I can get a samsung beat quad cell for 50.00 off a friend(needs unlocked) or would i be better off just buying a cheap phone in JA?
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I can get a samsung beat quad cell for 50.00 off a friend(needs unlocked) or would i be better off just buying a cheap phone in JA?
buying a phone in ja is a similar price - and no worry of whether it will end up working.. if basic phone suits u you can get one for less then $50 easy brand new..
on the other hand ebay has a lot of unlocked quad band gsm phones.. i recently bought a used unlocked lg thrive for $75 on ebay - not only did it work great but i paid a little extra and had android internet service.. lime is my provider of choice these days.. there is a lime dealer on the second floor of the strip mall left of valuemaster. but a quad band gsm phone will work with both lime and digicel - so as long as unlocked should work fine.
Just about ANY unlocked GSM phone will work in Jamaica. Doesn't even have to be quad band. Between Digicel and Lime one will get you phone service, since they use different bands.
Check here for who uses what band.
http://maps.mobileworldlive.com/
I bought an unlocked Motorola V3m Razr quad band for 50.00. I go to Ja 4 times a year so I keep it active to retain my phone number and the phone itself is bulletproof. Top up every so often and give the credit to one of the kids from the handset here in the States.Quote:
Originally Posted by stuckinusa
If you're going to be in Ja. often and want a permanent phone number that's the way to go. If not any cheap phone will do
Tons of GSM phones on eBay (if you have the time b4 your trip) at cheap prices. A new unlocked Razr V3 can be had for about $40.00
Thanks for replys,i guess ill go the cheap ja phone.......on my way tue early am.Quote:
Originally Posted by n8urist
Last february i bought a phone at Digicel for 60.00$ including sim card and 500 minutes. I took the cheapest phone and all went good.
Christine - Did you happen to notice what hours the Digicel store was open? I'll be arriving on a Saturday afternoon, and I'd love to know how much time I'll have to hopefully get my phone that afternoon. My flight isn't scheduled to arrive to MBJ until 1:45 p.m. Otherwise, I'd have to wait until Monday, as I'm sure they're not open on Sunday.
Digicel has some pretty long business hours at the plaza next to the Burger King - they will be open atleast until 5pm on Saturday - possibly longer. I will check it out tomorrow.
Another option is to have your driver take you to the store in Mobay before you head to Negril.Quote:
Originally Posted by Melody
Thanks Rob, I'd appreciate that - an extra hour could mean the difference for me, what with possible delays. I'd hate to be sweating bullets rushing to get there by 4:30, if I know it's open past 5:00.
Booger - My transportation is being supplied by my hotel, at this point, they can't tell me if it will be a shared ride or not. If shared, I may not be able to stop on the way, so want to be prepared.
Thanks!
Yes i think Rob is right, they do close more at 5pm or later.
So, does the sim card come with any minutes pre-loaded or is just for the purpose of giving you a Jamaican Phone # then you actually have to buy minutes?
The sim cards come with no minutes. You can buy the amount you want and choose to join any of Digicel's plans. There are various local calling plans, a great international plan and several data plans available. Check out their website for more details.
http://digiceljamaica.com
Here's a trick I use.
Just before I arrive I buy over 1500 JA in credit. At that level there's always a "double credit" deal at Digicel so I get twice as much credit as I paid for.
The catch is the bonus minutes have to be used in seven days and are not transferable. So while we're there we burn up the credit. I use regular credit for international and I still can't use the bonus time.
When I leave I have as much credit of the original buy as I did when I got there.
Then I give most of the credit to the kids.
Total cost is about 20 US and the kids have no excuse for not calling!
Hey Rob do you know if I'm topping up online..auto top up what is the minimum I need to top up per month to keep same phone number.Digicel doesn't say how long its good for.I'm just topping up the minimum amount each month about 4$ and change.is Canadian money that is.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob
Attachment 15917From the Digicel site:
Yes I seen that captain but that's for the cards I was wondering about the auto top up.When I use the 121 on phone it gives me amount but no expiry date.I just don't want to lose my number is all.Quote:
Originally Posted by captaind
Those are the same for online top up.Quote:
Originally Posted by beccajean_ca
Melody,
Digicel is open on Saturday until 6pm! No worries.
Yippee - thanks so much for checking!! One less detail to be concerned about!
OK well I guess then I need to up my top up as I am too ping up the 1st of the month so 100 J is only good for 28 days.Quote:
Originally Posted by captaind
But thanks for the info.I thought Rob would comment but I guess not so I truly appreciate it :-) will up my top up :-) thanks again,
Nice filter......Quote:
Originally Posted by beccajean_ca
I do $1000J every three months and it works. I also send an occasional text, not sure if this helps, but it cannot hurt.
LOL@ Booger.that's about 12. Canadian isn't it? And it lasts 3 month?do you do auto top up?Quote:
Originally Posted by booger
If I buy a cellphone that is locked to digicel already, can I activate it from the United States by registering online and topping up the minutes? I really appreciate the help, as I am VERY dumb with this stuff! We are arriving on the holiday so I know I won't be able to get to a digicel store for at least two days.
okay mi did the Jamaican cellie shuffle in Negril a week ago..........
it was a Monday morning and mi waited till 10AM and hit the Cambio at Bourbon Beach......yes they have one there
and then took mi $100J red plate taxi to the roundabout and proceeded to the Digicel Store.........
within a minute mi have the pricing for the cheapest Digicel cellie, sim and tax = $4,500J's
next mi went to the Electronic store on the second level of Coral Seas Plaza........
and within a minute mi had the pricing for the cheapest Digicel cellie, sim and tax = $4,000J's
then mi went door to the Lime store on the second floor above ValueMaster..........
