# Telmex Expands Free Calls to International



## Jolga

Many of you probably read the news that from January 1 all Mexican long distance calls would be local calls. I didn`t pay much attention to it as it did not impact our lives.

However, there is a new twist to this story. The other day I was talking to a Telmex Tienda agent regarding another matter, and upon looking at my file he said "Sir did you know that since Jan 1 2015 you have been given free unlimited international calling?"

I asked him to confirm that this included the 3 countries we make calls to: namely Canada, U.S. and Finland.

He double checked and said "yes you have unlimited calls to those countries".

Being a Doubting Thomas I searched a bit and found this:

*"Does this mean we can call other countries on cell or land line at no additional cost?
Reply ·
· 1 · January 2 at 6:02am


yes...if you have Telmex only

Reply ·
· January 2 at 9:42am

are you sure this is for Telmex only... if it is a "federal telecommunications reforms", it should affect all telecommunications carriers nationwide... IMO!
Reply ·
· January 2 at 12:40pm

All domestic calls are local calls. Telmex however included international calls. You must have a Telmex land line. And every call counts as you have a limit on the number of calls depending on the package you contract. It may seem complicated but communications are becoming cheaper and cheaper"*


Hmmmm It just may be the real deal.

Of course we won't know officially until someone who has made a long distance call from a Telmex land-line receives their bill for January.

If this pans out, I will most certainly be cancelling my Skype World Unlimited account but not until I`m darn sure .... after all this is Mexico. Also, what if our friend Carlos Slim gets up one morning and decides to cancel the whole thing?


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## Bobbyb

There is no free lunch. There are 2 types of out of the country calls: USA/Canada and International. I know that the USA/Canada calls will be 1.19 pesos a minute including taxes. About 8 cents a minute.


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## Jolga

Sigh.... again they got me. I'm too gullible and trusting.:nono: At least i didn't make any calls. Back to good old, trusty, Skype World. I don't mind that Telmex is trying to make a buck ... it's the flagrant dishonesty that I can`t stand.


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## Cristobal

Bobbyb said:


> There is no free lunch. There are 2 types of out of the country calls: USA/Canada and International. I know that the USA/Canada calls will be 1.19 pesos a minute including taxes. About 8 cents a minute.



Don't know where you got that. I have been calling toll free to the US for years with our TelMex service.


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## Bobbyb

Cristobal: Please explain your self. We have a home in Mexico and have had a Telmex line for over 20 years. There has NEVER been free calls to Canada/USA Are you telling me you just pick up your Telmex phone and dial long distance at no cost! Impossible. Are you using Skype or Magic Jack? Please tell us how you dial at no cost. You used the words "toll free". That usually implies a 1 800 number. Is your name Carlos Slim? I know of no other person in Mexico who can call the USA at zero cost!


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## Cristobal

Yes, we call free, no charge, zero, toll free, nada, gratis, llamadas ilimitadas, no majgc jack, no skype, just pick up my telephone land line and dial 001+area code +number to the USA and it costs nothing. Been doing it now for several years. We have had a phone line with TeLMex since before it was privatized and we had a 5 digit number (our long distance was not free all that time, that's for sure).

It may depend on what Telmex service package you contract but in ours all long distance national and calls to the US have been included with the package at no extra cost. And now we have most of the rest of the world too.


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## Bobbyb

I would like to hear from anyone else with that service. Never heard of this before. There were plans that included SOME foreign LD but you paid extra and the minutes were limited. How much were you paying for this service? It sure was not part of the plan that includes internet and phone for 399 pesos.


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## Cristobal

Bobbyb said:


> I would like to hear from anyone else with that service. Never heard of this before. There were plans that included SOME foreign LD but you paid extra and the minutes were limited. How much were you paying for this service? It sure was not part of the plan that includes internet and phone for 399 pesos.


OK, I see. You are unaware of the service therefore it doesn't exist. The OP was told the same thing by a TelMex rep but according to you it doesn't exist. You might want to make a visit to your local TelMex office and get caught up.


