# Hola!



## martyshirley (Apr 28, 2012)

Hi, my wife and I stumbled across the forum today and registered immediately. What a great site! We are moving to the Lake Chapala area in July and are hoping to get lots of good advice.

For starters, we have heard that we should buy our cell phones in the States before we move and have someone install a simm card when we get there. We plan to use our phones very little and will probably use prepaid minutes. Any suggestions on what we should buy and how we can use them as soon as we cross the border?

Thanks!

Marty


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

martyshirley said:


> Hi, my wife and I stumbled across the forum today and registered immediately. What a great site! We are moving to the Lake Chapala area in July and are hoping to get lots of good advice.
> 
> For starters, we have heard that we should buy our cell phones in the States before we move and have someone install a simm card when we get there. We plan to use our phones very little and will probably use prepaid minutes. Any suggestions on what we should buy and how we can use them as soon as we cross the border?
> 
> ...


Why not buy a cell phone once you're in Mexico?


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

*Cel phones*



martyshirley said:


> Hi, my wife and I stumbled across the forum today and registered immediately. What a great site! We are moving to the Lake Chapala area in July and are hoping to get lots of good advice.
> 
> For starters, we have heard that we should buy our cell phones in the States before we move and have someone install a simm card when we get there. We plan to use our phones very little and will probably use prepaid minutes. Any suggestions on what we should buy and how we can use them as soon as we cross the border?
> 
> ...


It will have to be unblocked by Telcel or a pirateer [from about $300 to $400.00 pesos, hard to find without decent Spanish] before the phone will work in Mexico. US and Canadian cell phones have a coded country area embedded and your Tercel card will just hang.


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## martyshirley (Apr 28, 2012)

We would like to have one for the drive through Mexico.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

*Telcel*



martyshirley said:


> We would like to have one for the drive through Mexico.


Just simply stop at any Walmart or Telcel distributor and buy their $300.00 peso phone which includes $100.00 pesos of time and a "chip" with a local # and at the same time buy a $500.00 peso air time and they will give you $1500.00 pesos because it is your first time. The people at telcel will set it up with voice mail. You have to give them an address, can be anything and anywhere inside Mexico. When you use up that time go buy another phone in your town or if you like keep the one you bought at the border and it will cost less, local calls or get your NOB phone unblocked and buy a $150.00 peos Telcel "chip" [local #] as they are called here and start over again.


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## Grizzy (Nov 8, 2010)

Welcome the forum and to the neighborhood! I acquired a second hand moviestar phone here after I moved. One day on a whim I took out the sim card and put it into my old nokia from Canada and it works fine. If you want one to use on the drive down you could bring any old cell phones you already have and try buying a telmex or moviestar sim card or phone after you cross the border. I had been using the 7/11 prepaid phone (Speakeasy) and was told the US 7/11 prepay phones were unlocked as well.
I also had a US ATT iPhone that worked all the way to Lake Chapala, albeit pricey minute charges but it was there in case of an emergency. 

Enjoy the packing!


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## RPBHaas (Dec 21, 2011)

martyshirley said:


> We would like to have one for the drive through Mexico.


Welcome to the Forum! There are 4 major cell phone companies in Mexico, Telcel, Nextel, Movistar and IUSAcell in order from largest to smallest. Telcel, owned by Carlos Slim, has by far the largest market shareand the best coverage. You can obtain a prepaid Telcel phone with 100 pesos of "saldo", credit, at the first OXXO or 7-Eleven you see. An entry level phone will cost you no more than 150 pesos and comes with saldo. My USA iPhone has been sitting in a drawer unused for a long time.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

I'm not sure why the 500 pesos of air time was suggested. The 100 peso that comes with the 300 peso phone will last the trip down. You will want to get a local # when you get where you are going. Caution with prepaid minutes .... if you don't use the phone for two months you'll need to add more $ to reactivate

