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rpackard
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Posted: Sat Sep 29th, 2007 02:42 am |
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Does anyone know the cost of phone SIM cards in San Carlos/ Guaymas? On the web they go for about $70 plus $10 shipping. This gets you $15 of air time. I wonder if I should wait until I get to SC before buying.
Thanks
Richard
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RichD
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Posted: Sat Sep 29th, 2007 03:20 am |
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| My wife the phone expert says you can buy them here (Guaymas) for $20 or so. I know that I once bought a simple phone for $45 and it came with a sim with $40 of air time so they can't be very much.
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Inde
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Posted: Sat Sep 29th, 2007 03:23 am |
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This is the procedure as best I understand it.
1. Contact your cel service provider and request unlock instructions to be emailed/faxed to you. The instructions will tell you that you need to install a SIM card provided by a another provider for it to work.
2. Beg, borrow or steal a spare SIM card from a friend. ???? or from another GSM phone that you may have.
3. Install temporary SIM card and unlock phone and then return card to friend.
4. Take phone to Mexico and ask your chosen provider to install their SIM card in your phone. Cost should be under $20.00 if you purchase service. if they have a SIM card reader/copier they should be able to transfer all your data to the new SIM. Keep your old SIM card to lend to a friend who wants to do the same thing.
I have only gone thru. steps 1 and 2 so far.
Hope this helps
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Hook
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Posted: Sat Sep 29th, 2007 07:15 am |
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Why would your cell provider give you these unlock instructions if it allows you to jump from them?
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Inde
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Posted: Sat Sep 29th, 2007 01:44 pm |
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| Most will not utill you are so many months into your contract. T-Mobile is 6 month I think. It should be in the contract.
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TC
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Posted: Sat Sep 29th, 2007 04:04 pm |
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Here are some sources for those who need to unlock, if your carrier won't cooperate. And there are lots of unlocked phones for sale on ebay.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_lock
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2069846,00.asp
http://www.wikihow.com/Unlock-Your-Nokia-Cell-Phone
http://www.thetravelinsider.info/roadwarriorcontent/nokiaunlocking.htm
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Angel
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Posted: Sat Sep 29th, 2007 07:03 pm |
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| In the last few days, I purchased a SIM card at the Telcel Kiosk inside Ley. It was 150 pesos, with 50 pesos airtime. Of course, it works with "Telcel enabled" phones. BUT, it seems the sales people are resourceful and they can unlock other non-telcel phones or direct you to where you can get them unlocked.
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rpackard
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Posted: Sat Sep 29th, 2007 08:35 pm |
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I am not exactly familiar with how the sim cards work. Once you buy it, do you just call some number when you want to add air time? Does the operator usually know English? what is the cost per minute for calls within Sonora?
thanks
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Nuocie
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| Location: | Vancouver, BC |
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Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 04:12 pm |
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Ok....so I think I have this figured out.
I already have an unlocked GSM cell that operates on the correct bandwiths for Mexico.
I go to Ley when I get there and pick up at Telcel SIM.
I buy some airtime.
Now, my question is can anyone recommend a long distance calling card with a local SC access number and good rates to Canada?
The long distance rates using the local cell/SIM seem very high. I figure that I can buy a long distance card too and use only my local calling time by calling the local access number.
I've seen tons of these long distance cards at other places in Mexico so I assume they're readily available in SC and/or Guaymas.
Thanks everyone!
Last edited on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 04:13 pm by Nuocie
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GP
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Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 04:48 pm |
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I've done it in Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara, and believe it's the same in all of Mexico. I had my phone 1 month and got the unlock instrux from Cingular, I believe they have to by law but you have to be firm when you call for it. After it's unlocked, you buy a prepaid Sim card pretty much anywhere, they are sold everywhere..grocery stores, etc. The Movistar card I have cost about $10 USD for a 1 time charge and then you add whatever time you want to it. I suggest using either Telcel or Movistar. The plans are complicated and each company has about 3 different plans they can put you on. My experience is that Movistar is better for making US calls, about $1.50 USD for a 30 min call to the US but local calls are more expensive than using Telcel. I suppose you could switch between SIM cards to minimize the price paid. You need to find a store where you both speak the same language to really find out the details.
