Cell phone service on the island?

I have seen on these boards many mentions of renting cell phones on the island. Are folks doing this to save money, or because US smartphones don't work on the island's network? I carry an iPhone 5s for work, and my employer is "kind" enough to pay for service when I'm overseas, so I had planned on using my phone when we are on the island next week. However, if it turns out that it won't work, I want to warn them in advance that I won't be able to monitor my email as closely. (Not that I'm going to be doing work while on vacation, but they like the idea that if some huge emergency comes up they can reach me.) Thanks!!

If you are with one of the major cell providers you will probably have access to service while on the island. Check with your provider to see if they have coverage or roaming available. Many travelers rent a cell phone or buy a sim chip for theirs as the roaming charges and data charges can be quite high depending on your plan and provider.

My work iPhone (ATT) works on the island, but coverage has been 3G at best. Verizon should also work. I've never checked Sprint.

You can use your phone to get email via wifi. I always put mine in airplane mode to save on costs, and rent a phone on the island for local and calls back home.

Thanks all! Cost is not an issue for me, as my employer will pay for the roaming service, but I am glad to hear that AT&T works, albeit more slowly than at home.

3G on island is the most available i believe. As of March anyway, there is no 4G available. For better service it is worth a couple of bucks to rent from Sharon....

I get a phone from Sharon for calls. However, I sign up for AT&T's international plan for 30 days for data. I have found that AT&T data does not work on the Dutch side but does work on the French side.

Years ago we bought an unlocked phone on the cheap. We have used it on our boat in BVI, SXM, Europe, and Mexico. You can buy sim cards almost anywhere for less then $20.

UTS has been providing 4G since November of 2015. I just used it for our trip this past month and will use it again at the end of June. Their 4G service is just as fast as my service in Florida. Sharon does sell the UTS chippie sim for $25 and that includes $10 credit.

If anyone does not want to use their Verizon or sprint service in St. Maarten, you can use the Chippie sim to get 4G service at a much cheaper rate than roaming. Verizon phones are already unlocked (per an agreement with the FCC regarding open devices using a frequency they were awarded). Those with Sprint phones can call customer service and ask for an UICC sim unlock, so an international sim can be used. Sprint does not allow domestic sims to be used in their phones until they are paid off. It is my understanding AT&T will not unlock devices to use other SIMs.

sure they will, as long as your phone is fully paid off, either by buying it outright or by completing your contract if the phone price was subsidized

To request an AT&T unlock just go here...process usually only takes a couple of minutes

AT&T Unlock Request

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/techno...?ref=technology

Good article explaining it all.
Cheers
irina

I just went through the process of unlocking my AT&T iPhone in hopes of using it in 2 days when we arrive St. Maarten. I do have a question though, who is Sharon who sells the UTS chippie sim? It seems you all know her but, how do I find her?

Click on the sponsors link above and look for the Queen of SXM Cell phone rentals.

Okay, I found her website but, could not find an address in St. Maarten. I sent her an email so hopefully she can help get our iPhone 5 working next week? Thanks for your help everyone!

She has a store at the Royal Palm in Simpson Bay

She is located near the entrance to Royal Palm Beach Resort in the ground level shops.

Sharon got right back to me. Thank you all for your help. However, we come in next Tuesday, and she stated she is only open Friday through Monday right now. Darn, we will just miss her. Anybody have any other suggestions on who can help us get our iPhone sim card changed so we can use our phone while we are there? Worst case, I guess we could always just "unplug" and turn the "real world" off while we are there. If it were only that easy . . . .

Try Blue _____ (can't remember rest of name). They are a technology store and are in both Simpson Bay and in the building that used to be Rima on Pond Fill Road.

Blue Point is the name.Also the Mailbox in Simpson Bay may be able to help with the Sim card.

Thanks, Elizabeth.

Could always just go to the UTS store in cole bay as well. Its right next to the paradise casino. They are open till 4 pm.

Thanks again to everybody for their feedback. We finally worked things out with Sharon so we are good to go. We leave tonight from LAX on a red-eye and arrive tomorrow just in time for Happy Hour!!!!! Yeah!!!!
Bryan & Linda

Just a bit of advice from someone who purchased a Telcell SIM card.
I had nothing but trouble the last 4 days with our trip because of Telcell. They're service for some reason could not connect with any (847) area code and most of our numbers started with that code. We went to their office twice for some help and were given none. The people in the TC office were having the same problem with their own phones. I don't know if this is fixed but there wasn't any problems with the Chippie card.

Get a Tmobile SIM. I pay 50+taxes for free data, free texts, .20 minute calls local and to the states from 170 countries. When in the states it unlimited. It's cheaper than my Chippie line and you have a number people at home call for free.