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## Bobbyb

I will respond this time and then let it go. You did not answer my question . How much were you paying for the :LD and was it limited? How limited. The OP was not told that LD was always free. He was told that it will be in January. That is not true as it will cost the amount I posted. I am out of this one.


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## Cristobal

Figure it out yourself. What I posted is fact. If you choose to not believe me that doesn't change a thing.


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## Isla Verde

So, Cristobal, how much do you pay for your monthly Telmex service that includes free calls to the States. Inquiring minds (and forum members) want to know.


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## GARYJ65

http://blog.telmex.com/2014/12/30/e...os-exclusivos-en-nuestros-paquetes-infinitum/


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## Cristobal

Gary's post shows the current prices. We had a package called "Todo Mexico sin Limites" with Infinitum internet for $843. It included unlimited long distance within Mexico and to the US.


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## ojosazules11

Bobbyb said:


> I would like to hear from anyone else with that service. Never heard of this before. There were plans that included SOME foreign LD but you paid extra and the minutes were limited. How much were you paying for this service? It sure was not part of the plan that includes internet and phone for 399 pesos.


Based on the link Gary provided, it appears that as of Jan 1, 2015 Telmex is offering both new and existing customers who have an Infinitum plan (including the $389 plan) free long distance, both national and international, except for some countries - check with Telmex about the exceptions. So BobbyB based on what plan you have, you just might check with Telmex and see if they've added this to your account as well. 

From Gary's link:
_"Como parte de los beneficios que obtendrás como cliente Telmex, a partir del 1 de enero de 2015, tu servicio incluirá de forma ilimitada minutos en llamadas de larga distancia nacional. Para que puedas hablar con toda tu familia y amigos, si cuentas con un Paquete Infinitum, Telmex te incluirá minutos ilimitados de llamadas de larga distancia Internacional y Mundial, con excepción de algunos destinos que puedes consultar en telmex.com.

....

Además de esto, te comentamos otra gran noticia, ya que a todos nuestros clientes que actualmente tienen contratado alguno de estos Paquetes Infinitum, serán beneficiados de manera automática con esta nueva oferta. Consulta más información en telmex.com a partir del 1 de enero."_

Translation: 
"One of the benefits you'll have as a Telmex client is that starting Jan 1, 2015 your service will include unlimited long distance minutes within Mexico. Also if you have an Infinitum package, Telmex will include unlimited international/world long distance, with the exception of some destinations about which you can inquire at telmex.com. 

Additionally ... all of our existing clients who already have an Infinitum plan will automatically be given this new offer. More information available at telmex.com starting January 1."


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## GARYJ65

I called Telmex on December and asked if that was really true, they said yes.
I was more interested on long distances and calls to cell phones
This was mandatory for all phone companies, not because Telmex has a good heart and wanted to please its customers.
Nextel already had no long distance fees


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## Bobbyb

Go back to that link from Telmex. It is all in the semantics. Note that they stste you have unlimited national LD SIN COSTO. But the US/Canada is simply unlimited minutes. There is a cost. I will find the link. It is like cell companies with unlimited data.


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## Bobbyb

I still haven't found the link but here is a print out of the info. I received an email from Telemx touting all these changes but it was very confusing. You have to go to the fine print and click on more details for this explanation. Carlos Slim is NOT benevolent. I might add that we have used Magic Jack and a callback service. Our internet speed is very slow so those services are iffy. At 1.19 pesos a minute I will just use Telmex. The connections are usually very good.

