It might be worth moving to Canada just to get Rogers! Our choices are Rip Off #1, Rip Off #2 and Rip Off #3. We used to have Rip Off #4, but they merged with Rip Off #1.Originally Posted by Miss B Haven 2
I have a "Pay As You Go" phone because I (C) barely use it to even make calls. I figure if I get a Digicel SIM card at the airport, I can't possiby run into any problems since there's no bill to bill me on for anything else. To the more technically inclined on here, am I right about this?
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That's what I did this time, I never called home once from the time we got there until we got to Toronto on the way back home, and then it was just to tell my son to make sure the house was clean when I got there! LOLIf you can swing it, this is absolutely the way to experience Hedo.
My phone does not take a sim card. Is there a place that I can buy a cheap phone and a sim from there to make cheap calls back home?
Yes, the digicell store down by the round-a-bout. It is on the same side of the road as Burger King, but in the little plaza next door.
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I have to agree with all the info here. The SIM determines the carrier. A locked phone will only work with the network it is locked on, even if you change the SIM (a locked phone will not work on a different networks, SIM, at all).
We had a bad experience while at Hedo some years ago, because we could not be contacted. Plans were made without our input (in good faith) by one party, which significantly effect a second party. We were caught in the middle. Party one and party two did not know each other. Had we been contacted in time, we could have averted that disaster.
We now travel with a quad band (International) dual SIM cell phone, with 2 pre-pay SIMs installed. One SIM for local home service, and one European SIM (good world wide, and a top up of 5 euros, on line, lasts 11 months).
When I send a text, the phone asks which SIM to use, same for voice. Was well worth the 60 dollars it cost, and it came unlocked.
Ray
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OK I am not taking my phone with me to hedo. My question is this. Can I use an old phone that does not have any service on it and buy a sim or can i buy a crap phone there with a sim for cheap? Looking for the best option.
The phone stuff is real easy-
You need an unlocked GSM phone, either have your phone unlocked which will not affect it's use back home or purchase a cheap GSM phone ($50 in JA) We have been doing this for 5 years now. When we land we buy a sim card for $20 which gets us 1000 North American minutes and some local minutes (enough to call our favorite rasta man and driver.). We give the number to family and work and have them call us - we then hang up and call back so they do not pay anymore long distance charges. We have never used up all of our minutes and have shared our phone with many people over the years (hmmm). The key to this working is that your phone mustnot be locked to your local carrier.
Next trip Dec 15 - 21 2019
So I have an old phone that is unlocked but has no service now can I use it?
Why not pay $5 for 15 mins and just skype?
We always go with no phone either. The child care providers have the number in case of emergency and we just buy minutes there and phone from the room phone when we call home. Plus I go on the internet a few times and update my facebook status and check on the forum!!! But I understand that some people need to have their phone with them for work and other reasons.
I NEED a phone. So I need ideas on that
What kind of phone do you have?
Aside from loving to laugh, make friends, and being naked...I'm one of those tech gurus for fun. Having not lived in the 48 states since 1997, cells and SIMs is something I have quite a bit of experience with. Everyone was hitting on some good points throughout the thread, but if I may...
For those that must have a cell phone at Hedo...
Utilize a phone made by companies like Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, etc for their phones without plans. The website "Amazon Wireless" is a good place to start/shop, especially if you travel a lot. These phones are not tied to any phone service by factory release and are sold unlocked. For example, I have an International iPhone...it's using a SIM card from out of Dubai and is tied to no service provider. When I run out of minutes, no hidden fees to be surprised about when that paperless bill arrivesNor AT&T or Verizon slap me on the tooshie with an extra bill.
Those of you reading this from the U.S., I believe we are the only country that ties people in (with no other option) to phone contracts. However, I have heard T-Mobile and AT&T are catching on and offering SIMs as well, but I digress.
- Use of the afore mentioned phones and like models will assure you don't get miscellaneous charges against you because you can only use what you purchase on your SIM card (most support data as well).
Now, those of you with phones on services like Verizon...here is what you have probably run into. I use Verizon's Global unlimited Data service (no longer offered). The only phones that use removable SIM cards are a handful of the Blackberry models, some Droid (i.e. Droid2Global, Droid 3), and I believe a few HTC phones in their collection. The others, well...like someone mentioned above the SIM cannot be removed or used with any other service. Therefore, whomever was using a Verizon phone and was charged an insane amount probably had one of the Blackberry or other models intended for worldwide use. The plan you currently have was not a Global Data Plan (therefore picked up data roaming) or setup for special rates for phone calls (again roaming). So, there came the charges. Yes, it was also mentioned, the best way to avoid that with a phone on a plan is to have it unlocked, wait (I believe it's 3 months on the Verizon Blackberry) where the service provider instructs you how to unlock, or purchase the phones that come without the service plans out the box just for these traveling situations.
Tested theory as i was curious about this very topic...The last time I was in Jamaica I used a DigiCel SIM in my iPhone. It worked fine, I used what I purchased. I tested it in my Droid2Global (which has unlimited Global Data) and it worked fine. Again, that phone is set for unlimited data use (no, not phone calls, but data). Now, I let a friend borrow my SIM to call home in their phone. It was a Blackberry. In short, the call went through but their bill was an extra $75 from normal.
It's a lot but I hope it helps at least one of you.
tECh
Note -- we got 2 daughters 14 and 18, we need to stay connected so........
Last year I took my laptop and got a "magic jack". We got it at walmart 39.00 includes 1 year of service. http://www.magicjack.com/. I needed the laptop for work anyway. Paid for 24/7 wifi I think 90 for the week. It stayed connected all the time and I had a cheap cordless phone plugged into it. Before we left the U.S. everyone had the number, kids could call it from their cells and it was a free call. Just like calling around the block. No issue with the wifi either.
I know about skype and google voice but honestly I'm sort of a neophyte with these although I am very tech savy. It was nice having a regular phone just dialing anyone's number. Voicemail worked just fine too.
This year we might do the same but get a unlocked quadband cell phone on ebay -- then get a digicell chip at the airport. I think calling in is free, the calling out is .20 min to the us (in us dollars). Not sure about texting prices but with my girls.... it's nice to say hi a few times a day. Then we don't need to go to the room to call/text back to the states, also millions might be more inclined to go away even more often w/o said children.
The cell by itself is not a bad idea but I need the laptop anyway. You can chat for hours on the magic jack and it costs nothing.
Others please chime in-- I also do need a phone, might have a problem that takes 10 calls and hours to fix -- then again maybe nothing. Us old guys can party but we aren't always the most tech savy.
Last edited by millionsnmilo; 10-10-2011 at 02:47 PM.
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@Captain How do you know your phone is unlocked? Have you tested it with a SIM card? The easy way to do it is find two friends one with ATT and the other with T-mobile. Take each sim put it in the phone and see if you get service. If it works with both it's unlocked. The service doesn't matter because when you change the SIM card you change the service. I bought this phone http://tinyurl.com/3lonth2 for my Dad to use in Europe, it will work in Jamaica and just pick up a SIM card at the airport or get this SIM card http://tinyurl.com/69po2ba before you leave. You get a US and a UK number so people can call you for free from the states and the UK. It's not the cheapest per minute but it's worth it to have a US number to give out before you go. In December I'll be taking my unlocked iPhone with the Telestial SIM.
OK I think i got the answer I was looking for. Correct me if im wrong. I can go on ebay and buy an unlocked quadband phone. I do not have to have any service on it in the states. Once I get to jamacia I can purchase a sim and minutes to use with the phone. Then I can use that phone while in jamaica and only use the minutes I purchase there?
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