Cellular Roaming in Mexico
Using your cellular phone south of the border is quite different. This page reviews your options. All prices are in US dollars. Mexican rules now make it much harder to buy a new phone or SIM, see our Note. Get Coverage Maps for Mexican carriers. This page updated January 22, 2010.
Our Recommendations

• Alltel:
  Their "North America Freedom" plans start at $60 and include 450 anytime minutes for calls made from any of the three North American countries, 1,000 Night & Weekend minutes, and Unlimited Mobile to Mobile calls within the US only. You are paying $20 more per month than a 'normal' calling plan, so the calls certainly aren't free. Another problem is that few people live within Alltel's service area. If you're clever, you might sign up for this plan from another area of the country, but you won't have a local number. Another challenge is that Alltel uses CDMA technology, which is limited to certain areas of Mexico. Alltel also cautions, you still need to watch for the Roaming indicator. We expect this plan to be discontinued, but could be "grandfathered" for divested Alltel customers. Alltel also offers a .79 per minute (plus Long Distance charges) roaming rate with the remainder if its plans. If you cannot sign up for an Alltel plan in areas where Verizon Wireless has taken over Alltel service, Verizon offers their own Mexico Roaming plans.
  
  
• AT&T:
  Since they use GSM technology, coverage is extensive throughout Mexico, however, AT&T charges users .99 per minute roaming charges. Text Messaging is .50 Sent, .20 Received. AT&T offers a "Viva Mexico" plan that includes calls to & from Mexico for no additional charges. For an additional $5 per month you can add their "WorldConnect Mexico" service to a regular plan which enables you to make and receive calls in Mexico for "only" .69 per minute. Mexico roaming also works for AT&T GoPhone customers at only .25/minute, with no daily access fee.
  
  
• Nextel:
  Nextel Roaming in Mexico has good coverage within their service areas which includes much of the interior of Mexico, many highways and some coastal resorts. Voice rates are .99/minute, Direct Connect calls are .20 each. Text Messaging is not available, but internet access is currently Free!
  
  
• Page Plus:
  Page Plus Cellular is one of our preferred prepaid services, using the Verizon network in the US. Their phones will roam in Mexico on the same networks as Verizon, with a rate of $1.10/minute, which is only slightly higher than Verizon's own Mexico roaming rate. This includes calls to Mexico and USA numbers.
  
  
• Sprint:
  Sprint phones use the CDMA network in Mexico, but Sprint claims only a few of their phone models will work there. Sprint's Mexico roaming fees are $1.69 per minute for both incoming and outgoing calls in Mexico. Text Messaging is not available.
  
  
• T-Mobile:
  T-Mobile phones work well in Mexico since they also use GSM technology, but T-Mobile's roaming charges are $1.49 for calls both incoming and outgoing in Mexico. Roaming works for both postpaid and prepaid customers. Text Messaging is .35 Sent, .20 Received.
  
  
• TracFone:
  Tracfone does not offer roaming outside the US, but they have favorable long distance rates to and from Mexico (and Canada). With their "International Neighbors" plan you get a local number in Mexico or Canada that allows calls to be made back to a TracFone in the US, charged only as a Local call in those countries. The cost to the TracFone phone user is the same as any incoming call. Outgoing calls to these countries with a TracFone are Free through their International Long Distance (ILD) service, which involves calling a toll-free number, then entering your Mexico number (or to 60 other countries). Since your TracFone will not work in Mexico (or any other country) this option would make a Mexico prepaid phone economical. NET10 prepaid phones offer the same services.
  
  
• Verizon:
  Verizon uses the smaller Mexican CDMA network, but if your Verizon phone finds a signal, it will work. They offer "Nationwide Plus Mexico" which allows free roaming in Mexico for about $15 more than regular plans. Instead of Unlimited Nights and Weekends you will get 1,000 Night & Weekend minutes that can be used in the US or Mexico, but your Unlimited Mobile to Mobile and "Friends & Family" calls are limited to within the US only. Plans without free Mexico Roaming, incur a charge of .99 per minute for both incoming and outgoing calls within Mexico. Text Messaging in Mexico is .50 Sent, .20 Received.
  
