I usually rent a cell phone while in Negril, but would like to bring my own this year. Does anyone know what type I can buy in the States that's compatible to the ones in Negril. One that will accept the minutes i purchase in Negril?
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I usually rent a cell phone while in Negril, but would like to bring my own this year. Does anyone know what type I can buy in the States that's compatible to the ones in Negril. One that will accept the minutes i purchase in Negril?
first, it has to be an unlocked phone. most USA phones are not unlocked - they are 'locked into' the service; i.e. they only work with the phone company it was bought from. It is possible to get unlocked phones on E-bay - but there's no guarantee that it will work in JA (even my Digicel phone from Trinidad does not work on the JA Digicel network, although you'd think it would).
it also has to be a quad-band phone that operates with the GSM (global) network, and of course it also it has to be a make & model of phone that uses a "SIM" chip.
Although it's certainly possible to have a phone from here that will work (if you can get the code to 'unlock' it that is), overall I've found it much easier to just get one there - it eliminates all the tasks & brainwork, and then there's no doubt that it will work on their networks. (plus it's the least amount of work.)
and - even if you bring a phone from home to use there, you would still have to go into a phone store to buy a SIM card to put into the phone - so either way it still means a trip to the phone store when you get there; there's no real savings on money, time or energy.
Most US cell phones can be unlocked via the web for a small fee. The best place will depend on the phone you want to unlock. You can purchase unlocked phones from amazon in the $35 range. IPhones are a definite exception. IPhone 4s must be baseband/modem version/firmware 1.59 to unlock. I purchased a Jamaican Lime SIM card from mrsimcard with unlimited data for 7 days for $59.00. They also have cheap calling plans to the US. Most of their plans are for short stays like a week. If you are staying longer you might be better purchasing it Jamaica. They will activate you SIM 2 days prior to travel, so that you can test you Jamaica number before you leave the States. (To test you just call it, but don’t answer it).
59 bucks????? a SIM bought in JA is about $8 US and can be kept active indefinitely - it's not on a plan that's good only for 7 days.
of course everyone will do what works best for them, but jus' sayin. it hardly seems worth it to spend THAT much money for the same thing that can be done for a fraction of that cost, in one stop of about 10 minutes at the Digicel store; quicker, cheaper, & easier than researching/ordering online, waiting for package delivery, etc etc.
I have a factory unlocked iPhone that I am bringing this year but will take my pay as you go that I bought last year as a precaution. I want the data so that I can get internet in my room instead of dragging stuff to the lobby.
Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll buy one while there since I visit often.
what you need is not unavailable in the usa.. not at all..
ebay is a convenient way to get one - but there are other websites selling them too
you need a world phone or unlocked gsm phone
it has to be GSM, it also has to be quad band.. if you search for unlocked gsm cell phones on ebay youll find a million from simple to smartphones..
i think a excellent choice is a unlocked motorola razr gsm phone.. i bought a very nice one on ebay recently for UNDER $30 delivered.. and it is of a MUCH higher quality then the entry level phones at digicel.. just my opionion
then just stop and get a sim at digicel or lime, and use it.. very easy
T Mobile and AT & T phones use sim cards and are GSM on the same band as Digicel. T Mobile will give you an unlock code after you've had the phone for a few weeks and so will AT & T.Quote:
Originally Posted by jasperpso
I bought an AT and T RAZR V3 on Craig's List from a local person in here in St. Augustine. Works just fine in JA.
I think I misled you. The $59 was for the sim card including unlimited data for 7 days. The sim does not expire, just the plan. Then you add the calling plans: $1199JMD ($15USD) / 1200 Mins / 30 days
$200JMD($3USD) / 200 Mins / 7 days. I looked into purchasing a local SIM in Jamaica but the Data Plans were a killer. Also the Dicicel is $.20 a minute back to the US. My AT&T is $2.29 if I was to use my normal iPhone. I could not find the Data plan rates for pay as you go. The data rates can be crazy so be very careful.
AT&T Jamaica Roaming:
Calls Placed/Received
While in Jamaica AT&T Standard International Roaming $2.29
AT&T World Traveler $1.69
Data Usage: All GPRS pay per use rates are $.0195/KB, except in Canada rate is $.015/KB
Text, Picture and
Video Messages: Send Text Message $0.50 per message sent
Send Picture and Video Messages $1.30 per message sent
Receive Text, Picture and Video Messages Home pay-per-use or package rates apply to all text, picture or video messages received when roaming internationally. Please visit www.att.com for details.
oh, ok i got it now. i don't use any calling plans on my JA phone though, i just use the regular phone cards.
i bring a netbook/laptop with me when traveling for going online; that stays in the room and i use my local phones just for calling/texting. Another reason i do it this way, is cause nobody will bother to steal a cheap local "non-smart" (LOL) phone; it's not blingy, so i can take it everywhere i go, and leave it in my beachbag when i go swimming and not worry about it. if it gets ruined by water or sand, the SIM can go right into another cheap phone, and if it gets stolen, it's not my main phone with all my data and contacts in it.
and yes, the roaming thing is another big reason why i don't use my American cell phone at all, anywhere i travel.