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Cell Phone Service in Mexico: Quick Reference Guide (JULY 31st, 2024)

 published in Activation Guide
   4196 words   20 minutes 

– Originally posted on July 31st, 2024 on Lyroma.com and Reddit.com

Disclosure

There are NO referral links or codes in this guide. All links are visible and clean.

**If you would like to visit my master list of referral codes for various cell phone companies, then please visit - https://Lyroma.com/discounts/

Who Is This Guide For?

Written primarily for the International Visitor to Mexico on a short visit/vacation. With a slight bias towards U.S visitors. But anyone, from any country, can find useful information in this guide.

Why should you listen to what I have to say?

“I live in Mexico City and Houston TX. I travel between the two frequently. I’m a regular on r/nocontract on reddit, if you check my post and comment history, you will see I give answers primarily based on first hand experience. While most people comment short responses, mine are usually long and detailed. I talk about Mexican Cell Phone topics often”

What Is This Guide Going to Cover?

This Guide will briefly cover the 4 Major Cell Networks in Mexico and how to purchase service on their Networks.

CHECK THE COVERAGE MAPS (PROVIDED BELOW) OF WHERE YOU WILL BE VISITING WHILE IN MEXICO TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION! YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO IGNORE MOST OF THIS POST BY FIGURING OUT WHICH NETWORK WORKS AND DOESN’T WORK FOR YOU.

Spoiler - If you are NOT visiting a big city, then you most likely want to use the Telcel Network, so that may be the end of your choices. Heck, even if you are visiting a big city you may still want to go with Telcel. No one wants to be visiting a country and waste time and effort with SIM cards. Having said that, if you find out that the other networks have decent coverage where you are going then the other networks could offer more value for the money.

Recommendations for service are at the bottom of the guide.

There are NO referral links or codes in this guide. All links are visible and clean.

I’d also like to thank u/Ethrem I asked if r/nocontract could add a Mexico Flair and I was immediately obliged. This is the 1st post on r/nocontract with the MEXICO flare!

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Networks in Mexico:

There are 4 main networks that operate in Mexico. There is an innumerable amount of providers/carriers that essentially sell and re-sell service on those networks. So you could have dozens of companies of various names that offer service in Mexico in some capacity, but they will all be using one of those 4 networks at the base level. Here are those four networks -

Telcel -

Largest Coverage Area. Best overall. Most expensive.

Coverage Map: https://www.telcel.com/personas/quien-es-telcel/sobre-nosotros/mapas-cobertura

AT&T MX -

Decent Coverage in Major Cities and spotty coverage elsewhere. Middle of the pack value.

Coverage Map: https://www.att.com.mx/cobertura.html

Movistar MX-

Same as AT&T more or less.

Coverage Map: https://cobertura.movistar.com.mx:8080/cfusion/COBERTURA/Mapas/Mapa_4G.html

Select any “estado” and you’ll be able to view the whole map.

Altan -

Government Run. Decent coverage in major cities and spotty everywhere else. Best Value if the coverage works for you.

Coverage Map: https://www.altanredes.com/mapas/mapa.html

Your phone needs LTE band 28.

WARNING!!! If your phone does not support LTE band 28 then you will not be able to use any ALTAN provider.

Check if your phone is supported here -

https://axiosmobile.mx/compatibilidad

Type in your IMEI and it will tell you if your phone is compatible.

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A Quick Breakdown on “Domestic SIM/eSIM’s” & “Roaming SIM/eSIM’s”

Without getting into the super technical details. I’m going to break up service providers by whether they offer “Domestic SIM/eSIM” service or “Roaming SIM/eSIM” service. Any company will be offering either one of these 2 services.

The difference between these 2 services could likely be the factor that makes you decide if you want to use a certain company or not.

I’ll be providing simplified explanations.

