Comments on: My cell phone’s Mexican vacation http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/ Put the \"personal\" back in personal finance, the \"me\" in money management, the \"I\" in investing. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:44:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: MiMI http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9457 MiMI Mon, 04 Aug 2008 03:34:15 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9457 Peter there was a good article in the wall street journal about this : http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/traveling-tip-ditch-cellphone/story.aspx?guid=%7B710C9A1E-3FCD-4790-83A4-8F79A782DFA0%7D&dist=TNMostMailed We used this method for about $60 total over 15 days and called back to the US twice a day at least. You can get a pre-paid cellphone anywhere and most work in several countries. Peter there was a good article in the wall street journal about this :

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/traveling-tip-ditch-cellphone/story.aspx?guid=%7B710C9A1E-3FCD-4790-83A4-8F79A782DFA0%7D&dist=TNMostMailed

We used this method for about $60 total over 15 days and called back to the US twice a day at least. You can get a pre-paid cellphone anywhere and most work in several countries.

]]> By: Hillary http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9454 Hillary Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:00:28 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9454 Peter - check with your carrier on international roaming rates. They should be on the website, or call customer service. There's sometimes a fee to have international turned on as well (assuming you have a 3G phone - CDMA doesn't work in Europe). I went to China in May, and my rates would have been up to $1.00 per minute. I picked up a local SIM card and calls were less than $0.10/minute. If you're going to be in towns, calling cards are a good option - all the pay phones on the street in France take them, and the rates are relatively reasonable. If not, a disposable phone or sim card is a good idea, but they're more difficult to acquire than they used to be because of security concerns. Peter - check with your carrier on international roaming rates. They should be on the website, or call customer service. There’s sometimes a fee to have international turned on as well (assuming you have a 3G phone - CDMA doesn’t work in Europe). I went to China in May, and my rates would have been up to $1.00 per minute. I picked up a local SIM card and calls were less than $0.10/minute.

If you’re going to be in towns, calling cards are a good option - all the pay phones on the street in France take them, and the rates are relatively reasonable. If not, a disposable phone or sim card is a good idea, but they’re more difficult to acquire than they used to be because of security concerns.

]]> By: Kara McGuire http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9443 Kara McGuire Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:46:39 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9443 Here's how Matt, my savvy cell phone husband explains it: T-Mobile has a deal with Movistar, or whoever operates the cell carriers in Mexico, and the deal is, T-Mobile customers can use the network, but Movistar will charge T-Mobile, and T-Mobile passes the cost to us. They are very expensive roaming rates. I believe T-Mobile publishes roaming rates for various networks/countries on their website. If you buy a prepaid SIM card, the rate is what the locals pay. Same deal with Orange in France. However, buying them at a good rate is difficult, especially if you don't speak the language. You can buy them over the Internet, but they are kind of expensive. In Italy, I had to have one of my classmates purchase the TIM (that's the Italian carrier we used) SIM. E-Bay is an option too. Buying a disposable, or cheap, pre-paid cell phone is one of the suggestions made my Brett Arends of the WSJ. Here’s how Matt, my savvy cell phone husband explains it:

T-Mobile has a deal with Movistar, or whoever operates the cell carriers in Mexico, and the deal is, T-Mobile customers can use the network, but Movistar will charge T-Mobile, and T-Mobile passes the cost to us.

They are very expensive roaming rates.
I believe T-Mobile publishes roaming rates for various networks/countries on their website.

If you buy a prepaid SIM card, the rate is what the locals pay. Same deal with Orange in France. However, buying them at a good rate is difficult, especially if you don’t speak the language. You can buy them over the Internet, but they are kind of expensive. In Italy, I had to have one of my classmates purchase the TIM (that’s the Italian carrier we used) SIM.

E-Bay is an option too.

Buying a disposable, or cheap, pre-paid cell phone is one of the suggestions made my Brett Arends of the WSJ.

]]> By: peter http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9442 peter Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:28:31 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9442 I read the article and am puzzled. We will be taking a cell phone to France this fall. Any thoughts on keeping the costs down? The cell phone is compatible with the European cell phone system. We will be making in country calls in France, not international calls (similar to your Mexico experience). Might it be cheaper to buy a disposable phone? I read the article and am puzzled. We will be taking a cell phone to France this fall. Any thoughts on keeping the costs down? The cell phone is compatible with the European cell phone system. We will be making in country calls in France, not international calls (similar to your Mexico experience). Might it be cheaper to buy a disposable phone?

]]> By: Kara McGuire http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9441 Kara McGuire Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:48:49 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9441 James: The bill was for about $80. Sorry to leave you in suspense. James: The bill was for about $80. Sorry to leave you in suspense.

]]> By: Kara McGuire http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9440 Kara McGuire Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:59:30 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9440 Well, it was expensive. But given that the place we were staying had no phone and we would have had to walk a few miles into town, I'm glad we had it. Well, it was expensive. But given that the place we were staying had no phone and we would have had to walk a few miles into town, I’m glad we had it.

]]> By: James Shiffer http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9439 James Shiffer Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:56:30 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9439 So how much was the bill? So how much was the bill?

]]> By: dc1515 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9436 dc1515 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:24:13 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/29/my-cell-phones-mexican-vacation/#comment-9436 I never would have thought to bring my cell phone to Mexico - or any other foreign country... I even turn it off when I drive through Canada for a couple hours. I never would have thought to bring my cell phone to Mexico - or any other foreign country… I even turn it off when I drive through Canada for a couple hours.

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