• This is an archive of older St Barts forum topics and posts.
    Information in this sub-forum may be out of date.

    If you are researching schedules or time sensitive materials, go to the main forum and ask other members for confirmation.

Best cell phone solution while in St. Barth

cplmsb

cplmsb

SBH Member
I will (unfortunately) have to conduct business while on-island this summer for 3 weeks. As I don't want to be confined to my skype account at the villa, is there an inexpensive cell phone solution that someone would recommend that allows unlimited minutes? This would allow me to talk shop while drinking / reading / beaching / hiking / lounging / etc. Thanks!
 
I don't think anything is unlimited, so that is off the table.

If you want to be reachable on your home number, the plans are all expensive -- multiple dollars per minute -- incoming or outgoing.

You can take an unlocked phone with you and buy a SIM (local) number, but your callers from home will run up big bills.


WiFi is widespread, so your Skype may be the best way to go.
 
As JEK said, there is no unlimited solution. The least expensive way to make outgoing calls from "anywhere" is with an unlocked quad-band GSM phone, a local prepaid SIM, and a calling card from the same company.

I have an unlocked Motorola Razr that I use with a prepaid SIM that I bought from Dauphin Telecom. When making international calls I use it in conjunction with a Bla Bla card from Dauphin. I don't keep track of the cost, as I make very few calls, but I know that it's cheaper than ATT.

Incoming, there is no good solution. Incoming calls to a Dauphin SIM would be free to you, but your callers would pay dearly.
 
Whatever you do, don't bother trying to buy a SIM card at the Orange store. They are rarely open, and when they are the queue is unending so you'll spend more of your trip than you care to waiting!
 
Another reason to use Dauphin over Orange is that Dauphin's prepay SIMs stay alive as long as you have a credit balance, with no need to add additional funds.

Dauphin Telecom is located in Gustavia, next to Boulangerie Choisy, and diagonally across from the former La Rotisserie. That's the third street up from the harbor, the one with L'Isola on one end, and which leads up to the cross on the high road out of town.
 
I tried the Droid/Verizon Global phone in May. I was pretty happy with service. The plan had "unlimited" minutes @ $2.10/min :laugh:
 
" I don't want to be confined to my skype account at the villa"....I use Skype on my IPhone. It can be used anyplace that has wifi, so you do not have to be confined to your villa. Perhaps that will work
 
With Skype on the iPhone one can get a local (local to your home) number and incoming will be free for your home callers. Skype for iPhone also works on 3G, but then there are those pesky data charges.
 
JEK said:
With Skype on the iPhone one can get a local (local to your home) number and incoming will be free for your home callers. Skype for iPhone also works on 3G, but then there are those pesky data charges.
Click to expand...

A while back I bought a Dauphin SIM for my ATT iPad. I don't recall the cost of the SIM, maybe €25. I visit them on the morning after I arrive, and pay them €25 for two weeks of unlimited data. ATT iPads are unlocked, so this is simple to do.
 
You can buy either a local cheap or they are selling phone plus chead around 40 euros!
Orange has a new representavive in gustavia right in front of Choisy bakery wich is reliable;open all day long, fast service.
The other point with dauphin, wich is very good, is that they don't have full coverage of the island..They still have problems in some area on the island.On top of ths they should have great price.The Dauphin shop is right next to choisy bakery also!
 
KevinS said:
I have an unlocked Motorola Razr that I use with a prepaid SIM that I bought from Dauphin Telecom. When making international calls I use it in conjunction with a Bla Bla card from Dauphin. I don't keep track of the cost, as I make very few calls, but I know that it's cheaper than ATT.
Click to expand...

We don't step foot on St Barth without our Razr...and the calls to the states are reasonable.
 
That makes three of us. I still think the RazR is the best pure cell phone ever, and we have 3 of them.

Phil
 
A few years ago I picked up an inexpensive cell phone on the island. I think it was $50. I keep minutes on the plan for use on the island and a bla bla card for calls home...

It's my "Mom" phone....Sometimes she just wants to hear from her son.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Stay At Any One Of These Villas...
Get A FREE Rental Car For The Duration Of Your Stay.


Villa Les Embruns
Flamands, St Barts
2 Bdrm/2Bath, Pool
View Villa
Value Villas on St Barts
Villa Diamond
St Jean, St. Barts
2 Bdrm, 2 Bath Pool
View Villa
Villas With Free Car
Villa C'est Ma Vue
St Jean, St Barts
3 Bdrm/ 3 Ba/ Pool
View Villa
Top