I am going to be visiting DR in a few weeks, I am trying to find out the easiest/cheapest way to call back to the US (not very much) and receive calls while I'm there. I'd prefer cellular, should I buy a pre-paid phone from DR, bring a phone and get a card etc.. any help is appreciated! I will be staying in Puero Plata, if that makes any difference. Thanks a lot!
- Thread starter jjst34
- Start date
cell phone in DR
A rebuilt cell phone is a possibility. There is at least once business in the Sosua area that sells them for around RD$2000 and I would expect them to be available in Puerto Plata as well. These are phones, most from the US, that were turned in by people upgrading. The phones were then reconditioned and are now being offered for sale with a one month guarantee. With one of those phones and a phone card, you are in business.
The sticker in your post is the desire to receive calls. Otherwise calling from the local Codetel office would be the best way to call people at home.
Have you considered having people call you at the hotel during a certain time period? For outgoing calls, go to a Codetel office since calls from hotels are usually very expensive.
The sticker in your post is the desire to receive calls. Otherwise calling from the local Codetel office would be the best way to call people at home.
Have you considered having people call you at the hotel during a certain time period? For outgoing calls, go to a Codetel office since calls from hotels are usually very expensive.
When I was in POP in December, I saw phones to rent for a couple of weeks in a couple of shops in the mall at Playa Dorada. The rental was something like US$25 for 2 weeks if memory serves me correctly. You can make and receive calls, but I don't know what the cost of the calls would be. It might be worth considering if you are there for a short while and want the flexibility.
best thing to do is take an unlocked GSM fone from US to DR and activate it with www.orange.com.do it's super easy and real cheap. you can use fones from T-Mobile, ATTWS GSM, Cingular GSM.
and if you want to call back to the US, the long distance is included in the regular mins...they don't charge extra for calling the US....
let me know if you need a fone, i have a slightly used nokia 3595 that you can use over there, i'd be willing to sell it to you...
and if you want to call back to the US, the long distance is included in the regular mins...they don't charge extra for calling the US....
let me know if you need a fone, i have a slightly used nokia 3595 that you can use over there, i'd be willing to sell it to you...
thanks for the replies... I guess the way I want to go is w/ a rental after hearing suggestions. Any way to set this up before I get down there? Or do you think there will be plenty of places to find one in Puerto Plata? I just need a 1 week rental... w/ one of those free incoming plans. 
Thanks!
Thanks!BUY it.
You can buy a NEW Orange phone if you don't need to take pictures etc., for RD$1000 or so, or less than US$20 , in which case US$25 a week to rent one is pretty dumb. Brand new phones are a deal and a half in the DR, and the service is adequate. so don't rent, don't bring one and roam, don't bring some old one and spend 1/2 a day getting it unlocked and activated, buy one, use it, give it away when you go as a gift.
jjst34 said:
You can buy a NEW Orange phone if you don't need to take pictures etc., for RD$1000 or so, or less than US$20 , in which case US$25 a week to rent one is pretty dumb. Brand new phones are a deal and a half in the DR, and the service is adequate. so don't rent, don't bring one and roam, don't bring some old one and spend 1/2 a day getting it unlocked and activated, buy one, use it, give it away when you go as a gift.
ricktoronto said:
ahh it's only $20.. and then i just get a phone card to make calls? but it still allows free incoming? Thats a deal! i'll have to get some help checking out the orange site to see if i can buy one now... or see how close one is to my hotel. Thanks!
Don't waste Time
Skip the web searching etc., just go to one of the 4 million-odd merchants that sell Orange cells and buy the cheapest NEW phone they have which should include RD$100 time, and if you ask nice both the phone display AND the service when you call to add time (with the cards) can be programmed in English. With the death of the peso it might cost US$30, e.g. RD$1500 or so but I bet you can still find the cheapo Motorolas for RD$1000 or so.
Or go to a compra venta (helpful to speak espanol) and see if they have one for less. Free incoming, even after the card expires actually, so if you don't plan to make a lot of calls the RD$100 card may be all you need.
jjst34 said:
Skip the web searching etc., just go to one of the 4 million-odd merchants that sell Orange cells and buy the cheapest NEW phone they have which should include RD$100 time, and if you ask nice both the phone display AND the service when you call to add time (with the cards) can be programmed in English. With the death of the peso it might cost US$30, e.g. RD$1500 or so but I bet you can still find the cheapo Motorolas for RD$1000 or so.
Or go to a compra venta (helpful to speak espanol) and see if they have one for less. Free incoming, even after the card expires actually, so if you don't plan to make a lot of calls the RD$100 card may be all you need.
A Pretty Good 1/2 an Idea
Reading the OP by the OP the receiving calls part will be somewhat hampered by never being able to leave the Vimenca office on the off chance you receive a call (and assuming Vimenca would allow you to receive calls which they won't).
Carrying a cell phone will allow the freedom of movement around the area while simultaneoulsy, even magically, allowing incoming calls. And making them to others too.
Buy a phone from Orange, and give it away when you go.
RandyE said:
Reading the OP by the OP the receiving calls part will be somewhat hampered by never being able to leave the Vimenca office on the off chance you receive a call (and assuming Vimenca would allow you to receive calls which they won't).
Carrying a cell phone will allow the freedom of movement around the area while simultaneoulsy, even magically, allowing incoming calls. And making them to others too.
Buy a phone from Orange, and give it away when you go.
"jjst34" don't you have cell fone service here in the US? if you can just use your fone from here and activate it there.
GSM www.orange.com.do is the easiest way to go from my expericence. and i recommend the RD$275 card b/c you get an extra RD$25 in credit for free.
