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Traveling to Mexico City for Xmas holidays

petrucci666

petrucci666

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 30, 2009
714
14
Los Angeles, CA
Hi everyone,

I'll be visiting a friend in Mexico City for 2 weeks during the Christmas holidays and I'm planning on bringing my unlocked iPhone 4.

I'm aware of the usual drill - Airplane mode, only use WiFi , turn data roaming off etc. but I'm curious about prepaid SIMs with 3G data. What are my best options regarding this?

Tried Telcel's website but it is all in Spanish and the only part in English was for travel tips (what the local emergency number is etc., nothing on plans or prepaid)


Any help would be great, thanks!
 
You could try navigating Telcel's website using Google Chrome. It has integrated translation, but it's not always completely accurate due to grammar. You should be able to get some more information though.
 
get kidnap and ransom insurance


petrucci666 said:
Hi everyone,

I'll be visiting a friend in Mexico City for 2 weeks during the Christmas holidays and I'm planning on bringing my unlocked iPhone 4.

I'm aware of the usual drill - Airplane mode, only use WiFi , turn data roaming off etc. but I'm curious about prepaid SIMs with 3G data. What are my best options regarding this?

Tried Telcel's website but it is all in Spanish and the only part in English was for travel tips (what the local emergency number is etc., nothing on plans or prepaid)


Any help would be great, thanks!
Click to expand...
 
Hello!

Im currently living pin Mexico city.

We currently have 3 providers that offer 3G sims (they are intended for iPad use, but I assume they should work)

Telcel:
http://www.bat.telcel.com/planes_internet_amigo.html

Iusacell:
http://www.iusacell.com.mx/ipad/

Movistar:
http://www.movistar.com.mx/Internet-Planes-Ipad-Plan-Q


All three have equal coverage in mexico city (more or less). Its really up to you.

----------
lifeguard said:
get kidnap and ransom insurance
Click to expand...

Givmeabrek said:
Go figure...

And I thought everyone was leaving Mexico. :eek:
Click to expand...


I find Mexico city to be quite enjoyable and fun. If its your first time here, hope you enjoy it. And you can ask if you need anything else.
 
Givmeabrek said:
Go figure...

And I thought everyone was leaving Mexico. :eek:
Click to expand...

I'm visiting Mexico, not moving there. AFAIK thousands of Americans go to Mexico every year so I don't understand why you seem to be clueless...

@charlieroberts Thanks for the info, I'll take a look but I'm not sure if iPad SIMs will work for iPhone. I know it doesn't work the other way around, I've tried putting an iPhone SIM card with unlimited data into an iPad and it didn't work.

Can anyone confirm?
 
Well, telcel's offer isn't just for iPads, it is for any cellphone or usb modem, so it should work.
Im sure the other carrier will be able to point you in the right direction at one of their stores.

The point was, they all offer prepaid 3G sim cards :D
 
BoxerGT2.5 said:
This!


Good news is if you get shot, it will likely be from a gun supplied by the US. It's not the same as made in the USA, but the next best thing.
Click to expand...

Dude, you're killing me . . . I literally laughed out loud.

To the OP; perhaps you don't watch the news -- but violence in Mexico is OFF the charts. I'm quite honestly surprised our State Dept allows Americans to go to Mexico.

You might think about spending your $$ on a good flak jacket and the kidnap and ransom insurance . . . rather than worrying about your phone.
 
petrucci666 said:
Hi everyone,

I'll be visiting a friend in Mexico City for 2 weeks during the Christmas holidays and I'm planning on bringing my unlocked iPhone 4.

I'm aware of the usual drill - Airplane mode, only use WiFi , turn data roaming off etc. but I'm curious about prepaid SIMs with 3G data. What are my best options regarding this?

Tried Telcel's website but it is all in Spanish and the only part in English was for travel tips (what the local emergency number is etc., nothing on plans or prepaid)


Any help would be great, thanks!
Click to expand...
Take a look at this site with excellent instructions on how to purchase a TelCel sim card and activate it for your phone.

My wife and I go back and forth between TelCel and AT&T with our unlocked iPhones. We simply change the chips and It Just Works.

Enjoy your vacation!

G
 
Movistar or Telcel

Hi

As mentioned there are 3 companys in Mexico that can provide the service: Telcel, Movistar and Iusacell.

If you need a prepaid data plan, I suggest Movistar that have good plans for hours, days, weeks and monthly. The better get the month prepaid data plan.

As they have iPhone, they can provide you with the microsim for use in your phone.

Telcel is the biggest and also have data prepaid plans, but there is a "problem" you have to insert the sim and send text message to activate as data plan, and wait for the answer, if not you will use voice as data and even with a big plan you can no use Intenet more than 30 minutes.

Almost in every sale point of Movistar and Telcel you should fine someone that speaks english (at least they try). So sure they can assist you.

Regarding the kindnaps and violence, at least in Mexico City is low. Of course you have to be smart and avoid Tepito or la Lagunilla, the robery is hight and should be worst if are from other country. Try to take taxis only from stations (you can call and they send the car) and not in the street.

Some people belives that Mexico is so small that the problems of Juarez for example are the same in all country. In some ways is like if the violence and problem in some parts of New York (I assume you know what part of New York I'm referring) are all over the US.

Good luck and try to spend a happy holidays in my country.
 
likethesoup2 said:
Dude, you're killing me . . . I literally laughed out loud.

To the OP; perhaps you don't watch the news -- but violence in Mexico is OFF the charts. I'm quite honestly surprised our State Dept allows Americans to go to Mexico.

You might think about spending your $$ on a good flak jacket and the kidnap and ransom insurance . . . rather than worrying about your phone.
Click to expand...


Please do yourself a favor and never post here again. You are shaming yourselves.
 
Nothing says Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah like having a land scape/drug runner shoving the business end of a Romanian manufactured AK-47, distributed by Uncle Sam, threatening to kill you if you don't fill your rectal cavity with heroin and bring it to his cousin in San Antonio.
 
BoxerGT2.5 said:
Nothing says Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah like having a land scape/drug runner shoving the business end of a Romanian manufactured AK-47, distributed by Uncle Sam, threatening to kill you if you don't fill your rectal cavity with heroin and bring it to his cousin in San Antonio.
Click to expand...

nevermind, you are not worth it
 
Wow, I never thought this would turn into a rant on violence in Mexico.

I live in the US but I'm not American. I love the US and was fortunate enough to make this my permanent residence, but for what it's worth you Americans are too paranoid (I'm referring to the few posting here, not in general).

Yes, violence in Mexico is a fact but so is millions of Americans traveling to Mexico back and forth every year. No reason to be scared, I have a friend from my country that's been living and working there for several years now so I'm confident we won't be getting into trouble.

Thanks for the overreaction though!



To all "on topic" folks - Thanks, I'm sure I'll figure something out over there
 
I read that Telcel is having a promotion in which they double the amount of data for the time-span you paid. Let's say that you ask for the 1GB (off contract obviously) for a month, they'll give you 2GB for the month instead. It's worth considering.
 
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