Can I purchase a pre-paid cell phone in PV?
I am looking to get one to stay in contact with family in Canada. Thanks
cell phones
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Re: cell phones
You can get one for 300 pesos or less, including some time credit.pelican wrote:Can I purchase a pre-paid cell phone in PV?
I am looking to get one to stay in contact with family in Canada. Thanks
As Tim said, unless you are down for a longer period of time a phone card would probably be cheaper. Between the cost of the phone and the cost of the minutes to call Canada for a couple of weeks the phone card will be cheaper. I have a Mexico calling plan on my home and my U.S. cell phone and I never use my PV cell phone to call home, there are more inexpensive ways to call.
I'm needing a phone or some way to contact other friends who are in PV at the same time we are. What do you guys suggest for that? We're staying in a condo. I'm not even sure if it has a phone in it or not. My US cell phone doesn't get a signal in PV. It never has anyway so I doubt it will this year either.
Sandy,
Don't call from your hotel room they really overcharge you from any of the hotels for calls.
If you think it is worth the money to buy a cell phone for the time you are down there then go that way. But if you are only talking about a couple of weeks by the time you pay for the phone and the minutes you will buy to keep in contact with them, a phone card is probably a much less expensive option for you.
I don't know who your US carrier is but have AT&T and my son has Verizon and both of our phones work with no problem in PV. Just add on the mexico calling plan before you go down and cancel it when you get home.
Don't call from your hotel room they really overcharge you from any of the hotels for calls.
If you think it is worth the money to buy a cell phone for the time you are down there then go that way. But if you are only talking about a couple of weeks by the time you pay for the phone and the minutes you will buy to keep in contact with them, a phone card is probably a much less expensive option for you.
I don't know who your US carrier is but have AT&T and my son has Verizon and both of our phones work with no problem in PV. Just add on the mexico calling plan before you go down and cancel it when you get home.
I have Sprint and half the time I don't have service in my own house, lol. When I had a Nextel phone I could 2-way people back in the states, no problem, but I couldn't actually call them from it.
If I buy a phone card can I only use it at pay phones or can I make calls on a regular phone with it? I've never used one so I really don't understand how they work. And I can't understand Spanish well enough to figure out what the operators are saying when I get hold of one of them.
If I buy a phone card can I only use it at pay phones or can I make calls on a regular phone with it? I've never used one so I really don't understand how they work. And I can't understand Spanish well enough to figure out what the operators are saying when I get hold of one of them.
You can call Canada for zero from one of the many bars that offer free calls, well you'll have to buy a beer or something 
Then give them you cell phone number, all incoming calls here with TelCel are free, including International.
The other side will be paying for the call.
Just so someone can call you in an emergency, a phone card doesn't give you that.
Apart from free calls, most Cyber Cafes offer very low rates to call internationally.
Then give them you cell phone number, all incoming calls here with TelCel are free, including International.The other side will be paying for the call.
Just so someone can call you in an emergency, a phone card doesn't give you that.
Apart from free calls, most Cyber Cafes offer very low rates to call internationally.
buying cell phone
Hey there Sandy girl.... it is SNOWING AND BLOWING here in iowa again, imagine that one... should be working on schedules and spread sheets for the audit, but poo poo on that idea....
we have considered getting a cell phone as well when we are down there... we have heard that Wal-Mart, Soriana, etc have excellent phones and easy access to adding minutes to your phone... that is was Rachel, Janet, Andres, etc from the resort always told us.... we would only want it to call while in Vallarta - various resturants etc - Dave and Ellen, you and Fred if we are down during the same time, etc....
keep warm
we have considered getting a cell phone as well when we are down there... we have heard that Wal-Mart, Soriana, etc have excellent phones and easy access to adding minutes to your phone... that is was Rachel, Janet, Andres, etc from the resort always told us.... we would only want it to call while in Vallarta - various resturants etc - Dave and Ellen, you and Fred if we are down during the same time, etc....
keep warm
Think backwards a little and ask yourself how much talk time do you need? We have Verizon and if your phone is "enabled" (call them) you can call anywhere for 99 cents a minute. That's not cheap but it's just for emergencies, or something else that can't wait, and we keep it short. We "stay in contact" via e-mail, about twice a week. When we're on vacation, we focus on the vacation.
Of course if your circumstances require more immediate contact, such as small children or elderly relatives left behind, definitely use one of the alternatives suggested here.
Also, by my method I get charged 99 cents a minute when somebody calls me, and it takes a buck or two or three to tell them to call me when I get back. If I were more popular I'd probably look for some way to leave the phone at home.
Of course if your circumstances require more immediate contact, such as small children or elderly relatives left behind, definitely use one of the alternatives suggested here.
Also, by my method I get charged 99 cents a minute when somebody calls me, and it takes a buck or two or three to tell them to call me when I get back. If I were more popular I'd probably look for some way to leave the phone at home.
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jeanlery2010
- PV Beachbum
- Posts:1
- Joined:Wed Mar 24, 2010 3:58 am
Is it easy to get a calling plan?katnsocal wrote:As Tim said, unless you are down for a longer period of time a phone card would probably be cheaper. Between the cost of the phone and the cost of the minutes to call Canada for a couple of weeks the phone card will be cheaper. I have a Mexico calling plan on my home and my U.S. cell phone and I never use my PV cell phone to call home, there are more inexpensive ways to call.
I do consider it but have no idea about how am I going to work with it. Moreover, I prefer the cheapest and easiest calling card on the phone to be able to call downtown as you said. What brand am I going to purchase then? I need advices please.
Last edited by jeanlery2010 on Mon Apr 12, 2010 8:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
First of all I would suggest calling your cell phone provider and ask them about their calling plan(s) available for calling Mexico. You can add it before you go down and cancel it when you get back home. They will also be able to tell you how much it is per minute for calls/any roaming fees, etc. If you just want to use it for local calling around town, I would just go to any store and purchase a phone card for Tel-Mex (not Tel-Cel). You just insert it into any Tel-Mex pay phone and make your call (don't forget to remove your card from the phone after you finish your call, the phone should beep at you if you have left the card in it).
I think it all depends on what and how much (time wise) you are using your phone for in order to decide what is best for you personally. I use my cell phone mainly for emergency calls from home and business calls from back in the U.S. I do however have a cell phone that stays in PV year round that I use for local calling.
I think it all depends on what and how much (time wise) you are using your phone for in order to decide what is best for you personally. I use my cell phone mainly for emergency calls from home and business calls from back in the U.S. I do however have a cell phone that stays in PV year round that I use for local calling.
