No Roaming Charges Soon

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,328
113
from today's DR1 NEWS

Soon, no more roaming charges
The concerns of visitors to the Dominican Republic about roaming charges could soon become a thing of the past. Representatives of 19 countries of the Americas agreed to end roaming charges for cell phones users. The agreement was announced in a meeting of the VII Assembly of the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission (Citel) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

As part of the 2018-2022 Action Plan the Citel representatives terminated roaming charges so that citizens can communicate without barriers across countries.

The end of roaming charges will benefit users in the United States, Canada, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Bahamas and Barbados.

This means that users can call, use the Internet and send messages for the same price to and from all of the signatories as if they had been in their own country.

Other themes discussed were the rolling out of more telecommunications’ services, strengthening cyber security, and to improve Internet services and promote the development of ecommerce.

https://listindiario.com/tecnologia/...iminar-roaming
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,087
5,914
113
No roaming by around 2020 or 2022

In essence: Great news!

While not all countries have promised to be a part of this, quite a few did: Argentina, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, the United States, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay have currently signed the proposal that will make a lot of people a lot happier.

But don’t think you will be able to post any Insta Stories during your holidays on a Brazilian beach just yet: It is going to be a long process because of (a) the number of countries involved, and (b) the fact that while they did all agree to put an end to the roaming fees, the official time frame for this to take place is somewhere between 2018 and 2022. Each country will probably start becoming roaming-free at different times, meaning establishing an exact date will be complicated at best.

Moreover, governments will have to be careful: After this regulation took effect, Europe saw many users change their local phone carriers to one that provided them with a cheaper contract in a different country – usually in Eastern Europe. The EU took care of this by implementing new regulations, but it’s definitely food for thought for their American counterparts.

Last but not least, there are some governments that did not sign – for example, Chile. While that’s bad news for, say, a backpacking Californian trying to get to know the southern edge of the continent, the Argentine government assured that it would not be a problem for its citizens, as a treaty was signed at the end of last year to eliminate any roaming charges on both sides of the Andes. This new arrangement is hoped to go into effect in 2020, though, so you won’t be sending Snapchats from the colorful streets of Valparaiso either – at least, not for now.

http://www.thebubble.com/will-america-follow-the-european-union-to-become-roaming-free/
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,087
5,914
113
The challenge to the DR cell phone providers will be a big one. People will eventually be able to shop for reasonable prices for cell phone services instead of the rates charged currently by DR providers.

Keep an eye on what the "new regulations" might be that will try to protect CLARO and ALTICE. Much like the way the DR charges high fees on "licensing" new autos despite free trade agreements, they will find a way to screw over the customer if they can.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,670
1,132
113
Windy is my hero. Unlike him, I do have a cellphone, I just don't use it or really need it. There is no one I wish to speak to or hear from 29 days every month. Email or online web-based whatsapp would be more than sufficient for me. I pay the $RD 1800 every month just so that I can dial 911 and inform them that I will be dead long before their help reaches me.

Roaming, not important except to those who can't turn off the phone and put it in a drawer. On vacation, I left my phone at home because I don't care what my kids are doing, I don't need to post pictures of my dinner and I don't want to know who died before my vacation is over. I paid good money to get away from the distractions that are other people. Living here, I couldn't care less about the concerns of people back home. The only use I have for a phone here is to facilitate the learning of bad news while I am not at home or to deal with a wrong number - Recognizing that I can't completely hide from others I should be able to throw my cell into the pool and rely on email when I choose to check it - I don't understand why I have not done that yet...
 
Apr 10, 2014
168
5
18
Windy is my hero. Unlike him, I do have a cellphone, I just don't use it or really need it. There is no one I wish to speak to or hear from 29 days every month. Email or online web-based whatsapp would be more than sufficient for me. I pay the $RD 1800 every month just so that I can dial 911 and inform them that I will be dead long before their help reaches me.

Roaming, not important except to those who can't turn off the phone and put it in a drawer. On vacation, I left my phone at home because I don't care what my kids are doing, I don't need to post pictures of my dinner and I don't want to know who died before my vacation is over. I paid good money to get away from the distractions that are other people. Living here, I couldn't care less about the concerns of people back home. The only use I have for a phone here is to facilitate the learning of bad news while I am not at home or to deal with a wrong number - Recognizing that I can't completely hide from others I should be able to throw my cell into the pool and rely on email when I choose to check it - I don't understand why I have not done that yet...
Love it. Wish I could follow your lead.
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
12,543
6,306
113
Windy is my hero. Unlike him, I do have a cellphone, I just don't use it or really need it. There is no one I wish to speak to or hear from 29 days every month. Email or online web-based whatsapp would be more than sufficient for me. I pay the $RD 1800 every month just so that I can dial 911 and inform them that I will be dead long before their help reaches me.

Roaming, not important except to those who can't turn off the phone and put it in a drawer. On vacation, I left my phone at home because I don't care what my kids are doing, I don't need to post pictures of my dinner and I don't want to know who died before my vacation is over. I paid good money to get away from the distractions that are other people. Living here, I couldn't care less about the concerns of people back home. The only use I have for a phone here is to facilitate the learning of bad news while I am not at home or to deal with a wrong number - Recognizing that I can't completely hide from others I should be able to throw my cell into the pool and rely on email when I choose to check it - I don't understand why I have not done that yet...

