Heading down to SBH next week and due to family issues I must be reachable 24/7..What is the best way to handle this?..My service (Cingular/At&T) says they don't have service on SBH..Wimco tells me I can bring my cell phone to the phone store by the gas station and they can help but I can't trust to wait til I get down there..I know this has probably been discussed here countless times before but my search didn't work..
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Cell phones on the island..
- Thread starter KathyD
- Start date
KevinS
Senior Insider
Kathy -
I used my Cingular/ATT cellphone on the island a few weeks ago - in fact I use it on every trip to SBH. When checking for coverage they need to look under Guadeloupe or perhaps French West Indies.
If you have global roaming enabled by Cingular/ATT and
if you have a GSM phone (if it's ATT/Cingular then it should be) and
if it works on the international GSM frequencies (again, it should)
then you will be able to make and receive calls, and people at home will be able to call your mobile.
Signal strength may be week to non-existant inside a villa with concrete walls. Mine rarely worked inside, but usually worked outside.
Going to the mobile phone store at the airport is worthless information unless you have an unlocked phone - and ATT/Cingular does not unlock their phones.
For incoming calls - make sure that they have both the villa number and your cell number. Make sure they know how to dial the villa number (pick up the phone, dial 011-590-590-xxxxxx).
For outgoing calls - you've got your cellphone, but you will want a backup. Go to the gas station by the airport and buy a phone card. The 15-Euro card will likely be overkill, but you'll feel better. There is a scratch-off area on the back with a pin code. I am currently using an Intercard from Dauphoin Telephone. Usage is easy - call a toll free number on the villa phone (0809-135-135), enter 2 for english, enter your 10-digit pin code, enter a phone number just like you were calling from out of state - 1-212-xxx-xxxx. Very simple, and you'll have over 200 minutes of talk time at nightime rates. I've used Pass Outremer phone cards in the past, and the procedure is similar.
I used my Cingular/ATT cellphone on the island a few weeks ago - in fact I use it on every trip to SBH. When checking for coverage they need to look under Guadeloupe or perhaps French West Indies.
If you have global roaming enabled by Cingular/ATT and
if you have a GSM phone (if it's ATT/Cingular then it should be) and
if it works on the international GSM frequencies (again, it should)
then you will be able to make and receive calls, and people at home will be able to call your mobile.
Signal strength may be week to non-existant inside a villa with concrete walls. Mine rarely worked inside, but usually worked outside.
Going to the mobile phone store at the airport is worthless information unless you have an unlocked phone - and ATT/Cingular does not unlock their phones.
For incoming calls - make sure that they have both the villa number and your cell number. Make sure they know how to dial the villa number (pick up the phone, dial 011-590-590-xxxxxx).
For outgoing calls - you've got your cellphone, but you will want a backup. Go to the gas station by the airport and buy a phone card. The 15-Euro card will likely be overkill, but you'll feel better. There is a scratch-off area on the back with a pin code. I am currently using an Intercard from Dauphoin Telephone. Usage is easy - call a toll free number on the villa phone (0809-135-135), enter 2 for english, enter your 10-digit pin code, enter a phone number just like you were calling from out of state - 1-212-xxx-xxxx. Very simple, and you'll have over 200 minutes of talk time at nightime rates. I've used Pass Outremer phone cards in the past, and the procedure is similar.
Island Visitor
Senior Insider
With a GSM card, Cingular most indeed does have service on St Barth (their international roaming is about 5 bucks a month plus the minutes you use - $2.49 per on St Barth). Indeed, the new IPhone would allow you to not only have cell phone capability but text message, email and internet 24/7.
And now, heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's JEANy!
And now, heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's JEANy!
Island Visitor
Senior Insider
That nice little phone also holds about 2000 songs. For about 20 - 40 bucks you can get a plug in FM transmitter to use with your IPhone and play it through any FM radio on St Barth - or anywhere else.
That is a bitchin nice feature when you have a villa with a great sound system.
"Honey, how many CD's are you bringing to St Barth".
"Two thousand".
"And we wont have to check bags?"
"Exactemente"
That is a bitchin nice feature when you have a villa with a great sound system.
"Honey, how many CD's are you bringing to St Barth".
"Two thousand".
"And we wont have to check bags?"
"Exactemente"
KevinS
Senior Insider
Some additional information:
Below is a link to the ATT Wireless webpage on global roaming. St Barth is listed under Guadaloupe (their spelling). It looks like the current cost is $2.49 per minute for both incoming and outgoing calls on St Barth, $1.99 per minute on St Maarten.
http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/roaming/international-roaming.jsp
There's a link on that page that will check your phone model to see if it will work, and which will also show you the pricing.
Your phone charger is probably multi-voltage. Check the label on the charger. If it says "Input:100-240V ~ 50/60Hz" then you won't need a transformer to recharge your phone. You will need a plug adapter to adapt from the US blade-type plug to a French round-type plug, which you can buy for 2 or 3 euros in the shop in the back of the Shell station in St Jean. Bring your charger to the shop and show them the plug and they will point out the adapters. Adapters can also be bought at Radio Shack in the US (model PBC-1, catalog number 273-1447, $2.99), but the store may only stock a multiple-adapter kit (model and catalog number 273-1405, $16.99).
Some villa bathrooms have a plug marked "razor only" that will accept a US blade-type plug. Since the phone charger only draws about .1 amp then you could probably plug the phone charger in there without a problem, but you do so at your own risk. I've never damaged my phone or burned down the villa by plugging my phone charger into the razor outlet, but your experience may be different.
Below is a link to the ATT Wireless webpage on global roaming. St Barth is listed under Guadaloupe (their spelling). It looks like the current cost is $2.49 per minute for both incoming and outgoing calls on St Barth, $1.99 per minute on St Maarten.
http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/roaming/international-roaming.jsp
There's a link on that page that will check your phone model to see if it will work, and which will also show you the pricing.
Your phone charger is probably multi-voltage. Check the label on the charger. If it says "Input:100-240V ~ 50/60Hz" then you won't need a transformer to recharge your phone. You will need a plug adapter to adapt from the US blade-type plug to a French round-type plug, which you can buy for 2 or 3 euros in the shop in the back of the Shell station in St Jean. Bring your charger to the shop and show them the plug and they will point out the adapters. Adapters can also be bought at Radio Shack in the US (model PBC-1, catalog number 273-1447, $2.99), but the store may only stock a multiple-adapter kit (model and catalog number 273-1405, $16.99).
Some villa bathrooms have a plug marked "razor only" that will accept a US blade-type plug. Since the phone charger only draws about .1 amp then you could probably plug the phone charger in there without a problem, but you do so at your own risk. I've never damaged my phone or burned down the villa by plugging my phone charger into the razor outlet, but your experience may be different.
andynap
Senior Insider
Failing all the above- you may be able to rent a GSM phone -
Look at this link- next day delivery- Rental phones
Look at this link- next day delivery- Rental phones
