Using cell phones in Key West

[Mousemom]

Probably a really silly question but I am wondering about using phones and e-mail in Key West. I know that while at sea we will be charged internationally but when we port at Key West for the day can we use our phones and be charged for calling within the United States? It would be nice to check in at home one last time before heading to the Bahamas.

 

[MouseMomx2]

Hi Mousemom! Love your name.

Yes, since Key West is a US port you will have regular cell service while there. You can double check on your phone when you turn it on. It should show your carrier rather than the Cellular at Sea or international carriers you will see at other times.

 

[Made Up Name]

Probably a really silly question but I am wondering about using phones and e-mail in Key West. I know that while at sea we will be charged internationally but when we port at Key West for the day can we use our phones and be charged for calling within the United States? It would be nice to check in at home one last time before heading to the Bahamas.

I would check with your cell phone provider. Some of the cutrate plans may not have service in Key West. Virgin and Sprint come to mind. If you have AT&T, you should be just fine.

 

[disfamilyfun]

Your phone should work. I have sprint and was able to use my phone without extra charges in St.Thomas and PR. key West should be like the rest of her US

 

[JanyJan]

We have AT&T and used our cell phones in Key West last year with no problems.

 

[MouseMomx2]

I would check with your cell phone provider. Some of the cutrate plans may not have service in Key West. Virgin and Sprint come to mind. If you have AT&T, you should be just fine.

Since Key West is part of Florida I believe that even the cutrate plans will work. Islands like St. Thomas/St. John could be a different story, but Key West is actually part of a state so there should be no issues.

 

[snchpnz]

No, you won't be able to use your phone in Key West. Unfortunately due to the proximity to the island of Cuba all cellphone coverage in Key West is provided by the Cuban Government. Because of the embargo it is illegal for you to conduct any financial transactions with the Cuban government. It is impossible for ordinary tourists to pay the Cuban Government for their services without breaking the monetary transaction rule. (Although you can work around this by buying counterfeit Cuban cellphones from shady street vendors.) Beware that you will not be able to bring the Cuban cellphone back into the continental U.S. (just throw it overboard when you are done with it). Also, if you attempt to place a call while in Key West with your U.S. cellphone it will be confiscated by U.S. authorities and returned to you at the end of your trip. *Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.

 

[ilovetexas]

I would check with your cell phone provider. Some of the cutrate plans may not have service in Key West. Virgin and Sprint come to mind. If you have AT&T, you should be just fine.

Too bad AT&T service sucks in Atlanta, GA. I have Verizon now but I'd go with the "cutrate" of Sprint and Virgin before I'd go back to AT&T.

OP- I'm not aware of any cell phone plan that won't work in the state of Florida. FWIW, I have called home each time I've been in Key West.

Here are links to coverage maps:

Looks like you're good to go with Sprint, Verizon, Virgin Mobile, T-Mobile, etc.:

http://coverage.sprint.com/IMPACT.jsp?

http://www.verizonwireless.com/wcms/consumer/4g-lte.html

http://www.virginmobileusa.com/check-cell-phone-coverage

http://www.t-mobile.com/coverage.html

 

[MouseMomx2]

No, you won't be able to use your phone in Key West. Unfortunately due to the proximity to the island of Cuba all cellphone coverage in Key West is provided by the Cuban Government. Because of the embargo it is illegal for you to conduct any financial transactions with the Cuban government. It is impossible for ordinary tourists to pay the Cuban Government for their services without breaking the monetary transaction rule. (Although you can work around this by buying counterfeit Cuban cellphones from shady street vendors.) Beware that you will not be able to bring the Cuban cellphone back into the continental U.S. (just throw it overboard when you are done with it). Also, if you attempt to place a call while in Key West with your U.S. cellphone it will be confiscated by U.S. authorities and returned to you at the end of your trip. *Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.

This is simply not true. We had regular AT&T reception in Key West and used our phones with no issues.

 

[ilovetexas]

This is simply not true. We had regular AT&T reception in Key West and used our phones with no issues.

