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How to get Telcel Amigo SIM & prepaid card?


Ehecatl

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Hi folks!

I'm planning a trip to that area sometime in the upcoming months and was wondering if someone there might be able to answer a couple questions about getting a Telcel Amigo SIM & prepaid card for my unlocked GSM 850/1900 phone.

* I can't order a SIM card and an Amigo prepaid card from here in the USA can I? From what I've found online, it sounds like I can only do that after I arrive in Mexico. If I'm wrong there please let me know.

I'm going to be driving, and though I haven't settled on a route yet, I'll most likely be crossing the border from California to Mexicali, or from Arizona to Agua Prieta.

* Is anyone aware of any stores in those locations where the service is relatively quick and efficient? Having some experience down there in the past, I know a lot of Mexico still runs on a totally different idea of how time passes by. And even up here, waiting to speak to a salesman at cellphone stores can be pretty time consuming.

Once I get down into the heart of Mexico I'll inevitably fall back into the rural pace of how time passes. But since I'll have to be dealing with Mexican customs and immigration at the border, I'd really like to be able to get through any extra stops as quickly as possible.

Thanks for any feedback on this.

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Just buy a Telcel phone when you cross the border. A SIM chip will cost you the same amount as a phone and the phone comes with minutes. Phones are down to $280 MX with 300 pesos in minutes. If you don't like the phone, keep it as a backup and use the SIM chip in it in your phone.

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A SIM chip will cost you the same amount as a phone and the phone comes with minutes.

Huh... They don't sell a SIM card separately... that's interesting. I have an Android smartphone and would like to get a 3G data plan. Looking at this page on the Telcel website, it looks like they sell data plans separately. I'm looking at the Amigo "ALTO30" for 30 days access at 499 pesos. I haven't found anything about packages that include phone/SIM, voice and data. So I guess I'd buy the cheapest phone, get the ALTO30, use the SIM and data in my smartphone, and keep their phone as a spare as you suggested.

Ask at the border where the nearest Telcel store is located. OXXO stores have phones but I don't know if you can simply buy the chip from them.

I don't know about going to a OXXO store. One person wrote that there were issues getting the phone he brought activated, and recommended going to an authorized Telcel dealership. But I can't seem to find anything on the Telcel website similar to the 'Store Finder' a lot of retail chains up here have on their websites.

I asked Telcel how to contact them from the USA from a form on their website, and they replied in English telling me I could call them at 01 800 713 96 00. But I've tried that number, and a combination of methods for international dialing and only get a message saying the number I'm calling is not in service or I've mis-dialed.

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I would wait until you get to your destination in Mexico first. Our phones, which we bought on the coast of Mexico, have Puerto Vallarta numbers. It's fine for us since we usually only call each other. For any other number it's LONG DISTANCE and charges apply accordingly.

We will be changing our SIMS at a local Telcel in the near distant future to a more local number.

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Thanks Mike. That's the point I was trying to make. If all lakeside cell phones have Guadalajara numbers then it's a local call to another cell phone because the area codes are the same. That's why the OP should wait.

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Pretty sure all cell minutes are the same; there really is no "local" or "long distance" (at least with Telcel Amigo type plan). You can call any cell anywhere in Mexico, same high price per minute.

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I would wait until you get to your destination in Mexico first

I'd like to have a 3G data plan for my smartphone as I may take my time getting down into central Mexico... maybe spending some time in Barranca del Cobre. It would be great to be able to have a net connection to access email, Google Maps, and other handy Inet functions. So I'd really like to get set up early if possible.

All phone stores sell SIMs separately, around 150 pesos, guys. At lakeside, all SIMs are Guadalajara numbers.

Tha's good to hear.

Pretty sure all cell minutes are the same; there really is no "local" or "long distance" (at least with Telcel Amigo type plan). You can call any cell anywhere in Mexico, same high price per minute.

That was I thought I read somewhere. I'd really like to get the best plan for taking a number of days to drive down into the heart of the land.

Does anyone know how to call Tercel sales from the USA? I sent them a message via the form on their website asking how I could do that. They replied in English, but the number they gave me, 01 800 713 96 00, doesn't connect from here. I might be able to get a number of questions answered if I could get hold of one of their sales people on the phone.

And is it anyone's experience that you can get more efficient service at setting things up at cellphone stores over places like OXXO? Does Telcel have their own stores? Or do they just authorize different stores to handle their products?

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Pretty sure all cell minutes are the same; there really is no "local" or "long distance" (at least with Telcel Amigo type plan). You can call any cell anywhere in Mexico, same high price per minute.

The Amiga credits are in Pesos not minutes. The whole list of charges is shown on a chalkboard in the Telcel store next to the Crown Casino. After you have your Amiga for one year you can register for a "Amistad" plan which reduces your call charges significantly. You can also register 3 numbers that you can call for 5 minutes @ no-charge and up to 10 that you can call for a reduced price.

