Prepaid Calling Card DR to US?

Drro

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Mar 22, 2006
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Hi,

Can anyone suggest which is the best prepaid calling card to make calls from Sosua back to the US?

And where do I get one? Do the miles expire or will they be good (so long as I don't use them up) when I'm back in a few months?

And do prepaid calling cards work on payphones and is there a surcharge for that? I don't/won't have a landline. And my cell is $2 in/out.

Thanks so much.
Ro
 
A

apostropheman

Guest
i suggest buying a local, orange, cell and using that. orange has the best rates atleast compared to verizon for calling to the US and the phones can be very inexpensive to purchase, especially a used one.

Hi,

Can anyone suggest which is the best prepaid calling card to make calls from Sosua back to the US?

And where do I get one? Do the miles expire or will they be good (so long as I don't use them up) when I'm back in a few months?

And do prepaid calling cards work on payphones and is there a surcharge for that? I don't/won't have a landline. And my cell is $2 in/out.

Thanks so much.
Ro
 

Rick Snyder

Silver
Nov 19, 2003
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A card is only good for up to one month from activation date on those worth 100 pesos or more. A 50 peso card is good for 15 days. It is their way to insure that money keeps coming in monthly. Having said that then what you will do when you come back is purchase another card and recharge your account.

The only thing I'm not sure of is if your account, telephone number, is voided from too much time of not being activated. I would think this is true but I have no idea as to what the time limit is.

I have no idea as to cards being used on pay phones but I would think not. Others will have to answer that.

Rick
 

Drro

Bronze
Mar 22, 2006
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Thanks, Rick,

If you know...

Are these cards readily available anywhere?

Is one better than another?

Do I wait until I'm in town to buy one?

Thanks.
Ro
 

Rick Snyder

Silver
Nov 19, 2003
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I think we will need a consensuses from the other members as to what areas work with which cards. I live in the Eastern portion of the country and Orange seems to be the card of choice here.

All cards seem to be readily available everywhere and usually sell at the 50, 100 and 200 pesos level.

If you purchase a cell phone here it will more then likely be a refurbished one and the price will include activation and sometimes come with a 100 peso card. If you purchase a phone here then needless to say you would do nothing till you got here.

I have no information about bringing a phone in and that will require an answer from other board members that have experience in that area. Sorry but I never leave the country so I can't help you in that area.

Rick
 

Drro

Bronze
Mar 22, 2006
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Rick,

Thanks for the information. I already have a cell phone and service that will work (so I'm told) in the DR. I think it uses Orange's system.

It's too expensive to use it to call the states. I have to check my voicemail daily and thought the prepaid card wouldbe the most economical.

I'm envious that you never leave the country - it's a goal that I'm not at or even near yet.

Ro
 
A

apostropheman

Guest
i think the time limit for phone activation is, officially, 89 days of inactivity and it is deactivated. in practice i have gone much longer...more like 5 or 6 months and was still activated upon my return. i just had to purchase a new tarjeta, phone card, and all was well. :)
 

Drro

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Mar 22, 2006
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Dear Apostropheman:

So if I understand you, I can buy a card next week and use it in December when I'm back (maybe).

I already have a phone - just want a prepaid card for checking voicemail or making calls to the US. My phone is too expensive to use daily.

Thanks for your prompt answer.

Ro
 
A

apostropheman

Guest
no, i think you need a dedicated, dominican activated, cell.

these are not calling cards like we use from north america where you call a local number, enter the PIN and then dial the number you want to call each time.

these are more like the "pay as you go" style. you buy the card, call the number on the card, enter the PIN and then have "time" as calculated by the rate per minute for the value of the card. a major difference.

once you enter the info into the system you then just dial and call like a regular cell until the "time" or money is used up.

you will not be able to do this from a cell that is still activated in a foreign country. it must be activated with orange to use an orange card.

i hope this clarifies things for you.

Dear Apostropheman:

So if I understand you, I can buy a card next week and use it in December when I'm back (maybe).

I already have a phone - just want a prepaid card for checking voicemail or making calls to the US. My phone is too expensive to use daily.

Thanks for your prompt answer.

Ro
 

Drro

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Mar 22, 2006
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Does that mean I have to get a (used) cell phone that comes with whatever amount of minutes I buy for it from a local place?

When you say "these are more like the "pay as you go" style. you buy the card, call the number on the card, enter the PIN and then have "time" as calculated by the rate per minute for the value of the card. a major difference."

You mean this is all done on a cell with a prepaid card already in it and when the time is used up, you need to buy another card?

If this is the case, where do I get the best deal with a used cell and prepaid? And please tell me the correct words to use so I get what I need. I don't speak Spanish so I want to be accurate.

Thanks
Ro
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
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If you currently have a cell phone that will work on ORANGE, then you can use it here by activating it as a pre-paid phone using the NAM-2 for ORANGE while in the Donminican Republic. Just make sure the technician is told REPEATEDLY to use NAM-2 for the Dominican Activation.

