For instructions in English, push the little metal button with the flag icon on it and read the display window. Calling cards of 25, 35 and 50 pesos denominations are available (about $3-6).

Registration of Mexican Cell Phones
In February 2009, Mexico passed a law requiring cell phone service providers to track and store all customer details, calls, voicemails and text messages. The law requires that purchasers of pre pay cell phones provide identification at the time of purchase. Existing pre pay customers must register their identity or otherwise their phone will be deactivated after April 1, 2010. The purpose of these measures is to address the criminal use of cell phones for extortion and other illicit activities. If your Mexican cell phone is lost or stolen it is important to report the incident to the service provider to avoid any legal proceedings against you in case the telephone is used for illegal purposes.

Use of U.S. Cell Phones in Mexico
This paragraph applies to AT&T cell phones. Cell phones from other companies may or may not work the same way. - If you bring your cell phone to Mexico from another country but don't have an international calling plan, you should continue to receive calls as though you were still in your country. There will be additional charges, however. You can receive calls from telephones in Mexico but the caller must use your country code as though you were still in the country where the cell phone was issued. For outgoing calls, your cell phone will behave like a local telephone. You do not need to use the country code for calls to telephones within Mexico but you do need the country code for all calls to telephones outside of Mexico. Those calls can be quite expensive.

A Verizon customer reports (8/2009) that his plan allows calls to and from Mexico with no additional charges. It does use up your minutes but if you are communicating to another Verizon phone, then it does not use your minutes. This calling plan costs an additional US$15 per month over the regular plan.

As of November 4, 2006, the Mexican government added a surcharge of at least $0.14 per minute for international calls TO cell phones. This does not apply to calls to landline telephones. Some of Mexico's smaller cell phone companies have obtained a court order to block the charges. But Telmex, which controls 80% of the country's cell phone market, has agreed to impose the extra charges. Most of the additional charges collected will go to companies controlled by Carlos Slim, the world's richest man, who controls Telmex. So that international callers will know when they are calling a cell phone number, an additional digit will be required to complete the call. Previously a call to a cell phone was like any other international call, 011-52 + 10-digit number. Now to reach a cell phone, call 011-52-1 + 10-digit number. Note that when calling cell phones locally you call 044 + 10-digit number. When calling internationally, the 044 is omitted.

Can I use my cell phone in Mexico?
In most cases, they seem to work fine without making any arrangements but your calls may be very expensive. One way to reduce cell phone expense in Mexico is by purchasing a card that gives you so many minutes of cell time. These are available almost everywhere in increments of $100 pesos, about US$9. If you don't speak Spanish, you might get the salesperson to help you enter the minutes into your phone. This may be the most economical way, but perhaps your cell service provider has a better deal. Check with them and see--you may be able to get Mexico coverage for an additional monthly fee without additional per minute fees.

044:
Many Mexico cellphone numbers have the prefix "044". This is only used when calling the number locally and is omitted for international calls. For example, to place a call locally to a cell phone you must dial 044 + the 10-digit number. To place a long distance call to the cell phone you omit the 044, e.g. 011-52 + the 10-digit number. To place an international call to a cell phone, you now must add a "1" after the country code, i.e. 011-52-1 + 10-digit number.

045:
If you are calling a Mexican cell phone from within Mexico but it is a long distance call, the prefix is 045; then dial the 10-digit number. Omit the 045 when calling from outside Mexico and dial 011-52 + the 10-digit number.

For international long-distance calls, first dial 00, then the country code (for the U.S. and Canada the country code is 1, so you would dial 00 + 1 + area code + 7 digit number).

US Wireless Carriers   Things You Might not Know Your Cell Phone Can Do

San Felipe numbers you should have:

Hot Lines (Emergency):

Police (Any Emergency) 066
Fire (emergency) 068
Electricity (emergency and non-emergency) 071
Tourism Department 078
Legal Assistance 061

Red Cross: (emergencies on the road) 066 (same for cell phones)
[Be sure to specify the clinic or hospital you want. You have the
right to be taken to whatever facility you prefer.]

MetCare Ambulance (Hospital) 577-0500

Health Center 577-1521 District Attorney's 577-1110 State Judicial Police 577-1203 Civil Protection Unit 577-1433 Chamber of Commerce 577-1104 Immigration Office 577-1083 Port Captain 577-1577 Bancomer 577-1090, 577-1051 Calexico Post Office 760-357-0206 Calexico GreyHound Depot (760) 357-1895	Hold the anchovies. Click HERE for a map of cellphone coverage for Baja.	Marine Radio: The following channels are currently in use. Once you contact the person you are calling, change channels to talk. Otherwise, eavesdroppers get a free ticket. And of course, don't discuss times or dates you plan to be away from your home. Channel 9 POLICEMAN at Km 34, Campo El Vergel Channel 6 Taxi Channel 24 SFARP members in town Channel 67 La Hacienda residents Channel 69 South Camp residents Channel 72 El Dorado residents
Mexicali Numbers: TELEPHONE COMPANIES: TELNOR (Local and Long Distance Telephony) Address: #702 the Reformation Bird. Mexicali, B.C., Mexico Tel: (686) 551-5057 Tel: (01-800) 025-2525 http://www.telnor.com TELCEL (Cellular Service Company) Address: #1016 Benito Juárez Blvd. (Located in the Hotels Circle) Mexicali, B.C., Mexico 21270 Tel: (686) 565-6509 Tel: (01-800) 026-2626 http://www.telcel.com The PEGASO (Cellular Service Company) Address: #1500 Benito Juarez Blvd. (Located in the Hotels Circle) Mexicali, B.C., Mexico 21370 Tel: (686) 556-0984 Tel: (01-800) 111-3333 http://www.pegasopcs.com.mx AT&T - ALESTRA (Long Distance Telephony) Address: The Reformation and Comercio St. Mexicali, B.C., Mexico Tel: (686) 555-9956 Tel: (01-800) 129-2100 http://www.att.com.mx MCI - AVANTEL (Long Distance Telephony) Mexicali, B.C., Mexico Tel: (686) 566-0324 http://www.avantel.com.mx		GAS COMPANIES: Z GAS EMERGENCY Tel: (686) 557-2493 Address: Adolph Lopez Mateos Blvd .and Anáhuac Blvd. Mexicali, B.C., Mexico 21000 Tel: (686) 557-0044 Tel (01-800) 849-8257 http://www.grupozeta.com SILZA/GAS-MEX 24 Hrs. Service Address: Manuel Go'mez Morín Blvd. and Lazaro Cardinal red Blvd. Mexicali, B.C., Mexico Tel: (686) 580-6666 & 561-3111 http://www.energia.gob.mx/servicios/docs/p02-004.doc ECOGAS 24HrsEMERGENCY Tel: (01-800) 028-0681 Address: Venustiano Carranza Blvd. Mexicali, B.C., Mexico 21390 Tel: (686) 568-8000 http://www.ecogas.com.mx WATER COMPANY: STATE COMMISSION OF SERVICES PUBLIC 24Hrs. EMERGENCY Tel: 073 Address: Calz independence. Mexicali, B.C., Mexico 21000 Tel: (686) 556-1383 http://www.cespm.gob.mx POWER COMPANY FEDERAL COMMISSION OF ELECTRICITY 24Hrs. EMERGENCY Tel: 071 Address: #474 Street Potters Mexicali, B.C., Mexico Tel: (686) 557-5602 http://www.cfe.gob.mx