How much is a phone in DR

rubantin · Aug 22, 2015

Wife nd I are celebrating our 20th. Going to Punta Cana (Paradisus) for a week. Our uncle gave us a week there!! We have a very limited budget. I was advised to stop by an orange or Clara phone store and buy a phone and sim there...

Is that good advice? I have a pay as you go verizon phone and that will be $1.79 per minute with another fee on top.

How much will I pay for a phone there and how much does it cost to call the US with the phone?

How about getting Data for the week?

I also read that I can rent a hotspot for the week and then use my skype app...?

ANy Advice?

bizzyboneizo · Aug 22, 2015

you can use skipe voxphone or just message with facebook and leave recoreded messages thru text. but get a claro cheap phone and put alot of min on it so you can call back home. it will kill the mins but its for emergency. im going to bring my tablet with some paid apps so i can see whats happing home

bizzyboneizo · Aug 22, 2015

others may have better silutions and i had a 400 dollar phone bill using my phone for a total of 5 mins over time

Jumbo · Aug 22, 2015

If your phone is unlocked just go to Claro with your passport and get a DR chip. RD200 plus whatever you want to add. RD500 should be more than enough. For an unlocked iPhone I believe a 700mb data plan for 1 week is RD243 mas o menos.

miguel james · Aug 22, 2015

Hey, I won't advise you to buy a phone here in DR, most of the phone that are sold here have already been worked on in some way shape or form. On Ebay you can buy an unlocked phone for $20 and up which is something that can be used in other countries.

KyleMackey · Aug 22, 2015

You probably get wifi there in common areas like lobby or a lounge. So with your phone keep mobile data / roaming off so verizion
does not kill you with charges. You can buy international minutes with skype and other calling apps. I use boost mobile
and they have cheap international calling rates. (I use whatsapp calling the most). $10 a month on Boost is 1,000 international
minutes to 70 countries including DR. Also you probably get high speed ethernet in your room, so with laptop you do emails.

I guess it depends on if you have to take calls immediately .........then maybe get a DR Sim plan.

harry2010 · Aug 22, 2015

rubantin,
the number one thing to find out is, if your verizon phone is already unlocked.
some models are. If It is, you keep your phone and buy a sim card when you land in.
if is not may be you just consider upgrading your current Verizon phone to one that is unlocked and still compatible with the plan that you have now.

Criss Colon · Aug 22, 2015

Have a real vacation, leave your phone at home!!!"UNPLUG"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

rubantin · Aug 22, 2015

Phone is a CDMA...

For US looking at Orange vs Carlo sim. Just ordered a quad band GSM phone on Amazon for $20

rubantin · Aug 22, 2015

Just canceled my Amazon order... have considered renting gobecon for the week and using "LINE" app on my phone to call home.. $40 for wireless for the week seems to be the best option and I can use my tablet too..

What do you all think of this option?

rubantin · Aug 23, 2015

Anybody see a problem with renting a Gobecon?

MikeFisher · Aug 23, 2015

gobecon is usually fine and should work well for what you requested.
you can keep your phone and tablet connected together all the time.
it works almost everywhere in the PC area.did you check what internet your hotel has already included?
some offer free wifi only around certain areas(lobby etc), othersin the rooms and even Resort Wide.
if you stay at a hotel wit resort wide wireless, you won't need anything else at all to stay connected with your smartphone and tablet.

Mike

rubantin · Aug 23, 2015

Done... rented... thanks all for your advice..

rubantin · Aug 31, 2015

Have gobecon and am using "line" app for calling home. Call is clear and have only lost connection once in 2 days. 5 cents a minute is great. Highly recommend this combo

MikeFisher · Aug 31, 2015

5 cents a minute is a cool rate for a temp rented device.
calls from the DR to the USA, Canuck land and PR are cheap,
a phone call to my northamerican friend's cellphones costs exactly the same as a call to my wife's cellphone around the corner.

Mike

equinn2823 · Sep 1, 2015

try to get a claro or orange sim without a cedula. see what happens

LTSteve · Sep 1, 2015

rubantin said:
Wife nd I are celebrating our 20th. Going to Punta Cana (Paradisus) for a week. Our uncle gave us a week there!! We have a very limited budget. I was advised to stop by an orange or Clara phone store and buy a phone and sim there...

Is that good advice? I have a pay as you go verizon phone and that will be $1.79 per minute with another fee on top.

How much will I pay for a phone there and how much does it cost to call the US with the phone?

How about getting Data for the week?

I also read that I can rent a hotspot for the week and then use my skype app...?

ANy Advice?

You're going for a week and you need a phone? For what? Give people in the US the phone number of the hotel and if they need to contact you they will. Normally these resorts have a desk top computer or two that can be used by those staying and you can send an e-mail. Bring your phone with you in case of emergency but lock it in the safe in your room.

Tamborista · Sep 1, 2015

equinn2823 said:
try to get a claro or orange sim without a cedula. see what happens

A phone kiosk (dealer) will sell you a SIM with a passport.
Is this a recent change or just @ Claro?

MikeFisher · Sep 1, 2015

equinn2823 said:
try to get a claro or orange sim without a cedula. see what happens

of course the SIM's are not given to anybody without a legal ID anymore.
you need a local cedula or you need a valid passport,
with either of them you get a SIM at Claro within 5 minutes and can start calling home.
if you don't even can show a valid passport, well, then no services for ya.

Mike

MikeFisher · Sep 1, 2015

Tamborista said:
A phone kiosk (dealer) will sell you a SIM with a passport.
Is this a recent change or just @ Claro?

Ian,
yes, the policies changed a couple years or so ago.
you need a valid ID to get a prepaid SIM.
of course a passport is the same fine as a cedula for that.
the older numbers, where the SIM owner did not show up to present his/her ID, been disconnected.
that happened in spring last year or 2nd last year, don't remember the exact time.

Mike

How much is a phone in DR

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