Phone Service in St. Thomas

[luvn2cruzzz]

Have been told that you can use your phone in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as if you were in the States. What is your experience?

 

 

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[richwmn]

Have been told that you can use your phone in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as if you were in the States. What is your experience?

 

 

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I've never had any problems calling back home from either St Thomas or Puerto Rico. Or for that matter calling either from home. Calls both ways are covered by my ATT plan.

[jbecker6469]

That is true. Since they are US territories, the service is available just as if you were in the continental US. I have AT&T and use my cell phone when there with no additional charges.

[Daisyloo]

When I travel in the US, I buy a travel package for my phone and it always covers Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Never had any problems.

[sail7seas]

My usual AT & T includes Puerto rico and S homas for no charge oustide the plan. I have called fom both many times and never got any ex tra charge.

[KirkNC]

If you have t-mobile you don't need worry as international coverage is free in over 200 countries.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I had trouble with my phone in St Thomas this past January. I could send a text, but not a photo. Don't think I could access the internet on my phone, either. (Or maybe I didn't try the net) It all worked in San Juan, so I suspect it was infrastructure trouble on St Thomas.

 

I've used my phone in St Thomas on previous trips, no problem.

[Keith1010]

We have been able to use it via ATT in St. Thomas like we were in the USA.

Keith

[luvn2cruzzz]

Thanks everyone!

 

 

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[jkrislc]

If you have t-mobile you don't need worry as international coverage is free in over 200 countries.

Texting is free as is slow data, but calls are not in most international locations . Those range from 10-20 cents per minute.

 

I've largely been happy with T-Mobile for their international coverage without additional charge, but have found Google Fi more useful for international travel as it has true high speed data unlike T-Mobile which throttles to 2G speeds .

[sail7seas]

We have been able to use it via ATT in St. Thomas like we were in the USA.

Keith

 

 

When in St. Thomas , you ARE in the U.S. Same goes for Puerto Rico, St. John and St Croix, They are U.S.

[TrolleyGirl]

I have Verizon pay by the month service (in other words not under a contract) and my service did NOT work in either St Thomas or San Juan. So apparently my coverage is limited to the US proper and not it's territories.

[alwaysfrantic]

I used my iphones normally there. Both ATT and VZ

[Underwatr]

Like others I've had no issues using prepaid and contract cellphones in the USVI as if we were at home. Even before last year's hurricanes the data service on my T-Mobile phone in St. Thomas has been among the worst in the Caribbean, though.

[ithaca gal]

The best thing to do is check with YOUR provider. On previous trips to San Juan and St. Thomas, I could call for free from San Juan but NOT St. Thomas. I could text from both for free.

 

On a recent trip we purchased Verizon's $10 a day plan for all calls, texts and data.

 

Yes, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas are U.S. territories but, for this discussion, they are not considered the "U.S.".

[Underwatr]

So you're saying that Verizon doesn't consider them to be domestic calling? In my experience T-Mobile (prepaid and postpaid) and Virgin Mobile (prepaid Sprint MVNO) do, in the USVI.

 

This suggests that USVI is considered domestic use for Verizon.

Similarly, this suggests that the USVI is domestic use for AT&T.

In either case if you stray too close to the British Virgin Island you could be hit with roaming charges if you're not careful with your phone's roaming ng settings.

 

Perhaps if you clarified what carrier(s) consider USVI and/or PR to be international risking in your experience...

 

This consideration is one reason I choose T-Mobile. On my Caribbean cruise last week I had no concerns about roaming charges due to any island's towers.

Edited March 8, 2018 by Underwatr

[ithaca gal]

So you're saying that Verizon doesn't consider them to be domestic calling? In my experience T-Mobile (prepaid and postpaid) and Virgin Mobile (prepaid Sprint MVNO) do, in the USVI.

 

This suggests that USVI is considered domestic use for Verizon.

Similarly, this suggests that the USVI is domestic use for AT&T.

In either case if you stray too close to the British Virgin Island you could be hit with roaming charges if you're not careful with your phone's roaming ng settings.

 

Perhaps if you clarified what carrier(s) consider USVI and/or PR to be international risking in your experience...

 

This consideration is one reason I choose T-Mobile. On my Caribbean cruise last week I had no concerns about roaming charges due to any island's towers.

 

That is how it has been on previous visits. I would double check with my provider before making calls anywhere outside of the U.S.

[arzz]

In the past we have had no issues using our Sprint cell phones in the USVI's and Puerto Rico. In December on our holiday cruise this year service was fantastic in Ponce Puerto, Rico but non-existent in St. Thomas. We assume it was post hurricane infrastructure issues.

[Walfam]

We are on Verizon and were told Puerto Rico as well as St. Thomas are now domestic calls, text, and data. . (We also have Travel Pass and neither is listed there).

 

Whether all the cell towers are up and running, post hurricanes, is another issue.

I plan to check emails and intertubes from both ports during our upcoming cruise.

[Crew News]

ATT service works great in St Thomas but no service on St John according to the warning on my phone I received when I tried.