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Author Topic: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?  (Read 1798 times)

CaptCaribbean

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As my fly-in date approaches, I'm starting to think about some more practical concerns.

My personal phone is a newer iphone. Should I bring that phone, but also bring one of my spare Android phones for daily use in Sosua? Is that the best move, is to have a second "spare" phone to use there and buy a SIM card in Sosua for local service. Is that how it works?

I really don't know how to best handle this and any Vet advice would be greatly appreciated so I'm spending my time having fun rather than figuring out how to admin technology once I'm on the ground.

Dothedamthing

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2021, 12:42:28 AM »
Depends on how you want to operate. Me personally I have two phones. One for stateside and one for RD use. I go to Claro or Alltice and get a data plan for the spare phone. You don't really need the talk part there. Once I have data I download WhatsApp and plug in my info and I'm good. I conduct my regular phone calls in Wifi mode at the room. WhatsApp everywhere else. Get the Wifi connection everywhere you go to conserve data.
If you can't change the outcome of a situation then don't worry about it.

IP-JD

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2021, 02:42:48 AM »
Depends on what youre trying to accomplish, how long you'll be there, US service carrier cost, etc. My 12 has my US line and I can get an ESIM through Claro giving me a 2nd line to use as a Hotspot or local number on the same device. Tmobile is dirt cheap to use abroad, just add the international highspeed for the visit to make you use seamless and not get that 2G BS.. I've tried the 2 separate phones move, but I'm too connected to back home so Id be juggling two phones and super likely to lose one. If you wanted to limit the chance of losing or having something swiped, keep it simple and close to your everyday routine.

Travelguy90

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2021, 03:52:57 AM »
Most of the girls use WhatsApp and its wifi nearly everywhere, Anhvee included so barebones you should be find with your spare android if you can’t get a phone plan up and running. The only hiccup would be consistent service if you need to stay continuously connected but you would be able to have phone access on the beach, the strip, anhvee and your hotel. So worse case scenario you’ll have nothing and still be functional
Cheaper ways to do things, doesn’t indicate quality, or lack of

stinqu

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #4 on: May 28, 2021, 03:03:20 PM »
Bring an old phone and get a bare bones plan while your there, 500 pesos is all you need, just to be able to access WIFI, every place has it just ask for the password

murano2010

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #5 on: May 28, 2021, 08:08:19 PM »
As my fly-in date approaches, I'm starting to think about some more practical concerns.

My personal phone is a newer iphone. Should I bring that phone, but also bring one of my spare Android phones for daily use in Sosua? Is that the best move, is to have a second "spare" phone to use there and buy a SIM card in Sosua for local service. Is that how it works?

I really don't know how to best handle this and any Vet advice would be greatly appreciated so I'm spending my time having fun rather than figuring out how to admin technology once I'm on the ground.
Assuming you may decide to travel internationally more in the future,  why not bring a spare Android phone?   That way your main phone can be put away some place safe & secure.  The reason for the 2nd phone is for many things.   You can use it as an mp3 player while on vacation.  To watch YT,  Whatsapp and other communications of course, and to take pictures/video.   With your main phone securely put away,  your spare phone takes over.   

Sim cards are cheap.  You bring your passport to Claro or Altice.   They establish your connection, and you pay for some data.     Claro and Altice both have menus that you can access through your phones keypad on your own to buy internet packages, calling plans, or get balances without going back to a Claro or Altice office.   

On your keypad   dial Claro *112#   Altice is #100# to get to their self serve menus.     If you need to put credit on your phone1st , use Ding app,  go to a machine in the Playero, or the small Playero,  or the Electronics store across from Jolly Rogers. Or just go to a Claro or Altice store.    Buy credit,  then buy your data or calling package from Claro or Altice or from your phone.   

I highly recommend that if you decide to purchase an Altice sim card,  DO NOT GO TO THE ALTICE OFFICE NEXT TO BAILEE'S.  I recommend the Altice office inside of Supa Pola.   Why?   A few people have complained that they have ran out of credit on their phones prematurely.   Altice at Bailee's ( a particular chick I suspect ) or someone else in their system is stealing credit and putting it on other peoples numbers.   For instance you go there to get your sim,  then buy an internet or calling package.    Later you find that your credit gets used up when you know you hardly used the credit that you bought.      Someone is stealing your credit.

