Phone Question

If all goes well, we will be heading to St. Maarten in 10 days (fingers crossed that testing, results and SXM approvals go well). My cellphone carrier won't work in St. Maarten. I'm taking an old galaxy s7 down and want to get a local sim card to use while there. Where in the Simpson Bay/Maho area is the best/most economical place to buy a sim card and set up phone service? Thanks for any help.

The Mailbox, Simpson Bay.

Thanks.

download whatsap and make calls on wifi. Most places on island us it.

Everyone is always suggesting wifi calling, and that's great if you're somewhere that has it, as most places do. But what if you're on the road and have an emergency? Wifi isn't going to help you there. We have a local sim card, and like the peace of mind that having that brings.

Totally right Georgia. We're certainly not the only ones on the island that don't have wifi unless we are somewhere it is available. I know when we visit the states people are sometimes shocked they couldn't reach us because we were on the road. Seems to be a bigger thing in US than here.

Correct....that's why we have "Travel Pass" with Verizon (other carriers have similar) for use only in an emergency or if needed on road. It automatically kicks in if you try to make a call outside a wifi area . Otherwise it's wifi calling for everything ...free to the USA and minimal charges to SXM and other countries. Obviously a long call would just be made using the Travel Pass....

Probably not appropriate in this case if the OP doesn't have a useable network to start with but the wifi calling would work ...and that "old S7" is my main phone right now...works great

We are enjoying both our cell phones from T Mobile this trip. Most of our calls have been made with either whatsapp, or with facebook messenger. one or two calls were made without wifi, and for the measly price of 25 cents per minute, i really don't care.(calls have been short). This is still much cheaper than renting a phone, and ''buying minutes'' for local carriers. As stated, most restaurants i have seen are using the whatsapp also, so in two full weeks here, i think my phone has cost maybe one or two dollars.

We use to buy the sim, but switched to WIFI calling
and Whatsapp.

We do have the $10 international plan with AT&T, but can't remember, do we have to take it off Airplane Mode
if we need to use it in a non-WIFI area? I don't think the problem ever came up.

I've dialed local numbers and was automatically charged a very small amount, since they aren't included
in WIFI calling. I'm guessing that if we called out of a WIFI area, to the states, the plan would automatically kick in to the emergency plan.

It's been a while...senior moments, lol---- rereading what Boucharda wrote, I have the answer,
but would like to know if there is a directory
of Whatsapp numbers for local businesses in SXM?

I put my phone in airplane mode when I step on the plane in the US and leave it there until I return. If I need to use the International plan I would take it off and dial...but....it would cost 10 bucks for that call so use it for the 24 hours you have it. Most times when I land in a European country I will take it off when I land and use it for that day....especially during a road trip ....call the rental owner about arrival etc....then put it back in airplane mode the next day

Exactly what I do. I do have an island number and keep it active (when I remember) but barely use it. Didn’t use it once last trip as so many use WhatsApp I call on that.

That is what we do too.

We used to use SharonQueenofSXM (IIRC) for Chippie cellphone rentals. We used to pick up the phone at Royal Palm after arriving on the Island, and return it to her there on our way to the Airport at the end of our trip. Sure was convenient and the price was reasonable. Is she still in business?

No

That's what I have been doing, too. Thank-you all .

I just wasn't sure if I had to take it out of Airplane Mode to make an emergency call or not.
I had this picture in my mind of taking it out, and it roaming and receiving all the spam calls from home.

Great idea about traveling in Europe, if we ever get there again.

As a way of explanation, I have Visible service here in the states. Can't beat unlimited talk, text and data for $25 per month. However, it will not work at all in St. Maarten (not even sure I can do wifi calling using my phone # but will find out when I get there). I use whatsap and messenger but found many St. Maarten restaurants and businesses use neither. It was really aggravating wanting to make a dinner reservation with no good way to call. Also, I assume someone has to have the whatsap app for me to call them in the states. Too many folks I may want/need to call who don't have it. So....just looking for an easy and economical way to wifi call (or cell tower call) an actual phone # in the states and make local calls when desired. Listening to any and all suggestions.

You do not have to wait to get to SXM to try wifi calling....at home, put the sucker in airplane mode, turn wifi back on and make a call to a friend. I use it at my residence 'cuz the cell service sucks and the wifi works great

I make my calls from home via wifi calling. I don't put it on airplane mode. As long as I'm on wifi and signed in it automatically places call via wifi so I'm not using data.

Visible service? Is that the name or do you mean Verizon. Verizon works all over the island. 10.00 a day or I think 75 a month. Just put your phone in airplane mode and try using it in your house on WiFi. Sure driving around WiFi won’t work, but almost all establishments have WiFi you can sign into. You can call using WiFi on iMessage if you have an iPhone, you can call people through Facebook and Instagram. And WhatsApp which many have. Or worse case pay the 10:00 a day. Also another option is bring another phone and buy a chip pie. Or depending on where you are staying have the front desk (if hotel) make a reservation.