  
  
  

• Note: in 2009 the Mexican government began requiring anyone signing up for cellular cellular service or a SIM to provide proper identification. In the case of US visitors, the best, and maybe only, acceptable ID is your passport. As a result, the small dealers and kiosks either cannot sell you a new cellular phone or SIM, you must buy one at a corporate cellular store. We suspect increasing drug problems have required this move, however, it is already common in many other foreign countries. This has made it a LOT more inconvenient to sign up for Mexican cellular service, especially when there is only one or two qualifying stores in each town, with several available in Mexico City. If there is any upside, it is at these 'official' outlets you can subscribe to a "Pay Per Call" plan. If you feel the time, expense and effort justifies overcoming this hurdle, here are the options with each major Mexican cellular Carrier:
  
  
• TelCel offers the best coverage in the country, and sells a nice prepaid package, "Amigo", that includes phone, SIM ("chip") and a prepaid card. They may still offer just the SIM, some of which have minutes already loaded on them. You can bring your own "Unlocked" GSM phone and plug in the TelCel SIM. Your GSM carrier (AT&T, T-Mobile and others) MAY provide you with your unlock code. If not, or you if don't subscribe to those networks, you can buy an unlocked GSM phone online or at eBay, and use that phone on the TelCel network. Calls TO the US are roughly $1.40 per minute, and incoming calls are much cheaper, usually free. TelCel offers a plan with reasonable charges for calls to the US, called "Pay Per Call" (Por Llamada). With Pay Per Call you pay about $1.20 for up to 15 minutes calling time FROM Mexico TO the US. And if you wanted a link from one phone to another while in Mexico, Mobile to Mobile calls are about .60 per call, also for up to 15 minutes. Local calls are .60 for 15 minutes. However, they have made the "Pay Per Call" plan difficult to get., Users report that these rates only apply to calls made from the city in which your account is activated. Calls made outside that area are charged as much as 60% more. There are also reports of additional charges made to phones not based in the town from which you are calling. While these charges are difficult to track, they still may be the most economical option. If you can, ask as many questions at a TelCel store about what charges apply to your specific calls. Also, our TelCel refills don't "roll over". Add a new prepaid card and you lose some or all of your previous minutes. TelCel refills are available at many retail outlets. A few still sell the refill cards, but most now take your number and enter your purchase in the computer, which is immediately credited to your phone. Most OXXO stores can perform this and are quite common.
  
• Movistar offers prepaid options and their network is now almost as good as TelCel's. You can also buy a Movistar SIM only and use your own, "Unlocked" GSM phone, with the above Noted limitations. Movistar also offers "Pay Per Call" (Movistar Por Llamada) Official Movistar retailers are hard to find, but refills are available at many convenience stores like OXXO through the store's computer. For about $1.20 you get 15 minutes of calling time to the US. Their web site claims there are no additional Pay Per Call charges while roaming, and the lack of user complaints seems to confirm that. However, you would be advised to ask. Movistar claims assistance in Spanish & English at *611, including emergency calls, and local tourism information at *2424, however, we have never been able to access any English-speaking assistance at Movistar, either on cellular, or at their national toll-free number. Like TelCel, Movistar calls to 611 and to get your balance involve a charge.
  
• Iusacel currently uses a CDMA network that is not as expansive as the other carriers in Mexico. While their rates are similar to TelCel and Movistar, you must buy their phone. They don't use SIM's. They do have a few stores and kiosks and if you can get a deal on one of their prepaid phones, their pay-per-call plan gives you 20 minutes per call instead of the 15 offered by the other carriers...not really enough to make a difference. We couldn't find any "official" Iusacel stores from which to make a purchase.
  
• Nextel of Mexico is a different company than the US version. Their coverage is better within the interior of Mexico and not as extensive around the resorts, but it works very well within their service area. They do not offer much for the short-time visitor but have a big following among business people. See Nextel Roaming, Above.
  
  Mexican cellular phones are much more reasonable for local calls, and incoming calls, including those from the US, are often free. They also have good rates for "mobile to mobile" calls within each Mexican city for family members to keep in touch with each other. Beware there still could be significant 'roaming' or long distance charges if you make calls away from the city where you originally purchased service. If you don't speak Spanish you won't understand as many of the benefits or pitfalls. Since you must buy a phone or SIM at an official store, they do try to locate them near tourist zones, but it still may not be worth the bother.
  
  
  

• The Easiest option is to just pay roaming fees with your current carrier. You would be surprised how efficiently you can communicate when you pay by the minute. Text rates may be quite reasonable. So, your costs may be less than you think.
• The Cheapest option is to buy an AT&T GoPhone and Call Forward your calls to that phone while you are in Mexico. GoPhone rates are .25/minute for voice calls, Text is more. You may be charged per minute for Call Forwarding from your forwarded line, but if you are a regular AT&T customer, those calls may be billed as Mobile to Mobile. Otherwise, if it's a problem, you can return the call and be charged outgoing minutes only. GoPhone can be purchased online, sometimes for less than $15. Some phones include $15 to $50 of Airtime Credit. The SIM that comes with an Airtime Credit will be locked to that phone for 4 months.
• If you use Lot of Minutes, consider the carriers that offer plans that include Mexico roaming.