El “PAQUETE” incluye bajo un esquema de renta mensual fija:
a) La renta mensual de la “LINEA TELMEX”;
b ) La renta mensual del servicio Infinitum,
c) Llamadas locales Ilimitadas,
d) Minutos Ilimitados de Larga Distancia Internacional a Estados Unidos de Norteamérica y Canadá con la marcación 001 + 10 dígitos,
e) Minutos Ilimitados a teléfonos móviles a través del prefijo de marcación 044 y 045 bajo la modalidad del Que Llama Paga,
f) Minutos Ilimitados de Larga Distancia Mundial (Excepto Cuba, Servicios Especiales, islas de África y Oceanía los cuales se facturan
conforme a la tarifa vigente de Telmex, ver anexo).
g) Tarifas promocionales de larga distancia automática saliente a los siguientes destinos:
1. Minuto de Larga distancia para hablar a Estados Unidos, Canadá y Sudamérica de $1.00 más impuestos en $1.19 (un peso 19/100
M.N.).
2. Minuto de Larga distancia para hablar a Alaska, Hawai, Puerto Rico y destinos Mundiales no incluidos en el Paquete, de $1.00 más
impuestos en $1.19 (un peso 19/100 M.N.).
3. Minuto de Larga distancia para hablar a Cuba de $10.00 más impuestos en $11.95 (once pesos 95/100 M.N).
4. El paquete incluye 5 servicios digitales como son Llamada en Espera, Tres a la vez, Identificador de llamada, Buzón Premium y
Sígueme.
Los minutos incluidos en el “Paquete” deberán ser usados durante el mes corriente y generados desde la línea residencial en la que éste se
haya contratado. Las tarifas contemplan el minuto o fracción del mismo.
El precio del paquete es de $505.76 más impuestos. El precio publicado incluyendo impuestos es de $599.00.


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## Cristobal

TelMex bill Feb 2014, 7 calls to the US, 46 minutes total time and 0.00 importe.


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## ojosazules11

Jolga, you'll have to inform us after your next Telmex bill if your international calls are truly free. The proof will be in the pudding - or in the billing, as it were.


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## Jolga

ojosazules11 said:


> Jolga, you'll have to inform us after your next Telmex bill if your international calls are truly free. The proof will be in the pudding - or in the billing, as it were.


I would like to try a minute long call to Finland to see if this really works however my better half has made it a matter of principle that if there is the slightest chance of even a couple of extra pesos going to a member of the 1% for nothing she will not do it. She says it's not the pesos, it's the principle of being had by someone who is so scandalously rich.

We have been lied to and duped here a few times, so we are definitely very wary.


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## Cristobal

I placed 3 or 4 calls to Europe in January (plus all of my normal calls to the US which have been free for several years) so our next bill will show them. I am willing to wager there will be no charge. I will let the forum know how it works out.


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## GARYJ65

Jolga said:


> I would like to try a minute long call to Finland to see if this really works however my better half has made it a matter of principle that if there is the slightest chance of even a couple of extra pesos going to a member of the 1% for nothing she will not do it. She says it's not the pesos, it's the principle of being had by someone who is so scandalously rich. We have been lied to and duped here a few times, so we are definitely very wary.


I really did not understand 
You would not place a phone call to avoid the possibility of paying even one peso to " A wealthy" family?


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## Jolga

GARYJ65 said:


> I really did not understand
> You would not place a phone call to avoid the possibility of paying even one peso to " A wealthy" family?


We mean a peso by quasi-fraudulent or grey zone means. Nothing against Telmex earning an honest dollar.


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## GARYJ65

Jolga said:


> We mean a peso by quasi-fraudulent or grey zone means. Nothing against Telmex earning an honest dollar.


You would not be able to prove it is fraudulent or gray zoned. 
I try not to think much about that, otherwise I will develop a pathology, we cannot go back to prehistory or live like the Ingalls, if I think someone or some company is trying to steal from me, I do not make business with them.
I


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## TundraGreen

Jolga said:


> We mean a peso by quasi-fraudulent or grey zone means. Nothing against Telmex earning an honest dollar.


From what I have heard of the history of Telmex, the words "Telmex" and "honest" don't belong in the same sentence.

Recently, Salinas published a rebuttal to the charges made about the sale of the Mexican phone system to private parties (Carlos Salinas defends sale of Telmex Slim : Journal Oro *****). Perhaps the most interesting thing about the article is that, in rebutting them, he summarizes the common charges made against him. Who knows where the truth lies.


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## Cristobal

People can say what they wish about TelMex, I am sure not defending their business practices. But for those that lived here prior to the privatization will attest, the difference in the quality of the service, the availability of new lines and the cost have improved beyond description. Back then it wasn't just the expense of calling a foreign country, many times it was just being able to successfully make the connection. These days, for the most part at least in my experience, if you have a problem with your line, it is resolved promptly, not in weeks or months which was the norm. If you were lucky enough to get a new line, the cost was ridiculous, upwards of 1000usd. That was a lot of money in the 70s and 80s.