“Domestic SIM/eSIM” -

  • Is what is sold locally in Mexico (what the locals use)
  • Provides a usable phone number with talk, text, and data capabilities
  • Also can be data only if you choose
  • Usually marketed in Spanish to locals and not so much foreigners
  • Usually bought and sold in MXN Pesos
  • Physical SIM’s are readily available at many IN-PERSON stores in Mexico
  • Phone must be unlocked (except for AT&T USA locked phones using AT&T MX)
  • Internet traffic does NOT route outside Mexico, resulting in the best possible performance

“Roaming SIM/eSIM” -

There are 2 subcategories of Roaming SIM/eSIM’s -

  • “Carrier Roaming” Service

  • “Roaming eSIM” Service

“Carrier Roaming” -

  • Is usually what you are avoiding paying for, because your home carrier charges too much
  • Routes internet traffic back to the origin country so when you are online, websites and apps think you are still in the original country (based on IP address alone)
  • Might be your only option if your phone is locked to said carrier (still being paid off)
  • Is the most seamless and easiest solution
  • Has the possibility of accumulating an absurd amount of charges and fees
  • If you have an unlocked phone, you can shop around at home for a local carrier that has favorable roaming fees for Mexico BEFORE you leave for Mexico. So no need to shop around when you get to Mexico.
  • If you use this service too much and/or for too long then your home carrier may cancel your service

“Roaming eSIM” -

  • A relatively new breed of companies, specifically, for new phones that have eSIM capabilities
  • 2nd easiest/seamless solution
  • Pretty attractive pricing
  • Can provide service to multiple countries with one plan. So if you are going to multiple countries during a trip these can prove advantageous
  • Requires an unlocked phone
  • Most of these companies usually route your internet traffic through countries in Europe & Asia (eg. France, Israel, Hong Kong, Poland) so websites and apps think you are in those countries (based on IP address alone)
  • It could look suspicious to, for example your banking app if you use these companies and it looks like you are trying to log-in from Poland
  • It is rare that they route internet traffic through the America’s, but they do exist
  • Performance hit when your internet traffic is being routed to Asia and back making things load more slowly especially affecting calling apps like Whatsapp and the like

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A List of Local Domestic Carriers -

AT&T MX Network -

Movistar MX Network -

Telcel Network -

Altan Network -

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A List of Roaming SIM/eSIM’s Carriers -

“Roaming eSIM” Providers -

These that I have listed above have been around for years and for the most part reliable and trusted. Not perfect by any means, but they have managed to stick around and I myself have used 3 of the above companies. They are generally a bit more expensive than other newer UN-established roaming eSIM providers.

This is obviously not a complete list. There are dozens more of these kind of providers (some created less than a year ago). For an even more up-to-date and exhaustive (though still not complete) list and comparison of these kind of providers you can visit - https://esimdb.com/mexico

“Carrier Roaming” Providers -

I’ll be giving examples of good PREPAID providers from the U.S that offer excellent roaming terms with Mexico. I could not possibly list examples from other countries other than the U.S. That is something you would have to do on your own.

  • AT&T / Cricket Wireless - https://www.att.com/prepaid/plans/ https://www.cricketwireless.com/cell-phone-plans Number 1 Choice IF AT&T Mexico Coverage is sufficient for you. The roaming terms with Mexico are some of the best in the world, I imagine. As AT&T owns both networks on both side of the borders then this allows them to offer generous terms to themselves essentially. They effectively have little to no real restrictions on usage of your plan regardless of what side of the border you are on. Depends on which plan you are on as some of their plans offer NO Mexico roaming. Unlimited Plans from AT&T/Cricket are arguably the BEST possible Unlimited Data Plan a person can have in Mexico (beating out even domestic options).

  • Visible - https://www.visible.com/plans The current Visible+ Plan offers excellent roaming in Mexico. Telcel coverage and Visible often provides discounts that can bring this plan down to $25 or less for the first month.

  • Simple Mobile - https://www.simplemobile.com/serviceplan Simple Mobile has provided excellent roaming terms to many countries in Latin America for many years, Mexico included. This is a good choice if you will be visiting more than 1 Latin American country and you want a U.S phone number and/or IP address.

  • Google Fi - https://fi.google.com/about/plans/ Has been a staple for years as an excellent “travel SIM”. Even though it isn’t what it was in the past, it still offers good value for Mexico Roaming.

The point here was to show that there might be good Carrier Roaming options from your own country. It might be worth shopping locally for a cell phone plan that offers good Carrier Roaming vs. buying some Mexican SIM or whatnot.

