Most Mexican cellular customers enjoy "Calling Party Pays" service. This is common in other countries outside the U.S. This makes cellular service cheaper for wireless users and more expensive for those who call them. It also requires callers to place a "1" in front of Mexican cellular numbers, most of which already require a different prefix. Most Mexican wireless users pay by the minute instead using a bucket of time. GSM technology dominates Mexico, but CDMA and iDEN service is available.

Here are your wireless options to make and receive calls to and from the US while visiting Mexico:

Option 1: Choose the US carrier with the best roaming capabilities, including Prepaid.

Option 2: Mexican cellular service with a Mexican Prepaid phone or SIM.

For Option 1, Here are your best wireless choices among US cellular carriers:

• AT&T:
  Since they use GSM technology, roaming coverage is extensive throughout Mexico, however, AT&T charges postpaid users .99 per minute roaming charges. Text Messaging is .50 Sent, .20 Received. AT&T offers a "Viva Mexico" plan that includes calls to & from Mexico for no additional charge. For an additional $5 per month you can add their "WorldConnect Mexico" service to a regular plan which enables you to make and receive calls in Mexico for "only" .69 per minute.
  A great alternative for AT&T customers is to purchase an AT&T GoPhone SIM. Slip this SIM into your AT&T phone and you can roam in Mexico for .25/minute with no additional roaming charges and no daily access fee. Find out how to set up an AT&T GoPhone to get your calls in Mexico.
  
  
• Cricket Wireless:
  Cricket offers roaming in Mexico with calls placed and received within Mexico to the US are as low at .25 per minute. Calls from Mexico to a Mexico land line are .35/minute; from Mexico to a Mexico mobile, .55 per minute; from Mexico to another International destination, .25 per minute plus the International Long Distance charge to that country which varies from .10 to .60/minute. Service is for voice calls only, Data and Text Messaging are not available. Cricket customers must have roaming capability, an updated PRL (Dialing *228 while in home calling area prior to traveling) and have "Flex Bucket" service in their account. Cricket PAYGo customers must have sufficient funds available in their account balance.
  
  Cricket also offers a Mexico Calling Plan. You get 500 minutes to call any eligible landline in Mexico and 30 minutes of talk-time to any eligible Mexico-based mobile number. You also receive a Mexico Local Number in a select city of your choice in Mexico. Friends can call you on that number and it will forward directly to your Cricket phone, saving them money on international long-distance charges. The plan includes unlimited local and long distance calls in the US, as well as voice mail, caller ID, call waiting, 3-way calling, call forwarding, and unlimited 411 calls.
  
  
• MetroPCS phones do not roam outside the US.
  
  
• Nextel:
  Nextel Roaming in Mexico with an iDEN phone has good coverage within their service area which includes much of the interior of Mexico, many highways and some coastal resorts. Roaming Voice rates are .99/minute, Direct Connect calls are .20 each. Text Messaging is not available, but Internet access is currently Free! Nextel customers from San Diego, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas area markets receive a rate of $.69/minute for all calls made and received in Baja California. Nextel customers with a CDMA phone have the same Roaming capabilities as Sprint.
  
  
• Page Plus:
  Page Plus Cellular is one of our recommended prepaid services, using the Verizon network in the US. Their phones will roam in Mexico on the same networks as Verizon, with a rate of $1.10/minute, which is only slightly higher than Verizon's own Mexico roaming rate. This includes calls to Mexico and USA numbers.
  
  
• Sprint:
  Sprint phones use the smaller CDMA network in Mexico, but Sprint claims only a few of their phone models will work there. Sprint's Mexico Voice Roaming fees are $1.69 per minute for both incoming and outgoing calls in Mexico. Text Messaging is .50/Sent, .25 received. Data is .019/kB (GPRS) and .004/kB (CDMA 1x/Ev).
  
  
• T-Mobile:
  T-Mobile phones work well in Mexico since they use GSM technology, but T-Mobile's roaming rates are $1.79/minute for both incoming and outgoing Voice calls in Mexico. This rate does not include local toll or Long Distance charges. Text Messages are .50/sent, .20/received but messages received are Free if you have a Text Messaging bundle with your home plan. Data is charged at $15/MB. Roaming works for both postpaid and prepaid customers.
  
  
• TracFone:
  TracFone does not offer roaming outside the US, but they have favorable long distance rates to and from Mexico (and Canada). With their "International Neighbors" plan you get a local number in Mexico or Canada that allows calls to be made back to a TracFone in the US, charged only as a Local call in those countries. The cost to the TracFone phone user is the same as any incoming call. Outgoing calls to these countries with a TracFone are Free through their International Long Distance (ILD) service, which involves calling a toll-free number, then entering your Mexico number (or to 60 other countries). Since your TracFone will not work in Mexico (or any other foreign country) this option would make a Mexico prepaid phone economical to call a TracFone in the US. NET10 prepaid phones offer the same services.
  
  
• Verizon:
  Verizon uses the smaller Mexican CDMA network, which serves most larger cities and resorts. If your Verizon phone finds a signal, it will work. They offer "Nationwide Plus Mexico" which allows free roaming in Mexico for about $15 more than regular plans. With that plan, instead of Unlimited Nights and Weekends you will get 1,000 Night & Weekend minutes that can be used in the US or Mexico, but your Unlimited Mobile to Mobile and "Friends & Family" calls are limited to within the US only. Plans without free Mexico Roaming, incur a charge of .99 per minute for both incoming and outgoing calls within Mexico. Text Messaging in Mexico is .50 Sent, .20 Received.
  
