Forums > Specific Focus > Technical Mexico

kenginnyd

Nov 29, 2007, 4:33 PM

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Cell Phones

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Regarding getting a cell phone in Mexico I heard that I can purchase a SIM card with a prepaid amount at various services in Mexico to install in my personal cell phone that would give me service in and out of Mexico. I've recently upgraded my ATT phone and have a good Nokia left over that I can use. Is this somehting that can be done and if so can anyone give me moreinformation?

raferguson

Nov 29, 2007, 8:42 PM

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Re: [kenginnyd] Cell Phones

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Your plan is a good one, assuming your old phone uses SIMS. The possible gotcha is that your phone might be "Locked" to AT&T. A simple way to check is to swap SIMS with a T-mobile user. If the T-mobile SIM in your AT&T phone will make calls, the phone is unlocked.

If the phone is locked, don't give up. There are lots of sites that will provide unlock codes for free or a few bucks. I link to a couple of sites below, but I don't have any specific information on those sites vs. any other site.

http://www.gsmliberty.net/shop/nokia_unlock.php

http://www.thetravelinsider.info/...t/nokiaunlocking.htm

I bought an "Unlocked Quad Band GSM" phone off ebay, but no reason to do so if you already have a GSM phone, just make sure that it is unlocked. (The Quad Band feature is useful in Europe and most of the world; Mexico uses the same frequencies as the USA).

Telmex is the GSM provider in most of Mexico, so you will probably end up using Telmex.

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

(This post was edited by raferguson on Nov 29, 2007, 8:45 PM)

DickH

Nov 30, 2007, 9:16 PM

Post #3 of 5 (3169 views)

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Re: [raferguson] Cell Phones

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This was some of the most helpful info. yet.....I've had a perfectly good cell phone that would only work in the US because it was locked to the provider (T-Mobile). TelCel here said there was no way they could unlock it and (surprise) they had a phone available to sell me. I got the cheapest they had. That was three years ago and I have been grinding my teeth about it ever since thinking the US phone could only be used when we are in the US. Well, thanks to one of the links you provided, I am now using only one good phone (the now unlocked US phone) and two SIMS cards. I can merely switch the cards whenever I cross the border and am off and running. Thanks a million!

Dick

taltman711

Dec 1, 2007, 7:13 AM

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Re: [DickH] Cell Phones

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T-Mobile will provide the unlock code for your phone(s) free of charge after you have had service with them for 90 days. Just call them and ask. They will e-mail you the code within a few days. Other providers NOB are more problematic. You may or may not be able to get the unlock code. That is why we chose T-Mobile. Simply change the SIM card when changing borders and you only need 1 phone.

Tim

DickH

Dec 1, 2007, 7:32 AM

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Re: [taltman711] Cell Phones

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Dern, you would have thought they'd offered that when I asked - we've been with them 7 years. It's possible, though, it's because the Motorola phone (at least, for the internet "un-lockers") requires more than a code, which is all some of the other phones require. I had to download software and use a USB link to the phone. Other sites concurred. However, it is also very possible that the service rep I talked to at T-Mobile didn't know. Thanks, I'll file that for future referrence

Dick