Where to buy Physical SIM cards and/or eSIM’s?

Within Mexico / In-Person:

Obviously if you’re in Mexico, then there are numerous places to buy a physical SIM card.

  • Convenience stores like OXXO, 7-11, and Circle K. Other stores like these may also sell SIM cards, maybe. You’d have to ask. Also stores may be out of stock in SIM cards just like they can be out of stock on any item in the store. If they do have SIM cards in stock then this is one of the fastest ways of getting a SIM card.

  • Mega Supermarkets like Walmart, Soriana, or even some Chedraui mega locations. I’m talking about their Mega locations and not the smaller “Express” locations, as these do not have a cell phone activation section. These stores sell basically everything from car tires, televisions, cloths, to birthday cakes.

  • Underground Metro Subway Stations. Obviously in big cities (eg. Mexico City & Monterrey). If it’s a busy station between 10-5pm then there is likely someone in there or nearby outside selling SIM cards. These are probably 20% of metro stations.

  • Street Stalls/Kiosks on Busy Streets. Walk for 10 minutes on a busy street in a big city and you’ll likely find a few kiosks/stalls selling SIM cards.

  • At the Airport when you land.

Getting a SIM card at the airport, once you land, may be possible, but not always. I wouldn’t rely on it. They might not have any in stock or be closed when you land. Though you can always check.

Shops in Airports that might have SIM cards…

  • 7-11
  • Circle K
  • Oxxo
  • Telcel Store
  • Movistar Store
  • Random Stall

Question: How much should I expect to pay for a physical SIM card in Mexico?

For 30 days of service

On the low side: $80 MXN or roughly $5 USD

On the high side: $350 MXN or roughly $20 USD

Anything more than $350 MXN and I would seriously doubt what I am buying.

$350 MXN for 30 days of PREPAID cell service, can get you a “unlimited everything plan” in Mexico right now. Mexico’s “Unlimited Data Plans” are not as good as other countries as they usually come with a daily limit of high-speed data and then being throttled down to 3g/2g speeds until the next day. Using 200+ GB on your cell phone plan here would be quite difficult. Just FYI.

Question: What can I expect, when I go to buy a SIM Card?

It really depends on where you choose to buy the SIM.

  • If you buy at a Telcel/AT&T/Movistar carrier store - I’ve been to my fair share of these stores in Mexico that I can say it can definitely range from infuriating to pretty seamless. It is full service and NO FEE to have them install the SIM in your phone and check that it works. It really depends on the location. This should be the most seamless solution, but can be really busy (long wait as you wait for a rep) and/or incompetent reps.

  • If you buy at a Walmart/Soriana or a Supermarket type location (not the express/smaller versions of these stores) - They usually have a certain section for phones and it is full service. They will do everything for you and very low chance of being ripped off. There is NO FEE to have them install the SIM in your phone and check that it works.

  • If you buy at a Oxxo/7-11/Circle-K convenience store type location - You will walk out with a working SIM Card but almost most likely not installed in your phone for you. If you don’t have a “SIM EJECTOR” tool, then it could be pretty annoying having a SIM card and no way of installing it. I find that a paperclip/earring/mechanical pencil is able to do the job for me if I find myself without that tool.

  • If you buy at a random street vendor - It can be anything from just selling you the SIM card and you do the installation yourself to full service. You might get ripped off like this. Probably not, but it is a markedly higher chance then any other method. Expect this to be a cash only transaction.

  • So it really depends on the kind of person you are. If you want someone to install the SIM for you and make sure it works, then a carrier store or a big supermarket location is probably the place for you. If you don’t mind doing it yourself then the quick convenience of going to an Oxxo or 7-11 is vastly easier.

Check out these videos from some Gringos about buying SIM Cards in Mexico. They are all pretty short in length. I watched all of them and can say that for the most part they get things more or less correct. They’re good enough.

https://youtu.be/tacKdjnl7_s?si=MhRcp4vWVYlp_v0i

https://youtu.be/mosr4XgwFmQ?si=597SmNZGBdrrxEj7

https://youtu.be/LBQZQo5yJlA?si=tdYPybaK1K2s3R2H

–

Outside of Mexico / Online:

If you want to pre-purchase a SIM or eSIM before arriving in Mexico to have it ready for when you land in the airport, or just want to purchase online, then this is the section for you.