Well I have an SD card in my cell phone and I can listen to thousands of songs through Bluetooth ear buds while drinking a beer and staring at bikini-butts through mirrored sunglasses.

Nothing like being Slightly Stoopid while also listening to them
 

chico bill

Dogs Better than People
May 6, 2016
12,543
6,306
113
from today's DR1 NEWS

Soon, no more roaming charges

The end of roaming charges will benefit users in the United States, Canada, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Bahamas and Barbados.

Of course if you want to roam your phone needs to be able to access all frequencies across these networks. Think an unlocked Apple, Samsung S8 or S9, Pixel, One Plus 5T or some of the recent high end Motorola phones and top HTC phones.

You need to check the LTE bands a phone will support for 2G, 3G/UMTS and if they also support some CDMA not just GSM (which of course most carriers use).

Home, Home on the range - where the iPhone and Galaxy roam............
 

Riva_31

Bronze
Apr 1, 2013
2,531
179
63
San Pedro de Macoris
They realized that every time turist are smart and they just get a local SIm card and do not pay the absurds roaming charges, all the free wifi you can catch.  
 

thompstr

Active member
Mar 21, 2018
244
121
43
59
cell ph advice

So do i use Canadain provider or when im in dr
Use a dr sim card ?
 

Riva_31

Bronze
Apr 1, 2013
2,531
179
63
San Pedro de Macoris
So do i use Canadain provider or when im in dr
Use a dr sim card ?

You have the option to buy roaming packages for 10.00 dollars per day with is more or less expensive, with a local simcard you can get 7 days for 145.00 pesos that is arround 4.00 US dollars, with Claro and Altice 5 days for more or less same amount.

If you visit a place here where is easy to access to some local store is cheaper to get a local simcard for any of the Dominicans Companies.

Free roaming is still far, they just said that will turned off the charges, now they have to make agree on what will be the speed for internet and how many minutes you can call for free etc.
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
3,269
1,161
113
You have the option to buy roaming packages for 10.00 dollars per day with is more or less expensive, with a local simcard you can get 7 days for 145.00 pesos that is arround 4.00 US dollars, with Claro and Altice 5 days for more or less same amount.

If you visit a place here where is easy to access to some local store is cheaper to get a local simcard for any of the Dominicans Companies.

Free roaming is still far, they just said that will turned off the charges, now they have to make agree on what will be the speed for internet and how many minutes you can call for free etc.
It’s hard for tourist to get SIM card they won’t give you one without cedula now because of crank calls to 911
 
Feb 7, 2007
8,005
625
113
It’s hard for tourist to get SIM card they won’t give you one without cedula now because of crank calls to 911

When I activated a prepaid Viva chip to test their LTE sevice, there was a Haitian in front of me activating a prepaid chip with passport. I don't think tourists would be excluded from buying prepaid SIM cards.
 
Feb 7, 2007
8,005
625
113
You already have Roam Like at Home on Claro postpaid Smart plans. My line already has free roaming, with calls and data being used from my DR base package.
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
from today's DR1 NEWS

Soon, no more roaming charges
The concerns of visitors to the Dominican Republic about roaming charges could soon become a thing of the past. Representatives of 19 countries of the Americas agreed to end roaming charges for cell phones users. The agreement was announced in a meeting of the VII Assembly of the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission (Citel) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

As part of the 2018-2022 Action Plan the Citel representatives terminated roaming charges so that citizens can communicate without barriers across countries.

The end of roaming charges will benefit users in the United States, Canada, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Bahamas and Barbados.

This means that users can call, use the Internet and send messages for the same price to and from all of the signatories as if they had been in their own country.

Other themes discussed were the rolling out of more telecommunications’ services, strengthening cyber security, and to improve Internet services and promote the development of ecommerce.

https://listindiario.com/tecnologia/...iminar-roaming

Until that actually comes if Verizon Wireless is your preferred carrier in the US and are visiting the DR you can pay a flat $40 and get a calling plan with unlimited calling from the DR back to the US for a 30 day period. No worry about roaming and extra charges to your US cell phone. Not sure if that plan is available in Canada but it may be. Just a suggestion.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,328
113
I use the T-Mobile Global plan....
cheaper than Verizon and just as good.

Verizon fell off quite a bit when Claro/Verizon went their separate ways - gracias a Carlos Slim
 

lifeisgreat

Enjoying Life
May 7, 2016
3,269
1,161
113
Until that actually comes if Verizon Wireless is your preferred carrier in the US and are visiting the DR you can pay a flat $40 and get a calling plan with unlimited calling from the DR back to the US for a 30 day period. No worry about roaming and extra charges to your US cell phone. Not sure if that plan is available in Canada but it may be. Just a suggestion.


In Canada you have the right to bend over and take it.. $10 dollars a day to roam no flat fee for month :(