how to PHONE HOME from Cancun - Timeshare Users Group Online Community Forums

nfwjlw · July 29, 2008, 08:34 PM

any cheap tricks
our parents are 86 so daily is not often enough
jerry

JoeMid · July 29, 2008, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nfwjlw

any cheap tricks
our parents are 86 so daily is not often enough
jerry

Do you do internet with a headset/mic? Skype or onesuite
I used onesuite.com from Europe this summer, something like $0.029/min

Snotick · July 29, 2008, 11:29 PM

If you travel with a laptop you might want to look into a product called Magicjack. You also need to have a high speed internet connection. Magicjack is a small (about 1/2 the size of a deck of cards) usb adapter that plugs into your laptop/computer at one end and any phone (like a hotel phone) into the other. You can then make (or receive) calls to anywhere in the U.S. The cost is $40 for the equipment and service for a whole year. After that it is $20 a year. Another nice thing is that you can pick a local area code. So people back home can dial that number and reach you anywhere in the world with no long distance charges.
I have been using this for the past month here at home. So far so good. I have read mixed reviews on this. But for the price, I cant complain. I think call quality is effected by computer speed and internet connection.

DianneL · July 30, 2008, 12:26 AM

I was in the same situation. When I travelled to Cancun I needed to stay in telephone contact with my mom (now age 92). I purchased a phone card prior to the trip and used it to make my calls to the US.

robinann · August 1, 2008, 08:05 PM

I have purchased phone cards from home and they have not been accepted in other foreign locations, such as St. Maarten. What cards work in Mexico? Thanks!

DianneL · August 1, 2008, 08:42 PM

I purchased the phone card I used from Sam's Club and it was just your standard card. We were staying at one of the Royals. As I remember, more minutes were used as I was calling from outside the country, but not sure. You could contact the resort in which you are staying and ask them about using a phone card. Or, the back of the phone card may name the locations from which you can call.

Snotick · August 2, 2008, 06:02 PM

I would be very careful using phone cards purchased in the U.S. and used in other countries. Most distributors will not allow callbacks on their cards, due to the fact that the call is originated through an international switch. Making it difficult to guarantee rates, or make calls at all.
I owned a phone card vending business here in the midwest for 10 years. When people ask me about calling back from other countries, I tell them to purchase a card when they get to the airport, or hotel. That way you know it works from that country.

Janis · August 3, 2008, 06:11 PM

We used the regular phone cards from Costco and Sams. You just need to call the number on the back BEFORE you travel and ask for the instructions to call from Mexico. It was easy..just a lot of numbers to press..

pjrose · August 3, 2008, 08:11 PM

You can also buy phone cards there. If you are staying at one of the Royal Resorts, they sell cards in the mini-markets. I assume you can get them elsewhere in Cancun as well.

Skype is a great solution if you are going to bring your laptop.

Picker57 · August 14, 2008, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DianneL

I purchased the phone card I used from Sam's Club and it was just your standard card. We were staying at one of the Royals. As I remember, more minutes were used as I was calling from outside the country, but not sure. You could contact the resort in which you are staying and ask them about using a phone card. Or, the back of the phone card may name the locations from which you can call.

We've used the AT&T cards from Sam's in Mexico and in Europe, and they worked fine IN THE PUBLIC PHONES. They didn't work for me at all from the phones in the hotels. I think the minute / usage rate was about twice what a domestic call would be; still incredibly cheap.

-----Zach

beanb41 · August 14, 2008, 04:48 PM

Have yu considered taking your mobile phone with you and using that? But wait theres more. If you have a GSM phone that is not locked to your local network considere this.
When travelling overseas buy a prepaid sim card in the country you are staying and insert it in your GSM phone.
Activate the card then send a SMS / Txt message home and viola your nearest and dearest have your new local phone number.
This way you only pay local calling charges and avoid outrageous high roaming charges on your home cellphone account.
Incoming calls dont attract roaming charges either.
Our family policy is to send sms messages at the end of each day with an update on what has happened during the day. If the family need to contact us they send an sms message whch we clear two or three times a day
Life goes on. In even the most dire emergency a couple o hours is not going to make a significant difference if parties are at other ends of the world.
We find it works great for us.