GSM www.orange.com.do is the easiest way to go from my expericence. and i recommend the RD$275 card b/c you get an extra RD$25 in credit for free.
ride2hard said:
ride,,
Yes I do have a phone here, Motorola T722I.. Can I have it activated in 2 places at once? I obviously can't cancel my service here, w/out a huge fee.. Guess I'm not sure exactly how that would work w/ my service now.. Do I get a new sim card or something??
your moto will definitely work in DR w/o having to cancel your service here. that makes no sense buying or renting a fone there when you have a perfectly good fone that you can use!
is your service with TMobile? if you let me know with whom you have service i can tell you have to get it done.
i have TMobile samsung e105, and use it here and in DR. i subscribe here to TMO here and there with www.orange.com.do prepaid service with one fone.
very easy to do!
and you will be using www.orange.com.do
this is the plan what you would be using:
http://www.orange.com.do/planes/card/descripcion.jsp
http://www.orange.com.do/planes/card/tarifas.jsp
is your service with TMobile? if you let me know with whom you have service i can tell you have to get it done.
i have TMobile samsung e105, and use it here and in DR. i subscribe here to TMO here and there with www.orange.com.do prepaid service with one fone.
very easy to do!
and you will be using www.orange.com.do
this is the plan what you would be using:
http://www.orange.com.do/planes/card/descripcion.jsp
http://www.orange.com.do/planes/card/tarifas.jsp
ride2hard said:
Yes, I have Tmobile. So I can get a prepaid down there and will it have a different DR # also? sounds cool! How will the phone know which service to use? Because Tmobile up here charges me like $3.50/min for calls while i'm down there.. I just don't want to incur both charges..
I'm going to have to get a little help from the wifey reading that site!
Thanks for helping out ride!
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so you have TMO very good b/c they give out unlock codes for their fones. be patient and you'll learn something new.
here's what you do, two options
1 call TMO on the fone and ask the customer service ppl for the unlock code to your fone. make sure before you call to get your IMEI from your fone. it can be done pressing *#06#. just tell them that you'll be in central america for three wks and want prepaid service while you're there if they ask.
or
2. http://voicestream.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/voicestream.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php use that link to email them and request your unlock code from TMO. topic "phone" then "phone troubleshooting."
now if you noticed behind your batt there's your SIM crd. that has all your info pertaining to TMO and your acct with them. when you get to DR and they activate you they give you an www.orange.com.do SIM crd. so you take TMO SIM out and pop the orange SIM in. remember to purchase the RD$275 card when you activate you orange number. DON'T LOSE YOUR TMO SIM!
now MAKE sure to read the owner's manual about copying your phonebook to your TMO sim card so you don't lose your phonebook numbers. i can help you with that if you like, very easy to do...i had the same fone .
here's what you do, two options
1 call TMO on the fone and ask the customer service ppl for the unlock code to your fone. make sure before you call to get your IMEI from your fone. it can be done pressing *#06#. just tell them that you'll be in central america for three wks and want prepaid service while you're there if they ask.
or
2. http://voicestream.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/voicestream.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php use that link to email them and request your unlock code from TMO. topic "phone" then "phone troubleshooting."
now if you noticed behind your batt there's your SIM crd. that has all your info pertaining to TMO and your acct with them. when you get to DR and they activate you they give you an www.orange.com.do SIM crd. so you take TMO SIM out and pop the orange SIM in. remember to purchase the RD$275 card when you activate you orange number. DON'T LOSE YOUR TMO SIM!
now MAKE sure to read the owner's manual about copying your phonebook to your TMO sim card so you don't lose your phonebook numbers. i can help you with that if you like, very easy to do...i had the same fone .
ride2hard said:
This is great! I just called and they are going to process the unlock and give me the code in 24-72 hours... Sweet!!!
i do know how to change 1 phone # at a time to be saved to the sim, is there a way to "export" the whole list of #'s at the same time to the sim, or does it have to be done one at a time.. I no longer have the manual!
so now when I get to Dr I just go to an orange shop, sign up for pre-paid get a RD$275 card and i'm golden... This is awesome.. love learning new things! Thanks so much!!!!!!!
PS.. are there a lot of english speakers in the Puerto Plata area? Wondering how tough getting the phone service will be, when my spanish is VERY limited!
pps,, how many minutes of calling back to the US will one of those RD$275 cards get me? Thanks!
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https://tutorials.attws.com/tutoria...iceId=560&tutId=716090&fetIndex=0&tutIndex=15
follow the above tutorial to copy from fone to SIM. it will show you how to copy all numbers at the same time.
also they may charge you RD$300-RD$350 to activate the line which is pretty typical. so it'd be activation fee plus the RD$275 card.
as far as rates
http://www.orange.com.do/planes/card/tarifas.jsp
approx RD$6.85 per minute, but incoming is unlimited.
i'd say yes, most ppl do speak english.
when you traveling dwn? let me know how the fone setup goes and your trip!
PS if you find another person in need of help regarding this...pls take the time to help explain....it's how we can all beat the system.
follow the above tutorial to copy from fone to SIM. it will show you how to copy all numbers at the same time.
also they may charge you RD$300-RD$350 to activate the line which is pretty typical. so it'd be activation fee plus the RD$275 card.
as far as rates
http://www.orange.com.do/planes/card/tarifas.jsp
approx RD$6.85 per minute, but incoming is unlimited.
i'd say yes, most ppl do speak english.
when you traveling dwn? let me know how the fone setup goes and your trip!
PS if you find another person in need of help regarding this...pls take the time to help explain....it's how we can all beat the system.
ride2hard said:
great.. so we're talking maybe $15 to startup, phone and card, and .13cents / min to call back home.. you have been a big help!
I am going to DR Wed the 25th. I will reply w/ results.. this is my first time down there.. can't wait!
I am a big forum person, so I am always willing to help out someone in need, if I know the answers.. I have already passed this on to a friend also! Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!