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how to use/get phone

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donadev
  7/25/2019 12:24 EST

I am making an exploratory trip soon. Would like to know how and what kind of phone to buy with card to make local lphone calls in Guatemala and overseas calls, my I phone cannot be unlocked. thank you. also I speak Spanish perfectly from having lived in Mexico for 20 years.

bajasur
  10/17/2019 14:59 EST

Saldo is balance. You buy saldo. So you buy saldo which is time or balance.

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MJSM
  10/17/2019 11:19 EST

Bajasur,
Forgive me but what is "saldo"?
Thanks

buckeye43210
  8/17/2019 20:39 EST

T-Mobile works in Guatemala.

kgriff
  7/29/2019 17:56 EST

Tigo has pre-pago plans (paid before the month starts) and post-pago plans (paid after the month ends). My husband and I pay Q199 for unlimited Tigo-to-Tigo calls and 500 minutes for other carriers, plus 5 gb internet. Since we connect to wifi whenever we can (in restaurants, at home, etc,) we never go over the data allowance. This package is pretty low in both services offered and price; they have other packages that offer more for a greater price.

I bet other carriers have similar plans, but I am not familiar with them.

bajasur
  7/29/2019 15:02 EST

Google Claro, Tigo, and Movistar. The websites of these cell providers explain all their plans. It would difficult to explain all the different plans these companies offer on this site.

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PoppaJim
  7/29/2019 11:32 EST

Can someone explain how the data plans and the talk and text plans breakdown?

I mean can you get unlimited talk and text and what does that typically cost?

And can you get unlimited data and what does that typically cost?

I realize these will just be ballpark figures I'm just trying to get some idea of what we're going to spend.

bajasur
  7/25/2019 19:41 EST

I 1st moved here I had Tigo. Then bought a Samsung S5 a few years back and it had Q1,000 balance (Movistar) on the chip. So went with Movistar. I like Movistar because they are always offering six times saldo. For example buy Q100 and get Q600 in saldo. Also other offers everyday. Coverage is good all over Central America and no roaming charges. I was in Oregon a few years ago and it worked on T-Moble network. Now Claro and Tigo also offer Saldo deals. Not much different among all of them. My girlfriend has an LG and has two chips. She uses Movistar and Tigo. Hope this helps.

PoppaJim
  7/25/2019 19:22 EST

Oh, I should add my wife and I both have unlocked LG G5 phones that we'll be bringing with us so we'll need to do is get new SIM cards wherever we pick up our so our plans

PoppaJim
  7/25/2019 19:19 EST

This is all really good information...

When we were there on vacation we just bought a burner with enough minutes to let us call it a taxi or the hotel if we had two while we were there.

However, we're in the process of trying to move there permanently. What is the low down on cellular Plans? Can you get unlimited talk text Data?

Which company is considered to be the best provider?

What's the average rate for a good cell plan?

bajasur
  7/25/2019 15:30 EST

Smart phones are about all you see. Apple, Samsung, L&G, etc. The providers, Claro, Tigo and Moviestar stores all sell smart phones, as well as different shops in Antigua and the Q100-Q150 phones. If someone is here for a couple of weeks I'd buy one of the cheap ones.

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DonSinclair
  7/25/2019 15:17 EST

Bajasur, are there several phones available to purchase in Guate? How about smartphones? Any particular stores or any phone store? Thanks

bajasur
  7/25/2019 14:19 EST

I moved to Antigua 8 years ago I had my iPhone unlocked here and bought a chip for a local provider. Now it was a iPhone 3 so maybe the newer ones can't be unlocked. But I was told by a US provider that a 3 can't be unlocked. Wrong. Or just by a phone in one of the local providers stores. Q100-Q8,000 purchase price normally a chip is included with anywhere from Q100 -Q1,000 balance free.

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