Cell phone service on STJ

Suziekue · Post by **Suziekue** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 10:33 am

Hi, wondering if someone can let me know if either Verizon or AT&T cell phones work on STJ?

Thank you!

GraysonDave · Post by **GraysonDave** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 10:40 am

Both work in most areas of the island.

HOWEVER, you are roaming on the Verizon network and it'll cost you something like $1.99/minute. You are not roaming on the AT&T network so there's no extra charge. UNLESS, you happen to be picking up a cell tower from the British Virgin Islands (which happens frequently on that side of the island). Most AT&T customers have had good luck getting AT&T to reverse those charges later.

I'm a Verizon customer but I bought an AT&T Go Phone for our last trip. $2/day pay as you go. Worked fine but it was a very basic phone with no data, internet, pics, etc.

deejayjay · Post by **deejayjay** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 11:36 am

We've always had verizon there, and there are very few places it will actually work. It requires a bit of getting in the right place leaning to the left while standing on the right foot and holding both arms in the air.

, With their price increase to 1.99 per minute in usvi and pr, we will be taking a pay as you go att phone this year. We never use the phone much, but last time, just the required calls to the villa manager from the airport, and ferry dock really added up fast.

visitstj · Post by **visitstj** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 12:42 pm

Both Verizon and AT&T service are available. We've had the best luck with Verizon. With Verizon, make sure you have International service activated (shouldn't cost anything). Data rates are signficantly higher. Also, be careful of roaming when you're on the East end. On our last trip we often got connected to a BVI service.

Teresa_Rae · Post by **Teresa_Rae** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:14 pm

I've heard some pretty bad things about Verizon on STJ, including crazy fees and poor coverage. If you look on Verizon's website it doesn't have coverage in the VIs. We switched plans from T-Mobile a couple months ago and it was between Verizon and AT&T and we went with AT&T because it works so much better on STJ.

You can pick up BVI towers though so you have to watch it.

jimg20 · Post by **jimg20** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:45 pm

We take our ATT phone to STJ and have had good coverage. The story about BVI towers is true. We called before leaving and they assured us that we were covered on the USVI. When we got the bill for the BVI routed calls, I called ATT. They were reluctant, but when they saw the note in the file from a month earlier, they really had no choice.

The problem comes in when making or receiving calls while on a north beach. That is where you get your best line-of-sight to BVI. I suppose a villa in that area might give you the same issues. When we left Cruz Bay to go to JVD, we shut the phones off and did not turn them on again until we cleared US Customs again.

stjchica · Post by **stjchica** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 2:22 pm

If you are just sending texts/picture texts...do you have the tower issue...or is it just counted as a text msg? Wouldn't be making any phone calls, just texting..Not sure how texting plays in..Thanks for any info~

Chet · Post by **Chet** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 3:48 pm

AT&T plans on the Bberry and iPhone are solid on coverage since we arrived last week. In the past, staying on the East Side, we had to head over to Cruz Bay to get a signal. Here at Alta Vista we have good signal for wireless, ROKU, Cable, cell phones - oh, wait, the tower is 100 yards up Bordeaux

Ok, we have had good signal at Aqua Bistro and Salt Pond. Years ago we went to settlement on a house when staying at Mystic Ridge. It was Boat Phone or nothing. We opted out of the $99 charge. The infrastructure has been greatly improved. We are hitting the wireless with Bberry, iPhone, iPad, and a laptop. It's a bit slower than home - but solid.

Check your plans online for the coverage map. Study before traveling

Steve S · Post by **Steve S** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:26 am

If you don't have AT&T, get a burner.

TrvlJohn · Post by **TrvlJohn** » Tue Oct 09, 2012 12:33 pm

AT&T has always worked great for me. You need to inspect your bill carefully when you get home and make a note of all the funky stuff and then call them. I have had calls bounce off of towers in Jamaica...really strange...

FYI - the secret phrase to get roaming charges off of your AT&T bill without any arguing is "Overlapping International Towers"... As soon as I say that, they immediately give me a credit without argument.

John

Suziekue · Post by **Suziekue** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:45 am

Thanks everyone, looks like my AT&T service should work, we can keep our Verizon usuage to a minimum and text only. John, I really appreciate you sharing the "key phrase" that will be helpful if we have any issues when we get back.

onthelake · Post by **onthelake** » Wed Oct 10, 2012 11:52 am

Just a note for Sprint users. I've been on St John with my Sprint phone for several years with no problem. Just have to watch out the the roaming (BVI). Reception in Cruz Bay is better than I get back home.

usvi-on-line