cell phone

madera4

New member
May 24, 2002
12
0
1
Is it possible to bring a ATT prepaid cellphone to
Santo Domingo and activate it?
Is there an activation fee?
I will only stay for a short period of time.
Thanks
 

madera4

New member
May 24, 2002
12
0
1
Thanks for your reply!
Would you think a Spint phone can be activated?
I still have one.
 

nycguy7077

New member
Oct 13, 2002
17
0
0
Madera,
I travel to the DR about 4-5 times a year. I had some beat up abused cell phones in NYC, but I decided to get a new one in the DR. I landed in the DR on Jan 2, and at at 11am I went to the Orange shop on El Conde, next to American Airlines office, and for the price of 1400 pesos (64 US dollars) I got a good Nokia 3395 phone, activation , and a 100 peso starter Orange card. By 1130am, I was done. The phone worked great, even driving from the Capitol up north. Your best bet is to buy there. Even if you never return, the Nokia 3395 is a GSM digital phone, you can always have a new chip put in to work where you live.
I also advise you bring your own Lithium ion battery. Orange sells their phones with the NiMH battery, which is a good battery, but you can abuse a Lithium ion battery by topping it off whenever you want. You don't have to wait till its on low. Lithium ion batteries can be "topped off". Any techies out there, correct me if I'm wrong!
Also, Orange gives you 90 days to keep your activation and telephone number. I NEVER go 90 days without going to the DR from NYC, so this option worked out for me. Not a bad deal for 64 dollars. I have no clue how much they charge for rentals. If they will charge you more then 40-50 bucks, I suggest you buy. You can always use the phone at home.
NYCguy
 

andy a

Bronze
Feb 23, 2002
532
0
0
I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from using Orange, only to let them know the facts.

A couple of months ago I used Orange and discovered personally one particular area not covered - west of Mao. The coverage ends so abruptly in leaving Mao that perhaps even Mao itself doesn't have an Orange tower.

A trucker friend of mine also uses Orange, and is often unreachable.

Aside from that, I agree that buying an Orange phone is a good deal - possibly for under 1000 pesos.

Remember though that an Orange card for 100 pesos only allows for 90 pesos' worth of calls.
 

Paul Thate

New member
Jan 11, 2002
342
0
0
While you claim not trying to dissuade people from Orange you seem to blame Orange for the fact they charge tax,
they are goverment obliged. Codetel and tricom charge tax as well.

Just face it Orange is cheaper and better then Codetel and in general has better coverage.

I personally have never been worried about the coverage
behind Mao.

Who worries about Mao. Codetel service stops straight after
Cabarete and does not come back before Rio San Juan.

Now for tourist and locals that is really a pain.
 

andy a

Bronze
Feb 23, 2002
532
0
0
Paul Thate,

The point of your post escapes me completely. Are you saying that my "facts" are wrong? If not, then what is your point, please?

1) I said up front that as a short term visitor, he would probably not be affected by the loss of coverage.

2) As adults, we know that there is no free ride. Taxes must be paid. Neither Codetel nor Tricom try to hide the true cost per minute as Orange does. It doesn't bother me because I notice such things automatically and factor it mentally into the cost - but many people don't.

3) I mentioned Mao because I experienced the blackout myself. In fact, Mao is a sizeable town and would be expected to have a tower. Remember, I said that Mao itself is covered, probably by a tower in nearby Esperanza.

4) Since YOU mention it, in my experience, there is absolutely no comparing Orange with Codetel or Tricom, neither its quality nor coverage is nearly as good.

I still used Orange (and said so) on my last trip because of the nice deal in buying the phone, so I AM NOT KNOCKING ORANGE - fact is fact. It is simply a matter of overall cost effectiveness. Furthermore, one of my friends was using Orange and we supposedly got discounts talking to each other.

The lack of coverage might even work to one's advantage - he can TRY using it as an excuse for not checking in. It didn't work for me (got in big trouble), but it might work for somebody else.

Finally, concerning Mao, if Hillbilly hasn't already castigated you, there's all kinds of reasons to be interested in Mao.

I've never heard of anyone who did not like Mao. It hasn't yet been overrun by tourists, but has conveniences that tourists can appreciate. Those who know nothing else see the giant signs for Agua Azul, a nice swimming pool (with nice girls in it - and a nice bar for you).

The biggest, newest dam in the whole country is nearby, with a gorgeous lake and good fishing.

Buses leave for Mao every 30 minutes from 2 different rotundas in Santiago, arriving an hour later.

Big buses, such as Caribe Tours, on their way to more distant places like Santiago Rodrigues, pass through Mao far into the night - a convenience not available for many destinations. Another Caribe Tours route goes to Monte Cristi, passing through Esperanza less than 10 miles away - taxicab range.

Me and my big mouth - I'll probably be trampled by tourists next time.
 

Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
7,716
6
0
www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
I found the Orange coverage to be adequate when I toured the country for three weeks starting on Christmas.

If you have any GSM phone such as Voicestream, T-mobile, now AT&T, Cingular, CellularOne it can be activated with Orange. Sprint phones go to Codetel.

In my opinion Codetel and Orange are your best choices and Orange for simplicity sake.
 

nycguy7077

New member
Oct 13, 2002
17
0
0
Yes Camden Tom,
There is an Orange Store in Sosua on Pedro Clisante, between the Europa Hotel and PJ's Bar and restaurant. And the good thing about the Orange shop in Sosua, I have never seen it crowded as the ones in Puerta Plata. I dont know about Cabarete, never looked.
 

andy a

Bronze
Feb 23, 2002
532
0
0
Orange call cards are often hard to find.

Whereas Codetel and Tricom cards are sold at just any little ole colmado, entire barrios exist without a single place to buy Orange cards.

When in Santiago, I'd go days on end with no time left on my Orange card because I didn't want to make a trip downtown just to find one.

Heaven help you if you're in a small town.
 

Chris

Gold
Oct 21, 2002
7,951
28
0
www.caribbetech.com
Oops, forgot to say, we have three cell phones and between Las Terrenas and Puerto Plata, I found Orange more reliable than Codetel. The codetel phone just beeps and keeps looking for service. At home, just a mile or two from the main drag, none of the three work.
 

Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
7,716
6
0
www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
andy a said:
Orange call cards are often hard to find.

Whereas Codetel and Tricom cards are sold at just any little ole colmado, entire barrios exist without a single place to buy Orange cards.

When in Santiago, I'd go days on end with no time left on my Orange card because I didn't want to make a trip downtown just to find one.

Heaven help you if you're in a small town.

Sheesh Andy I bought one in a Ice Cream Store in Puerto Plata on a holiday when everything was closed.