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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: autoeng]
#132503
06/13/2017 08:38 AM
06/13/2017 08:38 AM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,091 Massachusetts
boucharda
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,091
Massachusetts
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I guess it depends on what you will be using your phone for and whether you have wifi available.
You mention you will need "limited cell phone service" bu then hint you will have a decent data requirement.
We use wifi for all our data absorbing stuff (phone, tablet, laptop) and we can make and receive calls to/from the USA in airplane mode with wifi enabled...no extra charge. We have Verizon but I believe AT & T enabled wifi calling before Verizon
You do need a reasonable recent phone (S6/7/8) or a similarly recent I-phone.
NOT appropriate for calling to a number in SXM...Just your normal USA stuff.
Easiest option...no effort or cost involved. It all depends on whether it fits your needs
Last edited by boucharda; 06/13/2017 08:41 AM.
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: autoeng]
#132505
06/13/2017 10:05 AM
06/13/2017 10:05 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,586 St Maarten
BillandElaine
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,586
St Maarten
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We use FB messenger all the time with wifi.
Elaine ********************************* God Bless the broken road....
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: GaKaye]
#132508
06/13/2017 10:41 AM
06/13/2017 10:41 AM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 459 Decatur Illinois
astropilot
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 459
Decatur Illinois
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have have Verizon service. I just signed up for their international plan -- ALL of the same services as you have at home Voice/Text/and Data - same as at home.
The cost $10.00 per day when you use it. Use it for two days $20.00 use it each day for a week $70.00.
However we only use our phone for emergency situations and use the studio's WIFI for everything else. So if i need to make a call I can, if I don't there will be no charge.
for us, this is ideal. Might or might not be for you...
Dave & Diana
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: GaKaye]
#132509
06/13/2017 11:16 AM
06/13/2017 11:16 AM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 539 Sugar Land, Tx
IslandBoi
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 539
Sugar Land, Tx
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if all one is concerned with is having phone service in case of emergency, another option without having to buy a local SIM or pay for an international roaming plan, is just using your US phone and paying the full international roaming rate...looks like AT&T is up to $3/min. now for the Caribbean, which admittingly is pretty steep....but personally, since we don't actually PLAN to use our phones for local calls, we choose not to pay for any additional plan or buy a SIM
we use WiFi (calling, texting, email, FB) for all planned communication to the US
Note: for those considering the AT&T Passport plan, remember that in addition to the $40 monthly fee, you will also pay $1/min for calls
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: spiker]
#132512
06/13/2017 01:07 PM
06/13/2017 01:07 PM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,295 Sunny Isles Beach, FL
pasnyder
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,295
Sunny Isles Beach, FL
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Many of my friends who travel out of the country use Whatsapp on their cell phones. WhatsApp voice and video calls use your phone's Internet connection, instead of your cell plan's voice minutes. So, if you can get free wifi, it's free to call or text anywhere. https://www.whatsapp.com/Pauline
We are the People our parents warned us about!
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: JoeC047]
#132515
06/13/2017 01:50 PM
06/13/2017 01:50 PM
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,894
Bahston
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,894
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JoeC047 said: Let me shed some light on this topic. For the past 20 years I use a phone purchased in SXM for $50. and a sim card for $11. The average local call is approximately .11 cents per minute and a call to the states around .30 cents per minute. I have had the same SXM phone # for many years. You can extend the expiration date of the sim card on line with Top Up. Any questions? I do the same. I've had a French-side mobile phone for years. I use it or do a Top Up every 3 months, and my number stays alive. I've also got a French-side phone card that I use for calls to the US. For data, other than Wi-Fi, I use my ATT-iPad with a Passport plan.
