Forums > Specific Focus > Technical Mexico

raferguson

Feb 19, 2006, 10:34 AM

Post #1 of 10 (6080 views)

Shortcut

Activation time for new cell phone?

Can't Post | Private Reply

We have a couple of short trips to Mexico planned this year, and I am considering taking one of our old cell phones down there, and getting it activated on a prepaid plan, which I have done before.

However, the last time I did that, it took 4 days from the time when I brought my cell phone to the kiosk, to when it was actually working and I picked it up. Is that typical? I think that there was a Mexican holiday during that time, which may have slowed down the process. They told me that 48 hours was more typical.

How long did it take to get your last cell phone working?

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

johanson / Moderator

Feb 19, 2006, 12:40 PM

Post #2 of 10 (6074 views)

Shortcut

Re: [raferguson] Activation time for new cell phone?

Can't Post | Private Reply

I'm told that it is a simple operation that only takes a few minutes, but that few folks know how to do it and that for example here in Ajijic, the phones are usually sent to a tech in Guadalajara, therefore the extra time.

The above info was only hearsay, perhaps someone else can give us better info.

Papirex

Feb 19, 2006, 1:18 PM

Post #3 of 10 (6071 views)

Shortcut

Re: [raferguson] Activation time for new cell phone?

Can't Post | Private Reply

I have only had this done once about six years ago, so this is not recent info. I think Pete is right; it doesn’t take long once the phone is in the hands of someone qualified to program it. When we had a phone reprogrammed we were in Mexico City and we took it to a kiosk also. We were told it would be ready the next day and it was. The salesman that helped us told us that the phone would need to be sent to a shop to be reprogrammed.

I think you are more likely to have the phone reprogrammed in less time if you find a large outlet for the provider where they are more likely to have a qualified technician on the premises, rather than a kiosk. (And maybe not.)

As I said in a post earlier today, IUSACELL uses CDMA technology; I think all the others use TDMA technology, so the type of phone a person has will determine which provider can do the job.

Rex
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

raferguson

Feb 19, 2006, 7:46 PM

Post #4 of 10 (6056 views)

Shortcut

Re: [RexC] Activation time for new cell phone?

Can't Post | Private Reply

I was hoping that some one had activated a phone more recently than I have. I activated an old analog phone back in 2002.

I have a collection of old cell phones, TDMA, CDMA, and analog. I checked the batteries a while back, good except the CDMA battery crashed somewhat earlier than the others. Telcel is TDMA. I would probably bring the TDMA phone, it is a Nokia only a few years old.

The last time I had a phone activated in the USA, it was activated before I got out the door of the store! They told me officially 24 hours, and unofficially that it could be very fast.

The impression that I had when I had my old phone activated was that the guy at the kiosk was knowledgeable, and knew how to program my phone, but had to wait for Telcel. I stopped by once a day, he pulled out the phone to check it, and the first few days it was not active yet. I don't think that my phone ever left his kiosk.

I may just bring a phone and ask the guy how long it will take to activate the phone, double his estimate, and then ask myself if it is worth it for a short trip. I have two trips coming up this year, one for a week in March, and one for ten days in December, so both pretty short.

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

Papirex

Feb 20, 2006, 9:40 AM

Post #5 of 10 (6037 views)

Shortcut

Re: [raferguson] Activation time for new cell phone?

Can't Post | Private Reply

Richard, I must admit I had no idea what it takes to reprogram a phone. I was under the impression that something had to be done with the phone, but your last post now leads me to believe that it is a software operation. In another recent post, I described how my wife was given a new phone at no cost by IUSACELL last Friday. They transferred the number from her old phone to the new one. I suppose that means they programmed it. My apologies if that is not the case.

While we were in the IUSACELL office getting the new phone, the girl waiting on us did some magic stuff on her computer. She then had to re-write our contract, etc. She would periodically pick up the new phone and say it wasn’t active yet. About the time that she finished re-writing everything, and we had signed the new contracts, she picked it up again, and told us the phone was active and we could use it immediately.

So, if that was programming the phone the time elapsed was about one hour. I wish I knew what I am talking about, maybe I could give you better information Unsure

Rex
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

caldwelld

Feb 20, 2006, 9:52 AM

Post #6 of 10 (6032 views)

Shortcut

Re: [raferguson] Activation time for new cell phone?

