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Posted By: BamaB's Wireless Access? - 02/15/08 02:47 PM
We need to get a quad-band cell phone to touch base with home while we're down the 1st week in March, is there wireless access readily available? the reason for asking is that T-Mobile offers cell phones that can link over the internet even if there's no cell service available. We may get one of those if it'll work there.
How is the regular cell phone service on the island?
Posted By: Dita Re: Wireless Access? - 02/15/08 03:08 PM
BamaB - I have AT&T cell service and I just had to add the international service to my package for a additional small monthly fee. Once I get to Belize, my service automatically switches to BTL. I am able to receive calls from home and able to make them with no problem. You might want to check with T-Mobile to see if something like this is available. Hope that helps.
Posted By: sweetjane Re: Wireless Access? - 02/15/08 04:08 PM
dita - i do as you do - but international roaming rates still apply (like $3 something a minute). texting is 50 cents a text.
Posted By: BamaB's Re: Wireless Access? - 02/15/08 04:09 PM
Thank you, Int. service is available & we'll have that, it will only incur the roaming charges from the area, we're considering the wireless set-up just because it wouldn't be as dependent on the availability of cell towers & reception & wouldn't have the roaming charge.
Posted By: sweetjane Re: Wireless Access? - 02/15/08 04:15 PM
there is a whole thread about cells somewhere in the archives - with real info from locals as well. try a search - maybe it was in the 'living in bz' section?
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Wireless Access? - 02/15/08 04:15 PM
Unless you're going to be really off the beaten track you'll have no problem with getting a BTL cell signal. And if you buy a local SIM card it'll be much cheaper.
Posted By: kwalkpt Re: Wireless Access? - 02/15/08 09:56 PM
Wonder with BTL blocking most VOIP if you will be able to use T-mobile via the internet.
Posted By: BamaB's Re: Wireless Access? - 02/16/08 03:20 PM
BTL blocks the VOIP ? How is that possible? Nevermind, I would imagine that will make the cell phone useless, I'm sure it uses the same technology as VOIP, they showed it to us using a standard LYNKSYS router. How much is a local SIM card?
Posted By: Cooper Re: Wireless Access? - 02/16/08 03:45 PM
Yep...good old BTL....if you have the high speed DSL not the $100 a month but the $200bz a month and use the internet server ANCHOR FREE, which is free you can use some voip like skype,. Seems just simpler to get a phone card, calls run from 25 to 50 cents US.. a minute to US. Use the 1010199 1+area code+phone number, not the directions on card and its a bit cheaper....
Posted By: dabunk Re: Wireless Access? - 02/17/08 07:38 AM
Sim chip is 50 Bze, and they sell special cards to call the US only with a slightly cheaper price. Smart is still cheaper to call the US per minute. Bring a CDMA phone, costs 50 dollah to put a number on it. And add minutes just like BTL.
Posted By: Dan Carey Re: Wireless Access? - 02/19/08 12:33 AM
&nbsp BamaB's,
as far as I know, there's no "wireless" in Belize other than cellular or private WiFi. I know my TMobile handheld only works as a phone with $3/minute roaming charges in Belize. No data, no kidding. You're still dependant upon cell towers. I use the BTL chip/SIM in an unlocked cell phone while I'm in Belize or Mexico. Calls to the USA are a fraction of the cost of raoming.

&nbsp &nbsp Dan
&nbsp

Originally Posted by BamaB's
Thank you, Int. service is available & we'll have that, it will only incur the roaming charges from the area, we're considering the wireless set-up just because it wouldn't be as dependent on the availability of cell towers & reception & wouldn't have the roaming charge.
Posted By: Turquoise Dreams Re: Wireless Access? - 02/19/08 10:55 PM
So can anyone tell me where you might pick up one of these BTL sim cards? and if you can just put it into your existing AT&T cell phone? That would be cool, but probably not.

Sharon.
Posted By: Amanda Syme Re: Wireless Access? - 02/19/08 11:13 PM
Pick up the card at the btl office or at Mr. C's cellular world.

Should work in your phone, if it doesn't btl or C's can unlock your phone - but make sure it will work when you head back home - some operations are not reversible.
Posted By: Dan Carey Re: Wireless Access? - 02/20/08 02:55 AM
&nbsp Turquoise Dreams,
there's a BTL office at the airport, just across the parking lot from the taxi stand. You can also buy a SIM card here. AT&T phones will accept SIM cards if they're unlocked, and AT&T will unlock your phone for you.

&nbsp &nbsp Dan

&nbsp



Posted By: BamaB's Re: Wireless Access? - 02/21/08 02:32 AM
We got the WiFi cell phone, all you do is find available networks, put in the security code & connect, works great where cell service is spotty but a WiFi is available. I believe this avoids the roaming charges.
Posted By: deadserious Re: Wireless Access? - 02/21/08 07:54 PM
Originally Posted by BamaB's
We got the WiFi cell phone, all you do is find available networks, put in the security code & connect, works great where cell service is spotty but a WiFi is available. I believe this avoids the roaming charges.


Generally stuff like this uses VOIP though and BTL is pretty good at blocking VOIP technologies.
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Wireless Access? - 02/21/08 08:03 PM
You can almost guarantee that anything based on VoIP will NOT work. BTL have now found a way to interfere with quite sophisticated VPNs. Of course, in the process the entire service gets degraded but what do they care - they have a monopoly and stuff the legality. And a lot of commercial muscle to enforce their wishes on other businesses. What a dreadful company!
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