For the Altan Network:

Apparently, you can activate service from the U.S, as well as obviously Mexico. Anywhere else outside of these 2 countries, you may be able to purchase the eSIM and install it on your phone, but it likely will not activate until you are inside one of these 2 countries. So, just know that if you are in, for example, Australia, and you purchase an eSIM and get it installed on your phone while still in Australia, then know it likely won’t activate till you land in Mexico or the U.S.

Altan Network Carriers only offer “domestic SIM/eSIM” service currently. I have yet to find any Non-Mexican provider that provides roaming on the Altan Network. What I recommend here has been tested by users on reddit and have confirmed within the last 6 months to work.

eSIM:

I see that Walmart’s bait now offers esim activation on their website. bait would be a highly recommended Carrier that providers coverage on the Altan Network. If someone could test activation from outside Mexico and report back, that would be great!

Physical SIM:

  • eBay (Newww) - https://www.ebay.com/itm/325599900619 I was able to find a physical newww SIM card on eBay shipping out of the U.S. I have no relation to the seller. Nor have I ever purchased from them.

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For the AT&T MX Network -

eSIM:

Physical SIM:

  • eBay - https://www.ebay.com/ You can buy an already activated, “ready-to-use”, AT&T Mexico Prepaid, physical SIM card, on eBay, for ~$15, just search “AT&T Mexico SIM”

–

For the Movistar MX Network -

eSIM:

Physical SIM:

  • I couldn’t find a Movistar or Virgin Mobile SIM card for sale online for shipping outside Mexico.

–

For the Telcel Network -

Telcel reserves eSIM’s for their postpaid customers. So non-resident visitors to Mexico are likely not able to open a postpaid account. Even if they could, it likely wouldn’t be worth the headache for a short visit.

You essentially have to rely on using a physical SIM card or utilizing the roaming from another carrier.

With that being said…

Physical SIM:

  • eBay - https://www.ebay.com/ You can buy an already activated, “ready-to-use”, Telcel Prepaid, physical SIM card on eBay, for ~$15, just search ”Telcel SIM card”

eSIM:

  • Refer back to the list of “Roaming eSIM” and “Carrier Roaming” Providers section in this guide. Those Carriers may or may not offer Telcel coverage. Check their website to check which carrier they offer. If they do not list it, the you may have to contact them to find out.

Local Opinions -

Top domestic carrier picks, by network. Judged by best rates -

  • Telcel (Telcel Network) - Telcel is a monopoly and you just kind of have to accept that. Even if it’s the most expensive option. It has the best coverage (PERIOD).

  • bait (Altan Network) - Walmart’s bait offers a few more benefits than the dozens of other Altan carriers. Not much, but enough to put them as the top Altan carrier.

  • Unefon (AT&T MX Network) - Only because they have better rates vs AT&T MX. Has no eSIM though, maybe a deal-breaker.

  • Virgin Mobile MX (Movistar MX Network) - Only because they have better rates vs Movistar. Has no eSIM though, maybe a deal-breaker.

Top eSIM Roaming carrier picks -

  • Any of the eSIM Roaming carriers that I listed in this guide previously. I would recommend. Check their prices for the amount of data you would get and make sure you ask which carrier you would be assigned in Mexico. Telcel and Movistar are popular choices for roaming partners in Mexico so obviously if you want Telcel coverage you do not want someone providing Movistar roaming. Sometimes they offer roaming on Telcel, Movistar, and AT&T or any combination of these 3. Sometimes they only offer roaming on one carrier so if that is the case you definitely want to make sure you are getting the network that you want. These roaming agreements change frequently and is not always listed on their website which network they offer. Doesn’t hurt to ask.

–

TIPS

Tips for persons coming from the U.S specifically.

  1. https://prepaidcompare.net is a valuable resource for researching cell phone plans in the U.S. You have the ability to sort and filter through all sort of plans offered by U.S carriers. It even has an option to sort and view carriers that offer Mexico roaming.

  2. Many carriers offer special rates for new customers. Some of these carriers offer Mexico roaming and you can utilize this and signup for only the duration that your trip lasts for.

