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DennyP Travel
DennyP Travel
Hedonism II
Negril Cell Phone Experience
submitted by Billy & Lisa - June, 2003
updated added by Alex & Laura - September, 2003
Before we left, Billy found a link to a "MaxTouch Jamaica",
which offered a Digicel Cell Phone. We contacted them by email and made
arrangements to pick up the phone at the MoBay Airport before catching
TimAir to Negril. They even called us at home and gave us our assigned
number so that we could leave it with Billy's office in case of emergency.
Upon arrival, the representative in MoBay had no record of the
arrangements we had made. We went on to Negril with no phone. After
settling in, we tried unsuccessfully to contact the (or any) Digicel office
by phone. Finally from my records, I found an email address & we just
emailed them to cancel the agreement because they had my credit card
number...this was scary but so far no problems from that.
A couple of days later, we asked around & found a cab
driver that knew of a Digicel Office in Negril. We went to that office and
rented a phone (this took about 30 minutes round trip) ...It required a
(refundable) $100.00 deposit, charging $5.00 a day. We prepaid for our
minutes (about $21.00). All in all, the cost for 8 days cell phone access
and 10 or more phone calls home (checking in with office and family) =
$61.00.
This is the first trip in 6 that we have been concerned with
having a contact number. But having children, elderly parents, grandparents
and your own business that depend on us here at home, it made everyone feel
better knowing that we were not completely out of touch. This may not be
ideal for everyone, but it worked for us and we will use this service
again.
I just don't recommend trying to make pre-trip arrangements.
Call or go to their office once your are in Negril.
The office in Negril:
FOUNDATION IMPORTS CONNECT 2000
Digicel Authorized Dealer- Garnett Reid
Kings Plaza, Unit #6
West End Rd, Negril J.A.
Tel: 957-9431
957-9015
957--9621
Fax: 957-9055
Digicel is probably the main (or only) cell phone service in
Jamaica, most of the Entertainment Crew used or knew of the service & we
were able to pass along our un-used minutes to Paul (Chubby) before we left.
Like Billy and Lisa, keeping in touch from
Hedo is important for me. When we were there 2 years ago, my AT&T cell
phone was a very impressive paper weight. So this year (July 2003) I
only brought it for the phone number list and for use at “plane changes”.
I was sitting in the room one day with the phone on to get a number when
suddenly IT RANG! Sure enough, it turns out AT&T has cut a deal with
Cable and Wireless Jamaica and now AT&T cell phones will work throughout
Negril and possibly beyond. It is expensive, on my return I got my
bill and the charge was close to $3 a minute, but well worth it for full
digital cellular coverage in my book. It was a real trip to be sitting
naked on the beach with a vodka slushie on a conference call with a client
in Alaska! Yes I know it’s supposed to be a vacation but the
alternative (no vacation or only a very short one) is much worse.
I heard that Cingular also works now, but
have no personal knowledge.
All of this means of course that I can now
spend EVEN MORE TIME at Hedo.