I am sure many of you have been looking, without success, for $500 Amigo cards. Yesterday, a Telcel rep told me that this was because of fraud and that they would return "soon". I am having trouble with that explanation. You can recharge your account by paying direct at OXXO and other stores but for $500 you can only get $500 in credit, as opposed to the regular $900. That sucks. You can buy a $300 card and get $450 in credit, so it now costs you $600 for the $900 in credit, a fat 20% increase. So yesterday Mr. Bundy and I headed out to Telcel to search out if a monthly plan was acceptable or if we should just deal witht the 20% increase. One bit of good news is that after July 5 you have number portability so you can keep your existing number if you switch from the pay as you go Amigo to a plan. That is not the case if you were to switch today or if you switch to another service provider. Then, to really confuse us, the clerk kept trying to sell us a plan that was clearly more expensive than the Mas por Menos plan if you are more than a minimal user. To make it more confusing, all of the charges are not on the literature or the website and some that appear are quite confusing. Then she says that for a plan it is an 18 month contract but that you can cancel at anytime. Sounds like my deal with my ex girlfriend. Additionally you no longer see the yellow shirts at some of the more active intersections, with the guys and gals selling Amigo cards at red lights. Wasn't it Chicago that sang - "DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING?" No, I think the question was "... what time it is?" So what is going on and can anyone suggest the best plan for those of us who use one or more $500 cards per month?
My husband has the plan called "sin fin 2". He has 10 Telcel numbers that he can call free (for up to 4 mins at a time). The good thing is that for those 10 numbers there's no such thing as roaming. So he calls his brother in DF 15 times a day... Then he has some mins free to any cell provider's numbers. It's supposed to be $330 per month but he runs over (takes for more than the 4 mins) and usually pays $400 per month. He's on the phone ALL the fricking time with people in his "included 10". I don't have a plan, I just buy the $500 MXP cards (and get 900 mins). Last time I bought a card they were advertising that with a $500 MXP card you got free text msging. I don't use the phone that much and 900 mins last me for more than 2 months, usually 3 months. (It helps that my hubby has me as one of his "included 10" numbers.)
telcel TJ, I get credit on my Telcel phone electronically. I usually do this at Walmart. I added $200 pesos the other day and I swear I got "bonus" credit like one gets with the cards. That being said, I have added credit at Tok's and did not get any bonus credits. I'm like RG though....$500 pesos will last me months.
Right, TJ, the $500 don't exist anymore since they re(de)-organized the company about 2 months ago. I think I got the last one. I have been told too that "they would probably put it back soooooon". Not sure it is about frauds, more likely if they can make more money, they find a way. And to limit the transfers cell to cell, so they offer a service but prevent you to use it. Of course Susan, you get the same bonus whatever way you use to recharge it. Are you sure about Tok's? Since my cell phone serves more to call the plumber/electrician/carpinter etc... or if I go see someone and can't find the direction and to be called, I am not interested in a plan and 10 free numbers. I call my friends and family on their landline. I can't call a "free number" in France yet but Skype and Yahoo Messenger are sooooo great. :lol:
telcel JL, I recall getting credit at Tok's and having the guy tell me that, if I paid for $500 pesos of air time, I would only get $500 pesos worth. I am pretty sure that I checked the balance afterwards and only had $500 additional pesos of credit. I am old and forgetful and can't be sure though. I know that I always add credit at Walmart and have always gotten the bonus credits. Regarding free calls to France, I have my phone service (VoIP) with Vonage and they offer free calls to France. You pay a monthly fee for their service though. I believe Skype just charges you by the minute. Here is link for Vonage. If you decide to sign up, let me know as we both get free months of service, I think! http://www.vonage.com/intrates.php?lid=nav_intrates&refer_id=WEBIN0706010003W1
I got this from another member of the board and when I tried it, it worked. In this example we will be transferring 99 pesos from one phone to another. On your phone, go to text, and create message. In your message you will type ONLY the number to which you are sending to so: your text message will be: xxx-xxx-xxxx (without spaces or hyphens) then do only ONE space, then enter 99 (for the amount of pesos that you are sending). Now hit send. The number that you are texting TO will be 7373. Now press send again. Done! You will receive a message back form telcel saying that the transaction has been done. The receiving phone will also receive the same message and will say where they received the minutes from.
I know, M., how to do it.... But thanks, I am sure it interests many posters. Sorry, I was not clear, I meant with 500+400, you could transfer $500 (not the gift) in 5 o 6 days, so it was very interesting. You still had 400 to spend. You can still do it, but with smaller amounts. Susan, are you getting old??? :lol: :lol: :lol: I didn't see it was for $500, I must be getting old. :wink:. I will email you for the Vonage.
Straight scalping is all this is... Mexico already has the highest telcom prices in the world, and now the little "freebies" are getting downsized. A good friend who has himself and all of his employees on the 10 numbers unlimited plan was just informed that the 10 numbers will become 3 for his next bill. I told him to get nextel, so they can use the radio instead, but even thats like $50 bucks a month or so per phone with them.
HOT OFF THE PRESS $900 FOR $500 IS BACK They were selling new $500 Amigo Cards a whle ago on Yaxchilan, in front of Plaza Las Avenidas. There is a God.
Be Careful I bought a card at a bodega last month. It was sealed in the typical cellophane envelope. When I entered the card number I got a message that the number had already been used. I re-entered the number a couple of times to make sure I hadn't made a mistake, but it was no use. Naturally the bodega wouldn't refund or exchange the card and my only other option was to go to TelCel on Tulum and stand on line for a portion of my life to see if I could get a refund. Balancing the odds of getting my money back versus the odds of having a mental breakdown while waiting on an endless line, I just chucked the card and chalked it up to experience. Lesson learned: Only buy your fichas from a reputable dealer and get a receipt. And truthfully, I don't know if that would help either.
