Keeping Telcel Amigo microSIM active for a year, via onlline top-up.

[JoelBurns]

I realized my question on Telcel (Mexico) online top-ups actually posted in the Europe folder, so I am posting it anew under Americas:

I have a Telcel microSIM for my unlocked iPhone4 which I recently used almost exclusively for Amigo Banda Ancha (internet data) plus a few SMS when I was too lazy to or couldn't find a paperclip to swap in my AT&T SIM. I then used my iPhone as a mobile hotspot for my laptop, iPad, etc. (after I couldn't get a standard Telcel data SIM to work in an unlocked Mifi hotspot, but that's another topic).

I travel to Puerto Vallarta for a week or two around New Years every year and want to keep this SIM active (so I'm set as soon as I arrive, no taking a taxi and waiting in line at Telcel for an hour, etc.).

The clerk said I had to top up every 4 months to not lose the phone number (elsewhere on this forum people report 6 mo). I think he said something about 100 pesos, but my Spanish isn't that good and am not sure if that was a minimum.

Do you know if there is a minimum amount required to keep the SIM/number active?

If not, I see my options as (let me know if wrong):

• Pay a minimum recharge every 60 days of 50 pesos (US$3.65) on telcel.com (or 30 pesos on topup-mobile.com it appears) and assume those balances roll-over if under 60 days, thus leaving me a balance of just under 300 pesos (if via telcel.com) when I return next year.
  Pay a minimum recharge every 4 months to just keep the SIM and phone number active then buy the voice/data plan I need on the day I leave for Mexico next December.

Unfortunately telcel only offers weekly, bi-weekly or monthly automated online recharging requiring me to set myself 6 or 3 calendar reminders a year in the above scenarios. (Know of a work-around?)

Thanks in advance RTuesday (and others) for your advice on the minimum to keep the SIM active.

Joel

[JoelBurns]

A kind response from RTuesday:

"In your position, I'd pay 100 pesos every 8 weeks (a little under 60 days) to keep it active. Smaller amounts have shorter expiry periods, as low as a week for 20 pesos. All amounts roll over if they haven't expired, so you'll have 600-700 pesos in your account when you return, so you could buy a month/3GB of data for under 500 pesos and have a bit in reserve. You do also have the option to use up a bit of your balance (very quickly) when roaming, if you suddenly need a bit of data in another country.

If you let the balance expire you're gambling how long you can leave it before the number is cancelled (3-6 months are various estimates, no firm rule). Plus you're throwing away each balance, and will have to make a large refill just before returning, not worth the small savings."

[babble]

Decided to delete this message