When I travel away from home, I like to make sure that I am still reachable by my family and close friends in case of emergency. For that reason, before I leave, I try to do some research about whether my US-based cell phone will work at my destination, what extra charges I may incur and, if my phone won’t work, what other options I may have to stay connected to home.
What cell phone technology does your phone use at home?
Here at home, I have an older Verizon Wireless cellular phone with no global-ready capabilities (I’ll explain that in a second…). It’s important to know that different wireless companies use different network technologies so that you can determine whether your phone is compatible with existing networks wherever you travel. For instance, Verizon and Sprint use what are called CDMA-based networks whereas AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM-based networks. So if you have phones that you purchased from any of those companies, your phones are definitely compatible with its corresponding network technology. I won’t bother going into the technical differences between the two technologies (though you can read more in this article if you like) but suffice it to say that outside of the United States, GSM is the more commonly used network technology. You should check your wireless company’s website for coverage information and roaming rates in other countries.
So, since I have a non-global-ready (no GSM compatibility) Verizon Wireless phone that works only on CDMA networks, I would be out of luck using my phone in locations where no CDMA networks are available. Verizon does sell global-ready devices (like the Blackberry Tour and the Samsung Renown) which are designed to switch over to GSM networks (with which Verizon has contracted to use) when a CDMA network does not exist. Check the Verizon Wireless website for a list of their Global Ready devices. If you’re not worried about an early termination fee, you do have the option of moving your number to AT&T or T-Mobile.
My CDMA-only Experience in Anguilla (and part of St. Maarten/St. Martin)
On my first trip to the Caribbean island of Anguilla, which has no CDMA network of its own, I got enough intermittent coverage (on my Verizon phone) on my room’s balcony at the CuisinArt Resort & Spa (presumably from a network in neighboring St. Martin) to exchange a few text messages with some people in the states. (Update 12/17/2009: I was also able to get intermittent CDMA coverage on the balcony of my room at the Ferryboat Inn, Anguilla – so it seems some points on Anguilla’s southern coast may be the best chance for Verizon Wireless CDMA only customers to get a signal.)
In St. Maarten, I was once able to get enough of a signal with my Verizon Wireless CDMA-only phone to make a call right outside of Princess Julianna Airport. I only traveled from the airport to the ferry dock in Simpson Bay, but I was not able to make calls or send texts from my Verizon Wireless phone after leaving the airport grounds. (My phone switched over automatically to the F-Orange network in St. Maarten.) I don’t know what coverage would have been like elsewhere on St. Martin/St. Maarten – check with Verizon Wireless to see coverage maps.
Best Bet: Use or Get a GSM Compatible Phone for Your Trip to Anguilla
Now, if at home, you have a phone with a GSM-based network company (e.g. AT&T or T-Mobile), you will probably have service where other GSM networks exist but you will likely incur roaming charges if your destination is not in your home network. (Check with your wireless company to be sure.) Other Anguilla visitors have told me that their T-Mobile (GSM based company) Blackberries, AT&T iPhones (GSM based company) and a Verizon Wireless Blackberry Tour (GSM Compatible phone – but not all Verizon Wireless phones are GSM compatible! Check to be sure.) worked well on Anguilla for both voice calls and data usage.
My Cell Phone Solution for Anguilla: Get an Unlocked Quad-Band GSM phone & Buy a Local Sim Card
Since my Verizon Wireless phone is incompatible with GSM networks, I knew that I couldn’t rely on my phone while on Anguilla. So, on my second trip there, I brought an inexpensive unlocked quad-band GSM phone for less than $50 from Amazon.com. (View All Unlocked Quad Band Phones at Amazon.com
“Quad band” refers to the 4 different frequencies used on GSM networks, so if your phone is quad-band, you know that it will work on any GSM network. Tri-band and dual-band phones also exist, but they may not work on all GSM networks. “Unlocked” means that the phone is not limited for use on any particular company’s network and it can therefore be used with any GSM network as long as you insert a SIM card for that company into the phone. Phones that are sold by AT&T and T-Mobile are usually locked, and a SIM card from another company won’t work in your phone.
In Anguilla, there are currently two different wireless companies that both use GSM-based networks: Lime (formerly known as Cable & Wireless) and Digicel. Because I had a quad-band GSM phone, I knew that I would be able to use either of these networks. If you have a tri-band or dual-band GSM phone, you can use a site like GSM World’s coverage maps to determine what networks are available in your destination and what GSM frequencies are used. For example take a look at the GSM World page for Anguilla.
So, when I got to Anguilla I just went to a Lime store and purchased a pre-paid local SIM card for my phone (giving me a local Anguilla phone number) for US $10. You can then buy minutes for the card (also known as “topping-up”) at the Lime store or at any location with a Lime (or Cable & Wireless) “Top Up Here” sign. You just walk into these locations (they will be places like grocery stores, shops and some restaurants), tell them your phone number, and give them the amount of money you want to put on your phone. (Calling rates are quoted in East Caribbean Dollars – XCD – so make sure to do the appropriate conversions from USD to avoid adding too much! USD are accepted everywhere in Anguilla.) The clerk will punch your number into a device along with the dollar amount you’re adding and you will get an instant text-message confirming your top-up amount and your current balance. I have even topped-up online through the Lime website where you can sometimes get bonus minutes in addition to those for which you are paying. I believe the top-up process is a bit different for Digicel, where you buy cards with certain dollar amounts and add minutes to your phone by entering the codes from these cards into your phone. I’m not positive on this, but you can get more accurate information on Digicel’s website.
In Anguilla: Lime or Digicel?
I happened to choose Lime over Digicel simply because I found a Lime store first. Some Anguillian friends of mine claim that Digicel is the better company, which may very well be true. I can only say that I was perfectly happy with the phone service that I got with Lime during my 10 day stay in Anguilla.
One other thing to consider, however, is that with Lime you have a year to use up your minutes from the time you buy them. According to Digicel’s FAQ on their website, added minutes can expire in as little as 30 days and if you don’t use them AND add more minutes (within a given grace period), your SIM card (and phone number) also expire and you have to buy a new one. This may be ok for people who are only going to visit once in a while, but for people like me who plan on being there pretty often, having a longer period in which to use my minutes AND being able to keep my phone number are great bonuses. I have also been able to purchase minutes for my Lime phone number online using a regular US Credit Card Number at Lime Anguilla’s Website.
The whole point of getting a local number is so that people who need to reach me from home can do so. Yes, they’ll have to pay long-distance rates, but that’s going to be cheaper than me paying roaming rates if I had a US based and GSM compatible phone. Rates to call the states from the local number were also much cheaper than calling from a hotel phone, and maybe even cheaper than calling home on an AT&T or T-Mobile phone because of roaming rates.
Exploring my Cell Phone Options for St. Croix
I’m currently doing research as to what my options are for my upcoming trip to St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. Verizon’s web site says that it does have coverage there, but that roaming rates will be a whopping $1.99 a minute. It seems, though, that not only do AT&T, T-Mobile and even Sprint have coverage there but the USVI is considered to be part of their home network! That means if I had a phone from any one of those companies, I would be able to make calls to and from home without incurring any roaming charges whatsoever. So, one of my options is to buy a cheap pre-paid mobile phone (like AT&T’s GoPhone or a T-Mobile prepaid phone) that will give me usable cell number during my trip. I’ll let you know what I decide and how it ends up working when I get back!
