Thanks for all the input. I'm going to try Mexitel. The price is right and they seem competent.

Cancun is in great shape. I have a friend who was there during Dean and reports all pretty much to be normal.:)

Lookingo forward to hearing (well, reading) your evaluation of Mexitel once you get back (cost, performance, etc).

Everything went very well in Mexico with Mexitel. They are very helpful and go out of there way to assist you in any way possible. That being said, I prefer to use my own phone. With a rental I found myself worrying about their property. I found that it is very easy to buy a Telcel sim card. The rates are 4 pesos per minute local and 7 pesos per minute within Mexico. Incoming calls are free. In addition, you may start an account with Rebtel, the VOIP company, and enjoy .02 per minute above the local call fee.

One last thing, I found a Movistar store in Playa Del Carmen but none in Cancun. Telcel affiliate stores were everywhere in Playa. I found the company Telcel store to be located at the La Isla shopping mall in Cancun.

rodgiddens,

I've had a similar positive experience with mexitel.
I would warn against expecting any SIMs you might buy in Mexico to work for your next trip, however. Mexico SIMS self-destruct in a month or so without use. Then you go back and they don't work, and it takes the better part of a week to get the new one working anywhere near correctly.

That's one of the reasons I continue to rent (in this case, from Mexitel). It's easier, it works, and it's really not that expensive. By comparison, T-Mobile wants $1.50 minute in Mexico and you don't get calls reliably (and you can't get local calls at all).

naoautorizada

I actually traveled to Playa Del Carmen in late August, returned home, and then to Cancun in early September. Each time I used a Mexitel cellphone but on my trip to Cancun, I also took a quad band Razr that I use when traveling. I purchased a SIM card from Telcel for 150 pesos with 50 pesos airtime included. I also created an account with Rebtel (VOIP provider) and all worked perfectly. I understand that my SIM card won't work next September, however 14 dollars for a new SIM with credit, ain't bad. By the way, I was able to make calls immediately, and was receiving them within 24 hours. The only improvement I can make is to improve my Spanish so I don't need a Telcel rep to configure my phone.:)

Thanks rodgiddens, that's good info.

I have a Razr also, but I suspect that it won't work there unless I get it unlocked, which will take another $25 or so, and I'm not 100% sure I wouldn't rather have someone else's phone with me on the beach rather than my Razr, just in case something weird happens (like I stumble into the water perhaps?).

(I'm probably not as consciencious as maybe I should be about items I rent, but I think that's part of why we sometimes rent rather than buy.)

Thanks again for the info!