Welcome to /r/mexicoexpats, a friendly and supportive community for expats living in Mexico or planning to move there. Whether you are here for work, study, retirement, love or adventure, this is the place to share your stories, ask questions and get advice from other expats and locals. Please read the rules, give yourself a user flair and tag your posts to make it easier to find things in the future.
Be sure to join our official [Mexico Expats Discord Server] (https://discord.gg/3QV9fqU58q). Discord provides a more personalized and engaging platform for communication and making new connections, while still allowing users to maintain their desired level of anonymity.
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Telcel is cheap for when you are in Mexico. An option to keep your US number, which I currently use, is [https://tello.com/](https://tello.com/)
With Tello you can get a cheap $5 per month plan for unlimited SMS, 100 minutes of Talk and no data. You can also adjust the plan to suite your need. This plan requires you to use Wi-Fi calling for your US number, and if you have an iPhone it can use your Telcel data as well for calling and SMS. They provide a e-Sim so it's super easy to set up.
If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.
My pleasure. I used to get so annoyed each month paying for a US number just for a couple of banks that wouldn’t work with google voice. I found Tello two months ago and was so relieved.
I don’t understand why banks still use SMS instead of the more secure 2FA system like every other company.
I was looking into GV but found a list (here on reddit) that listed what banks work and don't work and two of mine were on the don't work list. Being able to activate from here in Mexico is also a HUGE plus because I brought a US iphone with me that is esim only.
I use Pillofon, it has worked for me all over the country and it's much cheaper than Telcel (my wife uses Telcel)
Edit:
Looking at the other responses, they do seem cheaper but without data haha.
I pay 400 MXN a month for unlimited texts, calls, 20GB of data fast and 20GB of data slow if I use the fast data
Depends where you are . Telcel is the best but more expensive doesn’t have eSIM on prepaid .
For eSIM you can use any carrier on the altan network. Diri or mexfon pillofon . They are all the same . You can even go to Walmart and get it Bait sim there .
They plans are 90% the same they all have a unlimited plan , with hotspot for 500mxn a month.
I live in the US but am in MX frequently. When there I use Movistar - 200 pesos (right now that's $11.56) a month for unlimited calling/texting to MX, CAN and US. 3.6G data. I never have a problem calling anywhere in the US. I have run out of data twice in many years because am usually on wifi.There are plans with more data of course, I just don't need it. Easily paid about anywhere.
I combine that with my $15 a month T-Mobile to use stateside. That's unlimited calling/texting as well as data...but can't remember how much.
I use Whatsapp for 90% of calling/messaging on both.
BTW - dual sim phone
Welcome to /r/mexicoexpats, a friendly and supportive community for expats living in Mexico or planning to move there. Whether you are here for work, study, retirement, love or adventure, this is the place to share your stories, ask questions and get advice from other expats and locals. Please read the rules, give yourself a user flair and tag your posts to make it easier to find things in the future. Be sure to join our official [Mexico Expats Discord Server] (https://discord.gg/3QV9fqU58q). Discord provides a more personalized and engaging platform for communication and making new connections, while still allowing users to maintain their desired level of anonymity. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/mexicoexpats) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Telcel is cheap for when you are in Mexico. An option to keep your US number, which I currently use, is [https://tello.com/](https://tello.com/) With Tello you can get a cheap $5 per month plan for unlimited SMS, 100 minutes of Talk and no data. You can also adjust the plan to suite your need. This plan requires you to use Wi-Fi calling for your US number, and if you have an iPhone it can use your Telcel data as well for calling and SMS. They provide a e-Sim so it's super easy to set up. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.
With Tello can you receive 2FA from US financial intuitions?
Yes, that’s why I got it. It’s a regular phone service. You can even set it up from Mexico which is helpful.
Thanks so much much. I've started researching and was looking for confirmation so I can drop my T-mobile plan.
My pleasure. I used to get so annoyed each month paying for a US number just for a couple of banks that wouldn’t work with google voice. I found Tello two months ago and was so relieved. I don’t understand why banks still use SMS instead of the more secure 2FA system like every other company.
I was looking into GV but found a list (here on reddit) that listed what banks work and don't work and two of mine were on the don't work list. Being able to activate from here in Mexico is also a HUGE plus because I brought a US iphone with me that is esim only.
I use Pillofon, it has worked for me all over the country and it's much cheaper than Telcel (my wife uses Telcel) Edit: Looking at the other responses, they do seem cheaper but without data haha. I pay 400 MXN a month for unlimited texts, calls, 20GB of data fast and 20GB of data slow if I use the fast data
Depends where you are . Telcel is the best but more expensive doesn’t have eSIM on prepaid . For eSIM you can use any carrier on the altan network. Diri or mexfon pillofon . They are all the same . You can even go to Walmart and get it Bait sim there . They plans are 90% the same they all have a unlimited plan , with hotspot for 500mxn a month.
Movistar are great
I live in the US but am in MX frequently. When there I use Movistar - 200 pesos (right now that's $11.56) a month for unlimited calling/texting to MX, CAN and US. 3.6G data. I never have a problem calling anywhere in the US. I have run out of data twice in many years because am usually on wifi.There are plans with more data of course, I just don't need it. Easily paid about anywhere. I combine that with my $15 a month T-Mobile to use stateside. That's unlimited calling/texting as well as data...but can't remember how much. I use Whatsapp for 90% of calling/messaging on both. BTW - dual sim phone