Forums39
Topics38,687
Posts312,726
Members26,570
|
Most Online2,218 Jan 21st, 2020
|
|
29 registered members (marisol, dfmsml, TravelHat, GeorgeC1, NumberCruncher, hokiesailor, MrEZgoin, StMartinFan, George1234, TomGarvey, YachtReprise, nevar37, John, MACC60, OceanSong, Kennys, onlymedication, wct49, bbeach, Flotsam, xrayman67, Scubacat, RichiT, 6 invisible),
1,237
guests, and 112
spiders. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: kneafseym]
#40912
02/19/2015 10:02 PM
02/19/2015 10:02 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 483 Austin, TX
TackingAg
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 483
Austin, TX
|
The easiest option is to just hit CALL and pay as much as your mortgage when you get home. But we also have AT&T and opt to get their roaming package. I typically don't make any calls, so I do it more for the data roaming and texting. Click here for their plans If you decide to go that route, the best option is to go into a store and find your friendliest rep. Have them set it up so it activates right after your next billing cycle and then have them schedule it to automatically drop after your trip. So you don't forget and get hit for 2-months. If you're also not familiar with your phone's data roaming settings, you may want to get them to show you a few things on the hardware. I believe the Skype option is good, but I personally prefer to shut off my phone and then just catch up when we're taking showers at night, etc. Instead of having to fight the internet and talking over people at the bar on their 10th painkiller. I prefer to be that person at the bar on their 10th painkiller and then call later.
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: TackingAg]
#40914
02/19/2015 10:24 PM
02/19/2015 10:24 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213 GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
sail2wind
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213
GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
|
mayjong, it really depends on how long you have yo talk to your kids and the sitter everyday. If money is not an issue stay with AT&T and you will be fine. Lime is great, we mostly use it to call friends in BVI, restaurants, marinas, and unfortunately chandleries. Twenty bucks of Lime last us a month, it's about .35 a minute to the U.S
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: sail2wind]
#40915
02/20/2015 02:23 AM
02/20/2015 02:23 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414 Memphis, TN
beerMe
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414
Memphis, TN
|
mayjong,
Are you only interested in talking to the kids daily (don't need to browse the web or read emails and such)? Does the place you are staying have wifi available? Will you be staying on Anegada the entire trip?
Life involves risks, take some prudent ones (NOT with the BVI ferries)!
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: FirstMate4Life]
#40918
02/20/2015 10:04 AM
02/20/2015 10:04 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 252 Chicago, IL
Showdavid
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 252
Chicago, IL
|
We face timed while down there a couple of times. Just need WIFI. Otherwise, a phone was provided with the boat so we just put 20 bucks on the Account and used it everyday to call home and check on kids. Easy peasy!
Dave
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: Showdavid]
#40919
02/20/2015 11:31 AM
02/20/2015 11:31 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,953 St. John, USVI
RickG
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,953
St. John, USVI
|
Back in the day, I'd get a phone card at the grocery and call home from the pay phones. These days when I call my kids they text back "Whaaat?"
ATT works most everywhere with international roaming. Call ATT, turn it on for a month and turn it off. You can even call after your trip and they'll do that for you. Data, not so much. We turn data roaming off on our ATT phones. One of our friends got a $XXX bill for a weekend of data roaming. That's one of the reasons we bought a Digicel router for de boat.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes, 2003 Beneteau 423 Grenada
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: JasonHelmbrecht]
#40925
02/20/2015 03:24 PM
02/20/2015 03:24 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 111 Florida
Momx3
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 111
Florida
|
JasonHelmbrecht said: I agree that the simplest idea is just to use your AT&T phone and add the Passport($30/month) or Passport Plus($60/month) plan while you're gone.
