MoviStar GSM
MoviStar is more economical than TelCel. And has a far less complicated rate structure. But, there is less coverage. You will be fine in developed areas like San Carlos, Guaymas, Emplame, Hermosillo, and Obregon. The rural areas between Guaymas and Hermosillo and Empalme and Obregon on Mex 15 have some MoviStar dead areas that TelCel does not have.
MoviStar seems to offer a dizzying, never ending sequence of special deals. It is incredibly hard to evaluate long term. The advertised special package features and price are in near constant flux.
MoviStar seems to offer a dizzying, never ending sequence of special deals. It is incredibly hard to evaluate long term. The advertised special package features and price are in near constant flux.
Frequencies
MoviStar GSM uses the same frequencies as TelCel:
- 1900 for voice and 2G data
- 850 for 3G, HSPDA, HSPDA+
- 700 for LTE
MoviStar Partners with T-Mobile
If you bring an T-Mobile phone to Mexico, you will be able to use it on MoviStar without doing anything. The price you will pay for making voice calls here will be lots more expensive than if you switched to MoviStar directly. But, it is not ridiculous. $1.79 per minute for local calls. SMS messaging is OK also - $US0.50 for send. $US0.20 for receive. DO NOT USE DATA the same way. $US15 per megabyte. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS per day are easily possible. A big surprise with your next monthly bill. If you have T-Mobile's Simple Choice Plan you can use your phone in Mexico with little worries for 35 days.
The partnership is reciprocal. You can use your phone with a MoviStar SIM card in the USA without doing anything. Again, the price of voice calls is lots more expensive than if you put a T-Mobile SIM card back in your phone. But, it is not ridiculous. Again, if you use DATA while in the USA your MoviStar credit will disappear. Fast.
If you have both a T-Mobile phone and T-Mobile service and if you are accustomed to what T-Mobile calls 4G in 2012 (HSPDA+ in reality), you will likely get busted back to EDGE speeds in Mexico. T-Mobile's HSPDA+ service is at a frequency of 1700 and 1900 (both are needed) while TelCel and MoviStar's HSPDA+ are on a frequency of 850. Check your T-Mobile phone's specifications. If it supports 850 for UMTS then you will get high speed in Mexico.
Neither MoviStar nor TelCel currently offer LTE in San Carlos or Guaymas.
If you don't use your phone much - like the credit expires before it is exhausted, then you are probably better off with TelCel. If you have add credit of $MX100 or more most months you are in Mexico, then you should really look at what MoviStar offers.
The partnership is reciprocal. You can use your phone with a MoviStar SIM card in the USA without doing anything. Again, the price of voice calls is lots more expensive than if you put a T-Mobile SIM card back in your phone. But, it is not ridiculous. Again, if you use DATA while in the USA your MoviStar credit will disappear. Fast.
If you have both a T-Mobile phone and T-Mobile service and if you are accustomed to what T-Mobile calls 4G in 2012 (HSPDA+ in reality), you will likely get busted back to EDGE speeds in Mexico. T-Mobile's HSPDA+ service is at a frequency of 1700 and 1900 (both are needed) while TelCel and MoviStar's HSPDA+ are on a frequency of 850. Check your T-Mobile phone's specifications. If it supports 850 for UMTS then you will get high speed in Mexico.
Neither MoviStar nor TelCel currently offer LTE in San Carlos or Guaymas.
If you don't use your phone much - like the credit expires before it is exhausted, then you are probably better off with TelCel. If you have add credit of $MX100 or more most months you are in Mexico, then you should really look at what MoviStar offers.
Credit
You buy credit in Pesos. Not minutes. Not SMS messages. Data is contracted by hour, day, week, or month and is also capped. If your credit expires, you have 30 days to add more in order to preserve your prior credit. If you add $MX100 of credit - that credit expires in 31 days.
Tariffs
MoviStar has several pay-as-you-go plans. I will just describe one of them Prepago Lite. There are two rate plans in Prepago Lite. One if you recharge with $MX150 every 30 days. And the other is if you don't spend that much or that frequently. Remember that MoviStar's credit expires in 90 days. $MX150 every 30 days gives you a lot of calling.
Recharge at least $MX150 every 30 days (in Pesos)/ These rates cover the first 30 days after to recharge with at least $MX150:
Recharge less than $MX150 every 30 days (in Pesos):
Recharge at least $MX150 every 30 days (in Pesos)/ These rates cover the first 30 days after to recharge with at least $MX150:
- Call local land lines: $0.98 per minute
- Call local cell numbers: $0.98 per minute
- Call long distance land line or cell: $0.98 per minute
- Call United State and Canada: $0.98 per minute
- Call land line in certain Mexican cities (In Sonora only Sonoyta and Villa Juarez are in this category): $3.00 per minute
- SMS message: $1.09
Recharge less than $MX150 every 30 days (in Pesos):
- Call local land lines: $2.98 per minute
- Call local cell numbers: $2.98 per minute
- Call long distance land line or cell: $2.98 per minute
- Call United States and Canada: $2.98 per minute
- Call certain Mexican cities (In Sonora only Sonoyta and Villa Juarez are in this category): $3.00 per minute
- SMS message: $1.09
Extraneous
Send a free SMS message to the special phone number 609 with the text SALDO and MoviStar will respond with your credit balance.
Data Options
If you want data, send a free SMS message to the special phone number 100. What you get is a package of data access that has both a cap and an expiration. You pay immediately from your credit balance.
Megabytes
40
100 400 1,024 |
Cost
$9
$19 $99 $199 |
Duration
1 hour
1 day 7 days 30 days |
SMS Message
1 hora
1 dia 7 dias 30 dias |