Which mobile phone sim

[coastguard]

Hi
We are visiting Cancun for the 2nd time in December and plan to use my iphone to send pictures back to the UK and skype. What is the best mexican sim card to use for this and where can I get one?

Many thanks

[coastguard]

Looks like Telcel is the one to get.

[Steve]

Yeah, Telcel will be your best bet.

Not sure why you can buy the sim cards without a phone though.

[T.J.]

Telcel is the best bet but if you have the iPhone 4, they use a smaller chip and they won't accept the standard Telcel chip.

You pay Telcel $149 Mxn and that includes $50 Mxn in credit. BUT BE FOREWARNED: My daughter was here earlier this month and I got her this chip for her smart phone. She used up the $50 the first day communicating with me and her b/f, then telling me the phone would not work. So I put $300 Mxn on the phone and they give you $450 in credit. The same day she told me the phone would not work and started using her US TMobile phone as she was here to have fun and not mess around with a problem phone. The phone itself was my old Blackberry, which I use for such purposes. When she returned the phone to me I went to Telcel and they told me the entire credit was used on a call of two hours, 59 minutes to a local number. Absolutely no way she made this call and she stayed in a privately owned penthouse apt. I was out of town for a few days and am now fighting with Telcel to get the credit I purchased but did not use. They have no concept of customer service for the most part and this is not my first battle with them. I am going to file a complaint this week with the federal consumer protection agency and see what happens. I hate getting robbed/and or abused by the system when it costs me money. My friends think I should let these things go but it is not in my makeup.

So, Caveat Emptor.

[gavinlew]

I'm trying to work out the same, I want to take my Samsung Galaxy SII from the UK and use 3G data services (would imagine 500mb a week would be perfect) - dont care about voice calls/minutes, will be mainly uploading pictures/tweeting/facebooking.

I leave on the 23rd October, so would probably buy something once landed in Cancun , suggestions at the Airport or one of the malls in the Hotel Zone?

[ToriB]

I use a Blackberry that a friend from the US gave me. I paid $10 to have it unlocked online..as I do all my phones so you can use other network sim cards. I do not have a Telcel contract, as you can go anywhere that recharges credit, get 500 pesos added to the phone and you get an additional 400 pesos credit. There is a code that you text to Telcel, and they give you all the benefits of a contract. It's great and I have never had any problems. If this is what you want to do, send me a msg and I will get the text code for you

[gavinlew]

Hi Tori, TelCel sounds the way to-go , will pick up a SIM while im out there, how do you activate data (so you can use internet), I presume the 500peso top up is for voice , or does some of that get subtracted for data allowance?

[Gringation]

I use the same method ToriB does. $500 pesos will get you 30 days of Internet plus an extra $400 credit to use with other Telcel phones. You can also use different codes to get just 1 day, 1 week, etc of Internet.

I got an unlocked Nokia on Ebay, then paid $150 pesos for a SIM card at the Telcel kiosk at the mall (there's at least one at every mall).

[gavinlew]

Cool that sounds a bargain $500pesos for 30days of internet , could even pass the SIM on before I leave. I presume the registration for internet access is done via an SMS once the SIM has been activated?

[gavinlew]

Do I need to worry about a CURP number, I presume Passport is enough of a requirement to get the SIM (Just found this ; Mexican Prepaid SIM Card, Free Phone Calls AND Internet in Mexico! USA 20 MIN $1 | eBay)

[T.J.]

Gavinview,
There is a Telcel store in Plaza La Isla shopping mall, which is at about km 12 in the Hotel Zone. You pay $149 to get the SIM and that includes $50 in credit for calls. At the same time you can purchase the data thing that Tori and Gringation speak of.

This is a full fledged store with 8 cashier windows (cajas). You can do the same thing at a kiosk but this is a bit different than the "standard" transaction so my recommendation is to go to the full blown store.

The exchange rate for USD was $13.66 Mxn per $1 USD yesterday with a US ATM card at (bank) Santaner Serafin. Downtown Telcel does not accept dollars any longer so you may need to grab some pesos before going to Telcel.

Good luck.

[gavinlew]

TJ - Many thanks , will sort that out once I arrive (roaming rates from the UK are way expensive!)

[gavinlew]

TJ - Many thanks for your advice re. Telcel
Popped down to La Isla , found the store, went in , 2 members of staff on duty spoke english and knew exactly what I wanted.
First I purchased the SIM card from the service desk, then went to the payment kiosk and paid for it plus the $500 topup.
Then back to the service desk , the SIM was activated, credit added and internet service setup automatically.
Very pleased with the staff, and the whole experience, took approx. 30 mins in total, coverage and data transfer speeds all over the HZ/Downtown were acceptable, getting H+ in some areas.

Cheers

Gavin

[T.J.]

Glad it worked out for you Gavin.

[BruceWedding]

Originally Posted by Steve

Yeah, Telcel will be your best bet.

Not sure why you can buy the sim cards without a phone though.

Because I brought my Samsung Galaxy S from the states and it blows away anything available here.