Cell Phone Bill

[SusanNJ]

Usually my cell phone bill (I use Verizon Wireless) is $49 a month. Well I used my phone while I was in St. John last month (worked fine by the way) and I knew it was going to cost a lot because it was on 'roaming'. However I just got my bill - $177! Yikes! Just thought I would post this for any future Verizon Wireless users down there! Keep your calls to a minimum!

[promoguy]

Yep, always happens with Verizon. One of their bad deals.

[Mango]

How many calls did you make? We only made 1 and haven't received our bill yet. Now there's something to look forward to!

[California Girl]

Something you might question Verizon about is whether or not your signal was being bounced off a BVI tower. I've read here on the forum, in the past, that some people have gotten really big phone bills because of this. You can probably prove that you weren't in the BVI, so if that's the case you might try to fight them on it. Just my 2 cents

[promoguy]

Cal Gal, unfortunately it doesn't have anything to do with the bounce. Once you hit the airport on STT your phone goes on roaming. Hell, you can't even get the additional service you can get if you're in Mexico that makes it the same rate.

Nope, it's just Verizon unfortunately.

[California Girl]

In that case then, I'm glad my phone didn't work there last year. And next year it looks like I'll be buying a phone card!

[RickG]

Thanks Susan, I passed this onto my gang.

I use Cingular and I get no roaming in the USVIs. Just regular mobile phone charges. It will be interesting to see what my data coverage will be. In the past, as long as I had line of site to St. Thomas the signal was great - St. John, Tortola, boat, etc. Works cheap in Europe and Canada too - the beauty of GSM.

Cheers, RickG

[liamsaunt]

We brought down both our phones last trip (we were in the process of switching from Sprint to T-Mobile). We were able to get a regular non-roaming signal on our Sprint phones, but got all kinds of crazy stuff showing up on the T-Mobile phone. Sometimes it was a BVI signal, sometimes something else. At one point, it was picking up a signal called something like "Boat Satellite Network!"

Anyway, if you have Sprint, you can use your phone anywhere on STT and on STJ in the Cruz Bay area no problem (There's no signal right around after you drive by Trunk Bay though, nor anywhere on the Coral Bay side.)

[FlaGeorge]

According to the Verizon Wireless web site – The USVI is treated as international service with a $0.69 per/min roaming charge.

[sitter]

We use US Cellular & are about to change our plan next week before we leave. They offer 45min. roaming calls every month now!!

So between the 2 of our phones, we should be able to call the local Police to come check out our adult children at home to bust any party they may have up their sleeves while we are away!!

(I liked them better when I could still use only one roll of duct tape to keep them quiet!!....)
(just kidding)

[SusanNJ]

"According to the Verizon Wireless web site – The USVI is treated as international service with a $0.69 per/min roaming charge."

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Thanks FlaGeorge, that would explain it! I will have to look at my bill again and see how many calls I actually made. Funny thing is half the time I was calling our friends who were there on St. John at the same time!

[lark22]

My Virgin Mobile prepaid phone operates via Sprint, and the 'regular' per-minute rates apply for the USVI (mine is .25/minute for the 1st 10 minutes a day, then .10 after that).

Phones are cheap (sometimes free if there's a special), easy to set up, and there are no monthly plans. You can grab one at Best Buy, Radio Shack, etc....

Something to consider if your phone plan is with Verizon and you don't want to spend a fortune!

[silverheels]

All of the Verizon roaming charges is what made me change to Cingular. I love being able to contact my husband when he is on the boat. Because I spend a month in STJ during the summer and have to check in with my mother it is a pleasure to be able to call without any extra charges through Cingular. It's so great to sit on the beach and call back home.

[Jerseyboy]

I use Cingular and I get no roaming in the USVIs. Just regular mobile phone charges.

Cheers, RickG

I also have Cingular and didn't get any roaming charges. Coverage was great. Did you send/receive text messages and/or photos? Those are more expensive.

[RickG]

I also have Cingular and didn't get any roaming charges. Coverage was great. Did you send/receive text messages and/or photos? Those are more expensive.

I need to call today and see what happens with my data service on the islands. I'm hoping that is standard rates...

Cheers, RickG