And Telcel has by far the best coverage


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

sparks said:


> I'm not sure why the 500 pesos of air time was suggested. The 100 peso that comes with the 300 peso phone will last the trip down. You will want to get a local # when you get where you are going. Caution with prepaid minutes .... if you don't use the phone for two months you'll need to add more $ to reactivate


I use my cheapie Telcel phone mostly for sending text messages and find that $100 lasts me a month. If I buy $100 _tiempo aire_, I get a $20 bonus.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

sparks said:


> I'm not sure why the 500 pesos of air time was suggested. The 100 peso that comes with the 300 peso phone will last the trip down. You will want to get a local # when you get where you are going. Caution with prepaid minutes .... if you don't use the phone for two months you'll need to add more $ to reactivate
> 
> And Telcel has by far the best coverage


It will last a short time if you call the US or receive calls from the US. Who would these people be calling inside Mexico except themselves? If they have two Telcel phones going, which I might consider if doing a lot of sightseeing on the way. I tend to get separated from my wife at las tianguis. The free $1000.00 peso bonus is a one time deal only with a $500.00 peso added when buying a phone and #.

The clerks that sell phones and "chips" at OXXOs do not usually know anything about voice mail setup or blocked cell phones from the US or Canada. How many have you chatted with that speak English? Me: none so far and I love OXXOs.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

AlanMexicali said:


> It will last a short time if you call the US or receive calls from the US. Who would these people be calling inside Mexico except themselves? If they have two Telcel phones going, which I might consider if doing a lot of sightseeing on the way. I tend to get separated from my wife at las tianguis. The free $1000.00 peso bonus is a one time deal only with a $500.00 peso added when buy a phone and #.


I assumed they might know someone in the Chapala area to update their progress ... or to call the police or road assistance. Calling the US for help wouldn't make much sense. It's not that long a drive so checking in with someone up north doesn't seem useful


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

sparks said:


> I assumed they might know someone in the Chapala area to update their progress ... or to call the police or road assistance. Calling the US for help wouldn't make much sense. It's not that long a drive so checking in with someone up north doesn't seem useful


It does if your children/family /best friends are needing [worrying] to know what you are doing all day long on the road in northern Mexico. Not to mention how the border crossing went.


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## martyshirley (Apr 28, 2012)

Wow! Thanks for the quick responses and great advice. I'll pick up 1 phone when we cross the border, then get another when we reach lakeside.

Thanks again!

Marty


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

sparks said:


> I assumed they might know someone in the Chapala area to update their progress ... or to call the police or road assistance. Calling the US for help wouldn't make much sense. It's not that long a drive so checking in with someone up north doesn't seem useful


I guess I am indoctrinated into the Mexican habit of calling/texting someone in the family who can relate your message when you leave one location, by car, bus, air etc. [arriving at an airport: then again when leaving on a bus hours later etc.] and calling again when arriving that day at your other final destination. Makes sense to me and I have been doing this for a long time. It is considered polite.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

If you already have a phone that you like, and don't want to have to replace; an iPhone or an Android, you can get detailed instructions on how to "jailbreak" them on the internet. 

Both written and YouTube instructions are available.

That way, when you get the new sim card, it will actually work.


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

Welcome MartyShirley (we share a common name, surely you can figure it out). Anyway, we will be following you permanently in February, and will be back down in August to stay in our house (a rental). You'll find that many people on the Forum seem to be from Lakeside and hopefully you can meet them IRL as I did. Also, we'd like to meet you when we get there in August...more on that later.

The thread has turned to cell phones and I am in no way schooled in them. I;ve read a lot here about throwaways, simm cards, OXXO's 7-Eleven and all of you seem to know more than me. What if a guy, say me, just wants to come down and get on the Telcel network, even if it means buying a phone and plan? What do I look for? I now carry a Blackberry Torch on AT&T and use probably 30% of it's logical capacity. In the US, we do not have a text plan, so I pay for them a la carte, and therefore do not text.

