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. Check "Pay Per Call" options, below. Also Mexican rules now make it much harder to buy a new phone or SIM, see our Note. Get Coverage Maps for Mexican carriers. Get more Mexican roaming details on our News Blog. This page updated June 24, 2009.

• 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, they charge users .99 per minute roaming charges. For an additional $6 per month you can subscribe to their "World Traveler" service which enables you to make and receive calls in Mexico for "only" .59 per minute. You need to make 16 minutes of calls in Mexico per month to be worth it. Mexico roaming works for both postpaid and GoPhone customers, both at .99/minute. Text Messaging is .50 Sent, .20 Received.
  
  
• 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. Rates are .99/min. Text Messaging is not available, but internet access is currently Free!
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• Verizon:
  Verizon uses the smaller 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. Also, 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 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.
  
  
  

• Mexitel Phone Rental:
  This service sends you a TelCel cell phone and you can then purchase prepaid minutes locally. The rates to and from the US are more favorable than using your own phone and SIM and "Pay Per Call" can be easily activated. You check a calendar to see if your week is available. The phone is sent to you before your trip and you mail it back when you return. While the process seems complicated before and after your trip and a phone may not be available during busy weeks, it may be more hassle-free while on your trip.
• T-Mobile Hot Spot and Skype Phones:
  Some Mexico visitors have been able to use their Skype and T-Mobile Hot Spot phones when their phone reaches any accessible wi-fi signal. Skype actually promotes the international use of their phones in this manner. Most wi-fi hotspots we encountered are protected.
• NET 10, a prepaid wireless service, offers an "International Neighbors" plan that gives you a local number in Mexico or Canada, and allows calls to be made back to the Net 10 phone in the US, charged only as a Local call in those countries. The cost to the Net 10 phone user is the same as any incoming call, .10 a minute. Outgoing calls to these countries are only 15 cents per minute. This would make a Mexico prepaid phone very economical.
• International SIM Cards:
  A web search reveals dozens of companies that will send you a SIM card that will work in a specific country or internationally. We don't have a recommendation but some companies offer their own English-speaking customer service, "permanent" cell numbers and US access numbers. Prices vary widely. We fear once the supply is exhausted, the new rules will not permit re-sellers to sell SIM's without thorough documentation.