When the prepaid time is used up, you can add more from the cell phone or go to store and they'll do it. The cards typically expire after 3 months of no usage...they cancel the number and the card so you have to buy another one for $10. Or you can buy more time or make a call and they don't expire for another 3 months.
Last edited on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 04:51 pm by GP
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quemazon
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Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 05:09 pm |
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Hey, if you're really serious about doing this cheaply, then consider VOIP. But if you don't have a computer and/or internet, then the next best option is to use callback. Here's how:
Get an account with http://www.callwithus.com and put about $10 on your account (more if needed). When you set up the account, put your mexico cell number in the caller ID list. (you will probably have to go to a cybercafe in mexico for that part.) Callwithus has an access number that you dial, then hang-up. Its sees your caller ID and relates it to your account, and calls you back. It gives you a dial tone, then you are able to dial to anywhere you want. The service will cost about $.12/minute (about $.11/min for the call to mexico and about $.01/min for the call to the US/Canada). Incomming calls on cells in mexico (in your local area) are FREE.
It's a little extra work, but far cheaper than anthing else you will find! (except VOIP which would be about $.01/min).
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quemazon
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Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 05:17 pm |
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GP wrote: My experience is that Movistar is better for making US calls, about $1.50 USD for a 30 min call to the US but local calls are more expensive than using Telcel. I
All good information in your post, but I have to point out that your numbers are off on calls to the US. $1.50 for 30 min would be $.05/min, which isn't accurate. The rates for a call to the US are more like $.30/min, which would be $9 for a 30 min call.
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Nuocie
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Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 05:31 pm |
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Thanks everyone!!!
(I love this forum!)
Callwithus sounds like an awesome solution.
Is the sound quality good? Not choppy?
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quemazon
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Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 06:13 pm |
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I use Callwithus regularly for making calls to Mexico when I'm at work. The sound quality is excellent.
BTW, if anyone is interesting in testing this service I would be happy to donate a few of my minutes. Just send me a private message with your mexico cel number, and I will temporarly add you to my caller ID list. Then you can attempt making a call, and let me know how it goes.
Last edited on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 06:50 pm by quemazon
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Nuocie
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Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 07:56 pm |
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Cool.
Do Telcel cellphones in charge more for incoming international calls?
That may be the only hitch...
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quemazon
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Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 08:15 pm |
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| As far as I know, the caller (in this case, callwithus) pays the fee. The phone recieving the call doesn't pay anything (even international).
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taoswheat
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Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 09:00 pm |
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Incoming cell calls are paid by the caller. In this case the caller is your account at callwithus. I suspect you will pay the regular about 39 cents per minute for cell service but not certain. Plus you will pay callwithus normal fees.
I tried to find a cheap phone scheme and finally did the following- Bought a TelCel cell to allow local SC people to call me. US contacts can call in emergency also on the cell. All other telephone use, I call out using Skype on my laptop. Works great and costs about 2 1/2 cents per minute. Does require a high speed internet connection.
Last edited on Wed Aug 27th, 2008 09:06 pm by taoswheat
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beegees2
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Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 09:33 pm |
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| where does one get high speed internet that supports Vonage?
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Nuocie
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Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 09:42 pm |
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I actually mean does Telcel charge more for an incoming international call to my cellphone.
Presumably Callwithus would be dialing back to you on an international line.
Or, is there a local Callwithus line in Sonora and/or Mexico?
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quemazon
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Posted: Wed Aug 27th, 2008 11:39 pm |
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taoswheat wrote: Incoming cell calls are paid by the caller. In this case the caller is your account at callwithus. I suspect you will pay the regular about 39 cents per minute for cell service but not certain.
callwithus charges about $.10-$.13/min to mexico cell phones and about $.03/min to regular mexico phones. They are really cheap, and very good call quality. The cell account wouldn't get charged anything.
They are my VOIP provider and I use them to call mexico all the time.
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