Mobile Phones in Tobago

[Warren B]

Hi

Thinking as you do, and knowing that mobile phones from the UK dont work, does anyone know if it is possible to get a "pay as you go" type mobile phone sim card in Tobago, that you can use to phone the UK? or is it possible to hire them even anywhere for the duration of a holiday ?

information gratefully recieved

thanks

[Glyn Kirpalani]

Hi Warren, you cannot buy sim cards to swap around as happens in the UK, so even a UK tri band phone won't work there. However, you can rent mobile phones (called "cell" phones there) - all the information is available on the telephone provider's site: http://www.tstt.net Their main building is called the Caroline building in Scarborough, but email them and see if you can pick up the phone from the airport - though I doubt it. Someone else may know - if you are staying in a "posh" hotel you may be able to rent one from their business centre/reception. Cell phone calls are reasonably priced compared to the UK, but the site has all rates/rental rates published. Have fun, Glyn

[Warren B]

Hi Glyn

Many thanks as usual you have come up trumps

a gent and a scholar

[Glyn Kirpalani]

Warren & Co

Sorry, I got the TSTT website address wrong - it is actually http://www.tstt.net.tt (and quite an impressive site, for such a comparatively small nation, it is too).

Best of luck

Glyn

[Paul Makin]

wasnt expecting my phone to work whilst on tobago but took it anyway - its a samsung flippy thing - and lo and behold, instant connection, full service etc.

g/f has a nokia - she got tstt right from the off.

anyone know why/how?

regards
paul

[Mimi Donaldson]

Hi,

We took our Nokia phones in June/July this year, despite being told by orange that they have no roaming agreement with Tobago. We made calls and sent texts with absolutely no problem and best of all none of the calls showed up on my bill when we got home! The texts did and we were charged the usual rate of 8.5p to other networks and free orange to orange! We didn't get connected to TSTT but to one with about six numbers (can't remember what ones) which locals had never heard of !! We just did a manual search of networks and bingo!!

[Mimi Donaldson]

The network we connected to was called 374 12

[Andreas]

For other German readers:
In June/July this year I took my Siemens phone (E-Plus), but unfortunately it did not work. I tried to find a network by using the manual search and it found something but told me, "not allowed"

[Helen B]

Having just returned from Tobago, I thought I would relate my mobile phone experience!

I checked on the O2 website before we left, and there was no indication that my phone (a Nokia 3310) would work at all in Tobago. However, on arriving at the airport I decided to give it a shot, manually selected a network (which was a string of numbers ) and texted my teenage duaghter in England, She not only got the text, but was able to ring me, as we waiting to collect our luggage. Fantastic! Text messaging was really quick, and cheap at 20p a shot for me, as I am on a pay monthly system.

Reception in most parts of the island was excellent - and who would want to text from a rainforest anyway! I would recommend anyone to give it a try.

[Dave Schofield]

Hi All

I have been finding out some info on mobile phones before we travel to Tobago on Thursday this week.

The network is TSTT and it opened for service in March 2003 the network code is 374 12 Older handsets will display the network code but newer ones will display TSTT as they will be programmed with the network name.

The network works on 1800Mhz this is the same frequency as Orange and T Mobile in the U.K. so T Mobile and Orange users should have no difficullty connecting provided they have had roaming connected before they leave for Tobago. Voda and O2 operate on 900Mhz so these users would need a dual or tri band handset to connect.

A coverage map is available at http://www.gsmworld.com/cgi/imap_gsminf ... ame=middle

Pay as you go SIM cards appear to be available according to this link http://www.tstt.co.tt/ go to mobile and then Liberty Pre Paid.

I have not been able to find out what data services are available but they do show that the Nokia 6310i is GPRS enabled so this might work as well.

If I find out any more information I will post it here.

Thanks to Steve for a very informative website.

