AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Travel Using Skype iPhone app to call home while on AC

Five more days til we leave! This short trip is so needed for my husband and I. Since we're leaving little ones in the care of grandparents, we need to stay in contact with home. We're staying at Matachica, which has wifi in common areas. We want to use our iphone to Skype with my in-laws when we're connected to wifi. Our research supports that this is a free solution that works. Anyone have experience with calling the US using this method? AT&T Global Roaming is $2.29 a minute or something ridiculous.

We have never been very successful on our previous trips as the Belize govt blocks this type of activity--Skype, Windows Live, etc. You have to connect through a VPN. You can google this term and find lots of companies who offer this service and explanations. I have used hidemyass.com with limited success on my netbook. Also the internet speed available is an issue--think slower than dial-up at many locations. Many of the restaurants have WIFI so be sure to try other locations if matachica doesn't work. I have never tried my Iphone there. Will be interested to hear if your Iphone calls are successful for our next trip. Maybe others will have found better solutions--I hope because it really is a problem trying to keep in touch with family at home via anything but email and messenger.

That's discouraging... so do iphone calls work at all if we're willing to bite the bullet and pay the $2.29 a minute? Any other way to call home?

A local Belizean sim card costs $50 Bz and you can buy credit to put on the sim card. When you call the US use the numbers: 1010199 1 and the number and the call is around $0.75 Bz per minute. You may have to try a few times to get through and the line might not always be perfect - but it works. If you call a cell phone number in the states the cost could be higher but it isn't very high.

At the hotel you can try using google chat - and they might even have an operational VPN and you will be able to use skype.

You are on holiday - send a couple of emails and don't feel guilty about enjoying yourselves and relaxing without the kids. The kids and Grandparents will treasure their little bit of time together too.

iPhones don't work on SIM cards so unfortunately that won't do for us. Stupid iPhone.

We plan to make use of email but would like to make a call if possible. We'll try gchat and Skype - I'll ask Matachica if they have VPN. Thanks!

iPhones work with SIM cards if they are the GSM model. You are probably with Verizon which is CDMA and no SIM card. I'm assuming it's an iPhone4 which is a moot point anyway if it's not unlocked and most likely not unlockable. Your best bet may be just renting a phone from QuikSilver. Then you can use a local SIM and the 1010199 that Amanda mentioned.

If you're bringing a laptop, iPad, or even your iPhone (wifi only) you can get a VPN installed on it prior to coming and use Skype. I use Skype for all my international calls with no problem on my iPhone (on wifi only) and my laptop.

otherwise, buy a digicell phone for $69bz and load up with credit - if you're canny about it you can get triple up, and use the 1010199 1 as amanda suggested. If you don't need the phone when you leave or the minutes, i'm sure someone will be willing to purchase for a small loss to you.

Alternatively rent a phone through Diane at Quicksilver belize - it's only $5usd a day with $10bz credit and you can add credit through Diane when you need it.

I always use Call Back Today for 33.1 cents per minute from Belize to the U.S. using a local Belize cell phone. Check them out at www.callbacktoday.com

This is getting confusing. I've just emailed QuikSilver - I'm looking for the "easy" button, if you're familiar with those commercials.

Magic Jack is the best....you need a strong vpn and you can get the magic jack at stores like walmart or best buy...you will need a home phone that you hook up to your laptop ..it costs around 100us for total set up then its valid for a year of free calls to u.s and canada then you can renew it..you can use it when you return home as well to make local calls...free..

What about google voice. Anyone have any luck with using it for local or back to the USA calls?

Spotty performance from what friends have told me.

A friend with a Mac has used Face Time without a problem.

I use Google voice. You must set your homepage to Google, load Google Chrome, then load Google voice. (Chrome actually made my computer much faster.)

You may have to mess around somewhat to get it to work. If you have questions on how to do it, just Google it.

The great thing is it is video calls, or just voice. Your choice. Free and worked for us last year/this year from BZ to US and Canada, free. You can call any cell phone, hard line, or computer. It worked great for us. Just find a good connection. You will probably want to set this up before departing so you know it is working.

Incoming calls from friends outside of BZ will be charged. (to their CC) But at least you can call anybody you like for free.

If you can not use Skype for voice and video calls, can you at least use skype as a text messenger without the voice and video? Or is the whole program impossible to use?

When it is blocked, you can not connect at all, which eliminates any use including texting.

A good VPN allways works for me........never have problems with it being blocked.

Thanks

I'll make sure to get a good vpn before I leave the states then.