What's the cell phone plan of attack??

Hola guys. I'll be moving down to Jalisco in September and plan on bringing my smartphone also cancelling my AT/T plan ( way to much $$). What are the steps I need to take in getting my phone going in Mexico day 1. Just want to use internet/Siri/mapquest. Don't need to even call anyone right away plan on downloading whatsapp later to make calls to Hawaii. Thanks

I suspect if you have At&T you do not have an unlocked phone. Depending on the system, you might be able to just switch out cards. But of course that is not as easy as it sounds,  so I recommend you find out about your phone and what sort of lock A.T.& T has on it.

I just got an unlocked phone after I found out Sprint had a built in system instead of a sim. The next question would be how is your Spanish ?
Some people just get a phone card and a throw away phone at first.  I wouldn't count on day one availability.

What I would do , is find out about the phone, not drop AT&T immediately, but get a replacement plan going first. My first phone here took a week or so to work out all of the problems. With the card you have 60 days use, then that rime is gone. Recharging is a real pain even if you do it on line.
Now I have my regular phone ( requires recharging) and a phone via a phone plan both are smart phones. You can not just get a Mexican plan, you have to establish your Mexican credit. U.S. credit doesn't count. See , as I said it's not that easy.

I have had no problem getting Samsung phones unlocked/unblocked down here.  200 pesos or less.  Check with ATT and see if they'll unblock yours for free if you've had it some time.  I've heard many US companies are doing it now.  Google unblock you phone's make and model.  That will tell you if it's unblockable.  Plenty of places in Mexico that will unblock phones.

About 3 months my old phone went flaky and I replaced it with a mid range Samsung.  I have prepaid package that includes unlimited talk and text to/from US/Mexico/Canada, 1 GB Facebook, Twitter, Instagram?  200 pesos/month ($12) should do it for me.  50 pesos/month should work if you're all talk/text with little data.  I can refill with credit card at Farmacias Guadalajara which are all over the country or cash at just about supermarket or chain store.  I've had no problem at all refilling online with Telcel or Movistar.  Most, if not all, cell companies have packages like the one I described.  I'm visiting in the states right now and my unlimited talk/text is in force and there is no roaming charge for the prepaid data, 

Oh yeah, I paid around $300 for the phone,  Performance is excellent.

My friend has AT&T and was easy to unblock.   Great if you have it here and moving to Mexico.    Stay with it if you can!

Awesome thanks Gudgrief. Yea my cell isn't locked so that's not the issue just curious about what my plan will cost. Sounds like I can get by under $40 month   Thanks again!

AT & T is now in Mexico AT&T Mexico home page

Hmmm might give em a try.  Right now in US I'm paying $175 for 2 phones

Right on @da beach!! Gonna check em out tonight. BTW are you living on the beaches in Mex?

At Hotel Arena.

I have a branded Verizon Samsung GS4, and it's totally unlocked straight from Verizon.  I just changed to Straighttalk, offered at Walmart, for my connection in the states.  It was fairly easy, and it Straighttalk uses ALL Verizon towers, so it's great.
I'm told that all I do now, is walk into the TelCel store in Cancun and put their SIM in my phone and bingo.....it's works.....plus the sign-up stuff I had to do with Straighttalk also, but that at the TelCel store people there will help you a lot.  All TelCel SIMS, I'm told, will work with unlocked Verizon-branded unlocked Samsung phones.
Anyone have anything to add to this????  Thank you so much!!
PS:  I went home this past January with a $495 phone bill with Verizon because I had forwarded my SKYPE connection to my Verizon number and my service was on....but I thought I was using WiFi.  That first fill was a killer.
Ally