Dave Schofield

[Glyn Kirpalani]

Hi Dave and others

Do you know how to sort my problem? My wife brought out her (Orange) Ericsson T39 with her when we came here to live in April, but did not get her PUK code. Several 'phone stores here including TSTT have told us we need the PUK to enable it for their SIM cards to work, but Orange are insisting on a three month reconnection fee before they will hand it over. Does anyone know of any shortcuts or other ways we could get the PUK, or alternatively would anyone wish to take it off our hands next time you visit, at a reasonable deal? I was wondering if we could give it to a mate who could try to get the PUK in UK, by claiming to have bought it from us?
Regards
Glyn

[Kirsten Giles]

Umm Glyn looks like you are up to no good. I am coming to tobago on 6 October so if you would like me to do a dodgy deal for you email me the details and I will see what I can do. I have a very good friend who works in orange who should with some persuassion (!) give me the PUK code!

Regards

Kirsten

[Glyn Kirpalani]

Hi Kirsten

No good? Moi? They don't call Tobago the new Costa del Crime for nothing (actually I just made that up - I have only heard of one ex-Kray twin associate residing here - if you believe these things - he is probably just a middle aged guy with a heavy east end accent!).

Many thanks, I shall send you a private email once I have delved into my wife's drawers for the reference numbers etc.

Regards
Glyn

[Steve Wooler]

My, my! Do you think I should put on my responsibility hat and advise you that you might get PUKed if you continue with nefarious deeds?

[Glyn Kirpalani]

Hi Steve

I had better not tell you to PUK-off or you would send me the way of those-who-would-use pseudonyms!

Promise not to implicate you when the "heat" catches up with me and Kirsten.

Glyn

[Dave Schofield]

Glyn

If a phone asks for a PUK code it means that the pin code has been entered incorrectly three times. The code is SIM dependent and after entering the wrong code 10 times the SIM is useless and has to be replaced.

As the code is for the SIM pin then the SIM is blocked but not the phone. In your case only Orange can provide the PUK code but why would you want it ?

If all you want to do is use a TSTT SIM in your phone then you will need to have your phone unlocked which is different and much easier than the PUK code.

Just do a search for T39 remote-unlocking and you will find websites galore who can do it cheaply but you may need a datacble as well.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Dave Schofield

[Glyn Kirpalani]

Hi Dave

The moment I read your post I knew you were one of these guys who really knows his phones! You are right (I forgot), it is the 'phone unlocking code that we need, not the sim code, I think, so I shall do a search for these sites and let you (and Kirsten) know how I get on. I think I have a data cable so should be OK on that score, hopefully.

Thanks a lot
Glyn

[Kirsten Giles]

So Glyn - Whats happened on the mobile front??

Kirsten

[Glyn Kirpalani]

Hi again Kirsten

Good news (thanks to Dave!) - I was in Port of Spain on business yesterday and had tracked down an unlocker there - one of probably one - who did it in front of me for the princely sum of about £15, using a cable, PC and software. His company is called Cell-U-Tech in St James suburb if anyone needs help, or just to use his cybercafe, adjacent the KFC carpark on the eastern main road. I think it was all legal too.

Funnily enough UK Orange are trying to sting us for about £15 of silly fees which we dispute - can't see them launching a court action in the T&T courts somehow, for their spurious charges for non-service.

Now we shall get a simcard, but may wait awhile for the GSM pay-as-you-go sim cards to be launched here, supposedly end of this month but apparently it keeps slipping. This scheme might suit some visitors who do not wish to sign up to a contract, merely to buy a sim with some credit on it to make calls at local prices, not roaming prices. I will let readers know if and when the cards are launched, which may be inserted into visitors' GSM 'phones I believe (Dave?).

Thanks for the offer of help anyway
Regards
Glyn

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Glyn

Yes, please keep us updated on the GSM SIM card front. This is exactly what I want for my next trip where I really need the ability to be able to make lots of local calls arranging meetings and stuff.