Question - Verizon Cell Phone Use on STJ.

nhstorm · Post by **nhstorm** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 12:14 pm

Hello, My family and i will be visiting STJ over Xmas, thank you Betty!

My dausghter just got an iPhone with Verizon. If my dausghter uses her cell on STJ will she rack up big service charges or other fees?

Thanks!!!

hoosierdaddy · Post by **hoosierdaddy** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 12:37 pm

We were on island one week ago with a version iPhone. I had called their global services and was told calls we're $1.99 per minute and text were at the normal domestic rate which for me I have unlimited texting so it was no cost. If you don't have unlimited or go over your limit it is 50 cents to send and 5 to receive. There is a charge for data roaming, We turned our data roaming of so we wouldn't get a charge.

ironman417 · Post by **ironman417** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 1:05 pm

Look into the ATT Go-Phone. $1.95 a day for unlimited number of calls and length. I got one and stayed around Cruz Bay and worked fine....Al

toni · Post by **toni** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:05 pm

I could either get no reception with my Verizon or it bounced to the BVIs. My AT&T iPad alerted us that there had been a tornado at home while we were gone so we had to call and find out what was happening. We had 4 short calls for $40.

mnfun2bme · Post by **mnfun2bme** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:39 pm

Thanks, Ironman.... I'll be looking into that GO PHONE from AT & T.

nhstorm · Post by **nhstorm** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:14 pm

Hello, thanks to everyone on your experiences.

Regarding the Go Phone, is it a pre-paid cell or do you have to sign up and execute a contract?

Thanks,

NHSTORM

Jeff&Cindy · Post by **Jeff&Cindy** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:15 am

Based on everybody's recommendations I just bought a Go-Phone $25, and loaded it with $25 worth of minutes and set up the $2/day unlimited use plan.

The minutes 'expire' ($25 worth expires in 90 days). And if you activate the phone and wait too long to load it with minutes, your account will expire too. (don't know how much that costs to re-activate)

I got ours on line at AT&T, but have also seen them at Target or Radioshack.

ToonMann · Post by **ToonMann** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:55 am

Another vote for the Go Phone here.

When we make calls from our Verizon cell phones on St. John, we get zapped with serious roaming charges.

Last time, we used the AT&T cell phone and were very pleased with how it worked on STJ. Purchased time in advance and then (using the phone) added a few more days. Forwarded our home calls to the Go Phone, so some callers didn't know we were away.

Only problem was the headset we had purchased from a third party . . . didn't work. We've ordered a replacement.

TM

PS: We found that we could access the Internet and send email or text messages with Verizon phones on STJ at no charge; the charges kick in when you make voice calls.

GraysonDave · Post by **GraysonDave** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 1:58 pm

Another vote for AT&T's go phone. We have Verizon and spent $300 on phone calls when a daughter got sick back home while we were on island. This time bought a go phone for $19.99 and put $25 of prepaid time on it. It was charged out at $2/day only on days it was used. Now I have to remember to use it once every 90 days so the number stays active.

hoosierdaddy · Post by **hoosierdaddy** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:00 pm

Just got my verison bill from our last trip. Talked 16 minutes for a charge of $31.84. I sent multiple text and they were no charge. If we would have done the Go Phone it would have cost $37.00. Some may have wanted to talk more than 16 minutes but for us we were trying to get away from the phone. It realy depends on how much you want to talk and if you want to go through the trouble of getting the Go Phone.

PA Girl · Post by **PA Girl** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:19 pm

toni wrote:I could either get no reception with my Verizon or it bounced to the BVIs. My AT&T iPad alerted us that there had been a tornado at home while we were gone so we had to call and find out what was happening. We had 4 short calls for $40.

So Verizon is not only expensive but also lacks coverage? Argh...

We switched from Nextel to Verizon last year. Our phones worked fine on Anguilla but DH ran up a huge bill due to business calls. (Unavoidable and accepted, the business pays for the trips so I can't complain.)

I thought we could leave the Go Phone behind but I might take it just in case he needs to call or be called.

liamsaunt · Post by **liamsaunt** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:45 pm

Verizon pretty much stinks outside the 50 states. I had my iphone with Verizon on St. John in August and racked up about $75 in extra charges--I didn't use it for anything other than making restaurant reservations.

When I took it to Bermuda in September I got a text saying calls were $1.99/minute and texts were 50 cents each. Data roaming was $20.48/MB. Needless to say I turned the phone off.

Then, I brought it with me to Paris last month. No signal at all! Not even roaming, it was just dead. When this contract expires I am switching to AT+T.

usvi-on-line