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Mexican SIM card

Toronto, Canada
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3 posts
35 reviews
16 helpful votes
Mexican SIM card
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We'll be in the city of Guanajuato from mid Feb till mid March 2012. I want to purchase a micro sim WITH DATA package for my (legally) unlocked iPhone 4. Can anyone suggest who I might go to and give me an idea of costs? I know cell usuage is more expensive there than here in Canada. It cost me far less in France and Turkey this summer but I expect higher costs in Mexico.

On an unrelated note.....where do you suggest as the best place to cross into Mexico when driving from Canada (Toronto)? This is our first trip to Mexico for an extended period and we're driving down to a rental apartment, rather than flying to a resort.

Thanks so much!

Mexico City, Mexico
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80 posts
3 reviews
2 helpful votes
1. Re: Mexican SIM card
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Hi, Guanajuato is absolutely georgeous. I am sure you will enjoy your stay. The leading cel phone companies in mexico are iusacell and telcel. Maybe you can look them up online and see what your options are. Mexico is very beautiful but right now the roads are a little dangerous due to the ongoing drug war. Especially the USA - mexican border area. I personally would not drive.

Mexico City, Mexico
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2,124 posts
29 reviews
24 helpful votes
2. Re: Mexican SIM card
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Telcel has some prepaid plans for the iPhone but, according to their page, they're only available for certain states and Guanajuato is not included. I don't think they're not offering the service in other states, maybe I just got the wrong page.

In any case, you can get an idea of the prices here:

http://www.telcel.com/iphone/planes.html

As for the riving bit I would also advice against doing that. Chances are nothing will happen, but why take the risk oftaking a wrong turn and ending up in a very bad area. Fly and travel without any worries.

Guanajuato, Mexico
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1,107 posts
111 reviews
224 helpful votes
3. Re: Mexican SIM card
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I find that the websites for the phone companies are rather incomplete in the information they offer - or it may just be the way it is presented. I always find it best to show up in person at their office and get information first hand.

The main Telcel office in Guanajuato is in the Centro on the main street that runs through town, it is almost across the street from the Mercado. Get that close and ask someone and you will find it. I don't know how fluent you are in Spanish but my boyfriend doesn't speak Spanish and he was able to communicate with someone in English at Telcel with no problem.

The USA Cel main office is in the Posuelos Shopping Mall on the upper floor. Easy to get a bus there or from my home up on Cerro de Guijas it is a 40 peso taxi ride. Not sure that they have i-phone at all (can't recall) but you might try them and compare rates. The manager spoke English to my boyfriend.

As for driving. I've driven up and down between Canada and Mexico and the US and Mexico for years without incident. I find it to be safe and easy to drive.

My boyfriend and I drove up to San Diego and San Francisco in April and I drove back down alone. We used highway 15 to and from the border that trip - too far west for you probably but it was a good trip both ways. We drove his Mercedes convertible down Baja to La Paz and took the ferry to Mazatlan and then 15 through Guad and 45 to Guanajuato in June. Once again a great trip - but too far west for you. In September we drove from Guanajuato to Vancouver, using highway 15 going up but we used highway 45 coming back down. We crossed at the furthest East border crossing in Arizona - I'll admit we did want to avoid Juarez. That route took us through Chihuaha, Zacatecas and Aguascalientes and home to Guanajuato. This route involved more two lane highway than the hwy 15 route but it was good driving all the way. I don't know if highway 45 from the border would be your shortest route coming from Toronto but it is good road.

If you want some first hand information about driving from Toronto go into this forum on the tomzap.com site http://69.73.170.179/ph5/list.php?12 and post your question for my friend Rudy, he posts as RGM. He drives from Toronto all the time, has done so for years and is always happy to share information. There is also a group on Facebook called On The Road in Mexico where you will be able to get lots of information as well.

Have a safe trip and good luck with the phone!

Edited: 12 years ago
4. Re: Mexican SIM card

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