Using my IPhone in the US?

[court0503]

If you’re one of those folks who regularly use your IPhone both Lakeside and the US I hope you can help as sadly  I’m very unsavvy about smart phone technology and lingo. I have an iPhone 7 and Lakeside I buy Tercel’s ‘amigo plan sin limites’ plan, 200p for 28 days.— all good. Im in the US and arranged for a  friend to pay  my Telcel for me while I’m away. But I’m obviously doing something wrong .  With phone Set to WIFI , nothing works. With phone setting set to  ‘cellular data’ ON all is good (phone calls, texts, emails internet) but the 200p paid lakeside lasts only for about 12 days.  Is it the Sin Limites plan I’m buying Lakeside? How I’m setting my phone? 
(Strangely when the Telcel rep called the ‘main office’ they said I’d need to go to a Telcel office here in the US ....but as far as I can determine Telcel doesn’t exist here in the US so ....) Thank you for any advice you can give me — as simply put as possible 

[Mostlylost]

 Your plan is for Mexico service. When in the US you are roaming thus your $200 is used to pay the roaming rates.  

try this link to buy service in the USA https://us.telcel.com/secure/ServicePlans

If you want to locate a Telcel store in the USA  https://us.telcel.com/StoreLocator

Next time when you recharge in Mexico ask for the way to change your amigo Unlimited Mexico to all of North America  

When traveling to the United States and Canada, use the minutes, messages and megabytes included in your Telcel Plan as if you were in Mexico.

In addition, the calls you make from Mexico to the United States and Canada will be like a local call.

This service is recurring and has a  monthly cost of  $ 50.00 (VAT included), in addition to the Monthly Service Charge of your Telcel Plan.

As to why you can't access wifi you have some setting in your phone that is wrong. Has nothing to do with the fact you are using Telcel. 

 

 

 

[vetteforron]

I have an AT&T plan and when I am in the states or Panama I have to turn on roaming. Roaming does use a lot of time. I have the app AT&T so I just add time. I only use roaming when I need to use data. Calling between the states and Mexico remember 011 52 .......When I am in Panama I have to use Skype or magic jack, or WhatsApp. 

[Out1]

I also have an Iphone 7 with the Amigo plan and use it frequently in the US. If you are using cellular data for everything you are probably drawing down the megabytes before the 30 day refill time. I use a lot of cellular data when travelling so I also purchase an amigo internet package to prevent drawing down my regular package.

WiFi is pretty straight forward; turn it on, connect to a network you know and enter the password, then you are connected. If that doesn't work go into a Best Buy or Apple store and ask any clerk to help you.

I recharge using the Mi Telcel app on my phone with a credit card (US or Mexican). Never had a problem.

[John Shrall]

There are monthly plans from Telcel that are not Amigo starting at $200 pesos/month for 1gb of data. Sin limite calls in the US and Canada. Once in the US the phone connects to T-mobile. The bill is due on the same day each month and can be set up for autopay using a credit card. No worries about recharging.

If you are away and need more data (Telcel will send you a text saying you are low and the app shows the percentage remaining), you can buy additional data in gigabyte chunks. 

The OP says he pays $200 for 28 days. so the monthly plan would be cheaper assuming the amigo data limit is the same as the Planes de Renta listed on the Telcel site.

To me it seems a lot less stressful getting a recurring plan paid automatically each month instead of continually worrying about the next Amigo recharge.

[Mostlylost]

1 hour ago, John Shrall said:

There are monthly plans from Telcel that are not Amigo starting at $200 pesos/month for 1gb of data. Sin limite calls in the US and Canada. Once in the US the phone connects to T-mobile. The bill is due on the same day each month and can be set up for autopay using a credit card. No worries about recharging.

If you are away and need more data (Telcel will send you a text saying you are low and the app shows the percentage remaining), you can buy additional data in gigabyte chunks. 

The OP says he pays $200 for 28 days. so the monthly plan would be cheaper assuming the amigo data limit is the same as the Planes de Renta listed on the Telcel site.

To me it seems a lot less stressful getting a recurring plan paid automatically each month instead of continually worrying about the next Amigo recharge.

I have the $199 plan that is unlimited calls texts whatsapp etc, and 1GB of internet all of North America.  I think that plan has gone up in price for new subscribers, also there are many different plans available now. 

To open  a monthly billing plan you must be a Residente Permanente or Mexican 

[jrod]

When traveling, I turn my roaming off unless I need to use it when not connected to a wifi network. As stated above, you very quickly use up expensive roaming charges if you just leave it on.

 

As for paying while in the US, you can go to any CVS and add monies. It's done at the register and is a simple process, although it is likely the cashier hasn't done it before. Follow the prompts with him/her for the service provider, your phone number, and amount to add and you'll get the customary Telmex response showing immediate credit to your account. Super-easy. (Apparently Walgreens and some other locations provide this service, but I've only done it at CVS locations.)

[Mostlylost]

12 minutes ago, jrod said:

When traveling, I turn my roaming off unless I need to use it when not connected to a wifi network. As stated above, you very quickly use up expensive roaming charges if you just leave it on.