and within a minute mi had the pricing on the cheapest Lime cellie, sim and tax = $1,800J's
so guess which one mi took........of course the Lime or Slime as mi call dem.......lol
the Lime came with 100 free credits too so it was a no brainer.......
mi gave her a copy of mi passport and the nice lady wrote it up........
plus mi bought $1,000J's worth of credits.........the Lime cellies are actually cheaper to call North America too.....
now if mi had been der the Friday before.....
they had the same cheap cellie, sim, tax and 100 free credits for $1,185J's as a one time special promo......dayum mi missed it.......lol
nice Lime Lady setup the cellie, checked to make sure it took a charge from the adapter and added mi minutes
FYI the sim card from Lime or Digicel is $300J's plus tax.......cheap mon
the Lime Store and Digicel Stores are open to 5PM weekdays........
the Lime and Digicel have about the same cellies........
mi got a Samsung that has the FM radio but never used it........
Lime had two choices for their cheapest cellie.......Digicel only had one when mi was there......
okay so mi had 1,000 credits.......so someone guess what mi had left on the cellie when mi left Jamaica......
approx 750 credits........lol......mi hate using phones on vacation but they are must when you need dem......lol
you can text from the USA or call Jamaica on Slime but you are roaming on the Cingular network........
the text messages aren't too expensive but you'll go right thru your credits if you talkie on it........lol
personally mi use eztop to top off the cellie.........you can see it right on the phone when you do it too.....
hope dat was some help........so go Slime.....lol........Digicel cellies are way too expensive to buy in Jamaica
Cool Runnings, Marko
you gotta buy a Sim card for $300J plus tax at Digicel or Lime and have dem activate it.......Quote:
Originally Posted by plongdin
and show your passport......don't ask mi why....it's Jamaica.......lol
Cool Runnings, Marko
Attachment 16358
Well old moto is finally going to bite the dust. Have went through 3 or 4 sims over the years when I forget to top up. His charging port has alas bit the bullet, there are not enough rubber bands that can be wrapped around the charger to hold the connection. So no top up this home stretch. Poor fellow l.o.l.
I did buy the cheapest phone and the sim card and the 1,200.00 calling plan from digicel at the round a bout for a friend from the states before an airport run in Feb, seems like I charged him 38.00 U.S. . So 38.00 @ 86 = 3200+ J, so pulling out 1200 plan the phone and sim would have been around 2 grand w/ tax.
I guess I must look Jamaican (I doubt it) or they see my old Motorola and are laughing to hard to ask for my Passport but the most I have ever been asked for at Digicel was a drivers license to make copying the information easier.
I have used, but then I get my car in MoBay:
About 1/4 way up Kent Avenue b4 it turns into Gloucester (hip strip) in MoBay on the left is a Cambio next to a Digicel store, easy stop
In Lucy Town they have moved about 1/2 way up the west bound 1 way street on the left, really nice ladies, interesting people watching place for passengers while I run in
Round A Bout in Negril, no shade tree in parking lot but really nice ac and people inside
Depending your stay can always rent one for around $20 US for the week.
Wow Marko, you got all set up with Lime for $20! Well worth it. Sure beats Digicel at $50.
Now that I finally found out Digicel is open till 6:00 on Saturdays...have to find out about Lime. Hopefully they're open till 6:00 as well.
Once again, thank you for sharing in such detail - much appreciated!! :)
I don't post much - but I love reading everyone's stories and once again Marko does not disappoint:) Thanks everyone!
Ok...this thread reminded me that I have not topped up my # I got in early May.
Problem is, I loaned my travel blackberry phone to my daughter to use overseas and took my sim card out.
Can I top up without having the phone with sim card available or am I s.o.l. ???
Please advise...Thank you!!!
It shouldn't be an issue as my phone is off when I update. I also send the phone a text message when I update. I'm not sure if this does anything, however it let's Digicel know that the number is still being used.Quote:
Originally Posted by kim in socal
Well this has been a really helpful thread, now I know to check out the Lime Store above the ValueMaster, since I just want a basic phone no bells or whistles and the price is defnitely right!
I emailed Lime through their website and got a really quick answer to my question about their business hours. The Negril store opens at 9:00, closes at 5:00 M - Sat. Their Mobay location is open 8:00 - 6:00.
You can call Digicel to make sure the sim is still good (it should be) and top up online, sending the credits to your phone number. I schedule an automatic monthly top up for about $8 usd which is enough to keep active for 35 days, so I am always ready.Quote:
Originally Posted by kim in socal
captaind hit the nail right on the head....'nuff said. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by captaind
Marko, thank you for taking the time post all this info, it's been very helpful & I plan on stopping by the Slime store. Normally don't bother with a phone while in JA, but after reading about the taxi incident and since I'm traveling by myself, I decided it might be best to make arrangements by phone & call a taxi driver I know instead of just jumping into a cab. That's all I would be using it for (don't need to call the states). I am a little confused with everyone talking about monthly "topping off", if I buy the cell, sim & minutes - more than likely I won't use it all up and would hope to be able to use it again in Dec. Will the Lime people explain what I need to know? Sorry for my ignorance.
Soon come!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marko
NikkiV - I think that your minutes/SIM card expire after 30 days or so. If you "top off" by buying some minutes before the expiry period, you get to keep your SIM active. The main reason for wanting to keep your SIM active is that you get to keep the same phone number and don't have to stop at a store to get a new SIM each time you arrive to Jamaica on subsequent trips.
It's new to me, I'm not speaking from experience, so those who know for sure, please correct me if I'm mistaken!
Thanks Melody. Guess I'll find out in a few weeks!