# Negril.com Message Board Forums > Negril Message Board >  Do I really need a Jamaican cell?

## nutz4travel

Getting close now and a lot of (stupid?) questions are popping up in my head!  Should we get a Jamaican phone - is it really necessary?  I can see using it to call a driver?  Are there not phones in the rooms or do they charge for local calls?  Could you not just get the hotel or restaurant to call your driver for you?

We don't need it to call home and we don't know anyone in Jamaica that we'd need to call.  Just wondering why so many people feel the need to get one??

Thanks  :Smile:

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## Jim-Donna

We use a driver that price includes use of a phone while there. It is very convenient ! Yes you can have someone call, or call from your room. It is nice to be able to be dropped off someplace and tell your driver you will call when you are ready to be picked up. It's also nice with so many boardies in town, if something fun comes up its easy to get together.

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## Accompong

> Getting close now and a lot of (stupid?) questions are popping up in my head!  Should we get a Jamaican phone - is it really necessary?  I can see using it to call a driver?  Are there not phones in the rooms or do they charge for local calls?  Could you not just get the hotel or restaurant to call your driver for you?
> 
> We don't need it to call home and we don't know anyone in Jamaica that we'd need to call.  Just wondering why so many people feel the need to get one??
> 
> Thanks


Not a "stupid" question at all.

If you don't want to call or receive calls from home then a phone is unnecessary.  You can have someone at your hotel or restaurant can call a driver for you or you can just use the "route taxi" system.

Once you get a "driver" and you like the way he moves, ask him for his number or just have him pick you up at a certain time at a certain place.  Make sure you get the fare correct before you get in the car.  If you don't do that, it can be a learning experience that you don't need.

Don't fret about a phone.  Most everyone has a cell and will call for you when you need to make a call.  You just may need to give them a few J's for phone credit.

Peace and Guidance

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## captaind

2nutz,

Linston will have a phone you can use. You'll just have to buy credit which is cheap.

Cap

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## mdsn

I assume my own phone will work in JA as long as I have international roaming? if so, is the only reason to buy a JA phone the difference in cost for the calls? My verizon service is about $2/ minute which is expensive but how much will I really be calling? Am I missing something?

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## sunray

No!  I find if I need to make a call, I will buy credit for a friend to load on their phone.  I am happy to have borrowed their phone, and they have a little more credit.

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## rjonsun

I never use a cell phone in the States, but it is worth the $25 for a new Jamaican Lime phone just to call friends and let them know what they are missing. LOL
Regards,
Bob

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## Accompong

> I assume my own phone will work in JA as long as I have international roaming? if so, is the only reason to buy a JA phone the difference in cost for the calls? My verizon service is about $2/ minute which is expensive but how much will I really be calling? Am I missing something?


Well, only you can answer "how much will I really be calling?".  It is my observation that a lot of people are joined at the hip with their cell phones so you are only "missing something" if that applies to you.

After all, if you talk for 30 minutes on your Verizon roaming cell phone, you will pay $60.00 US which will buy you a cheap Ja. phone and 700 minutes of international credit to boot.

Yeah, if you are a "talker" then you are missing something.

Peace and Guidance

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## HarryS

The other option over buying/borrowing a phone there is to unlock your current device and use a Jamaican SIM card in it.  This would work with just about any phone from AT+T or T-Mobile (or any other GSM provider).  Will not work with CDMA (Sprint/Verizon), but they do have a few dual devices (Like iPhone 5) that have a SIM slot to use GSM service.

I know T-Mobile will allow you to unlock your phone after 90 days of service, you call customer care, let them know you'll be travelling, and in a few days they send you an email with the unlocking instructions.  AT+T is not so easy about it, I think you may need to be out of contract to get them to do it.

Once you have an unlocked device, you can put a SIM card in it from just about anywhere in the world, no need to buy a phone, just the SIM and minutes.

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## TKim

I was pondering about this, as well.

I just called T-Mo to get my old cell unlocked - thinking maybe I can buy a SIM card while I'm there.  Not "joined at the hip" but I do prefer to be independent rather than having to beg a stranger to user their phone.

Then again, where I'm at, nobody would ever let you borrow their phone, so that's probably why my mindset is what it is.  We'll see how I feel when I get there!   :Smile:

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## 541lion

I don't want to have to ask someone to call a cab for me.. I want the convenience of choosing my driver when I want.. And then also my lady wants to be able to call the kidos to check in.. She better not spend much time on the phone in Jamaica

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## rinakim

We got ours when we were spending a week at Catcha, there are no phones in the room there.
I like to have the ability to make a phone call when I need to and have a way for people to reach us as well.
With that being said, I think the only time we used our cell phone the first time was to call Terry and Janet to make arrangements for where we were going to meet  :Stick Out Tongue: 
It definitely isn't a "must" have.  Any restaurant or hotel will make calls for you.

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## Muzikdoc

I have NEVER used a cell in Jamaica!..I do take my own phone for home emergencies and can text the states at 20 cents a text. I walk the beach enough to know where everybody is and whats going on that night etc...Getting a cab has never been an issue, maybe once at 3am on the west 
end but I made it home.

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## Wisconsin gal

Many years ago there was a family emergency at home when we were on our holiday trip.  Since this, I have always rented a phone for piece of mind.  With email, I am fairly accessible, however.......I want one for piece of mind.  Usually call home every few days to check on the dog, and that is it.  
However, in case of an emergency back home, I am not fond of a stranger/ hotel employee sharing tragic family news with me (which was what happened years ago).  Again, simply piece of mind that my family can get me in an emergency.

