Best way to get cellular internet on the pacific coast of Mexico

[autumnbreeze27]

Has anybody tried to buy a banda ancha recently? I've heard some rumors that telcel has decided to stop selling them? Is there an alternative?

I have a few iphones we're bringing south, iphone 3gs, 4s, 5, and 5s. All AT&T and all unlocked, except the 4s is verizon unlocked.

Can we get a plan for those that includes data and use the hotspot feature?

Ideally if I can buy from socal or TJ that would be ideal, would like to get it before the haha.

[hellosailor]

Check with T-Mobile, they're advertising something about Canada & Mexico at no extra charge, so one of their cheap phones (and everyone is no-contract now) might be everything you need.

[autumnbreeze27]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Check with T-Mobile, they're advertising something about Canada & Mexico at no extra charge, so one of their cheap phones (and everyone is no-contract now) might be everything you need.

That's for calling from US->MX, not service in MX unfortunately.

[hellosailor]

Roaming in Mexico with a US Cell Phone


Checkout their comment son TMob and TMob's "MetroPCS" subsidiary, which seems to offer $5/month unlimited roaming in Mexico, on their $40 unlimited US plans. Could be cheaper from a Mexican carrier, but worth looking into something that will work (hopefully well) on both sides.


Plenty of room for a tiny SIM chip to get lost on a boat.(G)

[Rick Nordby]

Go to Mexico SIM Card | Buy Prepaid, Refillable Telcel SIM Cards. Vince is great. He always responded to our emails promptly. We bought a sim card for our iPhone 5 before leaving the states. You can test it before leaving the states. We purchased a bunch of time online, both voice and data. He monitored our account adding our prepaid minutes as needed. Since he is an English speaker this avoided the hassles involved with getting a banda ancha and reloading. Also the iPhone acted as a hotspot with our iPads and MacBook. Have fun.

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by Rick Nordby

Go to Mexico SIM Card | Buy Prepaid, Refillable Telcel SIM Cards. Vince is great. He always responded to our emails promptly. We bought a sim card for our iPhone 5 before leaving the states. You can test it before leaving the states. We purchased a bunch of time online, both voice and data. He monitored our account adding our prepaid minutes as needed. Since he is an English speaker this avoided the hassles involved with getting a banda ancha and reloading. Also the iPhone acted as a hotspot with our iPads and MacBook. Have fun.

Looks great... was your iPhone 5 ATT, Verizon, or unlocked?

[mrlee]

Hi, I live in Mexico and the last time a friend sailed in and had no phone service I took an old Telcel SIM card I had lieing around and cut it down to size for his smartphone. He used the Mex. number on the SIM and it worked well for the 2 weeks he was here calling England, Tortola and who knows where else. The Mexico sim Card site is a racket you don't need and at more than double the actual cost.
When you get to Mexico just buy a sim card at a local fast food store (Oxxo) and it will work fine...Everybody here has a smartphone, it is a social thing kinda like a sports car in the economy up there......Don't listen to all the hype and BS...And, when you buy airtime here you get extra...I buy 300 Pesos per month and I get $200(pesos) free...un regalo(gift). The airtime costs me 1 peso per minute for a regular phone. If you want a more detailed account of this email me all_as@hotmail.com and I will have a smart phone user give me ALL the details...I have a friend in Telcel as well so I can get you whatever info you need...
Have fun...it is nice down here...Don't let a phone ruin your time!

[Rick Nordby]

I have an iPhone 5 unlocked. The SIM card was cheap. $10 US I think. As I recall the prices ipaid were the same as we're offered on the Telcel page and it was all in English.

[jamhass]

Originally Posted by autumnbreeze27

That's for calling from US->MX, not service in MX unfortunately.

Maybe they have only recently changed, but we've been assured that ALL calls in/from/to US/CAN/MEX are free on these plans.

[jamhass]

Also:

Check out the various providers coverage maps. You will be OK within sight of land South to about San Quintin and a bit South, then likely nothing until Todos Santos and on to Cabo.

[dswizzler]

Anyone using T-Mobile in LaPaz just wondering about coverage or is everyone using Tel Cel ? Heading down in November and trying to do some planning,

Thanks