Hmmmm.....my Verizon S7 manual states calls will be made on the Verizon network and then, as a back up, wifi will be used if the signal is weak BUT the calls always drop out with the switchover so I just airplane Mode/WIFI all calls...and calls do not count against your data plan but if you have limited minutes they will count against that,,,,same with texts.

Visible is owned by Verizon. It is a no frills cheaper service that uses the same cell towers as Verizon. Will not work in St. Maarten. I pay $50 total per month for wife and my phones and have unlimited talk, text and data. Even have an unlimited hotspot although only one device can connect at a time. I knew going in that they did not have international calling. But given the money I am saving, I can easily afford to buy a sim card in St. Maarten and pay for the limited minutes I will be using. Just trying to make sure that is the best option.

Visible only has international calling available in Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Isles. Wifi calling works fine in the US. Visible has told me wifi calling from St. Maarten will work when calling back and forth to US but I cannot call any other country. I'm hoping they are right.

Ok. That makes sense. If you have an extra phone laying around, bring it and go to the MailBox and ask them to help put a chipie in it. That way you can make whatever calls on island you need - car rental, reservation, break down etc. then you are covered each way. Good luck!

Thanks. That's the plan at this point.

A related question: On Verizon, if you are in SXM and someone in the US calls your cell number, does the call go straight through to you. Also if you don't answer, would you be charged the $10 for any day when this happens? Might be better to pay the monthly international fee.

Your phone won't ring if it is on Airplane mode which you'll want to do to avoid exorbitant charge being connected. Have the people that you think will call you download Whatsapp for wifi calling or if you have an Iphone and they do too use Facetime on wifi.

You don't need whatsapp to do wifi calling back and forth to US. Put your phone on airplane mode before landing. Connect to wifi (which I assume you will have where you are staying), turn on wifi calling (Google it if you are not sure how to do) and you are good to call and text numbers back in the states. If you are not in airplane mode before landing, your phone will automatically connect to the closest available cell tower and you will be charged for any text or call downloaded to your phone.

You did not specify how you were "connected"...Travel Pass cell network or wifi. If cell network yes it will go straight through to you and also activate the $10/day thing...but in reality if you were not on airplane mode it would have been activated everyday by texts or emails received

If in airplane mode AND wifi activated then it will got straight to you at no cost to either side IF you are in a wifi area. Same with texts and emails....

I believe if your not in Airplane mode and your phone is on it will automatically start with charges as it's roaming and connecting with a tower.

Not unless you get a text/email/call...I (duh) forgot to put in Airplane mode the whole flight to Amsterdam...and.....as we were landing....my phone announced "Welcome to Amsterdam" ...travel pass available for use

I immediately put it in AP mode and had no charges

I have Verizon and turn off my cellular data, but do not put it in airplane mode because I want my kids to be able to reach me if they need me. It does not trigger the $10 pass automatically (although years ago, they did this in Europe and I complained because I did not answer yes to their texts - they credited the amount off and it has never happened again). We were in SXM for 2 weeks in Jan/Feb and my bill was about $6 total for the texts I sent and received. Last year, I was only charged the $1.79 per minute when I spoke with my daughter, which is still much less than the travel pass. I am not charged at all for calls that go to voicemail.

I think you answered my question. I recently installed my island number on my iPhone and turned my Verizon number into the “Digital E-Sim”. So I only need one phone and both numbers are on it. I’m assuming if I turn off “cellular data” for Verizon, it won’t trigger the 10 a day. But calls and texts can come in. And I just need to respond when on WiFi if I don’t want to get charged. But if I answer an incoming call on my US number there also won’t be a charge. For outgoing. I just select which number and dial. .

That's a new one to me....I don't understand how you can received/send texts over a cell network without having the cell network active....and pay the ten bucks....shutting off just cell data should not allow texts to be received or sent....

Educate me....difference between AP mode and "shutting off cell data".????...a nd....receiving cell calls? With no active Travel Pass?? What would be the point of travel pass if you could do everything without it?

What I have done since we are here for two weeks and need cell and data at all times or as close as we can get to it is paid for the Verizon Wireless International Monthly Plan that is upgraded to 2GB over the normal .5GB per day. I am on a business plan and the cost is $130 per month for each phone, we have two with us and note that I get a business discount so it really is lower than that for us. Note that the only thing I know about how much data I use is that I know when I only have .5GB I usually run out and that sucks when it throttles down and that will not work for MJ. So far using on day 1 for a full day we have been fine and have done Dutch and French side with zero issues. The real test will be Monday when it is a work day, but again so far it has been good and for us well worth it.

Life is good on island!

