Off to Verizon Store for a few answers

AT&T by far. We had T-Mobile and most of the time we couldn't get coverage when traveling around the island. Haven't once had an issue with AT&T. Cheap Go phone plan (bring your own phone, the sim is $5, sometimes free if you are really nice)  too, $43 a month w/autopay, includes tax and unlimited everything, data slows after 4gb though. For $15 more you get 8gb.

Those in the island can tell you about 3G or 4G, but most people I talk about say almost perfect service with AT&T and close to the same with T mobile and some say Sprint is great also.

I am going with Tmobile in a month or so here in the states because AT&T and Verizon which I currently use have lousy service at my house. Several years back I had Tmobile and the service at my house was better.

I would push for AT&T or Tmobile.

I've had ATT in CA and here in PR and have never had an issue. No roaming fees, internet can be slow but it's to be expected.

A verizon phone in the US roams an OpenMobile's network here, for free. If you have an iphone, you need to enable roaming but it does not incur any additional fees.  Their network here is not as good as the other providers, but it is certainly usable.

Another vote for AT&T - works very well.

suzanne12345 wrote:

A verizon phone in the US roams an OpenMobile's network here, for free. If you have an iphone, you need to enable roaming but it does not incur any additional fees.  Their network here is not as good as the other providers, but it is certainly usable.

Suzanne, is that true Island wide or just San Juan?

It's looking like At&t has the winner.
T-Mobile has quite a deal right now..

My Iphone will switch easily.
Wife's Android is another story..

Question remains on whether not 4g exists in Puerto Rico.
I'm thinking not... 3g at best.
Which is fine... Just wish to know how they're keeping up?

I fought with Verizon for 8 years over their coverage here.  It is minimal at best.  At&T was the solution.

My Verizon phone in PR is barely usable, most times it does not work. Works great only on WiFi.

it is island wide...

if you are going to be here for years, you should not get verizon... it's fine for roaming but i'd switch as soon as your contract is up.  or see if you can talk them into letting you our early, as it costs them more for you to roam. I'd pick AT&T, T-Mobile or Sprint... in that order...

We only use a prepaid Tracfone and chose it because it uses AT&T towers.  Some Tracfones use US Cellular which I believe is no existent in PR.

My daughter just came by and asked why I don't unlock my old Iphone 4s and use that..
Smart cookie she is.. Takes after her Mom!
I use it as a mp3 player now...

Check that it is compatible with other than verizon, I think the radio on iPhone 4 may be specific to the provider, check.

I just got off the phone with Verizon Global. The 4s may be hard, as you say.
Good news is both our phones are already unlocked.
Slide in SIM and away we go.

Looking at if I can 'Jailbreak' the 4s, but what I'm learning is after IOS9 it may not be possible.
This is what Verizon Global mentioned as not worth the effort. Seems you have to 'downgrade' to ISO6 to make it happen,

Verizon Global helped me setup the phones to except the GMS roaming.
Both are ready, both will except a local SIM if required.
No additional charges, unless I change the SIM.

Now I'm wondering... Will they work?

Go to this page, enter the IMEI number (Settings, General, About) and it will tell you if you can use it with AT&T do it for each phone, including the 4S. There should be no need to Jailbreak.
If they show as fine, then go to AT&T store and borrow a SIM card from one of the employees and see if the phone switches to AT&T, if it does you should be all set. When ready order the new SIMs and you can go to town.
https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/byop.html

If it does not work (inserting the sim), then the phones are locked

May have a problem locating a sim for the 4S I think it is a different size than what is in use today.

Learned they're all unlocked, including the 4s. AT&T will do up the 4s, T-Mobile says no on the 4s.. I'm heading to the T-Mobile store to verify that.

AT&T doesn't work well at my house. Would like to try a pre-pay T-Mobile and see if that works at the house.

I once had Verizon but when they sold to Claro I left and have had Virgin Mobile for about 3 years now. I use it in the States and on the Island with no problems. They use Sprint towers I was told.

olddawgsrule wrote:

Learned they're all unlocked, including the 4s. AT&T will do up the 4s, T-Mobile says no on the 4s.. I'm heading to the T-Mobile store to verify that.

AT&T doesn't work well at my house. Would like to try a pre-pay T-Mobile and see if that works at the house.

If you going with no contract then go with T mobile for now and if you have issues just switch to ATT at some point, that is the beauty of no contract.

olddawgsrule wrote:

Question remains on whether not 4g exists in Puerto Rico.
I'm thinking not... 3g at best.

I can't say for sure for other providers (check their coverage maps online I'd suggest) but Sprint has 4G LTE all over the island, even in my home ocfice here in the hills in rural Juncos .
I've been with Sprint here in PR for over ten years and they serve me well. For my business I am on the road all over the island a lot and the coverage is just fine with 4G connectivity most of the time.

Based on the map ATT has 4G almost everywhere in the island.

Didn't make it to the T-Mobile store today.. Still have some more to do before I call it a day.
Hopefully tomorrow.
I did have a good conversation with a Rep there though.

He confirm I have good T-Mobile signal, 'outside', but inside will lack. Has to do with signal frequency and he stated T-Mobile is adding another band to make it work better inside.
That's why they don't say the 4s works. It can only receive 1 of the bands they use.
My Iphone 6 will work, yet only on 2 of their bands. The Iphone 6s or newer, will receive all.

Good news is they have a 'burner' that is free (I do mean free) if you buy the $100 SIM.
It's a Samsung Galaxy On5. Has all the basic's it should, runs on Mashmellow 6.0 (for you Android fans). Expandable memory, 4g capabile, GMS (which means everything down there).
Does not handle the new wavelength their adding, but for a 'burner', not a bad little unit to try out the service (both there & here).
Sells for $150, so no a high end phone.

AT&T is pretty much non-existent at my house. Sprint, the same.. Verizon is weak but works. Would be happily surprised if it runs better than Verizon, but doubt it..
Update tomorrow, probably with a burner phone.

In Ceiba according to T mobile I will get good data outside the house but not inside the house. Apparently the wavelength available does not penetrate concrete very well.  ATT does not show that either because they don't want to publish it or because it works fine. Then again Ceiba is in the south east foothills of El Yunque, so signal in the boonies is never going to be the same.
There are booster units that will bring the signal inside the house but it is best to wait until living there to know which booster works best. I can wait.

You're on 'my' wavelength Rey!
I've yet to open the 10th window and search out boosters.
T-Mobile is talking about their new wavelength that will.
Me, I'd like to have an outside antenna that will bring it as I want.

I'm about done for the day. Time now for family.
Buenas noches 'everyone' (haven't learned that word yet)