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: SXMScubaman]
#132516
06/13/2017 02:47 PM
06/13/2017 02:47 PM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 298 Massachusetts USA
tmsxmsails
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 298
Massachusetts USA
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SXMScubaman said: Rather than 70 a week your better off with the $40 Verizon plan for 30 days. Worked slick for the four weeks we were in SXM. This is what I just did and I agree, it worked fine. I didn't use it much but it was there when I did need it. The only issue I had was trying to send a text to someone specifically (I could send texts to others). As your phone connects to different carriers (I was sailing from island to island) you get a bunch of texts from Verizon telling you (again) about your Intl plan. In these texts are numbers to call for help. I called it and got an extremely helpful woman who helped me figure out that the reason I couldn't text this one person is because he likely didn't have his iPhone set to accept SMS messages if iMessage was unavailable (or something like that). Bottom line, Verizon support was impressively good.
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: kim]
#132518
06/13/2017 03:17 PM
06/13/2017 03:17 PM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 298 Massachusetts USA
tmsxmsails
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 298
Massachusetts USA
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kim said: But, how quick can you run through 100mb of data?? Good question/point. I don't know. We really only do this for basic/emergency use. If you want to use large amounts of data you need to find wifi.
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: kim]
#132519
06/13/2017 03:35 PM
06/13/2017 03:35 PM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,909 Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,909
Auburn, WA
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kim said: But, how quick can you run through 100mb of data?? We were there a month on this plan and never used up all the data of the program. We would just use the wifi at the resort or wifi at the many places that had free wifi to use.
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: JoeC047]
#132527
06/13/2017 07:52 PM
06/13/2017 07:52 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,278 Maryland/DC Metro
BeachKitten
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,278
Maryland/DC Metro
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Not sure if it's just me, but t that link hasn't worked in ages. I bought a super cheap dual SIM (unlocked) phone on Amazon, and then a Chippie (UTS) SIM card. I can make local calls and have my very own SXM phone number! Love it!
"It is good to do nothing all day, and then to rest"
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: GaKaye]
#132536
06/14/2017 09:16 AM
06/14/2017 09:16 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,586 St Maarten
BillandElaine
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,586
St Maarten
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Another option is the Top Up Card, which I believe you can only get from Sharon. Allows you to add $ to your phone via a web portal.
There are UTS stores in Philipsburg, Marigot and I believe the one in Cole Bay is still open.
Elaine ********************************* God Bless the broken road....
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: autoeng]
#132537
06/14/2017 09:42 AM
06/14/2017 09:42 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 763 Chicago area & St-Martin
ChiTownHarry
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 763
Chicago area & St-Martin
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Because nobody mentioned it, if you want a French phone number, you can purchase a SIM from Dauphin Telecom in Marigot. Since we spend almost all of our time on the French side, it is easier to make calls with it. And I do not have to add funds to my telephone account when I am not on the island and we're only on the island once a year.
--ChiTownHarry
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: GaKaye]
#132539
06/14/2017 12:53 PM
06/14/2017 12:53 PM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 21
DanNJessica
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 21
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Project FI! https://g.co/fi/r/D5342K I use it all over the world $10 per GB.
We love St Martin
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: GaKaye]
#132540
06/14/2017 01:13 PM
06/14/2017 01:13 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,147 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
islandgem
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,147
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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I have done that at the Mailbox several times.I keep my phone active by adding money from my card on the website buychippieonline.com
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Re: Cell phone options now that Queen of SXM is done
[Re: GaKaye]
#132541
06/14/2017 01:56 PM
06/14/2017 01:56 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 837 Florida
wilsonck
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 837
Florida
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GaKaye said: Unless something's changed in the past couple of weeks, you can't actually purchase more time for your topup card on the website. You have to go to the UTS store or the Mailbox in SXM to do that. Tim just posted that the UTS store near IZI has closed; does anyone know if there's another one on the island? The UTS store in Philipsburg is open. It is located on Codville Webster Road. The Philipsburg location is open Mon-Fri 8am to 4 pm. There is another UTS store in Marigot at 24 Rue de la République. I believe this store is open till 5:30 pm and does have Saturday hours as well. I'll know more next week when I'm there. As far as the Cole Bay location, as of May 29th, UTS posted on their facebook page their locations that would be closed due to weather and they listed the Cole Bay location, but it had the same hours as the Philipsburg location only M-F 8am to 4 pm. I'll see next week if it is truly closed.
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