If one buys a phone "in the regular way", can it be hooked up through a Vonage account to receive/make calls back to the USA? Can I just get a new simm card and keep the same hardware? Someone said why would you need it, who you gonna call? Well, seems like there are at least 7 or 8 people right now whom I would call, and I don't even live there yet.

Lots of questions, remember you're talking to a guy who is not cell phone savvy. Thanks.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

FHBOY said:


> Welcome MartyShirley (we share a common name, surely you can figure it out). Anyway, we will be following you permanently in February, and will be back down in August to stay in our house (a rental). You'll find that many people on the Forum seem to be from Lakeside and hopefully you can meet them IRL as I did. Also, we'd like to meet you when we get there in August...more on that later.
> 
> The thread has turned to cell phones and I am in no way schooled in them. I;ve read a lot here about throwaways, simm cards, OXXO's 7-Eleven and all of you seem to know more than me. What if a guy, say me, just wants to come down and get on the Telcel network, even if it means buying a phone and plan? What do I look for? I now carry a Blackberry Torch on AT&T and use probably 30% of it's logical capacity. In the US, we do not have a text plan, so I pay for them a la carte, and therefore do not text.
> 
> ...


If you are going to be calling the US a lot, it might make sense to get a MagicJack before you leave. They have a US phone number, and all calls within the US are free. The cost for international minutes, to a landline, is crazy cheap.

I bought $10 worth of international minutes before Xmas, knowing that we'd be calling our daughter, and still have over 100 minutes left, after several hour long conversations with her in Italy, and my sister in law in Greece.

In order to get the device, two years worth of service and the international minutes, I paid $79.

All this posits two things: a land line and an internet connection, either DSL or cable.


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

mickisue1 said:


> If you are going to be calling the US a lot, it might make sense to get a MagicJack before you leave. They have a US phone number, and all calls within the US are free. The cost for international minutes, to a landline, is crazy cheap.
> 
> I bought $10 worth of international minutes before Xmas, knowing that we'd be calling our daughter, and still have over 100 minutes left, after several hour long conversations with her in Italy, and my sister in law in Greece.
> 
> ...


I have Vonage here in the USA - I wonder if it is transferable to Mexico {can I take my device with me and plug it into my DSL/high speed internet there}. Seems weird keeping my USA phone # in Mexico? Anyone?


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## johnmex (Nov 30, 2010)

I use a MagicJack at work. It is fine as long as you have a good Internet connection.


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## polamexpat (Apr 24, 2012)

*Calling home from abroad at a price of local phone call*

Rebtel service may help. My son, currently in Europe, uses them to call me in the U.S. at a price of local (for him) phone call.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

Lots of different pieces.
1st, the drive down. Not sure whom your US plan is with but most offer a reduced rate Mexico plan that you might implement for at least the period to cover your drive down. Yes, more expensive but you can call the US, receive calls from the US, and make Mexican calls but this saves a lot at the border and I like to simplify entry.
Long term Mexican use. This sort of depends on how you use your phone. If basically phone calls and text messages, you can buy a cheap no plan phone when you arrive and then buy minutes. We bought Telcel phones and use Amigo cards to add minutes. If you are addicted to iPhone, Blackberry, etc. You will probably need to buy a plan. I actually think that an iPhone , plus a Telcel plan better than buying an unblocked iPhone in the US.
Calls to/from the US. Assuming you are in Mexico full time, I doubt you will want a US cell phone after the drive down, unless of course you are still under US plan with high cancelation, so we found best contacts with US are combination of Skype & Magicjack. We use the free computer to computer Skype for video calls to kids, grandkids and friends. We then use the new magicjack that doesn't require a computer tied to our base station and wireless phones for non-computer contact with the US. We have a a US number, actually we rolled our old US land line number, and if we miss a call, I get a voice message on my computer.