I have tmobile. Used it all over the island for three weeks. Didn't use the phone much, but had it with us everywhere we went. Made most calls through facebook and whatsapp. Got home, received bill for the three weeks, and it was like four bucks!! Tmobile is only .25/minute. Last year, did the same, but needed to use the phone almost every day to check in on our mothers. The total for three weeks then amounted to under Fifty Bucks.

lhbsurf...still waiting to hear how you could make/receive calls using a cell network without paying to connect to that network. Turning off data should just...well...turn off data. Cell network will still roam to connect and either charge per call or trigger the daily plan. At $1.79/minute it wouldn't take much time to reach the ten buck charge for one call anyway...with data left on

I was playing with my phone last night. iPhone 11pro. Yes. When you turn off “Cellular Data” your phone will still work. Just no data. I turned that off. And turned off WiFi. To pretend I was sitting on Mullet. My texts came through in “green bubbles”. I can still dial numbers. And if on sxm I would get charged 1.79 a minute. Texts are .05 incoming and .50 outgoing. So you will still get all incoming. Then respond when on WiFi. Or use and pay or turn on celluLar data and trigger the 10.00 a day

I understand that part..but...you are in the USA and still connected to your normal cell network,

Comment was that it is possible to use a cell network OUTSIDE the USA and not pay to connect to that network. Data is not the issue....voice phone calls is. Using wifi calling in AP mode removes the need to shut off data since it will be shut off by default and will use wifi for all the data (and calls) you need ...at zero cost to the USA

Example/question : I am in SXM and at the new BBB and have my data AND AP mode shut off. Someone calls me from home.....I can receive and answer the call and there will be no charge to either party...or $1.79/min to both?

If you are in Airplane mode then no - you get nothing unless you are are WiFi. But if you just turn off “cell data”. You will receive calls and texts. Pretty sure no charge for incoming, just outgoing. And incoming texts are a nickel and outgoing are .50 cents. Or turn on cell data and pay the 10.00 a day.

Interesting.....and thanks. Learned something new today. I will assume the person calling me in SXM will be charged as an international call...

I think AP mode left on and wifi on use still works better for me because I'm kinda a text machine....when away from the SBR wifi all texts I missed show up as soon as I enter the property.

But...good to know another option

No they won’t be charged. They are calling a US number. I will play with this in a few weeks and report back!!!

Excellent.....I still don't see how it is no charge to connect to a roaming network but I will take it as fact...and...from what you said you will not be charged for incoming calls AND they will not be charged for calling you ....so a freebee all around....which also kinda makes me suspicious

So I guess when I am anywhere in the world anyone can call me and we can talk forever and it will cost both parties zip......hmmmm ...sounds like a plan.

I don't know if it is my particular plan or what, but I only turn off cellular data. I still receive phone calls - spam goes straight to voice mail with no charge. If I answer from my kids it charges $1.79 per minute for phone calls. Texts are $.05 to receive .$.50 to send. No $10 day pass triggered.

What Kim is saying above is exactly what happens for me.


Edited to add: When I am at the condo - I use wifi and we FaceTime and iMessage at no charge. But I talked for a a bit with my daughter who was going through a divorce last year with no wifi and the only charges were $1.79 per minute, which still ends up cheaper than $10 per day.

Sooooo... $1.79/min charge for incoming and outgoing (I think)....got it. Makes sense now. Didn't think it was a freebee. (and it's $1.79 + 8.8% tax.). Still not attractive to me but go with what you are comfortable with

Personally if using that plan I would have the person text me and I would call them back on wifi as soon as I can

Interesting. When I didn’t have the travel plan I was never charged for incoming calls. Will have to research that. I don’t think it’s correct that there is a charge for incoming. Let’s say I get 15 calls from people wanting to sell be a service plan on my vehicle. Should I be charged? If so, that’s a gold mine for the phone companies. But I will double check on that

I think it makes sense that the person making the call (using the roam network) pays the price. I just don't about the USA person calling SXM....yes it's a USA cell number BUT using a roaming network. Not at all like wifi calling which does not use any network

Edit: HMMMMM

But - SXM Dutch side is on the North American calling plan. 1-721- It’s weird. But once I have the time I will double check old bills and if all fails will try it out when down in a few weeks.

I am only charged if I answer and talk. If it goes to voice mail, no charge.

My daughter was not charged a fee, as far as she is concerned, she's just calling my regular US number.

Edited to add:
It works this way all over the world and on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Azamara (before they were sold) cruise ships but sometimes the fees are different.... well, at least where I've tried.... Tahiti, Spain, Portugal, and several spots throughout the Caribbean.

For me, it's not worth the hassle to try to turn on and off the travel pass or text to call later. My kids know I'm in SXM and rarely call unless it's urgent. As when I'm home, I don't answer numbers I don't know and if I don't think it's urgent, I will text or iMessage when I have wifi. It's worth the peace of mind to me to have my phone available, not just for my kids, but my parents are getting older as well. Like you say, everyone's different, but it is worth the very minimal charges to me to not have to worry about it. All I do is turn off Celluar Data when I get on the plane for SXM (or anywhere) and turn it back on when I get back to the USA.

Except that switching to airplane mode while flying is a Federal requirement.

On another note...I guess Verizon eliminated the weekly Travel Pass plan that used to be $40....can't find it anywhere. I found a monthly $130 plan but no weekly

I turn mine off during flights.