This only applies to sims first used before April 2009 (sims since that date were registered when activated). Mexicans can text in their CURP number (bit like a social security number), foreigners need to take a passport copy to a company store (or some major dealers).

Only 46% of phones have been registered so far! The phone companies are lobbying hard to extend the date, since they expect to lose tens of millions of customers in a few weeks...

That looks right, should be all you need (the password is still webgprs2002). I texted ALTA to 789 once at the beginning but I believe that just sent those settings to the phone. The on-demand data is 0.02 pesos/kB.

The 1 peso per MB deal is a special kit (i.e. new sim), limited time offer promo.

If you're using any serious amount of data (especially 3G), the day/week/month access is best - I'm using it now. It's limited to an average of 100MB/day. Prior to this month when the 3GB limit for a month was reached it switched to a slower speed for the rest of the month (with no way to restore the high speed until the end of the month). Now, it's apparently a hard limit (I'll find out in a couple of weeks...) which is OK if I can then start a new month at 3G speeds. I use it as my primary internet connection, speeds up to 3Mb/second are not bad in this unwired rural location.

So if you need a lot of internet one day, the 49 pesos for 100MB is a better deal than the 2 centavos/kB (20 pesos/MB) pay-as-you-go if you expect to use over 2.5MB (not hard!). For longer trips the weekly and monthly amounts are very flexible, I wish the US had something similar!
Details at Telcel: Internet Telcel Amigo

Rob

Thanks Rob. That is all very good news. In any case for my friends useage, I only plan on setting up the data for connecting the Voipbuster Java client to its server for triggering callback calls. That will only be a few Kilobytes at a time max!

The other info will be very useful for my next trip. I wish I had configured it earlier on my trip. When I asked about GPRS data useage and APN configuations in the Telcel shop, the vegetable behind the counter told me that GPRS useage in Mexico gets charged by the minute and not by the kB and it costs something in the order of 10 pesos per minute. I didn't believe this for one second. But as I was pushed for time I ended up using my UK o2 SIM in roaming, which wasn't too expensive actually for the tiny amounts I was using.

The deadline for registering phones is being extended by a year (to 2011).

What a surprise. Must be pure coincidence the phone companies are owned by powerful people.

Rob

OT.. but.. quick question: Is anybody else having problems installing the Java app from gsm.voipbuster.com at the moment? It seems to download OK, but then it gets chucked out due to a security issue, with a message saying contact the distributor.

It has been a few days now that I am not charged anymore to receive calls (international and domestic) and was also able to use it with a callback system to make outbound calls. Wonderful it works as expected.

That is good! Though perhaps if you have time, you should try drop into an office and ask why you were charged in the past, and get a refund!

The days I was charged the incoming calls the network was vey weak so I susspect it was picking up the signal from a neighboring cell area (lada) so I was charged.
On a diffrent issue if I buy a 100 pesos recarga you know how log it will last (60 days or less)?

The recharges of 100 pesos and all higher amounts are valid 60 days. The 50 pesos is only 30 days.

When you buy 200 pesos or more (at a time) you get bonus amounts added ("saldo de regalo"), the exact amount varies with promotions. That "gift" balance can only be used for calls to other Telcel numbers and for texts (and possibly by-the-kB GPRS), so is of limited use for you (or for me).

Telcel WAP APN configuration
 

APN: wap.itelcel.com
username: iesgprs
password: iesgprs2002
primary DNS: 0.0.0.0
secondary DNS: 0.0.0.0


WAP Gateway IP Address: 148.233.151.240