Cell Phones/tj -- Need Guidance

[Shape_Shifter 83]

I will be making this trip alone.

I called Sprint to add Mexico to my plan so I could talk to my family. They don't do it. $2.39 per minute even calling sprint phones on my own plan. And texts are pricy too.

Any suggestions?

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

What device do you have? I used the hospitals & hotels wifi to keep in contact through FaceTime(Skype) and email. Also you will be pretty close to the border so there is a good chance you will pick up American towers. Just remember to turn off international roaming on your phone, or you could get billed intl rates for all the incoming stuff.

[damanda 41]

Gosh, I did not even think about this. I am with Verizon, guess I should go see what this is going to cost me !

[Shape_Shifter 83]

What device do you have? I used the hospitals & hotels wifi to keep in contact through FaceTime(Skype) and email. Also you will be pretty close to the border so there is a good chance you will pick up American towers. Just remember to turn off international roaming on your phone, or you could get billed intl rates for all the incoming stuff.

thanks!

I ahve a Samsung Galaxy SII

I didn't even know there was an international roaming option. Does this mean no calls in or out on mexican towers?

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

thanks!

I ahve a Samsung Galaxy SII

I didn't even know there was an international roaming option. Does this mean no calls in or out on mexican towers?

That is exactly what it means, it also will keep your Droid from checking your email over Mexican towers(the data charges from this alone can be astounding)

[Shape_Shifter 83]

That is exactly what it means, it also will keep your Droid from checking your email over Mexican towers(the data charges from this alone can be astounding)

I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT! i get a lot of emails from work.

So my family may be able to reach me if I'm within range of an American tower?

[Southern Oregon 30]

1. there is wireless/computer available at most of the hospital/clinic or the hotel.

2. sign up for a google account if you don't already have one. Download googlechat or googletalk. Make sure your family has the same loaded onto home pc. If you have a laptop, microphone built in/webcam built in, make sure you test this before mexico. Ditto with the family pc

3, take headphones or the earbud/mike that comes with your phone with you. Remember test before leaving home to make sure the phone earbuds/mike works on your laptop or the home computer. if it works there, it most likely will work on the hospital computer/hotel computer.

3. get online and talk for free using googletalk/googlechat -- can do voice calls OR video chats for freeeeeee.

alternative

1. sign up for a skype account. Skype will do computer to computer calls for free.

2. Buy $10 bucks of skype credit. You can now call a landline from your computer connection. Same deal with the headset/mike...TEST IT BEFORE LEAVING HOME. There is nothing more frustrating than trying something new and feeling icky at the same time and it not working right......

alternative

1. yahoo chat -- I believe it supports voice chat.

alternative

iphone/android phones -- facetime program for video, or even the skype, google chat options. Just make sure you are using the wireless internet and NOT the phone functions or the 3G/4G services -- you will be charged. Might want to put phone in airplane mode and connect to wirelss that way to be absolutely sure.