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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.
  
Lisa & (Billy)

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. 

One love, Alex and Laura from Seattle (aka 2funseekerz)