cell phones in Mexico
Will a CDMA phone work in Mexico or is all coverage GSM? Ideally I'd like a dual SIM phone - but do I need a global phone?
Many thanks in advance!
Many thanks in advance!
Forum Discussion
- The problem is signal. So we each have different carriers, Movistar and Telcel. Also, our internet sticks are from both carriers increasing the chances of getting signal.
- Depending on your phone skills I would recommend buying a telcel Amiga smart phone. Cost is under $100. The Amiga Sin Limite plan is great. For 100 pesos you will get 17 days of calls and texts to Mexico,USA and Canada. UNLIMITED!!! You will also get 800mb. of Data. Handy when you need to Google something. Facebook and Twitter are unlimited. The phone can be recharged with time at any Oxxo or a super. If you buy the phone in a tourist or border area there will be someone that speaks English. He can set up the phone to display English. Dumb phones are even cheaper to buy but you pay by the minute. You can also use the Amiga plan to call Mexico from the USA and Canada. UNLIMITED. So for $10.00 US your phone is good for 34 days. Try that in the USA! If you bring a USA phone it has to be unlocked. I just carry 2 phones. I have had mine for almost 2 years. I will probably get a nicer phone sometime this year. Mine is a Lanix. Battery life could be better. For about $150 to $200 US there are some nicer units. I use Google maps a lot! 3G is everywhere and now they even have an enhanced 4G in major cities.
Moisheh - Here is a link to an expandable map that slows TelCel coverage for the entire country. Cobertura 3G shows green where 3G is available and yellow for only 2G service.
https://www.telcel.com/mundo_telcel/quienes-somos/corporativo/mapas-cobertura - Pick up a cheapie phone in the US or Canada. As long as you have a phone with a SIM card, you will be fine.
- I bought a Kempler & Strauss cheap phone at an OXXO last March with a prepaid SIM card. No English instructions and virtually nothing online as far as how to use the phone made the phone and the suggestions virtually unusable.
I would like to be assured, if in the case of an accident I might be able to contact someone from the insurance I paid for to come to my assistance. - CDMA phones only work on wifi in Mexico. If you have great wifi you are golden. If not, forget it. We each had a CDMA phone when we moved down and even though we have terrific wifi we gave up on them.
We were given a cheapie phone, bought a 26 peso SIM card, put 100p per month on the phone, no plan, and do great.
