Thread: Traveling to Mexico

I am traveling to Mexico in a few days and will be there for 2 weeks.

In doing some preliminary checking thru Bell Mobility web site, the costs to use my phone are ridiculously high.

Any experienced Canadian travelers have any recommendations to keep my wireless and data costs down (other than leaving the phone at home)?

Unlock your phone and use a local sim card with local calling rates. Unlock through one of our sponsor sites such as gsmphoneunlocking (on my sig.)
The local sim card should be available through a local store in Mexico. the only drawback will be that your phone number will be different while you are there using the local sim card, but should be well worth the savings.

Thanks Bugly :biggthumpup:

Just check to make sure the area in Mexico you are traveling to gas gsm coverage. If they have cdma that will not work.
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Also chain your bb to your body. If it should become lost, Bell Mobility will hold you responsible for all charges. Yes, I have travelled to mexico quite abit for business but luckily the company I worked for picked up the charges

I don't know about bell, but I recently called verizon and they unlocked my phone for free

..apparently their policy is one free unlock per year / account, and only for phones that have been activated for at least one year.

Good to know. Hope your trip goes well.

Originally Posted by Bugly

Good to know. Hope your trip goes well.

Trip went great. Got back back this morning (about 1:30 am).

I ended up just buying minutes from Bell and only used text messaging to keep in touch with home. Was actually kinda nice to not be 'chained' for a couple of weeks. Frosty tequila drinks helped with the BB withdrawal symptoms. Paid the price this morning however when I turned data back on and waited about 5 minutes for all my email to download. Price we pay for being out of touch, I guess.

Question for you, I was just down to Mexico last week. I could get email only, no text or phone service. I have also lost phone service in Cuba. This has happend since I started using third party OS. I am also with bell. I am running 9530-451 hybrid right now. Any one else having this problem?

Originally Posted by gregdav

Question for you, I was just down to Mexico last week. I could get email only, no text or phone service. I have also lost phone service in Cuba. This has happend since I started using third party OS. I am also with bell. I am running 9530-451 hybrid right now. Any one else having this problem?

Question for you...do you have the roaming sim card installed in your phone? If not then you will have limited data service and absolutely no phone service. A pain in the a$$ but well worth the security.

I had the bell sims card in, it used to work in Cuba, until I changed the firmware. When in Cuba, I now have to use a Cubacell sims card from the company I work for. My storm is unlocked.

I didn't use data while in Mexico. The costs are ridiculous ($50 / MB). I simply turned it off. I am using a hybrid OS but my phone is not unlocked.

No problems with voice and text messaging.

I also have the global SIM card provided by Bell.