Hi,
I have an unlocked GSM phone and am planning on buying a Jamaican SIM card for it. I need to choose between DigiCell Jamaica or Cable & Wireless Jamaica. Do both carriers have coverage in TB? Is one better for TB? Are DigiCell or C&W cell phone cards (pre-paid cards for cell phone minutes) available for purchase in TB?

Many thanks for any info!

I would recommend digicell u can get good coverage with both of them though and yes u can get both pre-paid cards to buy anywhere in TB

I am a digicel user but I would recommend Cable and Wireless...I can't believe I'm saying that. I am very disgruntled with Digicel's service at the moment. Furthermore...if you use prepaid CW the rates are $10/min no matter what other carrier you call. With Digicel...it's $10 to Digicel but it's much much higher if you call a CW phone or a CW landline. I don't think you will be able to buy a SIM card in T'Beach...you will have to go to Black River or Junction, but you can buy the calling cards.

I get better reception with my crappy ole' nokia, and a digicel sim card then my billion dollar nextel peice-o-crap motorola.

The only thing I wish was that the digicel sim cards didn't expire after such a short time. It would be nice to use the same sim card (and have the same phone number) when I go back in January.

I would like to know how much for a sim card,but i will have my own phone and if any kind of phone works down treasure beach. I cant wait to see everyone in treasure beach. Peace.

I emailed Digicel customer care and they replied

"Sim cards are available at the airport in Montego Bay. The cost of the sim card is $345.00 tax included, you can purchase sim at the E-Island store."

$345 JA would be about $5.40 US

I took my phone from Canada to Treasure beach and it worked, it switched over to Cable and wireless

Canada what type of phone do you have that you were able to use your cell in Jamaica? wish I'd known that when I was there last month!

Canada2:

I too brought a cell phone from Canada with me.....

I had it unlocked at the local cell phone store, just down the street from me and the cost for that service was $30. Some vendors will include the unlocking of a phone with the purchase price of a new phone - my guy does, but this phone was given to me not purchased from him.

We stopped in Black River for a card - sorry I do not remember the cost - maybe around $500JA, it was not much and there was a lot of air time included with the card.
After that I would just buy a phone card from Morris or Linda (mini mart) load it in the phone and make my calls.
The phone was a Sony Ericson and I was using C&W which I was very happy with - signal was good almost always, except when we were up in the hills - which is to be expected.
I have head rumours that digicel costs are higher to call - but I can not confirm that - possibly someone the board here may have that information.

Hope that information is useful.

I have a Sony Ericson, on the FIDO network. I have not received my bill yet. I only made a few calls, I bought phone cards $130 Jamaican$ and used a cell phone out there. I had a lot of talk time for $130, never timed it though.

how can i get mins on a digicell from the usa in jamaica

Go to Digicel's web site, click on Webflex, you can buy credit with a debit or credit card.

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By m. on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 10:19 am:
I get better reception with my crappy ole' nokia, and a digicel sim card then my billion dollar nextel peice-o-crap motorola.

The only thing I wish was that the digicel sim cards didn't expire after such a short time. It would be nice to use the same sim card (and have the same phone number) when I go back in January.


If you top off (add credit) you can keep a sim card active.

Although my carrier (T-Mobile) assured me that my fancy-schmancy 'quad-band' phone would work in Jamaica, it didn't ... it turned on, but there was no network connection. The woman at the e-island shop told me that T-Mobile apparently has no partner relationship with carriers in JA. I considered having it unlocked, but decided against. E-island, for the record, wanted to charge me $25US for a sim card! In the end, I went to Black River and bought a nice, cheap little phone and sim card for about $35US that came with $500 of minutes and then just bought cards (digicel) for the rest of my trip. It's a pain that I'll have to buy a new sim card when I go back to TB, but now that I know where to buy the cards in Black River, it's not that big a deal.
Seth

Hey Nurse Ratchet? So I'd have to have someone in Jamaica top my card off? (I'm soon to expire, if not all ready... but If i can prolong the number, that'd be cool)

butting in...
Mair, I think you can top it off online. I seem to remember right after Ivan that someone said you could add $ to any digicell # via the net. No idea on minimum $.

Check their site.

You can top off on line. I'm not sure if you need to use the number at all.

I think the minumum you can add is $100 Ja

Registered User Login:
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Please remember the following:
User Name is the e-mail address used when you registered for Webflex.
As a registered user of Webflex, you can:

Add/change Mobile Phone Numbers or Credit Cards for top-up
View your Account History
Set-up for Quick Top-Up

Please click here to register


You may use WebFlex to top-up your mobile phone or those of your friends and family in any country that Digicel operates. To register* for membership, you must have a valid credit card .

Jamaica - any Keycard, Visa or MasterCard.

All other countries – any Visa or MasterCard denominated in United States Dollars.
*Registration requires authorization of a one time transaction for $1.00
N.B
Credit cards issued in Jamaica by the Bank of Nova Scotia Limited cannot be used for registration at this time.However, you may use your BNS credit card to do a transaction as a guest user.

Please click here for one time only transaction


Give Webflex a try. With your credit card in hand (please see above), you may try a single Webflex top-up for a maximum of J$500 or approximately US$8.00. See just how easy it is. Be our Guest

I tried (failed) to post the link. Sorry !

I went thru all of those steps, but then they asked for a merchant authorization number. My bank has no clue what they're talking about, so I emailed digicel. This was their response.

Good day, thank you for emailing us.

With regards to obtaining the Merchant Authorization code, can you fax / send a copy of the front of your credit card and a valid identification to 929-5678 (fax) or email supportservices@mcsystems.com.

Once your account is verified, the authorization will be emailed to you.

Regards

Kerry Ann

I'm not so sure about sending my drivers license and credit card (actually a check card)images. What do ya think?