They were kidding.

 

[MouseMomx2]

They were kidding.

I didn't think it was clear whether it was a joke or not and just wanted to make sure the OP had accurate information.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I didn't think it was clear whether it was a joke or not and just wanted to make sure the OP had accurate information.

I think the whistling emoticon showed the intention of tongue and cheek.

 

[MouseMomx2]

I think the whistling emoticon showed the intention of tongue and cheek.

I'm not debating the point...I just wanted to make it clear to the OP. It's all good.

 

[bumbershoot]

No, you won't be able to use your phone in Key West. Unfortunately due to the proximity to the island of Cuba all cellphone coverage in Key West is provided by the Cuban Government. Because of the embargo it is illegal for you to conduct any financial transactions with the Cuban government. It is impossible for ordinary tourists to pay the Cuban Government for their services without breaking the monetary transaction rule. (Although you can work around this by buying counterfeit Cuban cellphones from shady street vendors.) Beware that you will not be able to bring the Cuban cellphone back into the continental U.S. (just throw it overboard when you are done with it). Also, if you attempt to place a call while in Key West with your U.S. cellphone it will be confiscated by U.S. authorities and returned to you at the end of your trip. *Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.

 

[tvguy]

And nit picking here, since Key West is 100 miles from Cuba, and the range of a digital cell phone is only about 10 to 20 miles, you'd never hit a cell tower in Cuba anyway.

 

[TXDCLfan]

No, you won't be able to use your phone in Key West. Unfortunately due to the proximity to the island of Cuba all cellphone coverage in Key West is provided by the Cuban Government. Because of the embargo it is illegal for you to conduct any financial transactions with the Cuban government. It is impossible for ordinary tourists to pay the Cuban Government for their services without breaking the monetary transaction rule. (Although you can work around this by buying counterfeit Cuban cellphones from shady street vendors.) Beware that you will not be able to bring the Cuban cellphone back into the continental U.S. (just throw it overboard when you are done with it). Also, if you attempt to place a call while in Key West with your U.S. cellphone it will be confiscated by U.S. authorities and returned to you at the end of your trip. *Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.

 

[twindaddy]

No, you won't be able to use your phone in Key West. Unfortunately due to the proximity to the island of Cuba all cellphone coverage in Key West is provided by the Cuban Government. Because of the embargo it is illegal for you to conduct any financial transactions with the Cuban government. It is impossible for ordinary tourists to pay the Cuban Government for their services without breaking the monetary transaction rule. (Although you can work around this by buying counterfeit Cuban cellphones from shady street vendors.) Beware that you will not be able to bring the Cuban cellphone back into the continental U.S. (just throw it overboard when you are done with it). Also, if you attempt to place a call while in Key West with your U.S. cellphone it will be confiscated by U.S. authorities and returned to you at the end of your trip. *Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.

You are actually incorrect.

If you talk on the phone with your back facing Cuba (just ask around, people will tell you which direction it is), the cell signal will reverb off a US tower and co-synchronize with your US carrier causing a loss of Cuban signal dissonance. That creates a zone of inequity which allows calls to be made that bypasses the monetary transaction rule.

I wish I had known about this, I threw my cell phone overboard and a gust of wind blew it back towards the ship where in dented one of the lifeboats. I was charged a "lifeboard restoration fee, Cuban enhanced" (there is a tax by the Cuban government whenever one of their cell phones damages a life boat).

You have been warned.

 

[Silverfox97]

Thank you for the Sat night entertainment This was awesome!!!!!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[CF'er]

We are sailing from Port Canaveral and our first port is Key West. Since we will be sailing down the coast will our cell phones still use land towers or the one on the ship or is it the luck of the draw?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are sailing from Port Canaveral and our first port is Key West. Since we will be sailing down the coast will our cell phones still use land towers or the one on the ship or is it the luck of the draw?

Once you leave port (no longer tied up), phones connect through Cellular at Sea. Generally, the ship doesn't sail close enough to land to pick up land based towers.