There is a chick in that Altice office by Bailees that kept insisting someone i knew come back to see her to put credit on his phone and/or hotspot.   But he noticed that his credit was always depleted early.   I had the same problem as well. 

I solved it by buying an actual Altice data/calling plan.  But i did it at Altice in Supa pola.    5 apps are free to use and dont count against your data.   Whatsapp , YT, FB, IG and Twiiter.   That means you can text talk and use video with those apps unlimited.   Much cheaper than constantly putting credit on your device.  Plus with decent internet speeds one can use their phone as a mobile hotspot without buying/renting a separate gadget (except if much data is needed ).     My plan is 1600 pesos per month for 1GB.  No binding contract.  This info is for frequent visitors or expats.   

As suggested,  you dont need to buy credit, internet or calling packages for your DR sim.  You can just use wifi just about everywhere you go.   

« Last Edit: May 28, 2021, 08:13:12 PM by murano2010 »
Where you stand on the issue depends on where you sit.  The words enough, some, many , to whom it applies to, does not mean ALL of any people, places or things.  If you cant, dont or wont learn from friends, family or your peers, dont worry the locals will teach you, and you will learn the hard way.

murano2010

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2021, 08:40:42 PM »
Another PSA.   In recent months people with DR sim cards may have noticed, that they lost their DR numbers if they havent returned to the DR in awhile.   They dig the phone up,  turn it on, and find out their Whatsapp belongs to someone else.   In essence they lost the number for that phone.    It used to be, one could go maybe a whole year before they lost their numbers.   But it seems that Claro and Altice both MAY have shortened the time frame for terminating inactive numbers.   

When not in the DR, I recommend, that one puts credit on their sims through an app,  which may help keep their numbers from being terminated and/or reissued to someone else.   I use an app called Ding.  It used to be called Ezetop.   With Ding I can put credit on all of my sim cards that I use for various places I visit.   And of course one can gift credit to friends or family anywhere in the world.   

I also noticed what happens if one has purchased a data or calling package,  and they still have credit left.   When that package expires,  and you do not buy another package,  your ability to use that remaining credit to buy another package may be temporarily suspended after a few days.   You'll have to go back to Altice or Claro to reinstate your account 1st.   Then you may use the credit in your account.   

Point being?   Timing is important when you have credit on your account that you may want to use to purchase another data or calling package.    It's also important even if you have no credit on your DR sim, to keep the account active.  That is, IF YOU CARE ABOUT MAINTAINING THE NUMBER.   
« Last Edit: May 28, 2021, 08:43:13 PM by murano2010 »
Where you stand on the issue depends on where you sit.  The words enough, some, many , to whom it applies to, does not mean ALL of any people, places or things.  If you cant, dont or wont learn from friends, family or your peers, dont worry the locals will teach you, and you will learn the hard way.

murano2010

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #7 on: May 28, 2021, 09:15:30 PM »
A couple of years ago, a member suggested the following:

1. Use one phone.

2. Download the Google Voice app, and get a disposable phone number..

3. Use the Google Voice number to create a WhatsApp profile.

4. When the trip is over, ditch the Google number (and WhatsApp profile).

5. If you need phone service, and you have ATT, go with their Passport service.

#5 is a good suggestion.   Who wants to deal with switching SIMs?
I use Google Voice when calling back to the US for personal calls ( in place of Whatsapp, due to better call quality  ) or for business calls.    One main benefit of using GV while in the DR is I can call toll free numbers in the states.   Some other VOIP services/apps ( Like MagicApp, which may be discontinued soon ) have very poor connections or may not work well when calling customer service type numbers.  Especially when using the keypad and being prompted to select choices from an automated menu.     

