Bahama to US Voice Communication

[C Skip R]

Want to see what type of voice communication most boaters use to call from the Bahamas to the states. Using a sat phone is very expensive. Using a regular cell phone call is expensive if it works. Haven't tried purchasing a Bahama phone card or phone and not sure of the price. I hear that Skype is the way to go if you have internet service (.02 a minute). Heard recently of magicjack another way of communicating by phone if you have internet. What is your way?

[signmansez]

If you have Vonage, get their mobile phone. It will work wherever ther is a wireless signal. Won't help on the boat but works all over the islands. This is what many of the islanders use.

The phone cards are WAY cheaper than charging a call at the payphone. I ran up a $250.00 phone bill from Bimini to Orlando during a week of fishing there. No lengthy calls just daily calls to the wife giving the fishing report and such. Connection charge alone was like $20 per call!!

[reellucky954]

This summer I used my Sprint phone and never got an additional charge. My wife used Verizon and got charged. We went back on Jan 1 and my sprint phone didn't get a signal. My wife's phone still worked and she was charged $16 for the time she talked. If you'c ever heard how much my wife talks, you'd think that was pretty cheap.

[CSY44_Sailboat]

I just came back from a month and a half cruising in the Bahamas. Here is what I used:

Skype out when we were in port in the Abacos. Of course you need a computer, headset, and Skype out credit. I subscribed to Outisland Internet (OII) WiFi service for $120 / month. Service was hit or miss in some harbors. We were out at anchor so I had a fancy WiFi antenna that I made for < $100.

I had a couple of important conference calls where I used my cell phone - $1 per minute racks up pretty quick. You need a GSM phone for it to work in the Bahamas (AT&T or T-Mobile). If you get the phone unlocked you can get a prepaid SIM card in the Bahamas. That will take your cost per minute to the US down to @$0.60 / minute.

I am not sure how you could use a Vontage phone unless you have WiFi service. Most of the Cruisers used Skype so I am not familiar with how Vontage works in the Bahamas.

If you only need communications occasionally you can go to most bars and get free WiFi with a few drinks.

My goal for next year is to learn how to use Skype over my SSB radio. I understand it is possible. I don't know how practical or cost effective it is.

[signmansez]

Here is the latest device that vonage sells to make calls using WiFi. They used to sell a complete cordless handset that acted the same way as this.

http://www.vonage.com/device.php?typ...ct_more_VPHONE