Look how old this is! I post at SearchCommander.com now, and this post was published 18 years 10 months 29 days ago. This industry changes FAST, so blindly following the advice here *may not* be a good idea! If you're at all unsure, feel free to hit me up on Twitter and ask.
I was lucky enough to just spend 10 full days in Puerto Vallarta. Sorry I didn’t write… However, now that I’m back and well rested, I thought I’d share some travel tips…
Call your cellular company before you leave to get on a “no roaming charges” plan. If you don’t like the answer you get, try hanging up and calling back. Cingular and Verizon both have free calling plans that you can get on in Puerto Vallarta, and most of the resort cities, but I was the first hand recipient of wrong information, and it would have cost me nearly $300 in roaming and long distance charges.
After being told in December by Verizon “No, Mr Hendison, I’m sorry, but the best you can do is 69 cents a minute”. When it comes to vacations, I have to have a phone, or I can’t go, so I figured I’d just pay. Then I casually griped about it to someone, anticipating an outrageous charge for the 10 days.
She told me she had just gotten back from Puerto Vallarta, and she DID change her “plan” for that 10 days and got free calls all day long. So…I called back Verizon, and sure enough, they had a plan for me to change to.
Then, while in PV, I met someone else with Verizon who found that she got no signal. I suspect that she just forgot to update her roaming with *228 before leaving town. (Either that or her phone was so old that her model wouldn’t work )
As far as service goes, I only had voice, and no data on my phone, so email was out. There were no reception problems though, on my Treo 650.
Also, be aware that on most phones, it is possible to program in the US country code (001) as a prefix so you can still use the address book. If I were making a lot of calls, that would be a must do, so call your phone company before going…
For good info on cel phone specifics in and around other parts of Mexico, I found TomZap.com to be real helpful. Tom even emailed me back! Thanks Tom.
For internet access, there are web cafes and bars everywhere in Pueto Vallarta for as little as $6 an hour. Most of the decent hotels also offer a computer room with one or more pc’s that they rent by the 1/4 hour.
The downside to depending on the hotel computer room is the limited hours of operation, and others using or waiting to use it. I saw the four PC’s at my hotel full every time I walked by!
My own hotel had wireless access for $70 a week with my laptop. It only worked in and around the lobby, and that’s about all anyone offers at this point. There is no cellular digital service, so my Verizon EVDO card didn’t work.
If you have no wireless card, and want t obuy dialup access while you’re there, you should be able to find a provider here, but why bother?
Verizon no longer offers this plan.
How timely. What a coincidence! I’m in PV at the moment, and am replying to this via blackberry from my deck, watching the sun set. Ain’t technology great?
What a difference 2 years makes. Data too, no problem.
What a coincidence. I’m sitting here on my deck in PV watching the sunset, answering from my Verizon Blackberry. Access has. Been good the whole time I’ve been her (a week) with no complaints. Update roaming (*228) before leaving the States and all should be fine.
I have Verizon cellular service, and in the past (2006) service has been spotty in PV. 2007 reception was great, though. I am headed there soon and the Verizon North American plan is unavailable. I can make roaming calls at two bucks a pop to check on the inlaws. That’s my only option aside from text messages, which will cost 55 cents total each.
Hey Guys I just thought I’d let you know that I’m using a Verizon EVDO card and it’s working right now. My plan is for Vegas but its working fine out here in PV.
Cool Donovan 😉 – Have a Margarita for me!
Hey Scott I’ve just officially downed 2 for you! 🙂
Hey Scott I just wanted to let you know that I received my bill from Verizon today and was hit with a $2,700.00 charge for using my wireless card out in PV… unhappy days!
Holy CR*P! – Unreal…
When I phoned before leaving for Mexico, they told me there would be no roaming charges, and I saked them to make a notation on my account that verified that.
When I got my bill, there were nearly $500 in charges, so I phoned, and that notation saved me, they reversed all charges.
Someone must be making a killing on this scam – you would think there would be a safety or something triggering a phone call to you for verification, like they do with your credit card if you start spending while out of the country.
Hey Scott I’m back out here in PV just thought I’d fill you in on a cell service I’m using. I picked up a local number for my iphone with moviestar and they only charge 8 cents for every 15 minutes you call the US… pretty cool if your mobile and cant use Skype or Vonage.
I just followed on Twitter; donovanroddy
Thanks for the update – good to know! – Yo, what’s up with your website? Blank white page? ahhhh. i see – intentional
Most coffee shops and even places like Blue Chairs Beach have free Wi-Fi all you have to do is ask for the code, and places like PV.com Cafe give you 15 min free with your coffee so you can at least check your e-mail. I-phone doesn’t seem to work well here with ATT, You have to be standing in the right spot, LOL.
I live full time in PV, no more California Boy, Mexican Person.