Best place to purchase a cell phone?

Thanks to everyone for helping me get a great deal on a hotel for my stay next month - I decided on Negril Escape, which has everything I wanted and looks like a wonderful and relaxing place to stay. My next question is where I should purchase a cell phone. I don't travel with my iPhone or laptop, but I do like having a phone to stay in contact with family and friends. I purchased a cell phone in Jamaica several years ago that has served me well, but it needs to be replaced. I always tell people that it's the best money-saving travel decision I have ever made - I bought that Digicel phone for under $20 and have used it all over the caribbean.

Where is the best place in Negril to get a phone (or should I get one at the airport?), and how much can I expect to pay for a basic phone?

The Digicel store is just past the roundabout in the plaza by Burger King. When we were there in May the cheapest phones were about J$2300 or about $30 US.

congrats on the negril escape choice - i have been there a couple times and i cant wait tell i get back..

i bought the cheapest new phone at digicel (as Ras Walleye pointed out it is in the shopping center by burger king - you cant miss it) and it was 2500ja, then there was a charge for the simcard, and of course some credit - i got out of there for about 4000ja i think with a workn phone, and that was with enough credit to call home as much as i need and there was still allot left..
on another trip i bought a digicel 4g internet modem, and with a weeks credit i got it for under 5000ja.. the internet at the escape can be hit and miss.. the digicel 4g inet was fast enough we watched the hawkeyes football game on the deck at the escape..

enjoy your trip - walk down to sharks for dinner one night, by alices but back from the road maybe 20 ft - Juliet makes wonderful food - and i have had many great times there.. Ericas Cafe is the other direction from the hotel, and very good too - you cant really fo wrong..

As mentioned, the Digicell store.....make sure you take ID, its required to purchase the SIM card. I got a basic phone, SIM card, international and local minutes for around 60$ US. I can't remember exactly how many minutes I purchased, but I did not have to top up the 6 weeks I was there. There is an international "plan", but I can't remember the details of it, a certain amount of minutes for one price.

I bought a unlocked phone off of Craigslist for 10 bucks.Just a bought a sim card down there and have been using it for a couple years. I looked at the Coral brand phone they sell at Digicell and mine had more features on it. It is a Pantech. Small and has a camera. Just another option that worked for me.

you can rent a phone also - and some drivers give them to you free if you use them to get to/from the airport

If you want to buy at Digicel, but dont want to wait until you get to negril, ask your driver to stop at the digicel store in mobay. There is one on the hip strip near the airport.

I wish I had bought a phone on my most recent trip. I have been renting or borrowing for drivers for some time--but this last time there were a few technical glitches with the phone my driver loaned me.

The phone was forwarded to someone else's number and no one at the place I was staying could help me figure out how to unforward it--so I couldn't receive incoming calls. After a couple of days and a couple of emails sent the driver had it fixed. Then the phone totally stopped working and I had to have the driver come help me with it. He implied that I broke it and that I was not telling him the whole story--there was no story--it just up and quit. He figured I had dropped it in the water or on the floor and was not being truthful which really infuriated me--I cannot abide being called untruthful as I am completely honest--it is one of the most important qualities to me. The phone was always either charging on the shelf in my room or safely tucked in a ziplock bag when I went to the beach or out and about.

He took it back to Claro the next day and they adjusted the battery or something and it was fixed--he brought it back to me and finally acknowledged that I hadn't damaged it. So now 4 days of no working cell phone had passed.

Granted the other times I borrowed one there were no issues--so it is an option, but past incident made me realize that it would be much better to have my own. Plus I would be able to familiarize myself with the phone--would have my own number, etc--so many advantages!

Did the same thing years ago . It served me well also. The phone just died last year so I went online bought a cheap unlocked phone and just used the same sim card and just top off online or when I get in to negril. Works well.

I went to Digicel, cost about 60 dollars US, a bit more than I had hoped ... one thing i did learn: at Digicel, they don't bargain like at the craft market .....

Too funny Gerry! I just bought a new one same time you were there from same store LOL. I had my own SIM but paid $27 US for Coral phone. I always top off my sim online for $15 on internet when i get to JA and make sure SIM still works I get 1000 international minutes.

Shelly,
How often do you topup online to keep your SIM active?
When you arrive does it start working as soon as you turn it on or do you have to add more minutes to get it working again?