Travel cell phone

DanaP

New member
May 23, 2007
212
4
0
Hey y'all,

I'm hoping to get info on travel cell phone companies that DEFINITELY work in the DR. Until my internet service & subsequent Vonage phone are working I'll need to have a phone which:

-has a local number to the states or toll free access number for US callers
-has consistent service in the DR
-voicemail preferrably
-doesn't cost an arm & a leg

Has anyone used either Telestial (I don't really understand how the whole SIM card thing works) or Mobal GSM world phone? Those are the two I found that list the DR as having converage. Any info would be fabulous!!

d
 

Kyle

Silver
Jun 2, 2006
4,266
161
0
what i do is take an old cell phone (remember DR is third world so it's still new to them) and get it activated down there.
 

DanaP

New member
May 23, 2007
212
4
0
yes

I do plan on doing this with my current cell, but I'll need a local US or toll free number for a spell. I understand the DR cell phones have a DR number
 

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
11,747
1,343
113
If you MUST be reachable on a US number in the DR, you have 4 options:

1.Get a US SKYPE number and bring your laptop.
2. Forward your US number to a DR Cell phone.
3. Pay insane roaming charges on your US Cingular or Verizon phone that will work in DR.
4. Leave a message on your US voicemail with your new DR Cell number!

tambo'
 

DanaP

New member
May 23, 2007
212
4
0
forwarding

I love the forwarding idea Tam.

Do you know if the US company charges the call as merely regular minutes? and do you know if I got the DR chip & cell service in my actual phone handset that my US company uses, yet kept my US line active would the forwarded call still work??

questions questions questions......

Skype sounds good too but assumes that I can access the internet immediately and I'm not sure I can bet on that. muchos gracias

d
 

Tamborista

hasta la tambora
Apr 4, 2005
11,747
1,343
113
Do you know if the US company charges the call as merely regular minutes? and do you know if I got the DR chip & cell service in my actual phone handset that my US company uses, yet kept my US line active would the forwarded call still work??

a. Your US line will be charged for the forwarding from US>DR.
b. Yes, your calls can be forwarded to another number with the phone line off, no different than going to voice mail!

tambo'
 

corsair74

Bronze
Jul 3, 2006
1,330
116
0
If you just want to have a phone that you can use daily in the DR, and yet still have a U.S. number available for family, friends, etc. to reach you, just do what I do. I take my current phone with me because it will get service in the DR (roaming of course). But I reserve use of this phone for the rare, important call I may get from the US. For daily use, just buy an inexpensive unlocked gsm phone in the US (Ebay is great for this) and get it activated by one of the local companies in the DR.

You may feel that it is a little cumbersome to carry two phones, but I found this to be much cheaper that paying for an expensive international cell phone plan. Plus, I assume from your user name that you are a woman. And most of you carry purses, right?

I also have a skype account, and used to carry a laptop with me when I traveled. Not only was this very cumbersome, it was also inconvenient because I had to find a WiFi connection anytime I wanted to use Skype. Cheap, but not very mobile.

Unless you plan on receiving a lot of calls from the US, this is probably one of your most cost effective options.

Vince.
 

CFA123

Silver
May 29, 2004
3,512
413
83
Simple & fairly cheap solution to get your calls in DR.

1. Get a local cell phone on arrival in DR.
2. Sign up for Skype Pro Skype Pro. $3/month.
3. You get a "Skype to Go #" - which is a U.S. phone # in any area code you choose.
4. From the skype website, you assign this "Skype to Go#" to be forwarded to your DR cell#.
5. When someone calls your U.S. "Skype to go#", it rings on your cellphone in DR. At current rates, US$0.198 is deducted from your Skype account for each minute you talk. No charge on your local cell since it's an incoming call (which you don't pay for with DR cell providers).
6. To make billing easy, Skype has an option that will automatically charge your credit card 'top up' your account balance to an amount you choose ($25 in my case) any time the balance falls below $2.
7. That's it. Give your U.S. contacts your 'Skype to go" #. Done.

I'm using this service & it works well. The people calling you won't notice anything different or even know you're not in the U.S. if you don't tell them (and assuming their call doesn't go to voicemail with Spanish prompts!).

And, if you have a computer handy, call them back VIA skype. Calls TO the U.S. are US$0.02/minute from your computer. Save $0.17/minute ;)
 
Feb 7, 2007
8,005
625
113
From Dana's post I understood she needed to be reachable in the DR, probably for business reasons, not just for occassional family call. The option suggested to have DR number does not work for her in such case.

The DR forwarding is the best option, you will find rates from the companies I suggested are cheaper than forwarding your US cellphone number.

You can give yout the new number or forward your US cell to the local number assigned to you by a call forwarding company (but this would be a double forward). Simply just give out your new local number to people who need to contact you.
 

PabloPaul

New member
Dec 21, 2006
136
0
0
51
www.myspace.com
Buy a slick phone here, they tend to be further ahead, more on European technology than N. American AND cheaper. I just bought the latest Motorola Razor for RD$4000
That's a good price!
AND the phone is unlocked for use anywhere in the world.
All calls to YOUR phone are free, only charged for outgoing.

: pp.
 

corsair74

Bronze
Jul 3, 2006
1,330
116
0
Buy a slick phone here, they tend to be further ahead, more on European technology than N. American AND cheaper. I just bought the latest Motorola Razor for RD$4000
That's a good price!
AND the phone is unlocked for use anywhere in the world.
All calls to YOUR phone are free, only charged for outgoing.

: pp.

Actually, the exact opposite is true. You will get newer models cheaper here in the states. I've priced cell phones in both countries, and found that the latest models are marked up quite a bit in the DR. I recently bought a brand new unlocked GSM Razor on Ebay for around $100. That's $20-$30 cheaper than you will get it anywhere in the DR. And you can get it in a lot more colors than are available there.

That's if you like pink, gold, or neon green cell phones.:ermm:


Vince.
 

DanaP

New member
May 23, 2007
212
4
0
Skype

okay, so i like the Skype idea, especially since I just learned that there are 2 wifi hubs close to my apartment & thus i think my Skype phone will work thru those. I can use it with other wifi hubs correct, not just my own??

I do get a bit confused & overwhelmed with the skype technology & equipment needed & how it actually works. Can anyone give me a brief low down.

thanks,
techno-dummy-dana
 

DanaP

New member
May 23, 2007
212
4
0
DR cell transfer

anyone know if your contact list & phone numbers on your US cell will transfer when you buy the DR cell chip??? or shall i somehow record them somewhere else?

thanks thanks thanks

d