Cell Phone

Phones are readily available and inexpensive.  Cheapest way is skype or whatsapp

If you have an unlocked phone from back home bring it and then just get the local sim card.

If not as planner said small phones are pretty cheap here

Bob K

Planner & Bob, thanks for your advice.

You are welcome.  Good luck

Bob K

I've got a phone on a 2 year plan with virgin mobile Canada at $xx per month. Plan exists for another 16 months. Thinking options are unlock the phone, costs $50 here before I go, and get new SIM card and local plan. Or keep the phone locked, then I can text under wifi, and just get a phone locally with local calling. Last option sounds best but any suggestions?

If you are going to be here on a full time basis then unlock yours. You can always put your Virgin sim card back in when you want. Yu can get plans here with text, long distance calling, wi fi and such

That way you are not carrying around two phones all the time

Bob K

Thanks. This first stay is 5-6 months. Thoughts?

Unlock  you phone

Bob K

I'm wondering about cell phone usage as well. I will only be there for 2 weeks this time around but will need GPS to get to the apartment from the airport which means no time to get a new SIM card and phone plan. Any suggestions?

Your gps will work without the need for data usage.  Turn off data roaming or you can be charged. You should also be able to purchase a plan from your current provider to give you data and voice while you are in the DR. Do you have a gps that is good for DR. If not you can install one before you arrive.

Thanks. I use the iPhone GPS. Not sure if that would work out there.

You need data to load the maps if you use google gps. Search on the ap store and download off line maps for Dominican Republic. That is what I used and it worked fine for me.

Will do.

Or even easier print  a Google map at home and bring it with you.  What airport are you flying into and how far is the apt from the airport?

Bob K

I'm flying into punta Cana. The apartment is about 15 miles from the airport.

Take a taxi? They knew where they are going.

I'll be visiting other parts of DR while I'm there so I feel like a driving is necessary. I have friends there that can give me directions to other places. I just need GPS to get to the airport and back.

Like I said just print out a map to the apt before you come down and then you don't have to worry about getting to it from the airport

Bob K

planner is right SKYPE  and WHATSUP we use both everyday without fail Skype works good maybe 20% of the time, rest it always has issues. Whatsup works great. When  I am in USA I never call by phone, In DR I can call states for free by cell. I don't need an unlocked phone. Just a cheap BLU phone with Claro service. I am a certified apple repairman just for info. Samsung also.

Hi,

I go to RD 2-3 times a year. My tip: Use a Dual SIM smartphone, one for local network and one for homeland.

If you don't have a Dual SIM phone you can buy some cheap/medium price brands like NOKIA or ASUS or HTC. (ie a dual SIM NOKIA is like 80 US$).

4G/LTE fast internet is available in RD mostly in cities adn touristic areas and sometimes it is even faster then Wifi.

I bought last week a 1 Gigabyte/1 month internet for 650 pesos which is about 15 USD. I use a lot Google Maps for GPS and Whatsapp/Viber for free calls.

Avoid social media as Facebook etc will suck your data (VERY consuming) unless under Wifi.

Eri all good information.  We use our dual sim when we travel to US or Europe from here.

Bob K