Going to Mexico... want to avoid ROAMING Charges... Please HELP

[BlackAudiA5]

I'm heading to Mexico for 3 months at the end of January.

I want to avoid being charged ROAMING while there... but will be using the phone for calling and Wi-Fi.

I plan to set up the $30/month international calling service before leaving.

Is this the only step I need to take to avoid international roaming:

Settings > Data Usage > Set to OFF

 

[whoover]

I'm heading to Mexico for 3 months at the end of January.

I want to avoid being charged ROAMING while there... but will be using the phone for calling and Wi-Fi.

I plan to set up the $30/month international calling service before leaving.

Is this the only step I need to take to avoid international roaming:

Settings > Data Usage > Set to OFF

Why not get a local SIM card from Mexican carrier when you get there? It will be way cheaper. The downside is you have a Mexican number so it's harder for people to call you.

 

[ChuckG73]

Yes get a SIM card well in Mexico and you will be good to go.

 

[MikeLip]

My daughter spent 6 months in Budapest. She bought a cheap local no-contract phone and some Skype credit, and was able to text and call us as she pleased for very little money. That seemed to work out very well. I don't know how buying a SIM card would work - I have no experience so no comment.

 

[BlackAudiA5]

Hadn't thought of a SIM card. Hummmm, new research project. So how does it work? Go to Mega or Walmart/Sam's Club and buy the SIM? POP it in and then what? Also... is this just good for calling or can it also be used for texting and data roaming?

 

[whoover]

Hadn't thought of a SIM card. Hummmm, new research project. So how does it work? Go to Mega or Walmart/Sam's Club and buy the SIM? POP it in and then what? Also... is this just good for calling or can it also be used for texting and data roaming?

When you get to Mexico, go to a local carrier's store (there will probably be one at the airport), buy a micro-SIM to fit the phone with a pre-paid plan and go. It should work for everything although there could be complications.

Telcel is one of the big carriers and they sell the phone: Motorola Mobility and Telcel Announce the Motorola RAZR.

I don't know if that means they are the best bet (they know the phone) or the worst (their partnership with Verizon means they have to steer you towards the Verizon international plan). I'd start the research with Telcel though.

 

[BlackAudiA5]

So.... how does it work? Are there certain SIM cards for certain phones like batteries?

I went to Verizon and asked the kids there and their response was, "well, if it's not a Verizon card we don't know what to tell you." They said, "make sure the Mexicans don't disconnect you from OUR network".

So... once installed, do I need to contact Verizon or what?

Thanks in advance.

Sent via my RAZR MAXX HD

 

[whoover]

So.... how does it work? Are there certain SIM cards for certain phones like batteries?

I went to Verizon and asked the kids there and their response was, "well, if it's not a Verizon card we don't know what to tell you." They said, "make sure the Mexicans don't disconnect you from OUR network".

So... once installed, do I need to contact Verizon or what?

Thanks in advance.

Sent via my RAZR MAXX HD

Ideally, the way it should work is that you buy a SIM card with prepaid minutes and gbytes from the Mexican vendor. There are several sizes of SIM cards. Our phones take the smallest, called micro-SIMs. Your phone would have nothing to do with your Verizon plan with this SIM in it -- it would be like a native Mexican phone until you put your Verizon SIM back in when you go home.

Verizon doesn't want you to do this because they can't charge you the big bucks for minutes and bytes. That's why you need to talk to the Mexican provider.

 

[djousma]

I'm heading to Mexico for 3 months at the end of January.

I want to avoid being charged ROAMING while there... but will be using the phone for calling and Wi-Fi.

I plan to set up the $30/month international calling service before leaving.

Is this the only step I need to take to avoid international roaming:

Settings > Data Usage > Set to OFF

I've done a fair amount of research on this topic lately. We are headed to Jamaica, albiet only for a week. We are vacationing, and the resort we are staying at is covered by wifi. About $50/week. Knowing that, we are relying on Skype on my Razr, I also paid the $18 to skype to get a local to home skype phone number for family to *call us*, if needed, and some skype credit for calls both directions. Minutes are like $.02, so its really cheap.

Could have gone the sim chip route, but then anyone calling us would be international long distance call. Same with purchasing prepaid phone when we got there.

I am calling Verizon to turn on international dialing, for emergency purposes, but any calls made that way are $1.99/minute. The plan is to leave data roaming turned off, mobile data turned off, and have the phone in airplane mode, and then renabling wifi only. dont need any surprise charges on my verizon bill when I get home.

Other than calling home occasionally to check on the kids, or whatever, we dont anticipate making too many local phonecalls, but that would work with skype too. With WIFI turned, on, all my apps that require background data all continue to work fine.

so, I guess the key decision point here, is if there is wifi coverage wherever it is you will be spending the most time.

 

[BlackAudiA5]

I was just in Mexico in November and did exactly as you mention (at least with Verizon). I turned on international calling before leaving (no charge for this). Turned off data roaming and turned on airplane mode... turned wifi back on. The problem was when I tried to Make a call. My phone told me I had to turn off airplane mode to Make a call. I believe as long as you have data roaming turned off you shouldn't run up any fees aside from the $1.99 minute calling fee.

One thing I had NOT heard was that it would be expensive for someone calling US if we bought a Mexican SIM chip.

