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How can I make phone calls while I’m in Mexico? Can I use my cell phone? Will I have wifi? What will it cost?
While it would be ideal if all of us could go on vacation and truly “unhook” from our cell phones and computers, but that is a pipe dream for some of us! I can’t be incommunicado from my business – I have to have a phone where I can be reached and I must have internet access to assist guests and potential guests. With that in mind, I have researched the options and suggest the following:
1. If you are staying in a condo with a vonage phone, it’s easy. Simply pick up the phone and dial. Most of our condos have US phone numbers so if you are dialing the US, there is nothing to know. If you are dialing Mexico, you must first dial 01152 for landlines and 01152+1 for cell phones. Vonage phones also offer voicemail and incoming calls- callers simply dial as though they were calling any number in the US.
2. Some cell phones will work in Mexico, some will not and some need to have a Mexico calling plan added prior to leaving your home country. Make sure you call your cellular provider and find out the scoop on calls, data and texting before you leave! If your phone needs to have a program update, you need to do that at home. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to call your provider before you leave home!! If you are unsure, don’t turn the phone on at all during your trip unless it is absolutely necessary.
3. If you are not adding or don’t have an international data package – be sure to turn off your data roaming or you will be paying an astronomical amount for data. I turn off my data roaming to make sure I am not paying for emails that I am not reading from my phone while travelling.
4. Ask about text. On my Verizon iPhone, texts sent from Mexico are 50 cents, while it is just 5 cents to receive. There are several free apps that you can download to text for free or you can use something like Yahoo messenger if you have wifi.
5. So, let’s say that your phone doesn’t work in Mexico or it’s very expensive to utilize. What can you do? One of the easiest things to do is buy the cheapest phone you can find and some airtime upon arrival in Mexico – they sell them everywhere and they are not expensive. Get them at OXO, WalMart, Mega, etc. This will ensure that you have complete control over the amount of $$ you are spending on phone calls – especially nice if you are travelling with teens.
6. Now let’s assume your phone will work but you don’t want to pay the rates. Download the Skype app and play with it before you leave. I use Skype on my laptop and on my iPhone and it’s great and cheap. Yeah, it takes a little bit of getting used to, but the time spent figuring it out will more than pay for itself. I like to talk into a handheld so I have a “phone” that plugs into the USB port on a laptop – if you want to go that route vs using a built in microphone on the laptop, be sure to get it before you leave home. Specialty tech products are not easy to find in Mexico and can be expensive.
7. No wifi? There are several internet cafes in Playa and the rates are very good. Some local businesses provide free wifi and will advertise as such. Wicky’s beach club at El Faro will let you use their network at no fee – so you can sit on the beach, sip a marg and surf all you want!
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