  Also, check out Mexico Calling Tips & Procedures
  
  

• TelCel offers the best coverage in the country, and sells a nice prepaid package, "Amigo", that includes phone, SIM ("chip") and a prepaid card. They may still offer just the SIM, some of which have minutes already loaded on them. You can bring your own "Unlocked" GSM phone and plug in the TelCel SIM. Your GSM carrier (AT&T, T-Mobile and others) MAY provide you with your unlock code. If not, or if you don't subscribe to those networks, you can buy an unlocked GSM phone online or at eBay, and use that phone on the TelCel network. Calls TO the US are roughly $1.40 per minute, and incoming calls are much cheaper, usually free. If you wanted a link from one phone to another while in Mexico, Mobile to Mobile calling plans are available. Calls made from outside the area the phone was activated are charged as much as 60% more. While these charges are difficult to track, they still may be the most economical option. If you can, ask as many questions at a TelCel store about what charges apply to your specific calls. Also, our TelCel refills don't "roll over". Add a new prepaid card and you lose some or all of your previous minutes. TelCel refills are available at many retail outlets. A few still sell the refill cards, but most now take your number and enter your purchase in the computer, which is immediately credited to your phone. Most Oxxo stores can perform this and are quite common. Call to check your balance are charged against your minutes, but they usually add a few for this purpose.
  
  
• Movistar offers prepaid options and their GSM network is almost as good as TelCel's. You can buy a Movistar SIM only and use your own "Unlocked" GSM phone. Movistar retailers are hard to find, but refills are available at many convenience stores like Oxxo through the store's computer. We were able to renew our Pay-Per-Call plan ("Movistar Pro Llamada") which gives you at least 15 minutes of talk to anywhere for a flat fee, currently calls to the US are about $1.25. However, we cannot confirm that Pay-Per-Call is available to new customers. We have never been able to access any English-speaking assistance at Movistar, either on cellular, or at their national toll-free number. Like TelCel, Movistar calls to 611 and to get your balance involve a charge.
  
  
• Iusacel currently uses a CDMA network that is not as expansive as the other carriers in Mexico. While their rates are similar to TelCel and Movistar, you must buy their phone. They don't use SIM's. They do have a few stores and kiosks and if you can get a deal on one of their prepaid phones, they offer more minutes for your money, but not really enough to make a difference. We couldn't find any Iusacel stores, and only one kiosk, to make a purchase.
  
  
• Nextel of Mexico is very different from the US version. Their coverage is better within the interior of Mexico and not as extensive around the resorts, but it works very well within their service area. They do not offer much for the short-time visitor but have a big following among business people. See Nextel Roaming, above.
  
  
  Mexican cellular phones are much more reasonable for local calls, and incoming calls, including those from the US, are often free. They also have good rates for "mobile to mobile" calls within each Mexican city for family members to keep in touch with each other. Beware there still could be significant 'roaming' or long distance charges if you make calls away from the city where you originally purchased service. If you don't speak Spanish you might not understand some of the benefits or pitfalls.
  
  

• The Easiest option is to just pay roaming fees with your current carrier. You would be surprised how efficiently you can communicate when you pay by the minute. Text rates may be quite reasonable. Your Roaming costs could be less than you think.
• The Cheapest options:
  

  		With AT&T GoPhone rates are .25/minute for voice calls, Text is .20. If you call forward to a GoPhone from another phone you may be charged per minute for Call Forwarding from your forwarded line, but if you are a regular AT&T customer, those calls may be billed as Mobile to Mobile. Otherwise, if it's a problem, you can return a call from the US and be charged outgoing minutes only. GoPhone can be purchased online, sometimes for less than $20. Some phones include some Airtime Credit. The SIM that comes with an Airtime Credit will be locked to that phone for 4 months. When you purchase a plain SIM from AT&T you usually receive an initial $10 bonus with no handset limitations. An added benefit is that your GoPhone will work in the US keeping you from losing minutes you don't use in Mexico, and you'll need only one phone and SIM on your trip.
  		Cricket Wireless is another good choice if you just want to make voice calls to and from the US. Calls are normally just .25 per minute, Data and Text Messaging is not available and calls to other locations, such as Mexico local numbers, are a little higher. Also, your Cricket phone will access the CDMA network in Mexico which is somewhat smaller than the GSM network used by the AT&T GoPhone, above. Get more details about Cricket Mexico Roaming.

• Also, consider carriers that offer plans that include Mexico Roaming. It may be at the same rate you are paying now, but beware, some Mexico plans do not include Text Messaging or Mobile to Mobile within Mexico, so you may have extra charges.
• Using a phone from a US carrier also gives you the advantage of accessing US-based, English-speaking customer service.
  
  Also see:
• Mexico Calling Tips & Procedures
  
  
• Cruise Ship Calling in Mexico
  
  
• Data Roaming Dangers
  
  
• How to Set Up a Phone for making and receiving economical calls in Mexico
  
  
• International Roaming: Roaming beyond North America
  

Other Options:

• Wi-fi Phones:
  Some Mexico visitors have been able to use a wi-fi capable phone, where the phone reaches an accessible wi-fi signal. Most wi-fi hotspots we encountered were protected.
  
• Phone Rental:
  Mexitel sends you a TelCel cell phone and you can then purchase prepaid minutes locally. The rates to and from the US are more favorable than using your own phone and SIM and "Pay Per Call" can be easily activated. You check a calendar to see if your week is available. The phone is sent to you before your trip and you mail it back when you return. While the process seems complicated before and after your trip and a phone may not be available during busy weeks, it may be more hassle-free while on your trip.