good that there are so many good options now. Competition works.

 

[Sloeber]

Has anyone used a local SIM in an iPhone in Cozumel or anywhere in Mexico? Any recommendations where to buy one in Coz or for a vendor, if there is a choice of cell companies? Okay, I'll admit it: maybe I can live without calls and emails, but I'm really addicted to having GoogleMaps, GPS, and Yelp while exploring a new city or country. Plus I can keep up with SB during SIs on the beach

First, yes any unlocked iPhone can get a local SIM. I picked up my SIM for my t-mobile iPhone in Matuala in central Mexico but use it in Cozumel. A SIM costs 150 peso ($10) and comes with some minutes and texting and a small amount of data. You can get this SIM card at any TelCel location, which are plentiful. If you do not speak Spanish you should use the TelCel corporate store located on the transversal and one block east of avenue 30. You can than add to that SIM at any TelCel location, or even more conveniently at Oxxo (7-Eleven equivalent).

Second, nearly every restaurant, bar, and hotel has wifi here. If you just need access to data, you don't need a SIM card, just use the wifi which is everywhere.

As for using the SIM to access the internet around the island - it's very spotty. We have 3G and 4G here, but it greatly varies and anywhere on the east or south is without cell coverage at all.

Also, when purchasing minutes for your phone, it comes with unlimited data for Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp.

---------- Post added May 14th, 2015 at 03:53 PM ----------

Oh, Skype is a great option - been using that for years. I enroll in the $2.99/month Unlimited US & Canada calling plan before I leave, then call the US as much as I want for free, cancel it when I get home. It's kinda nice to keep the same cell phone with the same phone book for the visit tho. It's good that there are so many good options now. Competition works.

You can save phone numbers to the SIM card and keep the numbers you want, swapping the SIM to whatever phone you are using and still have access to your phone book.

 

[DandyDon]

Of course I am limited by my antique phone. I just want to talk & text whenever I want to, but am fine turning it off. It is water resistant to 3 feet and has a slot for a wrist strap, small enough to fit in an old Sealife camera canister, so I could take it diving - then take it out on the surface to call for help if needed, being careful to not drop it. With GPS tracking enabled, all I'd need is someone who could speak English on the other end.

I own a PLB tho, so I take it diving instead. I am known to call home from surface intervals - and it might be handy in an emergency.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

have an iPhone 6 from Verizon's Mexico 100 minutes plan which is good for calls to or from Mexico. I think pay about $10 per month. In Cozumel it connects through the Tel Cel network and I get good reception from The Melia in the north to Playa Palancar to the South, and almost to Mescalitos on the East Side, but nothing south of Mescalitos.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[dberry]

have an iPhone 6 from Verizon's Mexico 100 minutes plan which is good for calls to or from Mexico. I think pay about $10 per month. In Cozumel it connects through the Tel Cel network and I get good reception from The Melia in the north to Playa Palancar to the South, and almost to Mescalitos on the East Side, but nothing south of Mescalitos.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

Thanks, Dave, that's great news. I suppose they'll charge more for a "pay as you go" plan on a SIM, but that's fine as long as the coverage is decent. Any idea what they charge for a 1GB data plan?

 

[KSUDiver]

Just wanted to add my $0.02. Hubs and I both did the $15/month Verizon plan in March, as we were arriving/departing on slightly different days (long story) and wanted to be able to keep in touch without breaking the bank. It worked great except for two things:

1. The wifi signal we were using in the condo was weak, and there were times it dropped off and his iphone would update emails and whatnot using the network, which burned through his data allowance. Verizon just tacked on another chunk of data at $10 a pop when this happened. Annoying, but not a huge deal.

2. My dumb self forgot to call and cancel the plan after we both got home (insert giant eyeroll here) so we got charged for an extra month. However when I finally remembered to call Verizon I explained what happened and they actually took most of the extra charges back off the bill, which I didn't expect since it was my mistake.

Ultimately we're looking at getting a couple of cheapie phones to do the SIM card thing with, but until then I would definitely do the Verizon plan again.

 

[dberry]

Ultimately we're looking at getting a couple of cheapie phones to do the SIM card thing with, but until then I would definitely do the Verizon plan again.

This is a great, inexpensive option to explore when traveling (if your main phone is "locked" to a US carrier.) Before I had an unlocked iPhone that would work with SIMs in different countries we bought two cheap, used flip-phones on eBay for $10-20, including chargers. The batteries may be past their prime, but who cares if you need to charge it every night for the week you're using it? We used them in several EU countries, and my kids have traveled with them in the middle east. The SIMs are usually only good for 1 country, and they can expire, but having a pair of simple phones gave us a cheap way to call and text locally, or make a long distance call in an emergency. Just confirm the phone(s) you buy are the correct band(s) to work in the countries you're visiting.

The ONLY issue has been dealing with "charging up" the SIM with more $ or EU is when you have to key in responses to telephone prompts given in a language you don't understand (this was particularly complicated in Italy for some reason.) SIMS can be sold at a million little shops and newsstands. Some vendors will go out of their way to help you activate the SIM after you buy the card with the code for the minutes, while others just shrug and watch you struggle. (We resorted to asking a waitresses at lunch.)