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## Isla Verde

Cristobal said:


> People can say what they wish about TelMex, I am sure not defending their business practices. But for those that lived here prior to the privatization will attest, the difference in the quality of the service, the availability of new lines and the cost have improved beyond description. Back then it wasn't just the expense of calling a foreign country, many times it was just being able to successfully make the connection. These days, for the most part at least in my experience, if you have a problem with your line, it is resolved promptly, not in weeks or months which was the norm. If you were lucky enough to get a new line, the cost was ridiculous, upwards of 1000usd. That was a lot of money in the 70s and 80s.


As someone who lived off and on in Mexico in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, I can attest to the truth of Cristobal's words!


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## RVGRINGO

Yesterday, my wife bought more minutes for her TracPhone here in AZ. Guess who owns that company? Yup: Carlos Slim, who is also a major shareholder of the New York Times; possibly saving it from bankruptcy.


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## Bobbyb

The old Telmex had the worst customer service of any utility in N.A. If you manged to get a person on the phone and complained they would simply hang up! Heavily unionized and they did not care. As much as I dislike Carlos he did change an antiquated company to a very modern corp. This is the same Carlos Slim that said instead of donating to the needy he would sooner provide employment!! HUH???


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## GARYJ65

Bobbyb said:


> The old Telmex had the worst customer service of any utility in N.A. If you manged to get a person on the phone and complained they would simply hang up! Heavily unionized and they did not care. As much as I dislike Carlos he did change an antiquated company to a very modern corp. This is the same Carlos Slim that said instead of donating to the needy he would sooner provide employment!! HUH???


Carlos?
Seems that you know him personally then


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## TundraGreen

GARYJ65 said:


> Carlos?
> Seems that you know him personally then


I am not a Christian nor a deist of any stripe, but I can't resist quoting a bible, Matthew 7:16, Ye shall know them by their fruits. If we know what Carlos does, we know him.


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## GARYJ65

My comment came because in Mexico, and other places, addressing someone by their first name implies familiarity, or disrespect.
Ing. Slim may or may not be a crook, I don't personally like him or know him, but he is a public person, and it would be difficult to me to call him Carlos. And most probably, if I would get the chance to meet him, I would definitely not call him Carlos.
Los toros se ven mejor desde la barrera. Probably it is easier to call him whatever from here....


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## Bobbyb

No, but in the interest of being civil I did not refer him with the words I usually use! Usually we have language police now we have the equivalent of Miss manners.


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## GARYJ65

Yeah right


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## TundraGreen

GARYJ65 said:


> My comment came because in Mexico, and other places, addressing someone by their first name implies familiarity, or disrespect.
> Ing. Slim may or may not be a crook, I don't personally like him or know him, but he is a public person, and it would be difficult to me to call him Carlos. And most probably, if I would get the chance to meet him, I would definitely not call him Carlos.
> Los toros se ven mejor desde la barrera. Probably it is easier to call him whatever from here....


Agreed. I would never call any stranger by their first name when meeting them. However, people with a very public presence are often referred to by their first name in the US, for example Bill and Hillary for the Clintons, or George W. for the second president Bush. Maybe in Mexico, that is less common.


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## Jolga

Cristobal said:


> I placed 3 or 4 calls to Europe in January (plus all of my normal calls to the US which have been free for several years) so our next bill will show them. I am willing to wager there will be no charge. I will let the forum know how it works out.


Hey Cristobal, I am giving this thread a bump by asking you if you had any charges for those calls on your Telmex bills.


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## clintaboo

Living in Merida,and yes Telmex is free LD to US and Canada all other are about one peso a minute


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## Jolga

Thanks Clintaboo, Now the only piece missing to this puzzle is international calls to Europe. Some people say they are free, others disagree.

In my case I have to be sure Finland is free before I cancel my Skype World account.