I currently use ALLTEL in the states on NAM-1, and VERIZON here in the Dominican Republic for NAM-2. Thus when I travel back and forth I only need to carry one phone, not two. If you go this route, the phone will have to be activated with whichever provider that has the same type service. For instance, my Alltel is CDMA, thus I use Verizon here which is also CDMA.

So many people are not aware that cell phones usually have at least 2 Nam's for programming telephone service.
 
A

apostropheman

Guest
mostly correct, you need to buy a cell phone and have it activated in the DR.
once you have the phone activated you just but a new phone card to keep refilling it. the orange system uses cim chips. these phone cards are available almost anywhere and are called tarjetas (tar-het-a) so for an orange phone you would ask for a tarjeta orange and point to the amount, 100 pesos or whatever.

i'm sure you will find it a simple process once you have done it.

also i'm sure a local friend would help you initially.
 

SantiagoDR

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I have only used Verizon and Tricom here.

So Orange does not allow for a second NAM?

I do seem to re-call from friends something about them swapping out the chips to use their phones in other places. Not having Orange I forgot about that at the time I posted the other message.

I have a friend here that uses a "Virgin Mobile" phone here on Verizon.

As far as prices, one can pick up a used cell for about $30 U.S., probably even cheaper, the ladies like to have the latest fashion ones, so the market is flooded with "Out of Fashion" ones.

DRRO: You can add minutes to your cell phone at any time by buying another card, they are sold everywhere, in Santiago, most major intersections have 3-4 people walking between the stopped cars selling the cards. You just tell the vendor which provider you are using and how much you want to spend. Verizon for instance will give you a bonus of 50 pesos if you put in a 250 peso card, and right now they are even adding an additional bonus of 15 pesos on top of that. With Verizon you can get up to 70 days to use the minutes. The minutes do not expire on Verizon if you keep the phone activated. Last time I went to the states I got up to the 70 days, and then had a friend add a 250 peso card before the time limit. I had lots of minutes on my return.

Check on where you will be staying and/or spending most of your time, some areas don't get all the different cell service providers. If you will be in a major tourist area this may not apply, but if you are going to some remote area, your cell provider of choice may not have service there.
 

sweetdbt

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Sep 17, 2004
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Orange is a GSM system. Any unlocked GSM phone (Cingular or T-Mobile) can be used in the DR with a simcard, which can be bought on arrival at any Orange outlet. An unlocked GSM phone can be used all over the world by changing simcards.

Re: dual NAMs on CDMA phones. I am locked into a Sprint contract for another 14 months, and have asked 3 or 4 people with Sprint if any of their phones have this capability, and the answer is either no or a puzzled expression. Multiple NAM phones were more popular a few years ago before affordable nationwide calling plans became prevelant. People who traveled a lot had plans in different parts of the country and switched numbers from place to place. It is now only needed for international travel, but on doing some research, it appears it's going to be harder and harder to get this, as the companies want you to use their overpriced roaming service.
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
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I am locked into a Sprint contract for another 14 months, and have asked 3 or 4 people with Sprint if any of their phones have this capability, and the answer is either no or a puzzled expression.
Sprint frowns upon the use of Dual Nams and programs their software so the user does not have that option. The same model for another provider's network may have that feature. So much for the advancement of electronics...

That's why Sprint reps don't understand your question.

My phone is new and still being sold in the states when I came here in February.
 

Drro

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Mar 22, 2006
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I have a V 180 which I am told will work in the DR, all I need to do is swap the sim card from my Nextel phone; and that it works through Orange.

That's not the problem. The problem is that it's $2 incoming and outgoing per minute.

That's why I was asking if there was such a thing as a prepaid calling card. It sounds like I may have to buy a phone there and buy minutes?

Now someone can call me on my cell and it will ring in the DR - I like that part, just not the $2 part.

Suggestions?

Thanks.
Ro
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
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Incoming calls to "Dominican" cell phones are free here.
The caller pays for the call.

If what you mean is, can someone call your U.S. number and have it ring here and you not pay the $2 per minute charge, the answer is NO! And even if you have a "Dominican" cell phone, the person calling you from the states without a calling plan on THEIR phone could possibly pay even more than $2 per minute.
 

sweetdbt

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Sep 17, 2004
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Nextel uses their own protocol called iDEN. I had always heard they would not work in the DR.
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
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Nextel have phones that work on The GSM system. The V180 must be one of them according to Drro.

Quote on Nextel V 180

Nextel's V180 phone is specifically designed to work on the GSM network--a network that is used in more than 100 countries worldwide.
By placing the removable identity card (SIM ID card) from a compatible U.S. Nextel phone into the V180 phone, you'll be able to enjoy many of the same Nextel features¹ you rely on in the U.S., including Voice Mail and Voice Activated Dialing². The V180 phone does NOT work on the U.S. Nextel National Network. Once you return home, simply place the identity card back into your regular Nextel phone and continue business as usual on the Nextel National Network


Looks like Nextel wants you to travel and leave your money with them !!!!
 
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sweetdbt

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Sep 17, 2004
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Well, if it's a GSM phone, I would think it would work in the DR with an Orange card, at Orange rates.