There is a reason for my nickname.

I am clueless on my cell phone situation.

I use Moviesar and know if I put $100 on it, usually get some added time. I also have been told that when I make or get a call, I am charged time. I'm also told that the free credit time is used first. So far I think I'm right.

I also know a number, starting with *7 that I can call and will get a text message saying how much credit I have left.

Here is where I am clueless.

I get the credit I have left ($197). I make a 3-minute call and make sure I disconnect; I am absolutely positive I disconnect.

I haven't turned the phone on for about 9 weeks (got another one w/different # and service) but when I returned to my old phone that should have had $197 on it, there is nothing left.

I called the SALDO *7 2 days ago and received a message back from *SALDO that says I have no access to all services.

Can anyone clue me in?

Thanks.

Saldo expires in 3 months, maybe that is it?

The "pay as you go" minutes on TelCel are only good for 2 months (60 days). After that they expire. They are reactivated when you put more minutes on. In this case if you added another $100 you would have $297 in total once the expired minutes reactivate. I imagine Movistar would be similar.

I believe Movistar is only two months not three. I used them up until about a year ago and lost any saved minutes after two months and they were never reinstated. It may have changed since then.

It is tricky to have a cell phone that you use infrequently. Minutes expire, the battery goes dead and then when the day comes you actually need it, you have left it home. That turns out not to matter so much since when you retrieve it you discover that the minutes have expired and the battery is dead again anyway. I finally gave up.

Tis true. You need to get into the habit of using it for everything. I never use my landline. The only reason I even have the landline is for the internet.

I just learned that 30 pesos for Telcel is good for a week .... and 50 pesos is good for a month. Too much to learn in such a short time

the time available depends on the amount you put in, the more you put in and the more time you have without having to worry. I put 500 pesos at a time and do not worry about expiration. Very oten they have promotion th will double the amount you put in as well.

I was told by the Telcel shop woman that adding 100 pesos will get you 2 months. Less than 100 gets you less time. So, I always add 100 and get my unused extended. Works out well.

Two months has always been the max for me. I have put $1600 on mine and it was still only two months.

CanuckBob wrote:Two months has always been the max for me. I have put $1600 on mine and it was still only two months.

Correcto, and you have to add a minimum of 100 pesos to get 2 months

Latte
I think I have it about figured out. I charge my Telcel minutes around the first of the month every two months for $100 pesos. (Note on calendar with email reminder works well). I was told that $100 works for the whole 2 months but smaller amounts sometimes are only good until the end of that month. I have over $600 pesos in credit.

I keep the phone turned off because the battery doesn't work well (I got it when I moved to Mexico so it is nearly an antique and they don't make that battery any more) and getting text SPAM from Telcel annoys me greatly. When I do need to make a call, phone is ready.

Remember you can give that extra time away to other Telcel users with the same area code. There is a small charge though; 3 pesos for a 100 peso transfer and 5 pesos for a 200 peso transfer. You will be transferring some of your saldo Amigo pesos. the receiver will have those funds placed in his Regalo balance.

Thanks. I checked my "records" and saw I had something like $179 in actual paid money, not bonus) and then I didn't use the phone for 9 weeks and when I turned it back on, there was no money on it nor access to services.

I wish there was some better way that didn't cost so much. I only really carry it for an emergency but even if $50 "expires" every month, that's still a lot of money a year.

Just part of the overhead of Mexico I guess.

use it more. almost all workers,doctors lawyers etc. have cell phones. it's easier to call your doctor or trades people on their cell than on a landline.

In Canada you had to have a "plan" for a smart phone. It cost me $75 cdn per month. Here I spend about $15 cdn per month so I find it extremely cheap.

CanuckBob wrote:In Canada you had to have a "plan" for a smart phone. It cost me $75 cdn per month. Here I spend about $15 cdn per month so I find it extremely cheap.

Things are changing everywhere and if you look beyond the "big 3" in Canada there are much cheaper deals to be found.
We use "Speakout" purchased from 7/11 stores in Canada, a  top-up as low as $25 is good for 12 months, a great deal if you only need a phone for emergencies or infrequently.  http://www.speakout7eleven.ca
 Should be good for any trips back to Vancouver, Bob, eh?

Sounds good. Does Speakout include data for smart phones?

I once met a guy who's nickname wuz " Skidmark " ... I imagine there wuz a reason for that as well...    

Bob- $25 at Speakout is good for 12 months of calls at 25 cents/min, you can buy limited data for $10/month extra but I don't think you get much data, emails maybe.