Aruba prepaid sim card options

[wysiwyg]

BoldMan, are you in Toronto? I'm going myself on Saturday and returning 2 weeks later. If you need a card and I already came back, we could work something out?
I have an iPhone 4 (factory unlocked as well) and will share my experience with it upon my return.

[Boldman]

It sounds like we have very similar situation. We will be leaving for Aruba on Feb. 20. We live in Mississauga.
In previous years I used my Blackberry but I was not too happy with it, so I bought an Iphone 4 last year. I like it a great deal. I had a number of SIM cards ie: T-mobile for when I am in the States and a global card for when I am in Europe and cruising in the Caribbean. I had to buy a SIM card cutter and was able to reduce the size of the various cards I have.
Last year when we were in Aruba I used Fast phones but they do not seem to carry the same product that they used to and Charles from Fast phones suggested I use Digicel.
I would be very interested in discussing this further when you return from you trip.
Thanks

Hi Randi,
Thanks for all that information. It does seem strange that a phone number is not part of the $20.00 deal. I will require a number as I have set up an account on the Digicel website and I want to be able to add time to it from my phone or when I get home to keep the card current and not have to buy another one when i return to Aruba. I assume the data plans are independent of the purchase of the Sim card. Did you find that the 2 week data plan provided enough MB to view emails and do a bit of internet surfing?

[Randi]

I bought a BB from a cellular store for $139 (the BB was originally from Rogers) which I am only going to use in Aruba (or traveling). I backed up my information and then transferred it to my Aruba BB. The only thing I had to do was add on my email account and get my BBM contacts to re-accept me.

Aside from the cost saving of doing this, there is no worry about my good BB getting ruined from sand, water, etc. and if for some reason it gets lost or stolen is is not an expensive phone.

Unfortunately, the Canadian cell providers are far more costly than our US counterparts when we want to take our phones and travel outside of Canada.

As far as fastphones vs. digicel, fastphones is a business that uses digicel as its telephone provider. The two phone and internet providers in Aruba are either digicel or setar. I get my digicel phone cards to top up my minutes from the mini marts at the Surf Club or Ocean Club. You can get them everywhere.

Good luck!

[charles]

I have been following this thread and I have to interject with the following:

Both companies essentially offer the same thing with fractions of a penny. The GSM world is just too competitive for that not to be the case.

For BB use, Internet or data bundles are available with either company at practically the same price.

There are some real differences between the companies, however since I am in that business, I need to be careful to not sound as if I am trying to promote one over the other.

If you would like for me to give answers to your questions, just send the questions directly to me at croesconsult@gmail.com and I will do my best to make sure you are correctly informed.l

NOOOO this is not going to be a way to get you to rent my phones. I have been known to try and be helpful to our tourists.

be well
charles

...... As far as fastphones vs. digicel, fastphones is a business that uses digicel as its telephone provider. The two phone and internet providers in Aruba are either digicel or setar. I get my digicel phone cards to top up my minutes from the mini marts at the Surf Club or Ocean Club. You can get them everywhere. Good luck!

Charles is back in control of fastphones fastphonearuba.com is our new web site since another company felt they wanted our name and used a strange way to take it away from us. I wish them luck.

No - we are not with DIGICEL. We are with SETAR.

wysiwyg - You have made some very interesting and valuable information statements. Good going!

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING???
Even though we are in the rental business and I would love for every tourist to rent a phone, I am more concerned about all of our visitors coming to our island and understanding that it is a unique place. Unlike any other and so much more special. Yes, communications is important but lack of it makes for a great vacation. I know it's impossible but make it your objective. Our world is overly cluttered with technicalities and information. Take a break when you take a vacation.

be well
charles

[Randi]

Hi Randi,
Did you find that the 2 week data plan provided enough MB to view emails and do a bit of internet surfing?

The data plan was unlimited so I could surf and email as much as I wanted. The only difference was the internet was slower than at home but that could have been that I had a BB that was a few years old.

If I was to only need a phone and was not a "regular" visitor then I would recommend renting a cell phone. It is so much cheaper then putting an international plan on your phone when you live in Canada. How can you argue with one hour of talk time for $14 after you have used the additional 84 minutes that comes with your phone rental.

[Boldman]

Randi, I couldn't agree more.
The only other aspect I am reviewing is that I usually visit Aruba twice a year, once on a cruise ship visit and later for a land stay and I have to decide whether it would be better to top up the card to keep it curent or to just let it lapse and buy a new SIM card every time I visit Aruba. What are your thoughts on this?

[wysiwyg]

The other reason for internet being "slower" is due to the fact that Aruba doesn't yet have 3G deployed, so they rely on EDGE technology which is significantly slower, for anything other than plain email. EDGE can carry a bandwidth up to 236.8 kbit/s, for comparison, 3G, typically is 1 Mbit/s or more.

[Randi]

Randi, I couldn't agree more.
The only other aspect I am reviewing is that I usually visit Aruba twice a year, once on a cruise ship visit and later for a land stay and I have to decide whether it would be better to top up the card to keep it curent or to just let it lapse and buy a new SIM card every time I visit Aruba. What are your thoughts on this?

When you are in Aruba speak with someone at the Digicel office so you have a contact email address. I was told if you let them know before you leave the island then the phone number and minutes will be saved for your next visit providing it is within a year's time. I also go twice a year so I like the fact that I can have the same telephone number each trip. I think this will save you some money too as you just need to keep some minutes on your phone.
If you get a phone or BB that you just use for Aruba, you can use it for your cruises as well while traveling around the Caribean which is also far less than costly for all the already mentioned reasons.

[wiseguy]

We will highly recommend this company outstanding service Trees is the best.

Trees is managing arubadiscountcell

[charles]

Some additional information.

SETAR SM cards do not lapse and can be easily topped off after one year ERGO you can keep your number.