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## DennyDaddy (May 3, 2011)

Hi....

If you have an AT&T phone, active, or not, (except I - Phone ).......

Call AT&T customer service, and tell them you want to u-lock your phone. 

They will give you an unlock code, and when you get to MEXICO, then go to a main telephone office, and
ask for Amigo pay as you go plan, and when you sign up and you take out the US sim card, put in the sins card they have, then your phone will ask for that code they gave you.

Once that is punched in, you are all set with the MEX number they give you. Then while there ask them to set up the voice mail for you.

Then when your minutes run out, buy them anywhere.

If you go back to states, if your states account is active, just switch sim cards. Or, if ya visit the states, just stop by an phone store and they will set you up with a pay as u go number.

My wife and I over the years collected all sorts of phones and use our reg US phones for both Mex and US.

We go back and forth 4 or 5 times a year useing one phone.

Now, the phone companies will give you the un lock codes. If cust dvd don't, ask for a supervisor! Not 
I-phones, Apple will not let them!

If you keep an active US number just put the Mex number with the 011 pre on your recorded mesg for your MEX phone.

It works for us...

DD


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

They are only looking for a phone that works for a few days for the drive. No Vonage or Skype needed. They can get whatever Internet or phone service they want once here


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

That was my point. For the drive, I would just keep the US plan as can call to/from US as well as to Mexico. Then resolve what they want when arrive. Not sure about other plans but ATT has an International Roaming plan for I think $5/mo that gives reduced rate as well as a Viva Mexico plan that extends US minutes to Mexico for about $20/month more.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

conklinwh said:


> That was my point. For the drive, I would just keep the US plan as can call to/from US as well as to Mexico. Then resolve what they want when arrive. Not sure about other plans but ATT has an International Roaming plan for I think $5/mo that gives reduced rate as well as a Viva Mexico plan that extends US minutes to Mexico for about $20/month more.


I still think my idea about getting a Telcel $300.00 pesos new cel at the border and adding $500.00 pesos and the getting a bonus $1000.00 pesos for just $39.00 US + $24.00 US for the cel phone = $63.00 US and is $1600.00 pesos of calls = $125.00 US, half price, plus a cel phone. Very handy to have. Even using it in another Telcel zone will be cheap. If not too many calls are done this could last months. I used my Mexicali Telcel # in SLP for years before getting one for that Telcel zone and it was affordable.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

You could be right but I would do that at arrival and not in transit. The less hassle at the border the better.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

conklinwh said:


> You could be right but I would do that at arrival and not in transit. The less hassle at the border the better.


Very true especially if they are doing a fast drive south and not sightseeing. If the need arises to call on the drive down simply go to any OXXO and buy a card with minutes on a pay phone land line. You always have all the angles covered.


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## terrybahena (Oct 3, 2011)

DennyDaddy said:


> Hi....
> 
> If you have an AT&T phone, active, or not, (except I - Phone ).......
> 
> ...


So does anyone use an IPhone down there that can tell me about the rates? I have one that I can figure out how to unlock online, but in the US, the IPhone has a "required" data plan that I won't need in Mexico- I only need phone & text. Will Telcel, (any phone co.) also require the data plan?


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

I'm not sure of the specifics as was last year. At the time iPhones hard to get here and the Telcel office in San Miguel was out. The plan was very focused on in Mexico service unless the much higher minutes plan. We decided to do US iPhones as we are in Mexico 9 months and the US 3 months although I was told that there was an app for US calls.
I think the entry rates were pretty reasonable.


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## RPBHaas (Dec 21, 2011)

terrybahena said:


> So does anyone use an IPhone down there that can tell me about the rates? I have one that I can figure out how to unlock online, but in the US, the IPhone has a "required" data plan that I won't need in Mexico- I only need phone & text. Will Telcel, (any phone co.) also require the data plan?