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## Weathermon & Mi Lady

Now that we have one, we would not go to Jamaica without it. One thing, it is cheap. Second, if you keep it topped off, you can keep the same number for folks at home to get in touch if needed. We use it for calling:

Mi Lady's sister - they talk every day at home, why not while we are in Jamaica;
our favorite taxi drivers for a pick up to go somewhere; 
again when we are ready to leave; 
Jamaican friends we have made over the years to get together; 
friends who are reaching Negril at the same time as we; 
a restaurant to reserve a table, if needed;
if a change of plans is necessary while on the go;
home to see how the babies are faring;
the airlines to extend our reach or to check on flight times;
our airport ride when he is a likkle late; etc.

One can also leave the number at the resort at which they are staying so, that if there is a need to get in touch, it can be done and a local number can be called.

Another positive for those who suffer from CRS like me, if I lose it (or don't remember where I left it), who cares? It was cheap.

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## Mike_D

On our first couple of trips, we just added an international calling plan to our AT&T cell phone. Texts to/from home were cheap and calls within Jamaica were not too expensive. We only called our driver a couple times (we often pre-arranged pick-up times), and I think I called Rhodes Hall for a shuttle pick-up. In the end, we spent less than we would have if we bought a sim card and minutes from Digicel. The only caveat is to make sure that you turn-off the data function on your phone, as data is not included in the regular international plan and the charges are pretty hefty if you use it. Instead, you can just connect your smart phone to the wifi at most hotels and restaurants and get on the internet for free.

That said, if you find yourself travelling to Jamaica multiple times a year, it might be worth it to pick-up a cheap digicel or Lime phone, or at least unlock an old phone that you have lying around the house. I have an old blackberry that I might try out on our next trip.

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## Melody

I paid $11-$12 for my Lime phone in November. Wouldn't take long for home calling plans to meet/exceed that. I have a teenage son and elderly father that I need to be available to/check up on. The hotel I stayed at the last couple of times charged like $2 for a local call.

I use my iPhone for emailing using the hotels wifi and I lock it up the rest of the time. I am not worried about losing or having my Jamaican phone stolen, but I sure don't want anything to happen to my iPhone. Even though I don't talk often, I sure like the security of always having a phone with me. And for the price I paid for the Lime phone, it's well worth it.

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## Marko

having a phone in paradise is the cats meow........
don't know how mi managed for so many years without one.......
just the convenience alone makes it well worth........
but don't ever pull out dat North American cellie.....
one wrong tap and you might be in for a big surprise after you reach home.....lol
mi usually have an extra phone if someone needs one......
mi around No Limit Bar by Pee Wees on da Cliffs....

Cool Runnings, Marko

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## nutz4travel

Thanks everyone!  I do have an international plan on my phone and don't make many calls, so I should be okay.  If I find I'm making more, I can always pick one up.  I do like the idea of being able to keep the same #.

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## Rambo

"Re: Do I really need a Jamaican cell? "

only if you break a Jamaican Law !

(sorry couldn't resist it  :Frown:

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## nutz4travel

Lol

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## Rambo

MARKO

mi friend, your accent is fading, you need a month down home...... :Smile:

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## Limo Mon

> Getting close now and a lot of (stupid?) questions are popping up in my head!  Should we get a Jamaican phone - is it really necessary?  I can see using it to call a driver?  Are there not phones in the rooms or do they charge for local calls?  Could you not just get the hotel or restaurant to call your driver for you?
> 
> We don't need it to call home and we don't know anyone in Jamaica that we'd need to call.  Just wondering why so many people feel the need to get one??
> 
> Thanks


Posted this info many times. Download Magic Jack app to your android US phone and call home for FREE FREE FREE. All you need is WI- Fi signal. Your front desk or bartender will call your driva while at your JA home base. When your out eating or drinking have your server call your driva when ready to go.

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## Monty&Melo

We've had the same phone number for about 5 years now, it is great to not have to let folks at home know what your number is each time you get there.  We run a few businesses while on vacation (no such thing as being 100% unplugged when you have others working for you  :Cool: ).  We have children at home that we like to talk to every day or so as well.  The best thing about having a Jamaican cellphone with cheap international minutes on it is DRUNK DIALING YOUR FRIENDS WHO ARE HOME IN THE STATES WHILE YOU ARE AT THE CANOE BAR HAVING RUM PUNCH!!!  Nothing better than having someone answer the phone in the states after seeing Kingston, Jamaica (which is how it usually registers, no matter where you are really call from) on the caller ID and hearing them hesitantly say "Uh, um, Hello??"  Then you blast out a "Ya Mon, ow you doing, whah gwon??" After a couple of seconds they remember that you are in Jamaica and then the conversation begins.  I'm telling you, this is tons of fun.  Try it next time, it's well worth the price of a cellie and some minutes.

M&M

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## Marko

> MARKO
> 
> mi friend, your accent is fading, you need a month down home......


yah mon......mi was in Negril for the winter and mi heading back real soon.......
tax time here in the USA and gotta be responsible.....tell ya mi real homesick

Cool Runnings, Marko

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## Amerapress

Ha no I doubt it 541lion. I'm sure she will far to busy and accupied!

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## RockRobster

> Getting close now and a lot of (stupid?) questions are popping up in my head!  Should we get a Jamaican phone - is it really necessary?  I can see using it to call a driver?  Are there not phones in the rooms or do they charge for local calls?  Could you not just get the hotel or restaurant to call your driver for you?
> 
> We don't need it to call home and we don't know anyone in Jamaica that we'd need to call.  Just wondering why so many people feel the need to get one??
> 
> Thanks


I need to be able to contact my office and my children while on vacay. My US cellular carrier wants 1.95usd/minute to phone home. Getting a JA phone is a "no brainer" for me. 

If you don't need to call home at all, and don't have a lot of friends in JA to call, then a JA phone is not a requirement. 

My JA phone cost me $12USD and the SIM card was $3USD. I call to the US for pennies a minute.

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