Do I really need a Jamaican cell?

[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

[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?

[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