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Cell Phone/Sim Card purchase PRIOR to my move to Mexico


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After many months of research, others may as well benefit from the torture I endured (smile):



ALLOW 2-3 WEEKS FOR DELIVERY IF YOU ARE REQUESTING A 33 AREA CODE.



http://www.mexicosimcard.com/products/telcel-sim



It's an easy way to get a Telcel PrePaid Sim Card and phone number


PRIOR TO ARRIVING IN MEXICO. This way you will have that info in advance to do with as you please. Example: We wanted to be able to order engraved plates for our dog collars, with our new information, in advance of our move.



You may use your existing iphone. Each type of iphone has its own size sim card. For the iphone 4, the size is the micro. You must unlock your phone. If you are not under contract with your phone provider, you can request an unlock. If you are under contract, you can pay the early termination fee and then you will be able to unlock your phone. With our situation, we can simply pay that fee and stay as a ATT customer, until we leave for mexico, and in the meantime get our new Mexican sim card and number, while still in the states! That way when we cross the border, we will be able to just slip the sim card in and be good to go, no visit to Telcel/no standing in line!



Incoming calls are free.



There is another option as well: We can pay an extra 9.95 a month and that will make inbound calls from US no charge to those who call us (kids, family, friends). In addition to that there is no charge to us for inbound calls. So if they initiate the call, its free for us too!



We only use our minutes for calls we make.



We must refresh our phone before each 60 day period or we will lose our remaining minutes. Those minutes will expire if we do not refill that account.



There is a one minute of airtime charge to retrieve messages.



As follows are the refill options.



Refills


200 Minutes to Mexico/US/Can - $22.95 0.11 per min


  • 500 Minutes to Mexico/US/Can - $54.95 0.10 per min
  • 1000 Minutes to Mexico/US/Can - $99.95 0.09 per min
  • 20 Pesos Refill to keep SIM alive for 4 months - $2.00


If you do not do a minimum of the 20 Peso Refill, your phone number could be lost and service shut off in 2-4 months.



The initial amount is $19.95 (sim card cost) & your choice of one of the following plans:



250 mins 22.95 0.0918 per min


500 mins 54.95 0.1099 per min


1000 mins 99.95 0.09995 per min



PS I found out that you should allow 2-3 weeks for delivery of your sim card if you are requesting a Guadalajara area code (33). The reason you want that area code if you are lakeside/ajijic, is that most of the people who have cell phones are 33 and it would be cost affective for those phoning you from their 33 area code cell phones. All inbound calls to you are free.


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Very good and detailed information. Thank you for sharing.

You are welcome.

Just hoping it helps others!

Not every provider/service will fit everyone.

This is simply the best fit for us.

It also has the added bonus of having an english speaking representative to confer with via email.

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  • 2 weeks later...

UPDATE:

My sim card representative contacted me to let me know the sim cards (with 33 area code) were in and that they would

arrive by the end of the month. This was a very easy process. If anyone would like the name and email of my contact at

Mexico Sim Card, and his email I will be happy to give that. I don't know if I am allowed to do so on this message board!

Just PM me. We will have our Sim cards phone number in place (plus a forwarding number that is US for our friends back home) before we leave. When we cross over the border we simply place that in our unlocked iphones. See above for details!

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