Calling home while at Couples - best option?

[shellbell]

I can't wait!! Only 9 weeks to go!!! CTI here we come

Ok, my question is: I will need to call home to check in with my child/family while we are at CTI in December. For those of you who have been before, what is the best option for calling home? Calling card or adding an international plan to your cell phone during that time?

Thanks!

[Bilkat]

We have T-Mobile. I called before we left and they made sure we could call home from Jamaica. We found that text messaging was the cheapest - 20 cents per message, I believe. Calls usually cost about $1.50 per minute. We texted with our teens and found that to be sufficient and cost effective.

[wileeandrr]

We just used our cell & made sure to limit the time. A quick check in works great!

[jagorham]

The gift shops had a calling card ("Jus' Talk") for $3 for about 20 minutes (+/-); the resort charges a $2 connection fee (billed to the room), but if you read the instructions on the card you can make multiple calls with one connection.

[Terri_Steve]

Hi shellbell,
Last year while at CSA we loaded Truphone on my husband's IPhone and it was great. We were able to buy time beforehand and call home to Canada for 0.06/minute.
Truphone is also available for blackberries and other cell phones, I believe.
Hope that helps,
Cheers,
Terri

[carrkm]

What about using the WiFi only feature on a T-Mobile Blackberry? That would be free of charges from T-Mobile, correct?

[Phillydog]

Did anyone try calling home via computer? I'm still undecided as to whether I want to bring my laptop (with a webcam) or even my cell phone.

[Vee]

If you bring a laptop, you could also use Skype. Works great, and it's freeeee!!!

V

[csa-vet]

If you have a laptop - use Skype. It's about $.02 to the U.S.

[deb+dan]

We were at CSS in August and there was no Sprint service at all. We ended up turning our phones off and locking them up the entire trip (kinda nice, actually). FYI- Do NOT use the room phone 800 # to call home (to use a credit card)...I found out the hard way Have a great time!

[Cubismo]

We've had good luck using our ATT phones, they even worked in the back country.

[Bkhiattky]

Jus-Talk...simple and painless. I ended up buying two, the dreaded Bob Marely drink made me lose my first one LOL.....HAVE FUN!!!!

[No1conner]

I saw on another forum site that some people that visit Jamaica reguarly purchased a 'pay as you go' phone (about $30 us dollars) from Digicel at their kisok in the airport and just bought minutes each time they arrive. Any of you seasoned Jamaica travelers tried this?

[fawnridge]

I stand on the beach, facing north, and shout; wait about ten minutes for an answer. Then go for a drink.

[NeedBlueWater]

I stand on the beach, facing north, and shout; wait about ten minutes for an answer. Then go for a drink.

Try facing a little more inland...North/North West. You might get better reception. Holding your arms straight up into the air might help too.

[mshell]

I saw on another forum site that some people that visit Jamaica reguarly purchased a 'pay as you go' phone (about $30 us dollars) from Digicel at their kisok in the airport and just bought minutes each time they arrive. Any of you seasoned Jamaica travelers tried this?

Last trip we bought a phone at the Digicel store at the roundabout in Negril. Were able to load it with a crazy amount of international minutes( i think 1000) and I think we also had about 200 local minutes.. Our whole bill for the phone, sim card and minutes was about $50. This year all we have to do is get a new sim card and load minutes onto it. It really is a great idea if you know your going to be going back, and come on..we all knowwe're going back.In the past we used the jus talk cards, which worked fine, but the digicel phone was much more convenient. You can also just replace the sim card in your phone from home(if it has one)

[drbcwp]

years ago when cell phones did not work in Ja we had the kids call us at the resort at a designated time (6:00), it was only about .20 a minute to call ja from the US.

Now we use our cell phone, (veriozon was .99), or you can use the computers in the computer lounge to email or take your computer and use skype

[jscrad]

I have Verizon, and my cell phone worked fine.

Dial 1 + area code + telephone number (e.g. 1-212-555-1212).

Rates:
Calls from Jamaica to US = $1.99 per minute
Text from Jamaica to US = $0.50 per message sent, $0.05 per message received

Have a wonderful time in paradise!

[IACouple]

What about using the WiFi only feature on a T-Mobile Blackberry? That would be free of charges from T-Mobile, correct?

Yep. Free.

[jon1963]

If you are going with a Jamaican phone, then LIME is the best deal. All you have to do is add money every 12 months to keep the sim and number active. Digicel, after 90 days, you need to purchase a new sim card and lose your number.

[jaxon9032]

We took an old Rogers phone (we are from Canada) we had and got a SIM card from Digicel. I think it it was $15. We spent less than $50 and had all the time we needed. We will do the same this trip.

The trick, though, is that you have to "unlock" the phone if it has been locked by the company you purchased it from. If it is locked, it will only use SIM cards from that company. Unlocking it allows you to use a SIM card from any company. There is FREE software online that will let you unlock your phone.

Matt

[Phillydog]

Skype it is then. I can't imagine calling home more than twice. I should probably avoid calling after a night in the bar huh?

[LeeandD]

We took an old Rogers phone (we are from Canada) we had and got a SIM card from Digicel. I think it it was $15. We spent less than $50 and had all the time we needed. We will do the same this trip.

The trick, though, is that you have to "unlock" the phone if it has been locked by the company you purchased it from. If it is locked, it will only use SIM cards from that company. Unlocking it allows you to use a SIM card from any company. There is FREE software online that will let you unlock your phone.

Matt

I plan on doing this with the unlocked Blackberry I just purchased. Where did you get the SIM card?

Thanks

[Mzambo]

I have Verizon, and my cell phone worked fine.

Dial 1 + area code + telephone number (e.g. 1-212-555-1212).

Rates:
Calls from Jamaica to US = $1.99 per minute
Text from Jamaica to US = $0.50 per message sent, $0.05 per message received

Have a wonderful time in paradise!

From which resort? I have Verizon which was fine at CN, but from CSS it was very hit or miss.. Maybe there are new towers??? We ended up e-mailing most of the time as a result.

[photochick]

We actually bought a cell phone on ebay that was supposed to work with the Digicel network so we could call home only to find out that it didn't when we got to Jamaica. Our only option was to call collect. We called 4 times and talked 5-10min each time. Boy was I dreading that bill! However we were happy to find out that it was only $30 total! (We live in Oklahoma and have AT&T) I wish I would have know that before I bought the phone and card!