  3. Make sure you activate a new U.S plan at least a few days prior to leaving for Mexico. 4-7 days should be good enough for a short trip (up-to 60 days) Activating 1 day before or just prior to arriving in Mexico, you run the risk of getting your plan cancelled. A week in advance should be fine.

How to refill/recharge your phone service after you’ve acquired it?

In-Person - A lot of stores offer the ability to refill your phone service at checkout. So many in fact that it may be easier to list those that do NOT offer this. Here is a list of places that AT&T Mexico offers. https://www.att.com.mx/puntos-recarga-tiempo-aire.html It’s more or less the same for other carriers as well. The easiest would be a convenience store like Oxxo, 7-11, or Circle K.

Online/App -

  1. I’m pretty sure every single carrier offers a web portal that you can log in to and pay for a refill. Some may even offer apps you can download and use instead of going to the website. Most of the carriers I listed in this guide have apps.

What I like more is having one place that I can pay not just multiple carriers, but also many other multiple digital services. This where I throw my in my recommendation for Cashi.

  1. Cashi is a mobile payment app from Walmart Mexico. It allows you to pay inside their stores with their app and also pay for digital services. Multiple cell phone providers are available and I have found it very easy and helpful to use. Download the app, create an account, add some money, and pay for all sorts of things (including in-store at Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Bodega Aurrera).

KEEP Your SIM/eSIM!

Mexican cell phone providers keep your account open even after you stop paying, up-to 12 months (I know Telcel is 12 months, I’m not 100% on the other carriers). Same phone number and everything. If you anticipate returning to Mexico then it would be a good idea to keep the SIM card/eSIM handy, just in case. Even if you yourself don’t anticipate returning maybe you can give the SIM to a friend or family. It is as easy as simply refilling the SIM just as you did when it was active. It’s also VERY CHEAP! You can pay as low as $10 MXN / $0.60 USD for a 1 day / 1 hour plan and it resets the timeline for cancellation. That’s as low as $0.60 a year to keep your Mexican cell phone plan active and ready to be used. If you’re in the U.S, then AT&T Mexico can roam in the U.S indefinitely without too much worry of ot being canceled. It would make for a perfect backup SIM/eSIM.

Bring a 2nd “Travel” Phone -

There are more than few reasons why you should bringing a 2nd phone with you to Mexico. Check out these scenarios.

Reason 1 -

You are currently financing your phone and thus, stuck with the roaming prices offered by your home carrier because you cannot unlock your device and insert a cheaper SIM/eSIM.

Acquiring a 2nd “unlocked” phone will enable you get that cheap SIM/eSIM and use it in that phone in conjunction to your main phone.

If you get a dual sim phone then you could even take/transfer the SIM/eSIM from your main phone and move it into your 2nd phone. Enabling you to use the 2nd device exclusively.

If you use iPhones, then it so easy to simply sign into iCloud and have a duplicate of your existing phone.

Reason 2 -

A backup phone, just in case. You’ll be glad you have a backup phone if your main one gets stolen, lost, or broken. Nobody wants a vacation ruined by having to head to the cell phone store in a language they don’t understand.

Reason 3 -

An additional phone so you can use it instead of your main phone. Be it for maps, music, watching videos, scrolling through social media. Not having to waste the battery on your main phone can come in real handy.

Phones are CHEAP! -

A decent used or new iPhone can be acquired for $200 and under.

Mid-Range Android phones are abundant and can easily be had for under $200.

In the U.S, you can find brand new phones for as low as $20 USD, a decent new one for about $50 USD. Honestly, you should have a backup phone. A one-time purchase and you have a 2nd phone that can be used for multiple reasons (abroad and locally).

–

Final Recommendations -

If you are purchasing outside of Mexico/Online then I would say -

If you are purchasing within Mexico/In-Person then I would say -

  • Drop by an Oxxo or 7-11 and get a SIM card there if you can install it by yourself. In and out 5 min.

  • Drop by Walmart and head to the cell phone section and buy service there if you want them to install it for you.

–

That’s it! Man this was long!

Which plan did you end up going with?

–

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– Don Silvio

Featured Photo by… ME!

Mexico International
Updated on 2024-07-31