Mexico - Phone Cards

[Steve in Mexico]

Anyone have any experience using phone cards to call back to US from mexican riviera ports cabo san lucas, mazatlan, and puerto vallarta? Some posts have suggested prepaid cards from telmex as a good alternative, and the US companies like ATT and MCI won't work. Just wanted to see if anyone any actual experience in doing this.. :cool:

[vossjemi]

Yes. We bought a telmex card last year. There is actually a phone station right at the pier where you can buy the card and call. I think the card averages out to around 45cents/minute. There are also places in town where you can buy cards, which is what we did. We had no problem except the jackhammer across the street reared up just as our call went through!!! So, I'd recommend calling at the pier! But, it was a great deal and a great way to call home to ck on the kids!;)

[PokrChick]

We bought an AT&T card at Sam's Club (Wal-Mart has them too) and were able to use them to call home from Mex Riv. The rates were something like 9 or 10 minutes for each minute on the call. Meaning, I bought a card good for 600 minutes (cost about $20), it was good for 60 minutes or so to call home. That worked out to less than 35 cents per minute. I found it confusing on how to use the phones and ultimately ended up with an operator helping me place the call. Make sure you get the '800' number access for Mexico before you go. You can get it from the phone number on the back of the card.

[creempuff0530]

I bought a telmex card right at the pier shops in Mazatlan. It was $10 and I still have time left on it I think!!:) I used this card to make calls in Cabo as well.

[D4]

I was at those 3 ports in July. I just look for the little phone businesses that are set up near the ports where you can call the USA on their phones. I think we paid 50 or 75 cents/minute in Mazatlan. We paid $5 for 10 minutes of phone calls in Puerta Vallarta. We didn't try calling home from Cabo.

 

I've tried different phone cards in the past, but often encounter problems using them.

[vossjemi]

I've seen posts in the past about buying calling cards in the states as most of the international cards here let you call FROM the US TO Mexico (or whatever country type card you are buying). I've read posts from people who bought AT&T cards, Sprint Cards, etc... thinking they'd work and they didn't. You have to be sure you are buying a card that will let you call FROM Mexico TO the US and not the other way around. I also remember someone posting a link to a website with prepaid phone cards you could buy online, but I didn't save it and can't recall it now. maybe someone else can?

[imsulin]

Get a Telmex card..easy to do, and they work! I get them from a local Mexican restaurant before I even leave for the cruise or resort.

[betonic]

Since I live in Mexico I can say with 100% certainty that a telmex card is the way to go. You can buy them in any convenience store and in many restaurants. They come in 30, 50 and 100 peso increments. A call to the states costs 5 pesos a minute. These cards can only be used in a white, box type pay phone (will not look like a standard silver American type) you just slide your card in and dial 001 area code and number. There's a digital screen on the phone that tells you how many minutes and seconds you have remaining.

 

I have tried with an AT&T, it can be done but is more complicated.

 

Have a great vacation.

 

Nicole