Tijuana - Post Report Question and Answers

Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?

Keep your American phone and your US plan may work at no extra cost (AT&T works great with no extra cost or plan changes). - Oct 2024


We have AT&T with our US numbers, which generally work, but randomly will stop working. AT&T offers unlimited roaming in Mexico, but speeds vary. For this reason, we got a local number that is $10 a month in addition to our US numbers. Older post reports state that there is a grace period before US carriers cut you off, this is not true of AT&T anymore, but may still be true of T-Mobile and other carriers. Most new phones have dual sim capability, I would recommend taking advantage of this feature and getting a Mexican SIM card in your phone and utilizing a US e-sim. - Apr 2023


You can use your U.S. phone - just be careful and also use it a fair bit when you cross into the U.S. The consulate doesn't provide cell phones for EFMs anymore - only employees. - Nov 2017


There is pretty good service. We used the consulate ones. - May 2015


Most people carry both a U.S. phone and a Mexican phone. Some Officers can pick up AT&T signals from their apartments. - Mar 2015


I use a local one but retained my U.S. plan for when I am across the border. Telcel works okay but I think the data is expensive. The U.S. Mexico plans' data packages are ridiculous in practicality because the data costs are so high. - Apr 2014


Somewhat of a headache; roaming charges are expensive if you use your American phone in Mexico on the Telcel network, and US service is very inconsistent. Many people keep a US phone and a Mexican phone on them. - Apr 2011


I get a U.S. signal in my apartment and I have a pay-as you go Mexican cell phone. - Mar 2011


Keep you U.S. plan. You will pick up towers in U.S. and Mexico as they share service. AT&T and Verizon are both big and get great service here. You need to contact your cell phone company and see what sort of Nationwide + Mexico Plan they have. - Dec 2010


You have every choice under the sun. Most major carriers offer a Mexico plan, and you may be able to pick up the US signal. Many Mexicans use Nextel, but Americans use all sorts. - Aug 2010


Cell phone which allows both U.S. and Mexican calls (although our reception through Verizon's plan is ANNOYING in the border area - we lose calls all the time when coverage switches between U.S. and Mexican carriers while at our house). - Mar 2008


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