GV calls are usually very clear, with fewer or no incidents of dropped calls.   Of course call/message quality is dependent on the connection/speed of the wifi or data one is connected to. 
« Last Edit: May 28, 2021, 09:20:46 PM by murano2010 »
Where you stand on the issue depends on where you sit.  The words enough, some, many , to whom it applies to, does not mean ALL of any people, places or things.  If you cant, dont or wont learn from friends, family or your peers, dont worry the locals will teach you, and you will learn the hard way.

lazy_monger

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #8 on: May 29, 2021, 04:37:02 AM »
As others have said, get a second phone.  My stateside phone stored safely in my lodging and walk around with a $100 Motorola Android phone.  I get a local SIM and with the T-Mobile Digits app I get my stateside calls and text on the local phone.  I use my US number in my WhatsApp profile instead of the local number so if there is a need to stay connected with someone local, I don't have to worry about maintaining the local number to do so.  Plus, my non-local contacts can still reach me. 

Viva La Vega

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #9 on: May 29, 2021, 07:02:42 AM »
I have an unlocked iPhone. Bought a new one in Miami on my way over and traded the old one, got $180 for it and wont do it again.

1/ It was still fine and i totally could have put a DR sim in it.

2/ It's way easier to set up a new phone when the old one is in your hand. (Covid prevented them from doing in the store)

3/ Some of my app's on the old phone were free, and the new one, still opened, but were now subscription.

I run an Altice hot spot for mobile wifi ( bought the device years ago) in DR, it was $500RD for two weeks, up to five users at a time, and i got along fine without a phone number for 6 weeks (prefer it), can make skype calls when i need to.

crazy_canuck

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #10 on: May 29, 2021, 10:16:26 AM »
I use an unlocked Huawei E5787 mobile hotspot that works everywhere in the world.
When I arrive in DR, if it's been too long since my last trip and my sim is not valid anymore, I just buy another sim with Claro and put unlimited data for 5 days plan in it and renew every 5 days as needed. That enables me to use my phone everywhere as if I was connected to wifi everywhere I go. I just deactivate the mobile data on my phone so my apps won't try to connect on local network.
And the battery on that mobile hotspot lasts more than a whole day so no need to recharge during the day.

« Last Edit: May 29, 2021, 10:26:23 AM by crazy_canuck »
Why bother with life?
Nobody has ever come out alive.

Viva La Vega

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #11 on: May 29, 2021, 03:36:12 PM »
I use an unlocked Huawei E5787 mobile hotspot that works everywhere in the world.
When I arrive in DR, if it's been too long since my last trip and my sim is not valid anymore, I just buy another sim with Claro and put unlimited data for 5 days plan in it and renew every 5 days as needed. That enables me to use my phone everywhere as if I was connected to wifi everywhere I go. I just deactivate the mobile data on my phone so my apps won't try to connect on local network.
And the battery on that mobile hotspot lasts more than a whole day so no need to recharge during the day.



Exactly, the one i use in DR i bought at Orange/Altice it is locked. Have one at home and ditched wifi at the house and an office i use, never pay for data and just roll with the hot spot.

Bought a couple unlocked one's from Amazon a few years ago. Maybe $30-$40.

WanderingMan

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #12 on: May 29, 2021, 07:55:34 PM »
If you put a Dominican SIM card in your iPhone, will your WhatsApp have your old number or no longer work?

Jazzy2019

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #13 on: May 29, 2021, 09:56:08 PM »
If you put a Dominican SIM card in your iPhone, will your WhatsApp have your old number or no longer work?

What’sapp will only work for the number on the sim.

crazy_canuck

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Re: Upcoming trip - Best way to handle the cell phone shuffle?
« Reply #14 on: May 30, 2021, 09:19:48 AM »
If you put a Dominican SIM card in your iPhone, will your WhatsApp have your old number or no longer work?

Yep ... I lost all my whatsapp and line conversations and contacts the first time I went to Thaïland because I put a Thaï sim in my phone ... if you want to go the dominican  sim and number way, get a burner phone, don't put the dominican sim in your main phone.
Why bother with life?
Nobody has ever come out alive.

 







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