When you are able to pickup a signal from the USVI your phone will show AT&T on it and your calls are just like calling from home. If you pick up a BVI signal, the phone will most likely show Lime or Digicel and the calls will be $1/minute with the Passport Plan or $0.50 with the Passport Plus plan. Thank you - that is exactly what I needed to know! We shouldn't need to make any phone calls (unless there is a work emergency most things can be handled over e-mail) so this seems like a good plan for us. We just want to be able to check e-mail, text and maybe let the kids post a few pictures to Instagram for bragging rights. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: mayjong1]
#40929
02/20/2015 03:58 PM
02/20/2015 03:58 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414 Memphis, TN
beerMe
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414
Memphis, TN
|
mayjong1,
I agree with Jason - You will be able to use your own att phone, just like you do at home, in some of parts of the BVI. The closer you are to St Thomas/St John the better your chances of getting an att signal. In those areas further out, where you can't get an att signal on your phone the simplest options are to either get the roaming plan on your phone or use the boat phone. Since I have no idea which carrier or phone plan the boat phone is using I would call the charter company and ask them what the per minute charge is to call the states. That will help you decide which way to go.
Life involves risks, take some prudent ones (NOT with the BVI ferries)!
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: Gailgs]
#40930
02/20/2015 04:25 PM
02/20/2015 04:25 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213 GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
sail2wind
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213
GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
|
Gailgs said: maybe this should be a separate topic but why is the vhf weather channel no good..and what do you rent from renport? if you were talking to me, we do not rent anything from Renport. The previous poster suggested renting a phone from Renport
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: Momx3]
#40932
02/20/2015 04:55 PM
02/20/2015 04:55 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414 Memphis, TN
beerMe
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414
Memphis, TN
|
Mom,
Just be careful on the Passport plan. In the US you'd pay around $10 per GB for data. On that plan you will pay $150/GB for the $120 plan, $200/GB on the $60 plan and $250/GB on the $30 plan. Be sure to turn off data when you're not using it as it will continue to use data. Any apps that run can use data too. Also stay away from any video - it's amazing how much data is used just to watch one short youtube video. Stream Netflix and you're in for a nasty surprise!
Last edited by beerMe; 02/20/2015 05:44 PM.
Life involves risks, take some prudent ones (NOT with the BVI ferries)!
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: Gailgs]
#40933
02/20/2015 05:05 PM
02/20/2015 05:05 PM
|
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 256 Gallatin, Tennessee
Murdock
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 256
Gallatin, Tennessee
|
Here are the current Renport prices linked below. I have no idea how long you may want to converse with your family during your visit, but multiply your estimated calling time on ATT out per .50 a minute and see where you shake out. Maybe Renport makes sense, maybe it doesn't. Signal/service has always been very good/consistent. (FYI - click the mobile tab) https://rancal.checkfront.com/reserve/
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: sail2wind]
#40937
02/20/2015 06:50 PM
02/20/2015 06:50 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414 Memphis, TN
beerMe
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414
Memphis, TN
|
Well, not that I'd contribute to getting the thread even more off topic (but that's kinda the norm around here), let me just say this about that...
Sometimes I can't even get a signal for the VHF broadcast and it takes the Spanish part way longer than the English so I'm constantly missing it or listening again because I missed something; makes me crazy!
Last November at the Renport office at Sunsail they were offering the wifi hotspot for $120/week. I negotiated and got $150 for 10 days. It was worth it to me but we go there often enough I knew I could beat that deal easily. No way I'd even consider $45 a night for the Surf Pak!!!
So here is the down side/tradoffs. You have to do a little research. First you will need an unlocked hotspot or you won't be able to put the new carrier's sim in the device and use it. Next, you will need to know what frequencies the carrier uses and that your hotspot matches at least one of these frequencies. It's easy enough to find out what frequencies the device uses on google; not so easy to find out what frequencies Digicel and Lime are using in the BVI. I sent an email to Digicel and their support told me they use 1900 Mhz. I suspected they also used 850 Mhz as well so I wrote back and asked. Then she confirmed they use 850 and 1900. I haven't been able to confirm with Lime, apparently calling is the only way to get customer service, but my searches seem to show Lime uses 850 and probably 2100 Mhz. Finally, you have to configure the "APN", easy enough to get that info off the web. Of course you can just go to the store, buy the device from them and have them insert their sim and configure it for you. So there are cost/convenience tradeoffs you can make.
