Cell phone worked for us to call metro NY without a problem. Little delay in getting signal, but otherwise fine.

LL2427, lots of discussion on this board regarding cell phones. You might consider doing a key word search to find out more.

Best to call your cell phone comapny and ask lots of questions about billing, charges, roaming, etc.

Prior to our last trip my cell phone company left off one minor detail when explaining how they would bill me for USVI calls going back home....and I wound up with a $2,500 cell phone bill!!

Also from NJ and we were in STJ last week. Verizon Wireless ONLY worked in the airport and no place else (especially anywhere on STJ) Get a phone card.

Hi all-I have AT & T Wireless and last time I was in St Thomas my cell phone gave alot of trouble connecting back to NYC. I did check with my provider to make sure I would have service in VI(they assured me I would) and still it was a hit and miss when making calls. Maybe taking along a phone card isn't such a bad idea on my next trip. Which one would work best there???

AT&T Wireless is now Cingular which has several towers in STT area. I have what is now Cingular. I have trouble sometimes downtown STT but generally, I have good service on both Water Island and STT.

Sprint worked on STT (Charlotte Amalie) and on the Cruz Bay side of STJ with 4 bars of digital (non-roaming) service.

Check with your company or consider renting a phone temporarily. On St. Thomas, Amalie Car Rentals rents cel phones. http://amaliecar.com/business_center.htm

Hi! We used my daughter's Tracfone in January @Maho and it worked fine and didn't use too many "units" at all.

Kathie,
Hey, I'll be at Maho August-September. Would you mind giving me the details on exactly which tracfone you used, etc.??

That is exactly the option I'm looking for if it will work.

Thanks!!
T.J.

Hello LL2427,

Which cell phone provider do you have?

Sprint & Cingular are providers here, so if you have either of them and have a nationwide plan you should be all set. Some other providers work but with roaming,extra charges and then some phones don't work.

--Islander

Thanks Islander, I have Cingular, I'll get a phone card, so I could call home.

With regard to Verizon, it depends upon your plan. We were there in April with friends; their Verizon phones worked perfectly from the Westin STJ, ours did not. Called Verizon when we returned and were told it was because of our type of plan. Some of the "America's Choice" and "Family Plans" don't work in the VI, others do. We had used our phones in previous years, but had just changed plans. Next year, we'll change our plan before we go and change it back when we return.

Lori

Lori F
I agree. When AT&T was my provider I was able to use my cell phone in Canada, Puerto Rico and the VI. Once it switched to Cingular as Rojako was kind enough to remind me, my service in the VI was terrible. If I upgrade my plan and spend $$$$ I'm sure I would have clear connection and reach whoever I'm trying to call right away.

If you have a Cingular Nationwide plan. You can call and roam for no additional charge in the USVI for all calls to mainland and other usvi locations. Reception signal varies by location, but generally is pretty good

Our T-mobile phones worked at the STT airport, but not on St. John anywhere.

Verizon:

After two long phone calls to Verizon Wireless I was able to confirm non-roaming service in STT. I was told that my nation wide plan includes the US Virgin Islands and that no roaming charges would be incurred. I can make and receive calls for free.

I am pretty sure that all Verizon plans are now nationwide. If you have an old plan you can just dial *611 and upgrade for free. (of course you will have to extend your contract 1 year from the day you switch your plan)

Some problems may arise in STT if their primary providers are GSM. Verizon is CDMA and their phones cannot roam on Cingular towers as they are GSM.

We were on STJ during the holidays and used my cell phone with Cingular. We could use it in Cruz Bay area, but not on Coral Bay side. I just received my bill yesterday and all calls were inclucded, no roaming fees. I was told that if you could see STT you were likely to get service.

My husband had his Verizon phone and I couldn't get service out on our Villa deck overlooking the Westin, right across from STT.

I have T-Mobile and my phone did not work anywhere in the USVI. My wife had a TracFone and it worked in St. Thomas but coverage was sporadic on St. John (as we expected). She was able to use it some from the Westin, and some in Cruz Bay. Occassionally we had coverage up to Cinnamon Bay but after that coverage dropped until we made it to Coral Bay. We called the providers and basically they told us the type of phone and the plan were important. Apparently my wife's was a "world phone" or "international phone" which was why it was functional. It also was why she was not charged extra for any calls from the USVI.