sim card for a quad band unlocked GSM phone

[wifenhusb101]

We would appreciate if someone can point us to the purchase of a sim card, like, are there shops in Mexico city transit area or cancun airport arrival area? We are in Transit in Mexico city for two hours and will be arriving in Cancun to stay in Desire for 4 nights. Mainly to keep in touch with family back home

[CokeMann]

Yes you can purchase a TelMex card almost anywhere in Mexico and at the Cancun Airport - unfortunately they only work from pay phones. (ie not from the Desire telephone system)

You would be far better to just rent a cell phone for 4 days

- contact http://www.cancunvalet.com/?p=p_3 $5.00 per day and $0.69 a minute

[tikihutguy]

If you travel with laptop best alternative for while at Desire is get a MajicJack for $20 in the US. Hook up the Desire telephone and voila - free calls to the U.S.

[wifenhusb101]

Thx guys, We will travel with my laptop as its the best option for us.

However, just curious, if I have to buy the local sim card, then is it possible to do so after arrival at cancun before taking the resort transportation?

[CokeMann]

wifenhusb101 - just to get it correct - I guess I misunderstood your earlier post - I assumed that you wanted to purchase a sim based telephone card

Why would you want to purchase a local TelMex sim chip for your cell phone ??

If you have International Roaming enabled on your existing GSM phone before you leave home it should just work like normal - you will have do use international dialing codes to call home but you will not requuire a local TelMex sim chip

[tikihutguy]

Agreed, Coke, but the rates are a tad high. We use Verizon and I think the international rate was around $1.75 a minute. Whatever your carrier check rates before leaving and have them activate international calling. Verizon worked fine from Desire, but the laptop was cheaper.

[wifenhusb101]

Its just the rates. International roaming charges are high and I am just looking for a local cheaper alternative. We do buy the local simcard and a phone card usually when we travel in europe or asia and it worked out to be the cheapest to call long distance using the GSM unlocked phone. Alternative is to use the laptop in wi-fi enabled areas, which is not always convenient.

[CokeMann]

The $0.69 per minute rate (+$5 /day rental) through CancunValet is probably the best you can do for a short stay - other than laptop / MagicJack

[tikihutguy]

I posted the following in a new topic "Skype" by mistake. Meant to put it here:

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Hey, I just remembered: if you have your laptop you can download Skype and Skype any stateside people that also have it. Free program. My son's girlfriend was in Paris last summer and Skyped him in Florida. He walked his computer around the house and showed her every room! It's pretty real-time stuff and fun! You've probably seen some news programs with the Skyped reports. Worth a shot...