Telcel does not operate their own stores, each is independently operated. In general, a "Telcel" store has people that are more knowledgeable than those at other outlets such as OXXO.

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The telephone number to call TELCEL customer service from the USA listed on their website is 1-888-350-4035. The most practical plan to purchase a TELCEL SIMM chip for your cell-phone would be to go to a TELCEL Centro de Atencion. This would require you to plan your entry point into Mexico at a location where there would be a Centro de Atencion in that local. This is TELCEL’s weblink for information on their centers in the state of Sonora = http://telcel.com/portal/contactanos/cacs/begin.do?mid=7100. The TELCEL website gives you access to every other Centro de Atencion listed by state, with the address, and hours of operation. I hope this is helfpful, useful information to coordinate what you would like to accomplish.

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I have an android smartphone that I bought in Texas. You need one that has gsm and unlocked. The one I bought is the nexus s that I got at the best buy in Houston with T-mobile plan.

If you have the right kind of smart phone it is very easy to get it running in Mexico. You just go to any of the independent cell phone stores, there are 3 in Ajijic that I know of and buy a SIM.

You do not need to have a data plan to get 3g on your smartphone. You can set your phone up easily to access the 3g network and you only pay for the time that you use the 3G. It is deducted from your Telcel balance just like when you're making a phone call. So can save you a lot of money if you are connecting via wifi.

After you get down here I will be glad to help you if you have any problems.

This comment has been dictated by voice and posted by my google nexus s cell phone running android 4.0.4.

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Wow... I really appreciate all your feedback folks!

After you have your Amiga for one year you can register for a "Amistad" plan which reduces your call charges significantly. You can also register 3 numbers that you can call for 5 minutes @ no-charge and up to 10 that you can call for a reduced price.

Are those 3 free numbers available only after using their service for a year? And are they just local numbers, or can they be long distance?

Telcel does not operate their own stores, each is independently operated. In general, a "Telcel" store has people that are more knowledgeable than those at other outlets such as OXXO.

Thats what I was slowly beginning to realize... thanks.

The telephone number to call TELCEL customer service from the USA listed on their website is 1-888-350-4035. The most practical plan to purchase a TELCEL SIMM chip for your cell-phone would be to go to a TELCEL Centro de Atencion. This would require you to plan your entry point into Mexico at a location where there would be a Centro de Atencion in that local. This is TELCEL’s weblink for information on their centers in the state of Sonora = http://telcel.com/portal/contactanos/cacs/begin.do?mid=7100. The TELCEL website gives you access to every other Centro de Atencion listed by state, with the address, and hours of operation. I hope this is helfpful, useful information to coordinate what you would like to accomplish.

That's just the information I've been trying to track down MXCompadre. The 888 number is a huge help. I'm usually good at searching websites for info... but my Spanish is so bad.... Using that link to find Centros de Atención a Clientes, I found 4 in Mexicali. I could almost confirm 2 of them via Google Streetview. One seems to be in a new Mall, so I might head there 1st. And there was one in Agua Prieta. Their phone#s are listed too, so I can try calling ahead and seeing if there's any English speaking salesmen. Since they're along the border my chances are probably higher.

I have an android smartphone that I bought in Texas. You need one that has gsm and unlocked. The one I bought is the nexus s that I got at the best buy in Houston with T-mobile plan.

Yes... I have an unlocked T-Moble 850/1900 GSM phone, and from what I've read, all phones like that are compatible with the cell networks down there.

If you have the right kind of smart phone it is very easy to get it running in Mexico. You just go to any of the independent cell phone stores, there are 3 in Ajijic that I know of and buy a SIM.

So you're confirming that I can just buy a SIM and not a phone just to get the SIM... good.

You do not need to have a data plan to get 3g on your smartphone. You can set your phone up easily to access the 3g network and you only pay for the time that you use the 3G. It is deducted from your Telcel balance just like when you're making a phone call. So can save you a lot of money if you are connecting via wifi.

I plan on wifi net access as much as possible at stops along the way. But as I travel I'll be in range of 3G more of the time, and having a 3GB data package will give me a reasonable amount of time to access the net . I think the Amigo plans all include both voice and data. Have been tweaking Android to block unnecessary apps' access to 3G.

I don't really understand cell technology. Is 3G used specifically to transmit data, and 2G only for voice? Will have to google that. :-)

Found this about recharging Amigo:

Recharging
Recharging (adding money to your prepaid account) is simple. Find a shop with a big “Recarga” sign out front. All supermarkets and Oxxo’s will be able to recharge. Give the people at the counter your money and your phone number. They will put the money on your account. You will get a text message within a few minutes confirming your recharge.
Once the money is on the account you have several choices. You can use it for voice calls with no further action required. Or you can send a text to sign up for data packages. The number you send the text too and the message itself will determine what type of package you are signing up for.
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