telecommunications options - looking for advice/experience

[feewee]

I am coming to Lakeside in Dec for two months and will need to get a cellphone and cell service.  Wondering if others have any advice/experience on where to get reasonably priced smartphones (doesn't need to be a super fancy one but would like to make/receive calls, text and check emails) and more importantly a cell plan that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  

Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

[Yo1]

If you have a cell phone in the US, get it unlocked and bring it with you and buy a SIM card here.

 

[johanson]

Yes. I have been buying all of my cell phones up north and then going to TELCEL, my cell phone provider in Mexico and buying a sim chip or sim card or what ever it's called and putting it in my phone for the last 10 to 15 years. At present I am using an older iPhone X which I shall continue to use until it fails. And then, I'll buy another cell phone, hopefully when I am up north, but when down here, in Mexico.

                                                        NO problem  

[Go Solar]

You can also get an unlocked dual SIM phone, and then have 2-in-1 with your CDN # and your Telcel SIM at the same time.     You can designate the Telcel SIM as your primary data plan #, as well, and use it that way when back in / up in US & C as well as MX.     Saves mucho dinero vs many NOB cell plans.

[mudgirl]

3 hours ago, feewee said:

and more importantly a cell plan that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  

You'll be amazed at how cheap it is to use your cell phone here. What you'll want to do is just buy the Sin Limites package (it's called a paquete- what is known as a plan here is something you have to sign up for at a Telcel office and are billed monthly).

This is pay-as-you-go. You just walk into any OXO convenience store (they're everywhere) and pay your money for whichever amount you want. For instance, I buy the 150 peso paquete (equivalent to about $10CAN.) For that, you get 26 days of unlimited texting and calling to anywhere in Mexico, the US or Canada. You can call friends and family in Canada and yak for an hour if you want. That 150 package also gives you 2 GB of data, and social media like Whatsapp, Instagram, are without charge, and do not use up your data. 

There are other amounts to choose from, that give you more days, and more data, but the unlimited texting and calling is the same on all.

And you can also buy only more data time if you want it, in the same way. You just ask for Telcel Internet instead of the Sin Limites paquete. So say you still have 10 days left on your Sin Limites texting and calling, but you've burned through the data it comes with. You can go back to OXO and buy Internet data for 150 pesos which will give you 2.5 Gbs of data. 

[RickS]

If you happen to already have either AT&T or T-Mobile in the US, both of those will work without any changes on your part once you set foot in Mexico... AT&T has a presence here so if you have them you will stay with them. If you have T-Mobile they are partnered with TelCel here... the largest/best coverage in Mexico.... and you will automatically be switched over.  

BTW.... there are no cell plans here that will cost you that 'arm and a leg' that you see in the US.  

( I just saw that you are from Canada so the above may not be applicable to you as I don't know who provides cell service there)

[feewee]

thanks everyone  -  you've given me some great options and advice.  I looked into a package here in Canada that would allow me Mexican coverage and the roaming fees were insane. Maybe they make sense for someone who needs to be plugged in for work but I am newly retired and enjoying the fact no one is calling me 🙂