# 'Dumb' phone availability



## Pastel de nata (Dec 9, 2014)

Hello forum!
I've recently moved to Chiapas and my non-American phone doesn't work. Hence I need a new one, but I _don't_ want a smartphone - mainly because of their built-in obsolescence, enormous electricity consumption (for the servers running them) and Big Brother features. 
The Telcel shops sell some button-only phones by unkown brands, and a basic-basic Nokia (but I have a Movistar sim). Do you have recommendations on which ones work well? Or other outlets to get a 'dumb' phone? Or does anyone in the state of Chiapas (or in Oaxaca where I'll head for Xmas) have one rattling around a drawer that I could buy? 
Thanks in advance and apologies for the silly question!


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## SirRon (Nov 4, 2014)

a little telcel booth at the woolworth store here has a cell phone its pink and small and just a basic phone with some nice options and no smart or touch nothing for 600 peso, it also has daul sims, so you can put for say telcel in one and moviestar on the other and run both at the same time, and i heard some usa att sims work here in mexico also

my wife has gone threw 3 of these phones, she is always putting it in the washing machine

I tried t-mobile sims here in mexico with no luck


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Maybe the TelCel stores in Chiapas are different than ones elsewhere in the country, where I've purchased a simple 'flip' phone. I was in TelCel in Mexico City early-October and there were many recognizable brands being sold. I've twice purchased LG telephones at TelCel and I find them to 1) be an internationally-recognizable brand and 2) reliable. Is ther a Movistar outlet not far from where you live where you could see what models they offer, or are you switchng to TelCel because it offers better coverage in your community?


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## SirRon (Nov 4, 2014)

my wife uses her dual sim phone moviestar for talking to family that live in other city's here in mexico for free, but to use it for local calls its cheaper to use telcel, for this reason my wife always has to a phone with dual sim card slots


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

I have a smart phone now that you don't need to use the "smart" .... but I've had 2 300 pesos Nokia's that come with a 100 pesos credit. Telcel ... don't know about the other. Problem with those tiny phones is Texting for me


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

Those phones........all of them, including the common cell phone........are designed for little tiny people with little tiny hands: possibly aliens.
Teens have no problem with them, but they are aliens, anyway. Ask any mom.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

sparks said:


> Problem with those tiny phones is Texting for me


_Smart_ cellphones aren't much better when texting or sending emails, posting to forms, etc., IMO. I have a Samsung Galaxy4 and I've found it tough to send text messages without a lot of errors. It takes me a while to get it right each time. I didn't send texts when I had by clamshell, though my current Mexican cellphone is smaller but I don't send too many texts with it.


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## Pastel de nata (Dec 9, 2014)

*Thanks folks!*

Thanks everyone! I'll check out the dual sim options, especially if that's available in a recognised brand. The ones I've seen have East Asian names I've never heard of. Might have to wait until DF. Seems like TelCel has better coverage but then my man has Movistar so we thought it'd be cheaper to communicate that way...


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Longford said:


> _Smart_ cellphones aren't much better when texting or sending emails, posting to forms, etc., IMO. I have a Samsung Galaxy4 and I've found it tough to send text messages without a lot of errors..


I turn my IPhone sideways and the keyboard gets plenty big if I'm not in a hurry


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## lhpdiver (Jul 30, 2014)

I have a Samsung Droid that I use as a camera - since it is not GSM.

I also have an LG Accolade flip-phone which I paid less than $3 USD for (and picked up at my local Verizon store). When we got to Mexico I had a IUsaCell sim installed (maybe 200 pesos) and now have a IUSaCell prepaid plan into which I deposit 100 pesos/month and the residual pesos from the previous month roll over. My balance at this point is like 1500 pesos - as I only use the phone in 'emergencies'. 

I don't know - as part of my work over the years I had to have a beeper/phone. I guess I've never gotten over that feeling of being on a leash. At home I have Vonage US/Mexico. I leave Do Not Disturb ON all the time. I'll see your voice-mail transcript. I did recently notice some interesting features with Vonage (which I probably will never use). One was 'SimulRing' where you get to build a list of numbers which will ring at the same time. What was interesting to me was that you could insert Mexican AND US numbers in the list.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

lhpdiver said:


> I also have an LG Accolade flip-phone which I paid less than $3 USD for (and picked up at my local Verizon store). When we got to Mexico I had a IUsaCell sim installed (maybe 200 pesos) and now have a IUSaCell prepaid plan into which I deposit 100 pesos/month and the residual pesos from the previous month roll over. My balance at this point is like 1500 pesos - as I only use the phone in 'emergencies'.
> 
> .


My math says try putting 50 pesos which is good for a month on Telcel. :juggle:

20 pesos about 10 days
100 pesos 2 months I think


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## lhpdiver (Jul 30, 2014)

Thanks - I'll remember that - but you know, my IUsaCel service is Great ! On more than one occasion I have been with someone with a fancy phone/Telcel who can't get a signal. That's when I whip out my IUsaCel phone  As I said, I very rarely use it, but it has always worked.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

I live pretty far away from civilization and Telcel is the only one with Internet here. It might be IUsacel that also works here but not as strong as Telcel


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Telmex/Telcel has the infrastructure advantage throughout much of Mexico, which explains why Telcel is such a popular cellular telephone company. That and the early-entry/near monopoly in the cellular telephone business. Great brand recognition.


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## lhpdiver (Jul 30, 2014)

sparks said:


> My math says try putting 50 pesos which is good for a month on Telcel. :juggle:
> 
> 20 pesos about 10 days
> 100 pesos 2 months I think


Sorry - my mind must be slowing down - IUsaCell also offers 50 peso minimums but if I want the 'rollover' feature the minimum monthly charge is 100 pesos. As well - they are constantly offering me specials like 'recharge today and get triple the value'...


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