 

As for paying while in the US, you can go to any CVS and add monies. It's done at the register and is a simple process, although it is likely the cashier hasn't done it before. Follow the prompts with him/her for the service provider, your phone number, and amount to add and you'll get the customary Telmex response showing immediate credit to your account. Super-easy. (Apparently Walgreens and some other locations provide this service, but I've only done it at CVS locations.)

Just curious. If you turn you roaming off how do you receive or make calls?  

Wouldn't it be easier to pay $50mx for 30 days of North America coverage and have regular service. 

[jrod]

9 minutes ago, Mostlylost said:

Just curious. If you turn you roaming off how do you receive or make calls?  

Wouldn't it be easier to pay $50mx for 30 days of North America coverage and have regular service. 

I can still make and receive calls; the data is restricted unless I join a wifi network. Also, if that's of interest to you can still use Whatsapp and Facebook, as they are included in Telmex. When I'm out (or away from a secure wifi network I joined) I turn on the data periodically to check for email and texts, but I can always use the phone (but not Internet, other than the above) without issue. Hope this helps!

 

PS My cost for the roaming is significantly more than $50mx for 30 days. If that were the case... I get a warning notice in a matter of days that roaming has eaten my 2 gig of data. The above works for me.

[Go Solar]

20 hours ago, court0503 said:

If you’re one of those folks who regularly use your IPhone both Lakeside and the US I hope you can help as sadly  I’m very unsavvy about smart phone technology and lingo. I have an iPhone 7 and Lakeside I buy Tercel’s ‘amigo plan sin limites’ plan, 200p for 28 days.— all good. Im in the US and arranged for a  friend to pay  my Telcel for me while I’m away. But I’m obviously doing something wrong .  With phone Set to WIFI , nothing works. With phone setting set to  ‘cellular data’ ON all is good (phone calls, texts, emails internet) but the 200p paid lakeside lasts only for about 12 days.  Is it the Sin Limites plan I’m buying Lakeside? How I’m setting my phone? 
(Strangely when the Telcel rep called the ‘main office’ they said I’d need to go to a Telcel office here in the US ....but as far as I can determine Telcel doesn’t exist here in the US so ....) Thank you for any advice you can give me — as simply put as possible 

Most likely the "data" part is still fine but you've used up the phone and SMS balance part.     You can check this by dialing:    *133# and then following the prompts, first you hit "3" for "saldo" and then "2" for your package choice to check.       You'll probably see you have plenty of Gb of data left.     You can still top up the balance so that you can make calls and sent texts.        This can be done by c/card payment on this same function, or you can ask someone at lakeside to go in to a store and put it on your account using your phone #.

And...if you use WhatsApp or Skype to make calls and send messages with, those will use the data so you can continue to communicate even if your airtime and text amounts are used up.      

[Mostlylost]

3 hours ago, jrod said:

I can still make and receive calls; the data is restricted unless I join a wifi network. Also, if that's of interest to you can still use Whatsapp and Facebook, as they are included in Telmex. When I'm out (or away from a secure wifi network I joined) I turn on the data periodically to check for email and texts, but I can always use the phone (but not Internet, other than the above) without issue. Hope this helps!

 

PS My cost for the roaming is significantly more than $50mx for 30 days. If that were the case... I get a warning notice in a matter of days that roaming has eaten my 2 gig of data. The above works for me.

You don't understand. The $50 plan needs to be paid for and added. It is sepárate from a normal re-charge.   There are many other North America plans available as well. 

 

[court0503]

Mostlylost....so when my friend pays the typical $200p for my Telcel  Amigos Sin Limites plan she could also request /  pay another 50mx for 30 days of North America coverage? 
 

that and connecting to a WIFI network as much as possible and using Roam only when I can’t connect,  I should find my pesos going a good deal farther than 12 days?

[Mostlylost]

Yes 

1 hour ago, court0503 said:

Mostlylost....so when my friend pays the typical $200p for my Telcel  Amigos Sin Limites plan she could also request /  pay another 50mx for 30 days of North America coverage? 
 

that and connecting to a WIFI network as much as possible and using Roam only when I can’t connect,  I should find my pesos going a good deal farther than 12 days?

They can check to see how many bytes of consumption in those 12 day and check vs the number of bytes they have paid for.  They can do that on mitelcel.com

They need to purchase a North America plan and activate it with the instructions they are given.  If they plan to use a lot of internet time than they can purchase a package with more Gigabytes.   For example they could purchase unlimited for 30 days with 3GB for $200. 

I have a monthly plan for $199 that includes 1GB and unlimited whatsapp etc. Spent over 2 months in the USA last year and never exceded my limits. 

To open a monthly plan you need to be a Permanente or Mexican. 

 

[jrod]

4 hours ago, Mostlylost said:

You don't understand. The $50 plan needs to be paid for and added. It is sepárate from a normal re-charge.   There are many other North America plans available as well. 

 

I very much understand. $50 doesn't get me zip. Yes, I can add more data but the cost is still quite high. Managing my usage as I do works for me, for no additional cost. 

[Out1]

My Telcel service works fine in Canada and the US just like it works in Mexico; incoming calls, outgoing calls, text messages and data on the Amigo plan; I add 100 pesos at a time which is good for up to 60 days. I am not a heavy user except for data when I travel. No I don't pay 50 pesos to add North American coverage. I do buy extra data packages when required.

The Mi Telcel app on my phone tells me my remaining balance and I can recharge as required.