Calling US from Mexico....what is the best way?

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I am taking a trip to the grand mayan resort in Nueva Vallarta and will need to call the US 1-3 Xs per day.
What is the easiest (but also inexpensive) way to do this?
Pre-paid calling card? - purchased where?
I have phone service at home thru my cable company - optimum online - and my cell service is thru Verizon.
Can I call from the room and access an outside company or will there be a big surcharge?
TIA

[buff Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close buff]

Made all my long distance calls from a shop in the middle of Paradise village mall phone store for around 12 or 13 cents a minute maybe cheaper

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Did u use a calling card????

[flexible Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close flexible]

I am taking a trip to the grand mayan resort in Nueva Vallarta and will need to call the US 1-3 Xs per day.
What is the easiest (but also inexpensive) way to do this?
Pre-paid calling card? - purchased where?
I have phone service at home thru my cable company - optimum online - and my cell service is thru Verizon.
Can I call from the room and access an outside company or will there be a big surcharge?
TIA

Hi Pat,

We were at Mayan Palace Nuevo Vallarta from November 1 - December 20, 2008.

GUESS WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They finally have INTERNET in the rooms! I even met the representatives of the company that installed the dishes for the signals one day.

I started to pickup the signal in the room before December 1, but sometime early December they increased the bandwith.

I used SKYPE's unlimited calling plan to 36 countries for $12.95 for one month.

The charge to use internet in the Mayan Palace room was about $75 US per week. You could pay daily or for a few days also.

Also, in case you don't want to bring you laptop - I met a group that said they paid Mayan for a code to call US/Canada for a flat rate for one week. I think it was about $80 and they could all use the phone from the room.

Hope this helps,

Georgeann

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I think that all my cousins used there Verizon cell phones which all worked well there at the MP and paid 99 cents a min.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

I am taking a trip to the grand mayan resort in Nueva Vallarta and will need to call the US 1-3 Xs per day.
What is the easiest (but also inexpensive) way to do this?
Pre-paid calling card? - purchased where?
I have phone service at home thru my cable company - optimum online - and my cell service is thru Verizon.
Can I call from the room and access an outside company or will there be a big surcharge?
TIA

My cell phone wasn't working this morning and our resort charged me $10 to make an 800 call to AT&T in the USA. The sur charges are terrible at some resorts. Our cell phone cost us $.49 per minute so I rather use that as it is so much more convenient. The monthly roaming charge is $4.99 per month. If you don't pay that, the calls are $.99 per minute so it depends how many calls you make. We prefer the roaming charge. Renting a phone is quite expensive but you can buy one for about $30 and use a pre-paid calling card. Using the cell phone is easier. JMHO.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Hi Pat,

We were at Mayan Palace Nuevo Vallarta from November 1 - December 20, 2008.

GUESS WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They finally have INTERNET in the rooms! I even met the representatives of the company that installed the dishes for the signals one day.

I started to pickup the signal in the room before December 1, but sometime early December they increased the bandwith.

I used SKYPE's unlimited calling plan to 36 countries for $12.95 for one month.

The charge to use internet in the Mayan Palace room was about $75 US per week. You could pay daily or for a few days also.

Also, in case you don't want to bring you laptop - I met a group that said they paid Mayan for a code to call US/Canada for a flat rate for one week. I think it was about $80 and they could all use the phone from the room.

Hope this helps,

Georgeann

I didn't know that you can use Skype in Mexico. I thought that TelCel doesn't allow it. That would be cheaper yet. I really like having our laptop in the room but it is $100 per week at this resort and the signal is weak so they tell us to sit outside on the patio. It is freezing cold even in the daytime!

[flexible Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close flexible]

I didn't know that you can use Skype in Mexico. I thought that TelCel doesn't allow it. That would be cheaper yet. I really like having our laptop in the room but it is $100 per week at this resort and the signal is weak so they tell us to sit outside on the patio. It is freezing cold even in the daytime!

Skype to Skype is free and you can see the other person with your webcam. For $12.95 I can call 36 countries for one month. US Land AND Mobile phones are included BUT UK/Ireland is for LAND lines only. Most of Mexico is not included. The big cities are sometimes free. Otherwise Mexican LAND phones are 2 cents a minute but MOBILE phones cost more per minute.

p.s. where are you that it is COLD?

also, I can't remember if I mentioned it before but your photos are incredible!

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Double post.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

We are in Nuevo Vallarta. Everyone is complaining how cold it is this year. The sun is out every day but the wind makes it so cold. I haven't seen a person in the ocean yet. Thanks for the compliment on the photos. I didn't take a camera with me this time because we see nothing new except for a pelican in the swimming pool. We need to make a change.

[flexible Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close flexible]

We are in Nuevo Vallarta. Everyone is complaining how cold it is this year. The sun is out every day but the wind makes it so cold. I haven't seen a person in the ocean yet.

We are at Velas Vallarta. They have solar panels over the laundry area (a huge building) and they help heat the large heated pool. I noticed several resorts nearby have solar panels.

I heard the Grand Mayan pool with the water fountain is heated but I am not sure. When I was there Nov/Dec I sometimes went to the Sea Garden pool which is smaller and retained the heat from the sun better.

How long are you in the area? We drove down for the season. I would love to meet you if you have time.

[flexible Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close flexible]

I didn't know that you can use Skype in Mexico. I thought that TelCel doesn't allow it. That would be cheaper yet. I really like having our laptop in the room but it is $100 per week at this resort and the signal is weak so they tell us to sit outside on the patio.

We were in the blue tower/5th floor. I called the company that set up WiFi and they told me where the signals were coming from. One was from the restaurant roof below and two were above.

You might want to call them to find out where the signals are coming from to your room.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

We are here till February 7. We are at your sister resort (Grand Velas) and then two weeks at the Buganvilias and then back here again. There are a few other people here so we could meet together or alone. That would be nice.

[buff Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close buff]

Ask owners services at the buganvillas about the new sales manager they hired from the grand mayan. Could get very ugly there I hear.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Okay, now for a DOPEY question.....

How do I dial my cell phone from Mexico to USA?

such as - what numbers do I dial FIRST before the USA number?

I assume I have to dial 631-287-XXXX the usual phone number - what digits go before these?

edit - GREAT news about the wireless, I will bring my laptop!!