July 29, 2008, 08:34 PM	#1
nfwjlw TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Aug 6, 07 Posts: 40	how to PHONE HOME from Cancun any cheap tricks our parents are 86 so daily is not often enough jerry

July 30, 2008, 12:26 AM	#4
DianneL TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 14, 05 Location: Brentwood, TN Posts: 373 Resorts: Tree Tops Gatlinburg, Holiday Beach Resort in Destin, Royal Dunes HHI, Holiday Beach Resort Phase II Destin	Phone Card I was in the same situation. When I travelled to Cancun I needed to stay in telephone contact with my mom (now age 92). I purchased a phone card prior to the trip and used it to make my calls to the US.

August 1, 2008, 08:05 PM	#5
robinann Guest BBS Reg. Date: Aug 1, 08 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 3 Resorts: Royal Haciendas-week 42, La Vista Beach Resort - St. Maarten, Marriott Fairway Villas - Absecon, NJ	What brand phone card? I have purchased phone cards from home and they have not been accepted in other foreign locations, such as St. Maarten. What cards work in Mexico? Thanks!

August 1, 2008, 08:42 PM	#6
DianneL TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 14, 05 Location: Brentwood, TN Posts: 373 Resorts: Tree Tops Gatlinburg, Holiday Beach Resort in Destin, Royal Dunes HHI, Holiday Beach Resort Phase II Destin	Phone Card I purchased the phone card I used from Sam's Club and it was just your standard card. We were staying at one of the Royals. As I remember, more minutes were used as I was calling from outside the country, but not sure. You could contact the resort in which you are staying and ask them about using a phone card. Or, the back of the phone card may name the locations from which you can call.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

July 29, 2008, 11:29 PM	#3
Snotick Guest BBS Reg. Date: Jul 25, 08 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 21	If you travel with a laptop you might want to look into a product called Magicjack. You also need to have a high speed internet connection. Magicjack is a small (about 1/2 the size of a deck of cards) usb adapter that plugs into your laptop/computer at one end and any phone (like a hotel phone) into the other. You can then make (or receive) calls to anywhere in the U.S. The cost is $40 for the equipment and service for a whole year. After that it is $20 a year. Another nice thing is that you can pick a local area code. So people back home can dial that number and reach you anywhere in the world with no long distance charges. I have been using this for the past month here at home. So far so good. I have read mixed reviews on this. But for the price, I cant complain. I think call quality is effected by computer speed and internet connection.

August 2, 2008, 06:02 PM	#7
Snotick Guest BBS Reg. Date: Jul 25, 08 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 21	I would be very careful using phone cards purchased in the U.S. and used in other countries. Most distributors will not allow callbacks on their cards, due to the fact that the call is originated through an international switch. Making it difficult to guarantee rates, or make calls at all. I owned a phone card vending business here in the midwest for 10 years. When people ask me about calling back from other countries, I tell them to purchase a card when they get to the airport, or hotel. That way you know it works from that country.

August 3, 2008, 06:11 PM	#8
Janis TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 6, 05 Location: Frederick, MD Posts: 622 Resorts: Royal Sands(15), Lawrence Welk Resort (25), Pelican Resort (51)	We used the regular phone cards from Costco and Sams. You just need to call the number on the back BEFORE you travel and ask for the instructions to call from Mexico. It was easy..just a lot of numbers to press..

August 3, 2008, 08:11 PM	#9
pjrose TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Oct 28, 05 Location: Central PA USA Posts: 3,130 Resorts: Royal Caribbean (26,27,51,52) Royal Islander (25), Pelican (32,47)	You can also buy phone cards there. If you are staying at one of the Royal Resorts, they sell cards in the mini-markets. I assume you can get them elsewhere in Cancun as well. Skype is a great solution if you are going to bring your laptop.

August 14, 2008, 04:48 PM	#11
beanb41 TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jan 28, 08 Location: Wellington New Zealand Posts: 157 Resorts: Beach House - Coolangatta Australia; Club Paihia - Paihia NZ; Kaimanawa Lodge - Turangi NZ	Have yu considered taking your mobile phone with you and using that? But wait theres more. If you have a GSM phone that is not locked to your local network considere this. When travelling overseas buy a prepaid sim card in the country you are staying and insert it in your GSM phone. Activate the card then send a SMS / Txt message home and viola your nearest and dearest have your new local phone number. This way you only pay local calling charges and avoid outrageous high roaming charges on your home cellphone account. Incoming calls dont attract roaming charges either. Our family policy is to send sms messages at the end of each day with an update on what has happened during the day. If the family need to contact us they send an sms message whch we clear two or three times a day Life goes on. In even the most dire emergency a couple o hours is not going to make a significant difference if parties are at other ends of the world. We find it works great for us.