We will be in Cancun for 9 days in Dec. Just looking for some advice on iphone usage. We both have one so would it be wise to only bring one, or both? How much is the WiFi at the hotel? I know we can put it on airplane mode and it will only run off WiFi but is that the way to go? I want to be able to contact my kids either through text or facebook while we are away. Thank you in advance! It is 30 days, 12 hours, 18 minutes, 3 seconds until Tuesday, December 6, 2011
I have an iphone with ATT here. Get the Mexico plan and then cancel about 30 days later. Otherwise the price is expensive. We used it to call home. Forget the data, etc. unless you want to spend major bucks. Signal is good at TTR Cancun. Dialing is *1 area code, no. In addition to airplane mode, there is a setting on the iphone for international data -- check the settings it is easy to find. It needs to be off so the iphone doesn't continue to automatically download stuff you really don't care about. Let me know if you can't find it.
for sure turn off data roaming!!! very very expensive!! you can still make calls and texts but it turns off internet(facebook gets pricy very fast). with ATT you can buy cheaper blocks of data useage but its still pricy if someone sends you an email with pictures or if you do. in this case turn off automatic downloads until your in a wifi friendly area. Hooters has free wifi as does Slices. frank
iphone I have an iphone and the mexico plan....the plan cost $5 a month and you get 50 free text a month....text after that are .35 cents I believe....everyone is right data has to be turned off...when you arive in cancun you will recieve a text from att or one of there carriers there telling you data roaming will cost like $19.95....and we was told by att that the phone will always roam and each time it connects it will charge you $19.95.... it cost $10 a day to have wifi in your room if your room is in a spot where it can recieve it....but I believe its free in the loby....im sure there is a way to recieve wifi without turning on data roaming but ive never had the nerve to try it down there.....texting is really not that bad we text every day and usually raises our bill for the month about $100.....if ya want the net a laptop is the way to go!!
When we were there last time we did the ATT texting plan and it was 50 out going and unlimited incoming texts for $5.
We were in Playa in February and my sister did not turn off roaming. $700 for 9 days of roaming on the data plan. We change with Verizon to the Mexico plan it runs about 10 extra for the week and turn off the data. It allows you to recieve and call the states. they prorate the plan so activate and cancel when you get back. We did it twice this year while in Mexico and it is great.
I turned off the data settings completely and just had wifi turned on. We got wifi access free from TTR because of some compensating factors on their end, but it only works in the lobby and sometimes by the sexy pool. If your room is close to the lobby it may work, but I couldn't get access much past the spa entrance, intermittently in the buffet, or past the sexy pool. The connection was really slow too, took forever to upload pictures to Facebook. Email worked fine with wifi. My daughter works for Verizon customer service and she told me that people call all the time because they didn't realize they had to turn off the data settings and got stuck with a $500-$2000 phone bill in extra roaming charges. Verizon will NOT refund those charges, it is up to the customer to know what to do to avoid them!! I found this information before I left to make sure I turned everything off, and it worked perfectly: Using iPhone while in another country Avoid International iPhone Data Roaming Charges Also, TTR phones cost $20 per minute to call the US!! Don't use those phones for anything other than calling the front desk! I used Facebook to communicate with my kids at home, but hated that I had to go to the lobby to send/look at messages. I didn't answer any of the calls I got while there, basically just turned my iPhone on silent. What helped a lot with the wifi was getting updates on the bad weather we were having. The cable TV in the room doesn't have The Weather Channel or any other news channel that will give you weather updates. We were in the middle of a pretty major storm and it was kind of scary. I was grateful for being able to get updates from TWC online to see what was going on, and if it was going to get worse. Before we got the wifi, I had to go about a day and a half without internet access and I was embarrassed at how uncomfortable that was - but mostly due to the storm and feeling like I had no access to any helpful information. I was taken back to 20+ years ago really quick, felt weird how dependent I was on the internet, and am grateful it exists!! My husband didn't even bring his phone and the only "adjustment" we had to make was if we did anything separately at the hotel I couldn't text him to figure out where he was and where to meet him - another thing we took for granted and quickly brought me back to life before cell phones and texting (was inconvenient!). LOL We didn't want those roaming charges, they really do add up!
WiFi is free for Premier members and costs $15/day otherwise. You can use the WiFi for both phones, but will have to log in whenever you change phones. The WiFi works good in some areas and not as well in others. Your phone should have international roaming turned off, but I would make sure.