So far I've probably spent 4 weeks researching all of this and it's taken a fair amount of work to get to the point where I feel I have it understood. All that and now I can take my $60 hotspot, pop by Lime/Digicel for a sim and a $50 data plan and have wifi on the boat. So for now on it will cost me around $50-$60 for data on board; sounds pretty good compared to $45 a day (or even the $15 a day I got last time).
Life involves risks, take some prudent ones (NOT with the BVI ferries)!
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: jbuch02]
#40940
02/20/2015 08:50 PM
02/20/2015 08:50 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414 Memphis, TN
beerMe
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414
Memphis, TN
|
Ha, ha, ha. Mayjong1 you made it oh so much easier when you said you just needed to talk to the kids! You wouldn't believe the things I left out, or maybe you would!
Thanks JB, I appreciate that very much.
Life involves risks, take some prudent ones (NOT with the BVI ferries)!
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: beerMe]
#40941
02/20/2015 09:32 PM
02/20/2015 09:32 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 925 Michigan
rhans
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 925
Michigan
|
I took my trusty old Ipad 2 with about 10K delivery miles on it to the Roadtown Lime store. It had an outdated Lime SIM in it. The lovely lady there activated 2 gigs for $35.00 and my Son in law added Imessage, or something like that to my Ipad. Worked great.
Side note: Ran into Jolly Lou there and he's looking good but said he's a little bored. Wish he was back at the JR
Last edited by rhans; 02/20/2015 09:36 PM.
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: rhans]
#40942
02/20/2015 09:40 PM
02/20/2015 09:40 PM
|
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,530 Ya never know...
HillsideView
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,530
Ya never know...
|
Saw a young lady at Myetts yammering away on the phone for probably an hour and a half to her boyfriend back home. After the call was over she tells her father "wow, Verizon has great service here even when it says it's roaming". Someone is in for a surprise.
My foot fits right into my shoe and my shoe will fit right into your...
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: HillsideView]
#40943
02/21/2015 12:43 AM
02/21/2015 12:43 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414 Memphis, TN
beerMe
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414
Memphis, TN
|
Probably FaceTime? An Apple-to-Apple video chat app, similar to Skype. Imessage is an A-to-A messaging app. Not that I am up on all of this stuff, heck I just did my first Skype call just a few weeks ago (and our niece said welcome to the 21st century) and my cell phone is on a $10 a month talk and text plan from Airvoice Wireless that I use so little I have over $100 worth of minutes that keep growing and rolling over. Been thinking of switching to their pay-as-you-go plan where I could actually get it down to $3.33 per month!
Life involves risks, take some prudent ones (NOT with the BVI ferries)!
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: mayjong1]
#40944
02/21/2015 10:29 AM
02/21/2015 10:29 AM
|
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 111 Florida
Momx3
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 111
Florida
|
mayjong1 said: I don't mind being off topic! interesting stuff, but I LITERALLY have no idea what beerme just said ^
i'll stick to my ATT phone! thanks again That's exactly how I feel about the wifi/phone conversations! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> I think I'll just cut and paste what Beerme said and send it to my friend/captain!
|
|
|
Re: contacting my kids at home
[Re: HillsideView]
#40946
02/21/2015 10:43 AM
02/21/2015 10:43 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,861 Bradenton, FL
Winterstale
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,861
Bradenton, FL
|
HillsideView said: Saw a young lady at Myetts yammering away on the phone for probably an hour and a half to her boyfriend back home. After the call was over she tells her father "wow, Verizon has great service here even when it says it's roaming". Someone is in for a surprise. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> now that is funny....
|
|
|
|