Cell Phone Service and Reception?

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jsi69i

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Jun 15, 2005
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Quick and hopefully easy question ....

I am traveling to DR ( Punta Cana ) region more specifically Secrets in a few weeks. Just wonderng if there is any cell phone service or reception in that area ... I currently have Sprint and it does say on thier website I will be able to roam and get service ... however just wondering if any one who has had first hand experience or knowledge can let me know !

Thanks in advance for any help !
 
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rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
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I also use Sprint in the US and I have never been able to get roaming service in the DR. Could you post the link where Sprint say they roam in the DR, I couldn't find any information on their website.

Thanks.
 
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ggn420

Brain Doner
Apr 21, 2005
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Sprint ?

Good question, I have both Sprint and Cingular in the states. I go to PC on a regular basis but bring my Cingular phone with me. The old Codel was taken over by Verizon, I beleive, and Orange is the nonwireline competition. I do remember someone earlier mentioning Sprint, I know they both work in PR. I beleive that Escott will catch up with this thread(after he gets home from dining all the gals, and a dozen beers later) he is an authority on this subject. he informed me of this previously...........
 
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jackquontee

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May 20, 2005
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Possible

I have often wondered about this myself. I have Verizon and have always carried my phone with me when I've traveled abroad just in case I need it while I am enroute in the states. However, on my last trip to Acapulco, Mexico, I thought I'd give it a try and decided to use the phone in conjunction with an International calling card, and I'll be damned, it worked. So, I am going to try the same thing on my next trip to PC in about a week. Understand that I payed dual charges (the cell phone and the calling card) but it still seemed much less expensive than calling directly from a hotel line, plus it gave me the versatility of using the phone wherever I may have been at the time.
 
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ggn420

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Apr 21, 2005
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jackquontee said:
I have often wondered about this myself. I have Verizon and have always carried my phone with me when I've traveled abroad just in case I need it while I am enroute in the states. However, on my last trip to Acapulco, Mexico, I thought I'd give it a try and decided to use the phone in conjunction with an International calling card, and I'll be damned, it worked. So, I am going to try the same thing on my next trip to PC in about a week. Understand that I payed dual charges (the cell phone and the calling card) but it still seemed much less expensive than calling directly from a hotel line, plus it gave me the versatility of using the phone wherever I may have been at the time.
Click to expand...
You have to go to a Verizon office(there all over the place) and have them download their system, minimal time and cost.....
 
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Bob K

Silver
Aug 16, 2004
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verizon

they have their phones blocked in the DR. Even after being told by them that they would work there. You need to have the phone modified in the DR and then the question is if they will work when back in the US..
Bob K
 
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Dragonfly32837

Bronze
May 31, 2005
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When I went to DR two months ago my Sprint phone worked. It had digital roaming in the city and when we went to the campos near the mountains it had analog roaming. It's expensive so I hardly used it but I carried it with me anyway in case there was an emergency because there were places where I had signal but my friends with Verizon or Orange phones did not.
 
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ggn420

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Apr 21, 2005
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Dragonfly32837 said:
When I went to DR two months ago my Sprint phone worked. It had digital roaming in the city and when we went to the campos near the mountains it had analog roaming. It's expensive so I hardly used it but I carried it with me anyway in case there was an emergency because there were places where I had signal but my friends with Verizon or Orange phones did not.
Click to expand...
AhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhGOOD NEWS
 
E

Escott

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Jan 14, 2002
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www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
jackquontee said:
I have often wondered about this myself. I have Verizon and have always carried my phone with me when I've traveled abroad just in case I need it while I am enroute in the states. However, on my last trip to Acapulco, Mexico, I thought I'd give it a try and decided to use the phone in conjunction with an International calling card, and I'll be damned, it worked. So, I am going to try the same thing on my next trip to PC in about a week. Understand that I payed dual charges (the cell phone and the calling card) but it still seemed much less expensive than calling directly from a hotel line, plus it gave me the versatility of using the phone wherever I may have been at the time.
Click to expand...
Unless Verizon in the States changed their policy in the last couple of years, you couldnt even call the DR from a verizon phone. I tried my hardest to use Verizon to just call the DR but they wouldnt
let me stating that there is fraud in the 809 area code.

I switched to Sprint at that point and it worked fine but expensive. I now use Skype to call the DR which is way cheaper.

Sprint phones use the Verizon towers in the DR. I can't see why a Sprint phone would get better reception unless there was something wrong with a Verizon phone.

Escott
 
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jackquontee

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May 20, 2005
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Folks, I'm not talking about calling directly to the US from my cell phone in a foreign location. I've tried to call direct, and know that it doesn't work. But I when I was in Acapulco 6 weeks ago I used my International Calling Card and dialed its access #, entered my pin #, and then dialed a US number. The call went through, to my surprise. I don't know that it will work in the DR, but I'm going to give it a try when I get there in another week.
 
