I was told today when trying to buy a Cellular One phone card for my TDMA phone that the company was bought out by another company and the service is in limbo. No more card is available and no more minutes can be added on. I understand that I would be better off getting a GSM phone to use on Bonaire with other local service providers.
My questions are:
1. Which Nokia phone would work with Bonaire GSM system?
2. Which local GSM phone service would be most reliable and cost effective?
Thanks for your help.

Hello juni

All GSM-phones with tri-Band-system work on Bonaire (as they do on most of the countries in the world).
I use a Nokia 6230i, and I am very happy with that thing.
Actually I use a dutch service-provider, because I can use my old dutch number, everybody knows. I don't use it often on the island, because calling on Bonaire is expensive with a dutch-located phone. But it is possible.

As far as I know there is just one provider for GSM-connections, and that is Telbo. According to Antillean-standards they do quite good work. I think they have only pre-paid-possibilities, although they promised to get subscription-possibilities too.
Be sure to have Tri-band, the rest is just a thing what you want to spend. You can buy it all over the world, and get a pre-paid-SIM-card with Telbo.

Good luck


harrie

I have a GSM tri-band older Nokia, and just get a chippie and pre-paid cards from Telbo here. Chat & Browse also has them if it's more convenient. Works fine!

Josie

Cellular One is dead? Wow! No wonder my phone stopped working.
Fortunately, when that occurred, I took my British GSM phone to Telbo and started using their system. My phone is dual band. It works in Europe and on Bonaire, but not in the US.
Telbo has both pre-paid and post-billed GSM plans.
I live in Belnem, and sometimes the signal weakens. It seems to be when the cruise ships are in port. At those times, if I go outside, that helps.
Otherwise, I have no complaints.

As they said in Texas, thanks y'all for the information. Unfortunately I only have a very old TDMA Nokia phone so I guess it's time for me to look for a new phone :-(

Do y'all know where on the island I can find one cheap? I was quoted anywhere from 75 USD to 500 NAF.

The staff that is converting Cellular One is staying at my hotel, so I got a chance to talk with them. We didn't talk about business ownership, just technology. They are switching from a TDMA system to CDMA. The conversion should be complete early next week. I was flabbergasted to find that they did a technology swapout without warning. Apparently, there is a plan in place to give out CDMA phones, but I have no idea to who, or when.

I use Telbo's GSM system, myself. Like Tish, I find the signal in Belnem to be a bit weak, but other than that it seems to work.

You need the correct band phone to have success. I have an 850 tri band that does NOT work. The correct bands are 900/1800 and I think 1900

Wow, Ann, I completely forgot about that. Thanks for adding that info. Would hate for anybody to buy the wrong phone.

Hi Ann!

Good addition.
Actually, the GSM-system on Bonaire is 1800band. The 900band is common in the most European countries, mostly having also 1800. The 1900band is mainly for the USA. Actually I had never heard of a 850band, and I even didn't know that there were triband phones other then 900/1800/1900.

What the hell now, again another system: CDMA? Aren't there already enough incompatible systems along the world?
GSM seemed to have become some kind of a "world-standard".......

Harrie

I would be glad to trade my old Nokia TDMA for a new one CDMA.
Kevin, would you ask them where should I go to get it next week? :-)
I did a search yesterday to learn a little about GSM phones and its bands. I gathered that roughly the 900/1800 is used mostly in Europe and the 800(850)/1900 is more common in the US.

I went yesterday to telbo and traded in my old celluarone for the GSM from Telbo. They kept the phone and changed my phone number by just one number. The whole thing cost me $44.00 and they gave me a 20 guilder credit on the phone. I'm happy, and it's actually cheaper than Cellularone.

Liz

That's great, Liz!
Did you receive a tri-band or a dual band phone? Can you use your new phone in the US?

We spent a half of day wasting valuable island time trying to get the chip for our phone only to find out that ours wouldn't work on island. I say why bother when Michael at Chat'N'Brouse rents phones at such a reasonable rate and he makes it so easy and quick!!

I agree with you, Darlene! Michael does make life much easier for everyone with his cell rentals and the prepaid cards to go with it. Can't beat it....literally and figuratively. Carole

Getting a phone from Michael is definately the way to go.His prices are so reasonable.
It's so much easier to go and rent one and have him explain it all. The calls back to the US are so much cheaper that way than from your hotel phones.
He also has some interesting things for sale and a web connection for a fee.
Plus you may get to meet Michael, who is such a dear.He can usually help you out with any questions you have about things.
Lover's ice cream shop next store is an added bonus.

Michael,
We will be arriving on Sat. April 8th, and plan to stop by your store on Sun for 2 phone rentals. Getting your NY times this Sunday! One week to go!

CDMA is used in the US by Verizon Wireless. Cingular (which was Cell One) switched from TDMA to GSM over the last few years in the US. CDMA is more efficent in handling calls than TDMA is.

The local Cellular one has now a new name, MIO and has switched over to CDMA format. A GSM company from Curacao will be opening in the next few weeks on Bonaire to compoete with UTS