#70242 - 02/12/08 08:44 AM
Making phonecalls to States & I-Pod connectors?
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SashaK
Member
Registered: 07/10/07
Posts: 49
Loc: Chicago, IL
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We're off to our first Bora Bora trip in a couple of days, needless to say - super excited!!!!
Thanks to everyone who has been so helpful with their insights!! I have a couple of last minute questions. As always, any feedback will be much appreciated!
1) We will be leaving our little baby behind with my parents - and for the first time! Needless to say, I am having anxiety attacks daily. How easy is it to call back to States from Bora Bora? We'll be staying at St.Regis and Thalasso, I assume they have phones in rooms and great phone service? Can we dial out directly and easily and expect a decent connection at all times? You never know with those small islands in the middle of nowhere! Last time we could not get a connection from Grand Cayman's Ritz Carlton, which is only an hour from Miami, so I would not put it past St. Regis Bora Bora to have a bad or no connection to US...
So... What do I need to know or precautions I can to take to avoid having a heart attack when I can't get through.. Our cell phone is "supposed" to work in French Polynesia, but again, I need to have at least 2-3 back up plans...?
2) I would assume that these hotels are equipped with I-pod connectors, but can never be too sure. Has anyone any input on whether we should bother bringing our own as well as speakers, or will it be all set for us?
Thank you soo much for any info!!!!!
Edited by SashaK (02/12/08 08:46 AM)
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#70243 - 02/12/08 10:22 AM
Re: Making phonecalls to States & I-Pod connectors?
[Re: SashaK]
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spotbeagle
Member
Registered: 09/11/06
Posts: 358
Loc: California
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Our cell phone was also supposed to work, but after we got there, we learned that there was some sort of "chip" that we needed. We found a place to get one while on Moorea, but ended up communicating via e-mail instead. We never did try using the hotel phone to call home, but in case of emergency, our family had the phone numbers of the resorts we were staying at in FP.
The Moorea Sheraton had a couple of computers available where you buy minutes up front and are given a user ID and password. Just remember to log out if you're not using all your minutes at once. This worked OK, and we ended up using what was left at the Tahiti Sheraton on our way home.
Hotel Bora Bora had one computer in their activities fare which was free to use for all guests.
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#70244 - 02/12/08 10:38 AM
Re: Making phonecalls to States & I-Pod connectors?
[Re: spotbeagle]
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hamara
Expert Advisor
Registered: 01/07/02
Posts: 2296
Loc: Washington/Moorea
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You can buy a phone card to use in the local payphones. They are avaliable most everywhere. You can buy one at the snack bar at the airport when you arrive. The payphones in FP only use the cards (no coins). You just dial 001 area code number. The hotel phones will cost alot more than using a payphone.
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#70245 - 02/12/08 11:21 AM
Re: Making phonecalls to States & I-Pod connectors?
[Re: SashaK]
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dangerly
Junior Member
Registered: 02/01/08
Posts: 12
Loc: Italy
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As far as cellular phones, you need a GSM 900 Mhz cellular phone (european standard). You can then buy a SIM card of the local provider, Tikiphone. There is an OPT agency in the airport where you can buy the SIM card. Cannot use cellular phones with USA standards unless they are multi standard and capable to work in Europe's GSM network. I believe this is the easiest and cheapest way to call home from Bora Bora.
Ciao
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#70246 - 02/12/08 11:58 AM
Re: Making phonecalls to States & I-Pod connectors?
[Re: dangerly]
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msoprano13
Member
Registered: 04/04/06
Posts: 121
Loc: New York
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i stayed at the thalasso and you can call the states very easily from your room. the phone cards people are talking about cant be used at the thalasso. they can be used on the payphone right outside of there sister hotel the moana. Whenever we took an excursion or went to the main island of bora bora we called from the phone right outside the moana
hope this helps
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#70247 - 02/12/08 03:00 PM
Re: Making phonecalls to States & I-Pod connectors?
[Re: msoprano13]
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tambir9
Member
Registered: 12/18/06
Posts: 210
Loc: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Although we didn't stay at thalasso, we did travel to Rangiroa and Bora Bora - my husband has a Blackberry and that we were able to use for text messaging and cell phone service (no email- thank goodness!) on both islands. Neither hotel we stayed at (HKO and Sofitel) had hook-ups for ipods - we brought our portable docking station (fortunately it charges while docked) and plugged it in (with a converter) at both locations. Unless someone says otherwise, I would plan to bring speakers and charger for your ipod.
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#70248 - 02/12/08 03:02 PM
Re: Making phonecalls to States & I-Pod connectors?
[Re: msoprano13]
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SashaK
Member
Registered: 07/10/07
Posts: 49
Loc: Chicago, IL
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Hi everyone, thanks a lot for all the feedback!
Hopefully the hotel phones will work efficiently as far as establishing a connection goes. I keep calling them and always get through perfectly, so I think I am just paranoid. Plus, our cells worked in all European countries and Asia, so hopefully it won't be an issue! Worse comes to worst, I guess I may have to "swim over" to the Moana after all to use that pay phone, we'll see.. :)
Thanks and Cheers!!
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#70256 - 02/13/08 05:08 AM
Re: Making phonecalls to States & I-Pod connectors?
[Re: SashaK]
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islandboyatheart
Expert Advisor
Registered: 07/19/05
Posts: 1368
Loc: Florida
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All the hotel phones I've used seem to work fine. If you have a quad band GSM cell phone that will work as well. My cell has worked on each of the islands I've visited but very expensive - $4-$5 a minute so I would use it only as a back-up. I would listen to Hamara.
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#70264 - 02/13/08 11:28 AM
Re: Making phonecalls to States & I-Pod connectors?
[Re: islandboyatheart]
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waterbaby
Member
Registered: 01/30/08
Posts: 57
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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We will also be leaving our 4 year old daughter with the inlaws for the 2 weeks we are gone. I know how you feel.
Our cellphones work fine over in England and Europe. My husband always manages to call me from his cell when he's on business trips in Paris. Do you think it will work in FP? Will we still need to get that extra SIM at the airport?
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#70265 - 02/13/08 01:08 PM
Re: Making phonecalls to States & I-Pod connectors?
[Re: waterbaby]
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islandboyatheart
Expert Advisor
Registered: 07/19/05
Posts: 1368
Loc: Florida
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The extra sim will only allow you to have a local phone number. If you don't need that, then you don't need the sim card. If you don't have the quad band GSM phone, then your phone will not work with or without the local sim card.
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