Use own cell phone or buy one there?

[kibby]

I can get 100 minutes from ATT for a reasonable amount for my cell phone. Do you recommend just bringing my cell, which I could also use to check emails, or to buy a cell phone in Negril?

[n8urist]

What's "reasonable"? How long are you staying? Are you staying somewhere that will necessitate calling for taxis?
Cell phones and minutes are cheap in Jamaica. Weigh your options.

[First Mate]

I get a phone from my driver and put credits on it. 10 bucks. US. A digicel phone can be bought cheap. Lime also. To me it comes down to data. I leave my phone at home. I have a cheap tablet that I take. Use on wifi. I use the digicel phone and call home to tell someone the name and number of my hotel. Also the digicel phone I am carrying. Cell phones can be bought anywhere. I think the hi lo sells them.

[kibby]

How much for minutes to call the states on the local cell phones? I'm only there 6 days, but I need to be able to call home and check on kids and husband and also maybe for some local calls. Thought it might be easier to just use my phone, but maybe not? I'm not planning on bring my ipad, so I could just check email from my phone on wifi and use a local phone. What would cost be to buy a phone and say have at least 100 minutes to call home?

[Flipadelphia26]

50 bucks should do it.

[brownsd54]

You can buy a Digicel phone for as cheep as $24USD. Put $500J on the phone and get 600 minutes of international time for $1200J. In other words, you can have a local phone for taxi's and such + 600 long distance minutes for less than $50USD. I think Hi-Lo is selling throw away phones for even less. Maybe $10USD if I can remember.

[Rastaron]

you can buy the cheap but effective LIIME phones for perhaps 10-15 USD and that comes with small amount of minutes, if you need more 12 USD get you about 600 minutes of international; for $30 you would have a phone, local and USA minutes

[jamaicarob]

we have his and hers ja cell phones, for about $ 45.00 u.s. each, all in, you also get 700 or 800 international l.d. min included, plus local minutes, we just update them each visit , it is worth it if you go every year, soon come

[Seveen]

DO NOT use your cell phone in Jamaica --- the cost will be exorbitant - I mean crazy high - make sure you keep it on airplane mode and turn off data roaming and cellular data - ATT will not be your provider and data roaming fees are nuts - much much cheaper to get a JA cell phone

[Jamadian]

If you have an older cell phone kicking around, have it unblocked and buy a sim card and minutes down there. We had an older IPhone 3 unblocked. We paid $13.00 for 1000 international minutes and 30 local minutes. We'll take that phone down with us ever year now and buy minutes when we get there. When we got home we used the rest of the minutes up texting friends we met on our trip.