I've read many of older posts on this subject, but I would like to know if there is any new advice and/or suggestions out there on the best way to call the U.S. from San Pedro, skype is not an option for us. Will probably be using a new blackberry. Comments...suggestions from those in the know ? In advance, positive comments and information will be much appreciated.

The cheapest and easiest way I know of to call the States is to walk into the internet cafes and use their phones. I've tried everything else.

Thanks, actually your response reminds me of something I left out of my initial post....thses are multiple calls each day and most of the time it will be later in the evenings when most places are closed, but thanks for your quick response.

All of the old posts are, unfortunately, still valid.

hhhmmm....thanks Simon, I will go from there then.

Just bear down and pay the $2+ per minute and make sure you have international roam and international calling.

You can rent a phone there and buy minutes for it. (It is like the old calling cards, but now they put the minutes right on your phone and you don't have to keep punching in the long code number.)

You can call the U.S. for 50 cents a minute, and I think that is BZ$ (so .25 U.S.).

I would definitely not use your blackberry. Any phone that has a data plan will cost you astronomical amounts of money in international roaming. My phone even warns me about it and has a feature that I can turn off to avoid it. Just check out one guy's post on a previous thread where he was welcomed by a $1500+ phone bill when he got home.

I can receive texts on my U.S. phone for free from the U.S. and it costs me .50 to send one from Belize. What I do is have folks in the U.S. text me for free when they need to talk to me and then I call them back on the Belize phone. Best way I have found for me so far.

You could try the 10-10-199 program.
Dial 10-10-199 - country code - area code - number

I believe that it only works from a BTL phone - you can stop in at the BTL office and ask about it or maybe somebody on this board can explain a bit?

Thank you all for your information. All this is quite helpful & I appreciate your time.

Having your blackberry unlocked before you get here by your provider and getting a local sim chip for pay as you go would cost $50

Depending when you come you may get lucky and hit a triple credit day like today. When you by $50 of phone credit you get 3 times the amount - anything less and you get double. These days happen every few months.

Quicksilver messenger rents Go phones as another option. http://quicksilvermessagingservices.com/

make sure you disable your phone from receiving calls while your down. You will get billed big time after you get home.
Skype and magic jack both are working now as i saw last week

I use my Blackberry for international travel and travel within the U.S. and I need mg capacity to send messages, pics and documents. Depending on your carrier: call about 45 days before your trip and ask to add an international plans. When you get back, call and have it removed. You will be charged for one billing cycle. Calls are very expensive from Belize, but sending text messages and attachments are reasonable, depending upon your carrier and plan options.

I still cannot get Skype working!! Curious as to your comment....please PM me if you have a work around, or know something I am not privvy to!

Thanks :-)

Hi, I don’t know if this will be helpful or not but I arrange for people to call me from home at specific times when I am in Belize. It costs approximately $1.40 to make a call and then 8 cents a minute thereafter. I also have my notebook with me and email someone to give me a call. I know this sounds kinda cheap but I went home about five years ago and was greeted with a $720 bill from AT&T. I would far prefer to pay back the people that I wanted to phone down rather than give it to the phone company.