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## citlali

Do not cancel your skype account just do not use it..I call France daily on skype and I sure will not cancel that account . I called France on Telmex a couple of time this month to see what the charges will be but meanwhile I use skype.
ONe problem came up for me, my sister moved and changed phone company , she is now with SFR when she was with Orange. SFR is not compatible with skype world so I have to wait to see what will happen with the Telmex charges.


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## TundraGreen

One thing to be careful about with Skype-to-phone is that the rates for calls to cell phones are 10 times or more the rates to landlines. A Skype-to-landline call to the US or Germany is $0.02 usd/min. To a cell phone those rates are around $0.35 usd/min. Also, Skype World states in several place "calls to landlines". I doubt the $10 usd monthly fee includes calls to cell phones.


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## Jolga

TundraGreen said:


> One thing to be careful about with Skype-to-phone is that the rates for calls to cell phones are 10 times or more the rates to landlines. A Skype-to-landline call to the US or Germany is $0.02 usd/min. To a cell phone those rates are around $0.35 usd/min. Also, Skype World states in several place "calls to landlines". I doubt the $10 usd monthly fee includes calls to cell phones.


Yes, we avoid cell calls like the plague, as a matter of fact, we are slightly Luddite in that regard, since I retired to paradise, no electronic tether *cell phone* anymore and its been great!


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## TundraGreen

Jolga said:


> Yes, we avoid cell calls like the plague, as a matter of fact, we are slightly Luddite in that regard, since I retired to paradise, no electronic tether *cell phone* anymore and its been great!


I have gone the opposite direction. Since I moved to paradise, no landlines in my life. If I need to call my daughter in Germany I make a one minute Skype call to her cell phone either from my computer Skype app or from my cell phone Skype app, then we switch to Skype-to-Skype.


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## Infidel_jack

Jolga said:


> Sigh.... again they got me. I'm too gullible and trusting.:nono: At least i didn't make any calls. Back to good old, trusty, Skype World. I don't mind that Telmex is trying to make a buck ... it's the flagrant dishonesty that I can`t stand.


I have Megacable for TV, phone and internet. I pay a little extra for unlimited calls to the US and Canada but I have to use Skype for 800 calls. Skype does not charge for 800 calls.
I had Telmex before and when I moved to Durango from Puebla, they refused to transfer my service. So I just cancelled and got a better deal from Megacable. I plan to upgrade to 100 MB speed in April for baseball season. I watch streaming on MLBTV and 20 MB still has some buffering that interrupts the games. It is 400 pesos for the upgrade.


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## Jolga

Infidel_jack said:


> I have Megacable for TV, phone and internet. I pay a little extra for unlimited calls to the US and Canada but I have to use Skype for 800 calls. Skype does not charge for 800 calls.
> I had Telmex before and when I moved to Durango from Puebla, they refused to transfer my service. So I just cancelled and got a better deal from Megacable. I plan to upgrade to 100 MB speed in April for baseball season. I watch streaming on MLBTV and 20 MB still has some buffering that interrupts the games. It is 400 pesos for the upgrade.


That`s a good deal. Unfortunately, Megacable does not offer service in our neighborhood but I`m sure that`s useful info for other forum members.


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## Cristobal

Received the bill for January. No charge for my calls overseas. Of course, that was explained to several people on this board by Telmex reps but they chose not to believe it. It was also on the Telmex website but others argued semantics, you were just being set up. I wonder where the root of that mistrust originated? "Cultural" differences?


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## Isla Verde

Cristobal said:


> Received the bill for January. No charge for my calls overseas. Of course, that was explained to several people on this board by Telmex reps but they chose not to believe it. It was also on the Telmex website but others argued semantics, you were just being set up. I wonder where the root of that mistrust originated? "Cultural" differences?


Or too many years spent in Mexico?


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## Jolga

Cristobal said:


> Received the bill for January. No charge for my calls overseas. Of course, that was explained to several people on this board by Telmex reps but they chose not to believe it. It was also on the Telmex website but others argued semantics, you were just being set up. I wonder where the root of that mistrust originated? "Cultural" differences?


Great News!! Cristobal, thanks.

