Forum Discussion

MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
Aug 20, 2017

Temp Cell Service While In The USA?

Change SIMS chip I know :)

I will be in the USA only for a few hours (hopefully) each month.

But My TelCel Mexico service does not allow calls back to Mexico. As a matter of fact, no roaming 0 bars.

If there's an online site that compares pre-paid service, head-to-head I cannot find it. I cannot afford $50 month to make 0 calls. Being almost deaf only the Samsung S4 clarifies speech throwaway phones are useless to me. Even with an ear bud.

I believe the word I seek is "roll over". Where unused minutes or time do not go into the trash every month.

I would like to stare and compare. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

8 Replies

  • Mex> Telecel offers service in all 3 NA countries, Data and messaging as well.

    Moisheh
  • NMDriver wrote:
    Tracphone = $10 per month/ pay as you go/ international calling/ roll over minutes.link


    Trafone - the one year plan = $100. (400 minutes, & rolls over)- equates to eight dollars and change per month.

    I have had two for years (one in each vehicle) - and use them so infrequently, both now have over 5K (five thousand) minutes on 'em!

    The phones are in the $20 dollar range, available at any Wally (and elsewhere) - and I've never had a connection problem in the USA.

    :C
  • Tracphone = $10 per month/ pay as you go/ international calling/ roll over minutes.link
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    First for a long time Verizon had the best coverage. I'm not sure that is still true.

    There are a lot of "pre-paid" plans.. YOu can get a phone with a limited number of minutes at gas stations. Truck stops. Drug stores and more. Depending on the phone it will most likely work with T-Mobile. Sprint or the most popular is Verizon. (Virgin Mobile uses Sprint)

    These plans, depending on how much talk time and data you want, can be as low as 20-25/month (I used to use a Virgin Mobile data plan,, it worked where I needed it,, So I'd go into the store and ask for a "Twenty Dollar Virgin".. Got a laugh most times since the clerk knew exactly what I wanted)

    IF you are not planing on being in the USA too long.. That's what I'd recommend.

    Long stay you might want to look at other plans.


    Side note.. Went to Marysville, MI yestarday.. Got a "Welcome to Canada" message on my T-Mobile.... I Never left Michigan.
  • I have a Verizon branded Samsung S4 that I keep as a backup phone with a T-Mobile "pay as you go" SIM in it.

    You pre-load it in $10 increments and the monthly charge is $3.00 which gets deducted from the $10.

    30 minutes of talk or 30 texts (or any combination of them) per month are included in the $3 a month. You can reload it online as needed.

    If T-Mobile is good in the areas you travel, you can't beat the price!
  • I guess Googlemaps the dial an address and it is like a GPS works up there? It works down here and if I pull over and put on my reading glasses it will show me what I did wrong. I do have a USA mail address and USA Visa Card.

    What I am ignorant about is what changing the SIMS chip changes. If it keeps all other downloaded programs intact then it may be worth $30 month.
  • Mex, I have a Verizon prepaid plan where I pay $30 for 90 days and 120 minutes of call time. It is mostly for emergencies and I rarely use over 10 minutes in that 90 days. As long as I pay another $30 before the 90 days runs out, any unused time rolls over - I am up to over eight hours of available time now. If you already have the Samsung S4 and it's compatible with Verizon service, it should be able to be used on the plan without buying another phone. The only two down sides I have seen with the plan is remembering to renew before the 90 days is up and having to listen to the service tell me how much time I have left before it actually rings the number I call. :B I have no idea how trying to renew the plan every 90 days would work for you from Mexico. I use the #PMT on the phone to do that but it would require a call from down under for you unless you happen to be back in the USA when it was needed. If you establish a My Verizon account, it could be done over the internet.
  • IS FREE OKAY and Do you have an Usa address you can use if so see my PM and PM me with any questions

About RV Must Haves

Have a product you cannot live without? Share it with the community!8,801 PostsLatest Activity: Jul 05, 2025