I'll be in Mexico for a while next month, and I'm wondering if anyone knows of a good deal for a short term (monthly or weekly) cell rental. My first point of entry will be DF, but I'll be wondering about in south-central Mexico the whole time.

Thanks for any input...

Dem Telephonic Gnomes

Dem Telephonic Gnomes -

I used to think renting a phone might be the way to go...but let's face it, when you are in a 3rd world country renting a cell phone...somehow this seems to be a recipe to get screwed with hidden fees and charges. And if the phone gets lost or stolen, you could really get screwed.

Instead, this is what I would do: if you have a relatively new GSM dual or tri-band cell phone in the States, consider buying a SIM chip in Mexico for about $25 and temporarily convert your phone. The people who sell the SIM chip will show you how to install it...just beaneath your battery.

I assume Mexico and other Latin America countries run their cell phone system the same way...without accounts...you buy a calling card and load minutes with a PIN into your phone. As you make calls you consume your minutes...when you run low or out, you buy another calling card...scratch-off the back of the calling card and somehow load it into your phone. (I have yet to do this myself, but I've seen people do it...it seems to work okay).

Another option is to buy a new cell phone from a cell phone dealer while in Mexico...then simply own two phones...one for the States and the other for while you are in Mexico.

Overall it may cost you a little more your first trip, but if you return to Mexico time and again, owning or converting will probably give you the fewest headaches.

Ciao,

AlecJamer

Last year I called Sprint multiple times to try to set up my US phone for Mexico as it stops working about 15 Kilometers from the border.

After talking to about 10 different customer service people (frustrating) I finally connected with someone who told me that Sprints international service would only work in a couple of the large cities there. I think they were GDL and DF.

I am aware of the chips that can be installed in US phones but I did not want to be opening up my Sprint phone and messing with it. I was afraid of screwing something up and possibly voiding my warranty, or worse.

I have a bilingual friend in Hermosillo who suggested I just buy an "Amigo" phone at the local Oxxo convenience market.

My Amigo phone works on the Telcel phone network and is made by Motorola. It cost about $450 pesos and came with $200 pesos worth of air time that expired after 60 days. The minutes do not roll over, of course, so you have to buy a Telcell phone card when your minutes expire. As explained above, the card has a code number on the back that you dial into the phone to get your minutes. That's how Telcel makes its money. And I am sure they are making a killing!

My biligual Mexican friends helped me set the phone up so that the voice prompts are mostly in English. I speak only limited Spanish.

The phone has worked very well in Hermosillo and along the major highways from the border. I have also used it a lot when I travel to AP.

Although my Sprint phone will work well in AP, my Mexican friend there prefers that I call him on my Amigo phone as he says it costs him more minutes if he receives a call from my Sprint phone because it is evidently considered an international call.

Just like my Sprint phone, the Amigo phone will work along the international border but stops working a few kilometers north of it.

I also discovered that I am unable to send any text messages from the US to Mexico or vice versa. Not sure why but I suspect it is because the cell phone companies block them so they can make more money on the voice calls.

I have used the Amigo phone to make calls to the US but it really eats up the minutes quickly. I believe calls to the US are something like 10 or 15 pesos per minute! But it is nice to be able to make the calls if it is an emergency.

I have been told that the cell phone coverage in Mexico is no where near what it is here, as they have far fewer cell towers down there.

Currently, Mexico has only two cell phone companies. Telcel and Movitel. Whereas, I believe, the US has over a half dozen companies.

If more companies start up down there I suspect the prices will go down due to competition.

Nonetheless, I am happy with my Amigo phone. It is great to be able to communicate with my friends down there and sure beats having to use
the TelMex phones on the street.

I plan on making long drives into the interior next year and I expect my Amigo phone will come in handy.

Good luck to you, which ever cell phone choice you make and PLEASE report back on this thread what your experience has been so we may all benefit from your knowledge.

Correction to the above. I found the box that the phone came in and discovered that my Amigo phone came with 300 minutes of air time included. Therefore, the phone itself only cost about $150 pesos.

I believe that if you shop around, you can get even better deals on Telcel phones than this.

Or you could:

Just buy the cheapest Moviestar phone (less than $40 US, but not available at all outlets)

buy a coupla cards of times (sometimes some is included), use it, and give it to a chica that doesn't have one when you are through (or save it for your next trip.