cell phone while cruising

[davil]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

One way to avoid the ever changing phone number issue is to establish a number with Skype or a similar service. I have a USA based Skype number which I can set up to transfer to my local cell number and/or roll to voice mail. I never give my local number out to anyone who is not in-country. My Skype number is used for all forms of registration...like bank accounts etc. Anyone calling my USA number has no need to even know where I am...I just answer in English if I see a Skype transfer coming in. And if I initiate a call via Skype, the caller ID shows up as my Skype number.

WhatsApp, VERY popular in Central America, can also continue with your originally registered number even when you change SIMs so no one needs to update your contact info.

============================================
sorry,trying to understand the details of how you do it?
I have my Skype account setup in USA with a phone number.
I can make and receive calls using that number as a "normal" phone.
Lets say I am in Bermuda,what do I do then?
thanks for your patience
David

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by davil

============================================
sorry,trying to understand the details of how you do it?
I have my Skype account setup in USA with a phone number.
I can make and receive calls using that number as a "normal" phone.
Lets say I am in Bermuda,what do I do then?
thanks for your patience
David

1. Buy a local SIM in Bermuda.

2. Set call forwarding on Skype to forward calls to your Bermuda number.

When someone dials your USA #, your Bermuda phone rings.

Remember to disable call forwarding when you leave Bermuda. Enable voice mail and they can leave a message.

Repeat in next country.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Cpt Mark

Thank you all for your responses. A dual sim phone seems reasonable. Buy one here in the U.S or wait until Mexico? Recommendations?

Yes, they are common. I have a Samsung J6 which costs < $200.

Pricing can vary a lot by country, I dont know Mexico consumer electronics pricing, but the USA and Panama are essentially identical for example.

[AllenRbrts]

If you are just doing the Caribbean, I recommend digicel in Guadaloupe. It is 39 euros per month and roams just about everywhere in the Caribbean. Just be aware each island has a “different” digicel, this deal seems to be limited to just Guadaloupe.

Seems to be basically unlimited data and talk. Can’t directly call the USA but there are lots of workarounds using data. It definitely beats hunting for new SIM cards at each island.

If you need customer service better brush up on your French [emoji4]

[davil]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

1. Buy a local SIM in Bermuda.

2. Set call forwarding on Skype to forward calls to your Bermuda number.

When someone dials your USA #, your Bermuda phone rings.

Remember to disable call forwarding when you leave Bermuda. Enable voice mail and they can leave a message.

Repeat in next country.

==========================================
thank you very much
this is what I needed
David
Geriatric tech challenged sailor

[boatman61]

Thumbs up for Whatsapp..

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by davil

==========================================
thank you very much
this is what I needed
David
Geriatric tech challenged sailor

De nada.

The down side of course is you get charged for forwarded calls, but Skype rates are cheap. I think most cruisers are like me and dont receive a lot of calls from the USA, but some that are important...thus the minor expense is well worth the convenience and hassle avoidance.

Example: some of my debit/credit cards have automated fraud systems which make a call to the registered number. If I miss that call, then the transaction will be declined and the card may be locked...big hassle...well worth the few cents it costs to receive the forwarded call.

[NECruiser]

People still talk to one another on phones? How quaint

Whenever I'm in Bonaire N.A - which is a lot - I get a Chippie prepaid SIM card from UTS and stick it in an old iPhone.

a) I'm not heartbroken if the old phone gets lost/stolen/damaged
b) It's a pre-paid card, so it's a known expense vs. a revolving expense.

The only bummer is that the card expires after 150 days of non-use.

For voice calls, which are thankfully rare, I use the Viber app. It's bandwidth intensive, so that usually happens from a resort or some other place with decent WIFI.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by NECruiser

People still talk to one another on phones? How quaint [emoji3]



Whenever I'm in Bonaire N.A - which is a lot - I get a Chippie prepaid SIM card from UTS and stick it in an old iPhone.



a) I'm not heartbroken if the old phone gets lost/stolen/damaged

b) It's a pre-paid card, so it's a known expense vs. a revolving expense.



The only bummer is that the card expires after 150 days of non-use.



For voice calls, which are thankfully rare, I use the Viber app. It's bandwidth intensive, so that usually happens from a resort or some other place with decent WIFI.

In some venues you can keep a chip active with some form of transaction like receiving funds, receiving a call etc. Ive done that with some to keep them live. For example send a $1 top up each month.

Also, if the number has not yet been reassigned you can, in some venues, reactivate the SIM (and thus keep the same #) by putting $s in it.

I dont know about Bonaire, but you could check and see if any of the above options work there.


A side effect of all these transient SIM card users is watching who my contacts morph into on WhatsApp..."damn Old Bill, how did you become a hot latina?"

