This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:11:30
David and Travis from Café Collegiate Travels discuss their experience and challenges with phone plans after relocating to Merida, Mexico. Initially relying on their US Sprint (now T-Mobile) plan, they assumed their frequent returns to the US would avoid any roaming data limits. They were surprised to receive a warning about surpassing their roaming data cap, which they later discovered is limited to 90 days. Faced with the imminent cutoff, they explored options such as returning to the US or adopting a Mexican phone plan, though local plans typically offered insufficient data for their needs as digital nomads.
They emphasize that while obtaining a Mexican SIM card is cost-effective and straightforward for most users, it doesn't cater to their high data usage. They explored alternatives like Olafly for international SIM cards and ultimately settled on AT&T's unlimited data plan, covering the US, Canada, and Mexico, praising its customer support and affordability with monthly credits. They highlight the importance of checking phone plan details, especially for extensive data use, and note that many Mexican plans include unlimited data for social media and certain apps. The creators also encourage viewer feedback and hint at a potential follow-up video on better phone plan solutions.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, David and Travis from Café Collegiate Travels discuss encountering a significant issue with their phone plan after moving to Merida, Mexico a year and a half ago. Initially, they did nothing to change their plan, relying on a good discount through Sprint (now T-Mobile) and assuming they were fine based on the welcome message they received upon arrival. They believed their frequent trips back to the U.S. would reset any roaming data limits. However, they recently received an alarming text message indicating a problem with their phone roaming. Despite hearing rumors about roaming data limits, they hadn’t thoroughly checked their plan details until now.
00:03:00
In this segment of the video, the creators discuss the issue of hitting their roaming data limit, which will result in being cut off at the beginning of the next month if they continue using data outside the United States. They acknowledge failing to read the fine print, which states a 90-day cap on international data usage. They express gratitude for having extended use beyond the cap but now need to find an alternative solution. After pausing to thank their Patreon supporters, they consider two options: returning to the U.S. or switching to a local Mexican phone plan. They note that while Mexican plans are cheaper, they typically offer only about 5GB of data per month, which is insufficient as they use over 50GB monthly.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the creators discuss their challenges with finding suitable mobile data plans as digital nomads who generate video content on their phones. They were concerned that the typical data bonuses offered, such as AT&T’s 10GB bonus, were insufficient for their needs due to their high data usage outside Wi-Fi zones. However, they suggest that for those who do not require as much data, obtaining a Mexican SIM card is straightforward and cost-effective, with options available at various retailers like OXXO, malls, and Walmart.
Additionally, they mention an international alternative through a company called Olafly, providing international SIM cards with a discount code for their subscribers. Ultimately, they decided to keep their number with a T-Mobile unlimited data plan, which proved inadequate outside Wi-Fi, and opted for AT&T’s reasonable rate unlimited data plan usable in Canada, the US, and Mexico. The customer support experience with AT&T was positive, offering a video chat feature and a monthly credit that made the plan more affordable. For those wanting to budget more strictly, they recommend looking into Mexican phone companies or prepaid SIM cards.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, the creators discuss cell phone plans in Mexico, highlighting that many Mexican prepaid and cell phone plans include unlimited data for social networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, as well as services like Uber. They explain their own need for a comprehensive data plan due to extensive travel and mention that they are having new SIM cards FedExed to their house in Merida to keep their U.S. numbers, allowing for a smooth transition. They caution travelers to check their cell phone plans to ensure the data offered matches their usage needs and note that T-Mobile enforces a 90-day limit on international data usage. They invite viewers, especially content creators and digital nomads, to share their phone plan experiences and suggestions in the comments. The creators hint at potentially making a follow-up video if they find a better plan and encourage viewers to subscribe for weekly travel content.