Can you text message home from Playa?

[redhed]

Hi guys.....

Have any of you tried text messaging to Canada or US from Playa and area? Would my phone do that or shud I buy one down there? Any idea of rates for text messages? I pay 15 cents per message at home but not sure of international rates.

Someone mentioned somewhere on a thread about buying disposable phones in Playa....would they text?

Gracias!

[Marman]

I have verizon and it worked for me in January.

[raquelle261]

Most US phones work normally in Mexico, however it depends on the handset and you can simply ring your network provider's customer services or check on their website and they will confirm compatibility. The costs for texting whilst in a foreign country vary from network to network and price plan etc, so again a quick call to them will confirm. (My own price plan here in the UK includes a certain number of free texts per month, and that bundle also applies whether I am sending the texts from home or overseas, but texts outside of that allowance are charged at a slightly higher rate when sent whilst I am abroad, for instance.)

Buying a "disposable" - pay as you go - phone in Playa is excellent if you have family and friends that live there and you are going to be calling other Mexican phones a lot. I fall into that category so bought a pay as you go Mex phone and it saved me a fortune. HOWEVER..... texting from a Mexican phone back home to the US or Canada is classed as an international text and international rates will apply. The rate may well be a lot higher than that offered by your own network provider on your US phone in the first place.

[redhed]

Originally Posted by Marman

I have verizon and it worked for me in January.

Hey Marman......are you in the US? Is Verizon American? My phone is Rogers.....don't know if that is just in Canada or not.

Nice you were able to text. Hope I'll be able to.

Thanks for the reply.

[redhed]

Thanks Rachelle.....

I just looked at the Rogers website and I see where I can text message from the US to Canada ok......but don't see Mexico mentioned.

I'm heading down to their office right now to check it out.

Gracias!

[Marman]

Originally Posted by redhed

Hey Marman......are you in the US? Is Verizon American? My phone is Rogers.....don't know if that is just in Canada or not.

Nice you were able to text. Hope I'll be able to.

Thanks for the reply.

I'm in Idaho....Just call your provider and ask them for info. I had to type in some code to update my phone while in Playa.

[penalipee]

Playa to Canada works just fine but kinda pricey. Although on my last trip, my phone kept changing carriers (between Telcel & Movistar) and depending which carrier it was using...I had problems texting to local numbers. First time that has happened. I had to adjust the calling numbers with each different carrier. Kinda bizarre.

[PlayaWithMe]

We were able to text ansd send pics to the Moblog.....$1.30 a pop......AT&T.....Just add Skype out to your skype account and you can call land lines and cell phones......$10 will last you a loooooooong time.......

[fairydogmother]

I have a Bell Mobility phone (Canadian) I *technically* can send texts from Playa with my phone but I could only get a analog signal on my phone so "no-go"

[redhed]

Originally Posted by fairydogmother

I have a Bell Mobility phone (Canadian) I *technically* can send texts from Playa with my phone but I could only get a analog signal on my phone so "no-go"

hmmmm...what does an "analog" signal mean?

[redhed]

Originally Posted by penalipee

Playa to Canada works just fine but kinda pricey. Although on my last trip, my phone kept changing carriers (between Telcel & Movistar) and depending which carrier it was using...I had problems texting to local numbers. First time that has happened. I had to adjust the calling numbers with each different carrier. Kinda bizarre.

Penalipee.....is your phone Rogers or Bell or??????

gracias

[penalipee]

It's a rogers phone. It normally works well in Mexico but this last trip it just kept going back and forth between local carriers....causing all sorts of grief.

[redhed]

Sheesh....last year my daughter had her Rogers phone in Playa and she called me collect from a public phone to say her cell wouldn't work. Cost me $45.

[PlayaWithMe]

Originally Posted by redhed

Sheesh....last year my daughter had her Rogers phone in Playa and she called me collect from a public phone to say her cell wouldn't work. Cost me $45.

Must have been one of those $5 a minute calls......

[redhed]

Originally Posted by PlayaWithMe

We were able to text ansd send pics to the Moblog.....$1.30 a pop......AT&T.....Just add Skype out to your skype account and you can call land lines and cell phones......$10 will last you a loooooooong time.......

Thanks Mikey.....I'll have to ask my son in law the techie geek what the hell you're talking about!

[raquelle261]

Originally Posted by PlayaWithMe

Just add Skype out to your skype account and you can call land lines and cell phones......$10 will last you a loooooooong time.......

Agreed, skypeout is a marvellous thing and it saves me a fortune calling Mexico and the US from here. But if you are wanting to use skype on your travels it is only helpful though if you either have your laptop with you, or a "skype phone". Do you have the latter in the States? There is only one network that provides a skype cellphone here, and it only works skype to skype or skypein. Skypeout isn't available. And here in the UK skype just isn't available via other cellphones.

[raquelle261]

Originally Posted by redhed

Thanks Mikey.....I'll have to ask my son in law the techie geek what the hell you're talking about!

You might want to see my post..... I am not sure (unless things are very different in the US and Canada) that it would be as helpful to you as he hopes.

[PlayaWithMe]

Originally Posted by redhed

Thanks Mikey.....I'll have to ask my son in law the techie geek what the hell you're talking about!

Well you would ha