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Dolphingirl

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Jun 5, 2005
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I'm traveling to DR in a couple of days and I use Sprint. I made sure and asked Spint people and they have asure me so many times that it would not work. I probably would still bring it just in case.
 
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ggn420

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Apr 21, 2005
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Escott said:
Unless Verizon in the States changed their policy in the last couple of years, you couldnt even call the DR from a verizon phone. I tried my hardest to use Verizon to just call the DR but they wouldnt
let me stating that there is fraud in the 809 area code.

I switched to Sprint at that point and it worked fine but expensive. I now use Skype to call the DR which is way cheaper.

Sprint phones use the Verizon towers in the DR. I can't see why a Sprint phone would get better reception unless there was something wrong with a Verizon phone.

Escott
Click to expand...
Have international calling on Cingular, 79 cents a min. no monthly to 809 code only. Works both ways, it also works in San Juan.
Thanks for the referal on the other issue, she has contacted me direct.
 
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dober1man

New member
Jun 21, 2004
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US Verizon phones DO work in DR

Escott said:
Unless Verizon in the States changed their policy in the last couple of years, you couldnt even call the DR from a verizon phone. I tried my hardest to use Verizon to just call the DR but they wouldnt
let me stating that there is fraud in the 809 area code.

I switched to Sprint at that point and it worked fine but expensive. I now use Skype to call the DR which is way cheaper.

Sprint phones use the Verizon towers in the DR. I can't see why a Sprint phone would get better reception unless there was something wrong with a Verizon phone.

Escott
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, my Verizon phone, programmed here in NY, has always worked in the DR, both incoming and outgoing calls. Still, I'll be looking to have an old one programmed for an 809 number on my next visit.

Glenn
 
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Dragonfly32837

Bronze
May 31, 2005
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Escott said:
Unless Verizon in the States changed their policy in the last couple of years, you couldnt even call the DR from a verizon phone. I tried my hardest to use Verizon to just call the DR but they wouldnt
let me stating that there is fraud in the 809 area code.

I switched to Sprint at that point and it worked fine but expensive. I now use Skype to call the DR which is way cheaper.

Sprint phones use the Verizon towers in the DR. I can't see why a Sprint phone would get better reception unless there was something wrong with a Verizon phone.

Escott
Click to expand...
My friends that I usually hang with have Verizon and Orange phones. There is a possibility that the people that were with me on those days had Orange or Centennial.
 
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Dragonfly32837

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May 31, 2005
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ggn420 said:
Have international calling on Cingular, 79 cents a min. no monthly to 809 code only. Works both ways, it also works in San Juan.
Thanks for the referal on the other issue, she has contacted me direct.
Click to expand...
I got international calling from Sprint 3 months ago. I get 19 cents a minute to a land line and 24 cents a minute to a cell phone.
 
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ggn420

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Apr 21, 2005
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Dragonfly32837 said:
I got international calling from Sprint 3 months ago. I get 19 cents a minute to a land line and 24 cents a minute to a cell phone.
Click to expand...
Great deal!!
 
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maharashii

New member
Jul 1, 2005
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US Verizon phone in the D.R.

I have a US verizon phone (Treo 600) from Chicago which I have used a few times down here. Checking my bill, it looks like I'm being charged $0.95US/minute for calls from the DR to the U.S.

No extra charge for SMS. Data does not work anywhere.

I've also had problems in Azua - full signal - I can receive SMS but I can't send them or make calls. Very annoying.
 
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johne

Silver
Jun 28, 2003
7,092
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Just a suggestion

I leave my phone ( all the people that I would be interested in have the number) at home . I call my voice mail daily to retrieve my message from my "Dominican" phone and use cheap calling cards minutes with a $7 activation fee when necessary. Plain and simple but it has worked for me for years.

JOHN
BTW it might seem excessive but I use three carriers (Verison, Orange and Tri Com) Why? Makes me feel more secure when I lose the signal on one (usually Orange) so I can keep my temper in control and just use another service. Still very cheap way to get the job done.
 
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Dragonfly32837

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May 31, 2005
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johne said:
I leave my phone ( all the people that I would be interested in have the number) at home . I call my voice mail daily to retrieve my message from my "Dominican" phone and use cheap calling cards minutes with a $7 activation fee when necessary. Plain and simple but it has worked for me for years.

JOHN
BTW it might seem excessive but I use three carriers (Verison, Orange and Tri Com) Why? Makes me feel more secure when I lose the signal on one (usually Orange) so I can keep my temper in control and just use another service. Still very cheap way to get the job done.
Click to expand...
I use calling cards too. I bring my phone in case there is an emergency and I need to call because you never know. Plus, I live in Orlando and all my flights to SDQ have connections in either MIA or SJU. I can start using my cell as normal again as soon as I land in SJU or MIA. Even though from what I have been reading about MIA I'm going to start going through SJU. My last flight in April was connecting at SJU and everything went smoothly.
 
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