Verizon Cell Phone Coverage in Puerto Rico

[flem1064]

We called Verizon ahead of time, to find out what the rules were for cell phones in Puerto Rico, and we got a different answer each time we called. It ranged from "Full coverage with no extra charges" to "No, it's an international call, $4.95 per minute", yada, yada, yada.

 

What I believe to be true is that if your Verizon phone is not showing the Roaming indicator, your call will be handled as if it were in the US. Meaning regular minutes or mobile-to-mobile if that's the case.

 

If your phone is roaming, then you're going to pay more. The point of this post was to let people know that we just had four phones in Puerto Rico, and we were not able to place any call, even to voice mail, without the roaming indicator illuminating, so we didn't make calls.

 

I'm sure other people have been able to make calls, but we didn't want to risk paying for roaming calls.

[Wennfred]

I will let you know in the next few weeks when we get our next bill, we didnt see the verizon signal on the display in P.R. but we did make some calls.

 

We had no signal in St. Thomas, I think we don't have the international plan, thats why.

 

 

Fred

[Sandi149]

I have Verizon and my phone said roaming and we weren't charged anything. As a matter of fact, it didn't even show up on the bill. Maybe a mistake, I don't know.

[Wennfred]

I have Verizon and my phone said roaming and we weren't charged anything. As a matter of fact, it didn't even show up on the bill. Maybe a mistake, I don't know.

 

Sandi, in P.R. thats what my phone said, Roaming something.

 

 

Fred

[Sandi149]

Sandi, in P.R. thats what my phone said, Roaming something.

 

 

Fred

 

When I called Verizon before we left, they said PR was included and St. Thomas would be 69 cents per minute which it was.

[Wennfred]

When I called Verizon before we left, they said PR was included and St. Thomas would be 69 cents per minute which it was.

 

Good, glad I didnt use it in St. Thomas :D

[sweetjem]

FYI last year I downloaded everything they told me and gave me a story about you are not charged extra well I got a bill and it was 250 more then I pay I was hot as ever and they did nothing but off 50 off that roamming chages NEVER again .

[DG2004]

we used our phones in several parts of San juan with no trouble, and I dont remember anything crazy on the bill

 

 

I hope that is some kind of help

[tnsail]

Before we went to PR last May we had to be pre-approved for international calling... St. Thomas was covered under the US rate also... Because of our plan it was charged as roaming @ 0.69 per minute but we were able to use the cell phone....

 

We had to make sure that we were away from the ship in St. Thomas so that we weren't charged the international rate..... Your choice of calling plan determines the cost per minute for roaming.....:cool:

 

Joey

[bakechef]

I think that the deal with Puerto Rico is that there may be one signal that you can use for free, because of their roaming contract, and probably another company using the same technology that charges roaming.

 

I would say that if your phone says "Verizon Wireless" or "Extended Network" you should be fine, but if it says Roaming, than you may be charged, that is what I have found to be true with my Verizon phone and I have used it many places for many years.

 

MAC

[Wennfred]

Thats what it was while in P.R. it said Extended Network.

 

 

Fred

[bakechef]

Thats what it was while in P.R. it said Extended Network.

 

 

Fred

 

I have used Verizon for 10 years and in my experience have never been charged for calls on extended network, so you should be fine, and according to their coverage map, Puerto Rico is pretty much covered.

 

I think it just comes down to knowing what the banner text on your phone means, Roaming always has cost me money.

 

MAC

[Beth]

My daughter in law is from Puerto Rico and goes there frequently to see family and calls our son and us and no extra charge and she is Verizon. I also call Puerto Rico when she is ther with no extra charge.

[wyomingirl]

I just talked to Verizon on Friday as we will be cruising on 4/20. If you have a new plan the rate is for Puerto Rico is $.69 but with an old plan there is no charge:D . She also said she downloaded an int'l roaming program to my number at no charge and told be to *228 to update my phone for the towers. She also noted on my account is any roaming charges show that they would be covered since we have had the current plan since 2004. We will see what comes on the bill next month.

[ShedQueen77]

We have Verizon. We used our phone several times in PR with no additional charges.

 

I think I know why you're getting two answers. It depends on which calling plan you have. If you have America's Choice, you have nationwide free calling (no roaming charges), which includes PR.

 

If you have the other plan (I'm sorry...the name is slipping my mind, but it's the one with the smaller calling area. Usually includes only a surrounding state or two), you will pay for calls made in PR.

 

HTH :)

[caribbean crazy]

Does anyone know if the cruise line tacks on an additional charge if you call from the ship? I pulled something up on the Verizon website that indicates $2.49 per minute on the ship, but some people have said that Carnival will tack on a charge for using their satellite. But how do they know????

[Tapi]

I travel to Puerto Rico several times a year. Your phone will read "Extended Network" in most areas, in which case (and as someone mentioned if you have the America's Choice plan) using your celphone there will be just like using your phone in the U.S. and calling state to state. Last time I was there was in January with no problems whatsoever.

 

Verizon customers in PR were switched to a new provider in May 2007 (CLARO mobile), so I'm not sure how this will affect new customers, but once again, my service was still working the same.

[CyClore]

It has to due with the plan you have. For example... I turned international on my cell so I could use it in St THomas and didn't turn it on my better half's phone. In San Juan I was roaming and hers was extended network. I did one call on mine and was charged .69 and her was on the included minutes. If you have two phone in the family this may be the way to go!

 

Cy

[skuttduck]

I had an odd occurance of my phone telling me I was roaming in Chicago's O'hare airport. Then a couple weeks later I took the train into the city, and it never once said it was roaming. It was a Treo 700w phone.

 

I found that wierd. However, I did dial the number on my phone (*228) to update the towers on the phone prior to going to Chicago by train. Maybe that is all you need to do in order to get the update when visiting Puerto Rico?

 

Well I suppose I can try it when I go there in a month. Only thing I would use it for is to call work and say "I'm in Puerto Rico, and you aren't" :) or to send some pictures of the cruise ship back to the co-workers.

[OTTER]

Depends on what package you have thru Verizon. If you have nationwide coverage, Puerto Rico is included.

[tnsail]

Does anyone know if the cruise line tacks on an additional charge if you call from the ship? I pulled something up on the Verizon website that indicates $2.49 per minute on the ship, but some people have said that Carnival will tack on a charge for using their satellite. But how do they know????

 

I maybe off base a bit on this but my understanding is, When you are charged the international rate on the cruiseship that Verizon or whatever company you have it with deals with the ship cost.... I.E. It would be the same as your traveling in an area that doesn't support your phone (no Verizon tower) and you picked up by a Sprint tower... Your phone goes to roaming mode and the 2 companies work out the call bill by charging you the roaming charge....

 

Verizon settles up with Carnival and Verizon charges you the International Rate on your bill..... No Carnival bill unless you use there ship to shore phone... Last I checked it was like $9 a minute....

 

Joey

[bakechef]

Does anyone know if the cruise line tacks on an additional charge if you call from the ship? I pulled something up on the Verizon website that indicates $2.49 per minute on the ship, but some people have said that Carnival will tack on a charge for using their satellite. But how do they know????

 

$2.49 is the flat rate, it is what you will pay per minute, it is the deal that they have worked out with the company that owns the cell service on the ships.

 

MAC

[mrcamp]

Like others mentioned, I believe all the major US carriers consider P. R and USVI as local coverage. At least I know for a fact that AT&T and Tmobile do not charge extra beside your minutes usage to use your phone there. Of course, using your phone while connected to the ship's tower will incur a roaming charge. Your phone should display whatever network you are connected to.