Where does your cell phone work?

[sumguy]

I'll be traveling to Grand Cayman next January, and might be switching cell phones between now and then. I was just wondering which is the best for travelling the Caribbean, and elsewhere. What kind of experiences has everyone had? My only international trip was to Puerto Aventuras, Mexico. I got very spotty service; was only able to make about 1 call in 6, with my AT&T/Nokia 8260. (TDMA and analog)

 

[chuckrt]

I was told by Verizon that outside USA and Canada you will need a different type of phone. The Caribbean uses Europeean freq? or tech.? so you would need a worldwide phone system or satelite system. If this is not the case then I hope someone else replies for you.

chuck

 

[Spectre]

Originally posted by chuckrt
I was told by Verizon that outside USA and Canada you will need a different type of phone.

Yes. They talk about "tri-mode" phones in the US, which is Analog, Digital, and PCS. What Europe uses is GSM, and that's what many countries are on.

I know Nextel has a cell phone that also does GSM and you can get the international rate plans.

Now I don't know any off the top of my head, but I do know there are places you can actually rent international cell phones, or even satellite phones...

 

[Rockhound]

Nextel does have Internationally capable phones (my brother uses one). Some of the newer cellular carriers (Verizon?) are building cell networks using the superior European system. I would not be surprised if some of their phones would work overseas, as well.

Oddly enough, I have used my phone (Cingular, Tri-Mode) from more than 110 miles offshore in the Gulf....but in US Federal (OCS) waters. Offshore cellular service is available throughout the Central and Western Gulf, wherever rig towers have been set up. It's kinda neat, sometimes, to call the wife and give her an update on my latest dive......

Well, more often than not, it makes her mad. But, it always seems like a good idea at the time.......

 

[Tavi]

When I go on vacation my cell phone stays home!!!

However, I have a freind who went to China a few years ago. He had Cellular One as a provider, which is now Cingular (I don't know what brand of phone he had). He said he had to have International calling enabled on his phone before leaving. He called me several times from Hong Kong.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

According to the Cable & Wireless website, "Phones that are compatibe with 800MHz Analogue or TDMA digital networks can roam in the Cayman Islands. Customers using credit card roaming services cannot receive calls."

Cayman is usually quite user friendly for Americans visiting. Despite the British status of Cayman, electrical service is identical to US standards as are TV and other communication equipment.

 

[detroit diver]

I used my son's TDMA phone on Cayman. The service was very spotty. BTW, he's got Cingular service. On Nevis it was operational, but useless due to the service. St. Croix was better, depending on where you were on the island. I'm going to Anguilla next month, and if I remember I'll let you know if it worked there and on St. Martin!

Tavi, FYI, in my area, Cellular One turned into Verizon Wireless, not Cingular.

 

[King Kong Matt]

To the best of my knowledge, Voicestream is the only GSM provider in the States. I have it and it works fine. You can get a tri-mode GSM phone which in GSM lingo refers to 900, 1800 (European frequencies) and 1900 (US frequency). The GSM tri-mode will work most anywhere in the world...

Hope that helps.

 

[detroit diver]

Originally posted by mshieldsdunn
To the best of my knowledge, Voicestream is the only GSM provider in the States. I have it and it works fine. You can get a tri-mode GSM phone which in GSM lingo refers to 900, 1800 (European frequencies) and 1900 (US frequency). The GSM tri-mode will work most anywhere in the world...

Hope that helps.

Except in the Caribbean.

Cable and Worthless (wireless) uses only TDMA, according to them. And they hold the monopoly in the Caribbean.

 

[Tavi]

Originally posted by detroit diver


Tavi, FYI, in my area, Cellular One turned into Verizon Wireless, not Cingular.

Interesting, Here Verizon and Cingular are in competition.

For a while here they were all changing names so fast, we could hardly keep track.