More on BTC phone and data

[Pascal]

Trip nr 2 to the exumas in the past couple of months and with the BTC Samsung galaxy ace I bought back in December

This is definitely the way to go for those traveling to the Bahamas...

I had refilled the prepaid account online by CC before leaving (no more hunting for $20 scrtach cards...) so within 10 miles of Bimini phone was working. I was able to do the #205* thing and activate the $30 plan of the account main balance and after rebooting the phone it was up and running as a hot spot for my laptop and iPhone

Lost signal on the bank between Gun and chub this morning but picked up at NW channel light and had it all the way to Nassau Btw, for those crossing the bank, NW Channel light is still damage with only a foot of the piling visible at low tide! Be careful!

Been playing with marinetraffic.com AIS and running an app called boat beacon. Sends AIS data so the boat can be tracked online. The AIS info it receives is very accurate and up to date (although disclaimer warns of possible delays). Coming in to Nassau tonight, the cruise ships and a couple of cargos where exactly the app showed they were. Neat, it uses very little cell data, especially when you have folks back home interested in your whereabouts

On to Staniel tomorrow (YEAH!!!) and then to Barraterre on the north end of great Exumas to start a 10 day charter

 

[Bugsy]

Pascal...

1) where did you get the phone?
2) do we need to buy a new phone or can we use an existing global phone (Razzr Maxx)?
3) where did you get the pre-paid plan? Can you purchase in the US?

Questions...questions...but need to know.

Thx

 

[Pascal]

I bought the phone in Nassau to replace a not so smart basic phone I had been using

You can use any unlocked phone as long as you have a BTC prepaid SIM which I think you get from mail order companies stateside. Make sure your phone can be used as a hot spot (droids and iPhones, not sure about others)

In order to refill the account online via CC you need to call BTC on the phone and register the number. After that you go online, register for online access and are good to go

https://secure1.btcbahamas.com/eztopupfull/signin/index.php

Upon arriving in the Bahamas you dial #205* then follow the on screen prompt to activate the $30 monthly plan which is deducted from your account main balance. It's supposed to be 1gig at 4G speed but it feels more like 3G to me... Once you get to 1 GB it switches to 3G

At first carrying 2 phones seems unpractical but it s nice that people can still call you or text you on yr US phone

 

[Fanfare]

We arrived in Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, Bahamas on Tuesday. Went to Batelco yesterday to reactivate my Bahamas phone. At present they seem to have lost all records of my account, phone number, and the approximately $ 200 remaining in my account. So far I have worked my way up through three levels of supervisors, who will "look into it." However, they did offer to sell me another SIMM card.

I hoped that the purchase of Batelco by Cable and Wireless could only improve service. Looks like my expectations were far too high.

 

[Bugsy]

Pascal..

Thx....

The BTC website isn't terribly informative so please forgive me for my multiple questions.

I see that BTC sells a Galaxy smartphone for about $200. with "pre-pay". I then saw a "Blackberry" data plan for about $40. but I don't know whether that is just a description of a data plan or whether it is tied to the Blackberry.

I'm looking for data and voice----maybe about 2-3 gig of data for a month in the Exumas and limited voice---a few hundred minutes max--for eg., to call Highbourne and ask for a slip!!.

I think I'd prefer to buy a "dedicated" Bahamas phone instead of trying to swap out a SIM card on my US phone. So---once I get to Nassau, I can go to BTC----get a phone on a pre-pay plan and buy what I need. Correct?

Or---can I accomplish what I'm describing while still in Miami?


Sorry for the seeming idiocy. It comes naturally.

 

[Pascal]

Jim

Afaik any funds on a prepaid account expire after 3 months or so. Also, after another time period i don't remember (6 months?) your sim/number is automatically cancelled.

I never never head back home with any significant funds on my account

Bugsy

All you need is the phone, a sim and a call to BTC to register the nr so you can refill on line. You don't need the crapberry plan. Once you have the phone running you just transfer funds from your main account via the *205# to buy a month of day

Google Bahamas cell phone. There is a company that sell the sims and phones in the US.

Otherwise you should be able to buy it at various places in the islands. In Bimini (often a first stop) there is a bright pink store near the Big game club that sells prepaid phones... Along with clothing, jewelry and cheap cologne.

The BTC store in Nassau (one block behind east bay st) is something you want to avoid. It makes your local drivers license office look efficient! Long lines, slow inept service. When i bought the phone i ASSumed they included the sim. Nope... Had to go back...

Anchored off Staniel tonight, it s a bit slow but usable. Worked most of the way from nassau

 

[Fanfare]

Still no word from Batelco. Will go back this morning. Can't call because all the phones have been out at Spanish Wells since Sunday.

I did have the "top up" card from Batelco. But I did not use the internet top up with my credit card number because of the unencrypted wi-fi. Don't want to buy stuff for all the Bahamas. So last year I would walk to the Batelco office as needed and hand over cash. Unfortunately, when I got home and tried to use secure internet my top up did not work. No such number! I made several attempts to phone Batelco, but they don't answer. I even faxed them a letter before my top up expiration, but again no response, which is usual for Batelco. (Last year I tried to register my AT&T phone by calling the number they gave me. Their recording said the number was disconnected. One really has to laugh!)

Tomorrow is Dudley's birthday. She expects calls. So I'm off again.

Don't leave money in your account is correct.

 

[Fanfare]

A supervisor at BTC says she is working to get our money back. I will see.

 

[hromberg]

Once they have your money it's gone. Had some sailing buddies get nailed by customs for a bunch of fees they didn't owe and when they found out they initiated the process to recover their funds. A year later, the Bahamian Customs Department is still giving them the runaround. We owe you money but to get it disbursed you need to go see X. Then X sends them to Q, and so on.

Cost of doing business Island style.

 

[Dan Mapes]

While in the Abacos for the Winter we use the ISPs up here. Generally speaking the service is ok, and reasonable enough. The rates are comparable to the U.S..
However, next time I upgrade my phone it is going to be a droid or such that has hot spot capability. This way I can use it in the Exumas etc. should we make it there next year.

With all of the legislation we've had lately unlocking could be a pain now. So does Iphone 5 work in the Bahamas as a hot spot? The last time I looked at the BTC site they were not available down here but they are in the States.

I can ugrade via Verizon for a few hundred bucks and get the 16Gbyte version.