Yes, I use an iPhone with a Telcel plan. There are varying levels of plan depending on your monthly usage and the data plans are optional. For example, for 500mxn per month you receive 500 minutes, 250 texts, 10 free numbers to call without charge up to 5 minutes per call and 250 megas of data. There are options to slide the data over to more messaging if desired. 
Also addressing a previous post, Nextel allows an option, for about $15usd per month, of allowing the monthly minutes for calls to the US. For example, a 600minute plan costs 600mxn and those 600 minutes can be used for calls in Mexico or the US. 
Only a few years ago it used to be that the phone companies in Mexico charged for long distance calls very similar to the US back before the 1990's. Telmex, the landline company, still charges for any calls to a cell phone. Now the companies have national plans that allow interzone calling at no additional charge. I think there is still an exception to calling Baja California from the rest of the country but I am not sure.


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## terrybahena (Oct 3, 2011)

RPBHaas said:


> Yes, I use an iPhone with a Telcel plan. There are varying levels of plan depending on your monthly usage and the data plans are optional. For example, for 500mxn per month you receive 500 minutes, 250 texts, 10 free numbers to call without charge up to 5 minutes per call and 250 megas of data. There are options to slide the data over to more messaging if desired.
> Also addressing a previous post, Nextel allows an option, for about $15usd per month, of allowing the monthly minutes for calls to the US. For example, a 600minute plan costs 600mxn and those 600 minutes can be used for calls in Mexico or the US.
> Only a few years ago it used to be that the phone companies in Mexico charged for long distance calls very similar to the US back before the 1990's. Telmex, the landline company, still charges for any calls to a cell phone. Now the companies have national plans that allow interzone calling at no additional charge. I think there is still an exception to calling Baja California from the rest of the country but I am not sure.


Thank you VERY much for this info! Exactly what I was looking for. So I will keep my IPhone. Did you unlock yours in the states using the online instructions or did you do it in Mexico?


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## Grizzy (Nov 8, 2010)

To the OP, the cell numbers Lakeside are Guad numbers, or were the last time I inquired about them which is a while ago. So when you activate the cell you get close to the border I would try to get a Guad exchange if possible. I am not sure how difficult it is to change area codes and numbers, hopefully not hard nor pricey.

I would also have the phone set up when you buy it. I know a lot of expats who buy telcel phones and then have to trek to a telcel dealer to activate them because of no curp number or not knowing the codes etc.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

Grizzy said:


> To the OP, the cell numbers Lakeside are Guad numbers, or were the last time I inquired about them which is a while ago. So when you activate the cell you get close to the border I would try to get a Guad exchange if possible. I am not sure how difficult it is to change area codes and numbers, hopefully not hard nor pricey.
> 
> I would also have the phone set up when you buy it. I know a lot of expats who buy telcel phones and then have to trek to a telcel dealer to activate them because of no curp number or not knowing the codes etc.


That brings up a question. In the countries I'm familiar with, there are no long distance charges for cell phones. Is the same not true in MX?

Most cell companies have gotten rid of the infamous roaming charges, too, at least within countries. How about the cell companies in MX?


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## pappabee (Jun 22, 2010)

mickisue1 said:


> That brings up a question. In the countries I'm familiar with, there are no long distance charges for cell phones. Is the same not true in MX?
> 
> Most cell companies have gotten rid of the infamous roaming charges, too, at least within countries. How about the cell companies in MX?


Depending on what carrier you use the rates might vary. If I call a cell phone, even if it's someone who lives next door I get a added cost. I'm in Ajijic and the numbers are still in Guad. So as far as Telmex is concerned I'm calling Guad.

If you only want the cell phone for the trip down here then just leave it alone and use the 'roaming' charges if needed. I lived with a cell phone for almost 7 years prior to my coming down here. The day we moved into our new rental I turned off the phone and for the past 3+ years I haven't missed it except for my wife wanting me to buy something just after I left the house. As you can see, really haven't missed much.


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