[davil]

Originally Posted by NECruiser

P

For voice calls, which are thankfully rare, I use the Viber app. It's bandwidth intensive, so that usually happens from a resort or some other place with decent WIFI.

===========================================
hi
Viber is like Skype?

[NECruiser]

Hi Davil

I think I understand what Skype is, but I've never used it, so I'm not sure I could make a good comparison. But I think the idea is the same.

Here's the link for Viber. https://www.viber.com/

[davil]

Originally Posted by NECruiser

Hi Davil

I think I understand what Skype is, but I've never used it, so I'm not sure I could make a good comparison. But I think the idea is the same.

Here's the link for Viber. https://www.viber.com/

================================================
thank you
Belizesailor posted an answer few postings above and seems is the way to go,like the ability to forward calls as well as having a local number as I do,have Skype installed on my cell and use both the cell as well as Skype however since gone unlimited on my cell not longer use Skype as much.
The following link clarifies my question and believe see no advantages on using Viber for the use I intend,
Thank you for your response.
https://www.lifewire.com/skype-vs-viber-3426404

[hellosailor]

Similar to what belize is doing with Skype, anyone can get a US phone number associated with their Google account. That gives you a Google Voice account. Calls made from a device on the account are inexpensive--globally. Calls made TO the GVoice number can be forwarded selectively, i.e., anyone in your "Contact" list might be forwarded 24x7 while strangers might only be forwarded 9-5. You can set up simple forwarding, or forwarding to a hunt group (multiple numbers at once) or many options based on time and day, and whether the caller is in any of your contact groups.
Plus.
You can also have GoogleVoice send you an email notice and/or a text message whenever a call comes in to your number, so if you want to know about every call, your phone can ring, your email can chirp, you text messaging app can beep, all when there's a call or a message left. And if there's a message left, Google can push a transcript of that to your email and text. Sometimes, hilariously poorly transcribed, but often of some use.
The downside to using Gargoyle Voice is that, like all Gargoyle applications, it is being data mined. Your permanent record now includes every calling number, in and out, so those affiliations or contacts go to your profile somewhere. And Google *might* be scanning those transcripts, the same way they scan emails, to fine tune marketing demographics on you. The usual stuff.
But it is cheap to free, fairly reliable, and very versatile. A tool worth having in your box.

[DeValency]

Your cruising patterns should determine your cell/data setup.

For me, data is what matters the most as it also support VoIP calls and my use of the internet is massive for both work that I do from anywhere in the world online and of course to keep in constant touch with family and friends.

So, I have for ages the AT&T line that allows me to occasionally get unlimited 4G/LTE data at almost any country in the world for $10//day if I turn on the cellular mobile data. This is great for occasional short stops.

All over Europe, I use WIND (Italy) plan - for 30 Euros/month I get 22Gb of 4G/LTE and 500 minutes and 500 sms (that I hardly use anyway, as most contacts are using iPhone iMessage or WhatsApp). Additional data per month is only 7 Euros per 10 Gb.

If I stay in a country for more than a few days, I would get a prepaid local SIM card. At most cases, this is the best and cheapest solution.

I used also T-Mobile Global. Yes, it was convenient and reasonably priced for “unlimited“ data at $75/month BUT it is like 1G data limited... something like a dialup connection we had in the 80’s.... it sucks!

Warning!! Do not go with AT&T without the plan of the $10/day occasionally. Their data packages or without a plan are crazy expensive!!

What would really change my life is a good and practical broadband data connection via satellites.... and not for $500-1000/month... looks like some solutions are on their way. This should help in cutting the cruisers cords - literally!

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Similar to what belize is doing with Skype, anyone can get a US phone number associated with their Google account. That gives you a Google Voice account. Calls made from a device on the account are inexpensive--globally. Calls made TO the GVoice number can be forwarded selectively, i.e., anyone in your "Contact" list might be forwarded 24x7 while strangers might only be forwarded 9-5. You can set up simple forwarding, or forwarding to a hunt group (multiple numbers at once) or many options based on time and day, and whether the caller is in any of your contact groups.

Plus.

You can also have GoogleVoice send you an email notice and/or a text message whenever a call comes in to your number, so if you want to know about every call, your phone can ring, your email can chirp, you text messaging app can beep, all when there's a call or a message left. And if there's a message left, Google can push a transcript of that to your email and text. Sometimes, hilariously poorly transcribed, but often of some use.

The downside to using Gargoyle Voice is that, like all Gargoyle applications, it is being data mined. Your permanent record now includes every calling number, in and out, so those affiliations or contacts go to your profile somewhere. And Google *might* be scanning those transcripts, the same way they scan emails, to fine tune marketing demographics on you. The usual stuff.

But it is cheap to free, fairly reliable, and very versatile. A tool worth having in your box.

Configurable forwarding is a cool feature. Skype is only on/off.