Can't Post | Private Reply

If your current tel tech is up to date it should be possible to roam anywhere in Mex using your current phone without reprogramming. That may be easiest. If you just want to have a contact phone for a few relatives or friends NOB and to use it for local calls you might consider buying a new phone when you get here on a "he who calls pays" basis. It would only cost about $30 and you would probably get some free air time with the purchase. Air time in any case can be easily purchased in $10-$50 dollar packages.
dondon

Ron Pickering W3FJW

Feb 20, 2006, 1:48 PM

Post #7 of 10 (6022 views)

Shortcut

Re: [RexC] Activation time for new cell phone?

Can't Post | Private Reply

"So, if that was programming the phone the time elapsed was about one hour. I wish I knew what I am talking about, maybe I could give you better information Unsure

"

That was indeed reprogramming the phone. Done with software. No physical changes needed.
Getting older and still not down here.

(This post was edited by Ron Pickering W3FJW on Feb 20, 2006, 1:49 PM)

johanson / Moderator

Feb 20, 2006, 3:34 PM

Post #8 of 10 (6015 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Ron Pickering W3FJW] Activation time for new cell phone?

Can't Post | Private Reply

I dropped by my local TelCel outlet to pick up a new 100 peso card here in Ajijic for my Motorola V 300 cell phone. (I'm a big time user) And asked them what would happen if I brought in a phone in from the states, one that was compatible with the TelCel GSM system.

These guys speak to me only in Spanish, by my choice, and sometimes I do not get things right. But this techi said he could normally unlock or unblock (I do not know which) the phone in a few minutes, but that sometimes one had to wait about a day for something to take affect before the phone would work.

The techi works in the TelCel office across the street and a little west of the Ajijic TelMex office, just East of the CIA. If you do not know where the CIA building is, it's the one with all of the tall antennas on it

If you want to know more about the CIA's welcome presence in our village go to your favorite google search engine and enter the 2 key words CIA and Ajijic.

Harry is the local station head and they have a great coffee shop and an internet cafe that the public is encouraged to visit. Harry speaks not only perfect Spanish and English but Farsi as well; but you would expect that at the CIA

manda405

Feb 24, 2006, 11:41 AM

Post #9 of 10 (5984 views)

Shortcut

Re: [raferguson] Activation time for new cell phone?

Can't Post | Private Reply

It would probably be most effective for you to purchase a "pre-paid" phone when you get here, like an "amigo kit" from TelCel. I bought a little Nokia a few weeks ago for $50 US. It included $300 pesos airtime and it was activated in 10 minutes. Then you just buy minutes for it as you need them. You can save the phone and use it next time you come down. The charge for "reactivating" it is minimal and can be done at any sales counter. They will give you a new number when you reactivate it if it was more than 6 months since you used it last.
I work with cell phones, I sell them for Qwest. I know that reprogramming a phone to work on any network is possible, but time consuming and even if the software is updated, it might not work properly or at all. The cell phone companies do that on purpose, so they can make money off people buying new phones from them. Also you have to make sure that the phone you have is a tri-mode, or at least a dual-mode phone otherwise it would be nearly impossible and/or pretty expensive to have it upgraded. You might as well get a new phone. I see it everyday, an older person comes into my store with a dinosaur phone that "still works" as in it powers on and charges just fine, and they want to activate it on a new plan.
It would be like if you had a 79 Toyota Celica and the transmission case slips and breaks the gear rod. The car still "runs" just fine. So you could take it to the shop, be without a car for a few days, and pay upwards of $1000 to have it fixed. OR you could take that $1000, find a 89 Celica in the paper, and drive off with the newer car the same day.

What happens down in Mexico...Stays in Mexico.

tomtalbotjr

Dec 2, 2006, 10:45 AM

Post #10 of 10 (5929 views)

Shortcut

Re: [manda405] Activation time for new cell phone?

Can't Post | Private Reply

HI,

I have a telcel phone like yours used last year in March.

My question, can i call into telcel and reactive my number and add pesos from the States.

Would like to use the phone when we travel into mexico

Thanks

Tom