As to why the wariness and skepticism, I can't answer for others but in our case attribute it to the countless times we have been misinformed and hoodwinked in Mexico. We always check our bills and receipts and I can say that this petty larceny goes all the way from the checkout cashier at Walmart who just happened to short change us to the special, higher ****** prices we get at the markets. So much so that we no longer shop at them anymore. Yes, mistakes can happen, but these have occurred so often that we cannot only attribute them to human error.

But don't get me wrong, we are now experienced Mexican Expats and we love our new country... warts and all.

For my wife this is nothing new, as she was raised in a poorer European country where anything not nailed down was stolen in a flash and you had to be constantly on the lookout .


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## Bobbyb

I just opened my Telmex bill online. We made 1 quick call to Miami and one to Canada. Each had a cost of 1 peso as they were only one minute calls. That echoes what is being reported by others. On the bill there is An ad for these new free and lower cost calls. National calls are unlimited at NO COST while calls to Canada and the USA are unlimited. It does not say at no cost. My plan used to be $399 and is now $383. My next bill will have more LD as I just started to use the Telmex service for LD.


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## Cristobal

Bobbyb said:


> I just opened my Telmex bill online. We made 1 quick call to Miami and one to Canada. Each had a cost of 1 peso as they were only one minute calls. That echoes what is being reported by others. On the bill there is An ad for these new free and lower cost calls. National calls are unlimited at NO COST while calls to Canada and the USA are unlimited. It does not say at no cost. My plan used to be $399 and is now $383. My next bill will have more LD as I just started to use the Telmex service for LD.


 Found this posted on another web board:

"Posted Today, 05:04 PM

I just got my Telmex bill and there was no charge for calls to the US, Europe, National or cell phones!!!

Thanks Telmex."


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## Jolga

Cristobal said:


> Found this posted on another web board:
> 
> "Posted Today, 05:04 PM
> 
> I just got my Telmex bill and there was no charge for calls to the US, Europe, National or cell phones!!!
> 
> Thanks Telmex."


One of two possibilities: as we all know Mexico is the land of illogical surprises and inconsistencies. So maybe it's one of those unfathomable Mexican deals with no rhyme nor reason nor any discernible pattern. Or perhaps it depends on your plan, so better phone them first and have it checked it to be sure that you qualify. 

Now that I think of it the agent did say, "according to your plan .... etc.


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## Cristobal

There is nothing unfathomable about it.


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## GARYJ65

Jolga said:


> One of two possibilities: as we all know Mexico is the land of illogical surprises and inconsistencies. So maybe it's one of those unfathomable Mexican deals with no rhyme nor reason nor any discernible pattern. Or perhaps it depends on your plan, so better phone them first and have it checked it to be sure that you qualify. Now that I think of it the agent did say, "according to your plan .... etc.


Mexico is the land of illogical surprises and inconsistencies? Really?
I find that to be an offensive assessment


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## citlali

There is always a logic it just may be different from ours and then logic does not always prevail. Try living and working


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## Bobbyb

I am almost positive it has to do with your plan Where we live there is no super fast Internet. Just the basic broadband. Previous to these changes we paid 399 for phone and internet. That was the only package available. That may be why we now pay 1 peso per minute for LD calls. Rumor has it they are installing fibre optic lines. Ya sure!!!!


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## kcowan

In the Telmex office, there is a poster that says that all Telmex DSL customers have unlimited calling. It has three lines, national, Canada/US and International. All illimitado.

So the only extra charges are for more than 100 minutes to local cell phones per month.

I think they are responding to a competitive offer from Telecable.


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## kcowan

Telmex Infinitum LD
and the 100 is now 200 minutes to cell phones


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## skylerice

I have no idea where you got this 8 cents a minute nonsense. Calls to the US have been free on Telmex landlines with an internet package for several years. Now, all basically all calling is free worldwide. The 399 package and up gets 100 calls, and they count against that total, but otherwise, completely free. You've posted a whole bunch of simply factually incorrect information. The US poster is quite correct. Know your facts before you post with assumed authority. People might listen to what you're saying, and it is entirely inaccurate.


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