Sent via my RAZR MAXX HD

 

[BlackAudiA5]

Hang on a second here.... upon further review, I can turn off MOBILE data... but HOW do you turn off ROAMING data?

Sent via my RAZR MAXX HD

 

[djousma]

I was just in Mexico in November and did exactly as you mention (at least with Verizon). I turned on international calling before leaving (no charge for this). Turned off data roaming and turned on airplane mode... turned wifi back on. The problem was when I tried to Make a call. My phone told me I had to turn off airplane mode to Make a call. I believe as long as you have data roaming turned off you shouldn't run up any fees aside from the $1.99 minute calling fee.

One thing I had NOT heard was that it would be expensive for someone calling US if we bought a Mexican SIM chip.

Sent via my RAZR MAXX HD

Interesting. I tried this at home last night, calling out on Skype to my daughter, and that was not the case. Everything on was on wifi only. I guess we will see. I made the "phone call" from withing the skype APP. Maybe that is the difference.

 

[djousma]

Hang on a second here.... upon further review, I can turn off MOBILE data... but HOW do you turn off ROAMING data?

Sent via my RAZR MAXX HD

Settings/more.../Mobile Networks/Global Roaming access/ then select Deny.

 

[BlackAudiA5]

In November...to avoid any roaming charges while in Mexico, I set my phone to Airplane Mode in Phoenix before leaving the States. I did not turn OFF Mobile Data (forgot). The first time I tried to make a call in Mexico my phone told me I had to turn off airplane mode. This was before I had my RMHD. I was using my Droid X.

So SKYPE sounds like a viable alternative as well. Do you know if it's FREE for your daughter to call YOU on your SKYPE number while you are out of the country? Does she simply use YOUR pre-paid minutes.

BTW ... since I had not turned off Mobile Data when I made that first phone call in Mexico... when I turned OFF airplane mode... my phone quickly downloaded emails and Facebook notifications and I was hit with charges.

One more question... when using SKYPE on your phone you have to be connected to Wi-Fi?

Sorry for all the questions.

Sent via my RAZR MAXX HD

 

[djousma]

In November...to avoid any roaming charges while in Mexico, I set my phone to Airplane Mode in Phoenix before leaving the States. I did not turn OFF Mobile Data (forgot). The first time I tried to make a call in Mexico my phone told me I had to turn off airplane mode. This was before I had my RMHD. I was using my Droid X.

So SKYPE sounds like a viable alternative as well. Do you know if it's FREE for your daughter to call YOU on your SKYPE number while you are out of the country? Does she simply use YOUR pre-paid minutes.

BTW ... since I had not turned off Mobile Data when I made that first phone call in Mexico... when I turned OFF airplane mode... my phone quickly downloaded emails and Facebook notifications and I was hit with charges.

One more question... when using SKYPE on your phone you have to be connected to Wi-Fi?

Sorry for all the questions.

Sent via my RAZR MAXX HD

Regarding mobile data. by default global data roaming is turned off. But still should verify that. I will in addition to making sure of that, will also turn off mobile data, and go into airplane mode so that text messages dont get delivered too. In Jamaica, its .50 to send a text, and .05 to receive one.

As for someone calling SKYPE number, I suspect it will be free for her since the skype phone number I selected is local call to my area(there is a $18 fee to get a skype phone number for 3 months), it will cost "me" the 2 cents per minute to receive the call I'm guessing.

If she "calls" me from her laptop, to my skype app on the phone, that is free for all party's assuming connection with phone to wifi. If I call from Jamaica to anywhere in the US to a real phone via skype on wifi, the cost is 2 cents per minute.

SKYPE app on your phone if given a chance would use mobile cell data(if turned on), or WIFI. last night I put the phone into airplane mode, and turned wifi back on, and made a test call to her and visa versa. Worked like a champ.

 

[BlackAudiA5]

Cool. Are you using a RAZR MAXX HD? I went on to SKYPE's web site and they do NOT show ANY Razers supported there.

Sent via my RAZR MAXX HD

 

[djousma]

yes I am. thats odd. I downloaded from the market. Only warning that comes up is that they say they havent certified video calling, but who really cares about that.

 

[tech_head]

I went to Cabo about a year ago.
I turned off everything on my phone except the ability to call and text.
I used Wifi in the hotel to make all my regular calls via Skype. I only used my phone plan for emergencies.
No international plan, no roaming charges, nothing.
I do need to add that I have a paid Skype account with an actual phone number which made calling a lot easier.
Paid about $3 for incoming texts- total.

Skype is supported on the Razr HD.

 

[BlackAudiA5]

Got it... now to test it. Thanks.

 

[BlackAudiA5]

Most of my questions here have been for my fianc?e. Her phone isn't capable of T-Moble International calling or SKYPE. It IS (apparently) capable of handling a Mexican SIM chip.

Can anyone please tell me if she gets the Mexican SIM, and someone from the US calls HER, will it cost THEM anything? If so... do you know what the rate is?

Is SHE calls the US does it cost THEM anything?

How about texting with a Mexican SIM. Fees for sending? Receiving?

I've decided against going the SKYPE route since I already SKYPE from my laptop and will have that with us. We have wifi at the rental house. Just doesn't seem "mobile" enough.

We leave in 3 days and I still haven't decided what to do. My safety net is just to call Verizon and have them set my phone up for Mexico @ $30/month.

Thanks Steve
Sent via my RAZR MAXX HD