Telcel sim card guide for foreigners: everything you need to know about postpaid and prepaid plans
Telcel Mexico is the biggest phone provider in the country. In this post, I will walk you through everything you need to know about this mobile provider, with tips for both Telcel prepaid sim card and postpaid.
After 4 years of using a Telcel prepaid sim card, I finally converted to a postpaid one. I never really planned to have a postpaid plan until I realized that I needed to have more bills to strengthen my residency in Mexico.
It is not a requirement but my immigration attorney in Mexico has relayed that the more I have records of me paying bills (or actually owing the bank money), the more the government sees how a responsible foreigner I am, which will eventually help in my Mexican citizenship application.
You can read my weekly column about Living in Mexico for further reading. This series will help you understand the documents you must complete when planning to relocate to Mexico (or have already moved to Mexico).
Anyway, let’s now answer all your burning questions about Telcel Mexico.
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📱 Which sim card works best in Mexico?
Coverage-wise, Telcel is still the best sim card that works best in Mexico. Telcel works even in the smallest villages, mountainous regions, and remote Mexican beach towns.
If you are planning to travel around Mexico (i.e. road trips) and will be constantly in different places in the country, Telcel is your best bet – it will work in many areas!
In the big and developed Mexico destinations, you can use providers like Movistar and AT&T.
These are the second-best mobile providers in Mexico and many locals actually prefer these two providers as they both have cheaper plans than Telcel.
🗓️ How long does a Telcel sim card last?
Telcel Mexico has many different data plans, which will be discussed in the latter part of this article.
To give you an idea, Telcel sim card plans last for 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month. These all dependent on what plans you want to pay for while traveling or living in Mexico.
When I was still using a Telcel prepaid sim card, I always opt for the 200 pesos ($10 USD) plan and it lasts for 30 days.
I only use my data plan when I am traveling as I work from home and use my Telmex wifi more often.
When you are traveling in Mexico for a long period of time, I suggest you get the $25 USD coverage for your Telcel prepaid sim card.
This way, you will guarantee you will not run out of credits while in remote areas.
🤳 Want a Mexico E-sim instead?
Airalo’s eSIM for Mexico is the top choice for travelers seeking hassle-free connectivity. It offers instant activation, eliminating the need for physical SIM cards and making it perfect for staying connected upon arrival.
📳 How do I activate my Telcel Mexico sim card?
The moment you buy the sim card, put it in your phone and don’t wait til you go to your hotel.
This way, you can verify that the sim card has been activated and won’t have to go back if it doesn’t work.
This happens to a lot of tourists especially if you don’t read Spanish! You don’t need to do any special tasks to activate your Telcel sim card.
As long as you paid for the sim card, activation fee, and top-up, you should be good to go. You can use it right away!
📲 How do I top-up my Telcel prepaid sim card?
Topping up your Telcel prepaid sim card is easy. Just go to the Oxxo, a Mexican convenience store that you will find in every corner of the country.
You can also go to Kiosko or Circle K for a top-up. These convenience stores sell sim cards, too.
You can also buy a top-up online (with a credit card) by going to the Telcel Recarga website. In Spanish, “recarga” means “reload” — a handy word you can use when topping up your Telcel prepaid sim card.
Please bear in mind that the Telcel Recarga website is in Spanish, so if you don’t know Spanish, I don’t encourage you to do the top-up by yourself. You may find the items to fill out confusing.
It’s still best to go to a convenience store so that the teller or cashier can help you with your top-up.
In any case, you can also ask your Mexican friends who have Mexican banks to give you the top-up.
All Mexican bank apps allow you to top up Telcel, Movistar, and AT&T SIM cards. This is the fastest and easiest method, especially if you have local friends who can help you do it.
🔄 Can I switch my Telcel prepaid sim card to a postpaid one?
ABSOLUTELY! If you want to keep the number of your Telcel prepaid sim card, it can just be converted to a postpaid one without changing the number.
Actually, this is what I originally intended to do but I came with a few bumps.
I went to convert my Telcel prepaid sim card to a postpaid one in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur.
I’ve had this number since I first arrived in Mexico in 2018. At the time, I did not have plans to live in Mexico full-time.
That first sim card of mine was purchased in the state of Guanajuato.
Not only that I have been using it since I arrived but I also have registered it to my bank apps and everything else that needs a Mexican phone number.
Like the USA, Mexican sim card numbers vary by state. In Guanajuato, it’s 473.
When I went to Telcel Cabo San Lucas, they told me that they cannot convert a prepaid number from another state.
They can only do that for numbers that are from Baja California Sur (624 area code).
I had no choice but to do it since I decided that I will live in Los Cabos (for the moment) so they issued me a new phone number for my Telcel postpaid.
❌ Can I cancel my Telcel postpaid plan at any time?
ABSOLUTELY! The Telcel postpaid plan has zero months of contract and is on a cancel-anytime scheme.
You will also get back the 2 months deposit that you need to pay during the application.
When canceling your plan, just go to the Telcel shop and tell them you want to close your account.
Please note that Telcel postpaid accounts do not close on their own (i.e. months of unpaid bills).
You have to go to the shop and close the account. If you did not officially close the account aka just stopped using it, you will still be billed and you are obliged to pay for those months that you owe, even if you are not using the sim card anymore.
🤳 Telcel Mexico plans
Telcel Mexico prepaid plans
For Telcel, you don’t have to understand all the data plans. The only unlimited data plan that you need for this provider is “Paquetes Amigo Sin Limite.”
Please don’t bother learning about the other plans because they are not relevant to what you need as a tourist.
Below is the information on what you’ll get for every price:
| Internet Plan | Price in USD | Validity |
| 1.2 GB | $6 | 17 days |
| 2 GB | $9 | 28 days |
| 3 GB | $12 | 30 days |
| 5 GB | $18 | 33 days |
| 10 GB | $29 | 33 days |
Please note that all these unlimited data plans have unlimited use for Whatsapp, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Messenger, and Twitter.
Meaning, you can still use these social media apps even if you are low on data.
These plans also include unlimited calls and texts. I also use my Telcel chip to direct calls to Canada and US and I haven’t been charged extra!
Telcel Mexico postpaid plans
Telcel has recently launched its 5G coverage in selected states of Mexico. The reason why I switched my Telcel prepaid sim card to a postpaid one is that, funnily, if you are on a postpaid plan, you have better coverage.
Although 5G is also available on prepaid plans, there is just a stronger connection with the postpaid and I never really understood why. I just know it is different because I’ve tried both.
Please note that you can only apply for a Telcel postpaid plan if you have a valid FM/residency visa card in Mexico. It does not matter if it is temporary or permanent as they accept both.
Below are the Telcel postpaid plans that you can avail:
| Internet Plan | Price in USD |
| 1.5 GB | $6 |
| 3 GB | $9 |
| 8 GB | $20 |
| 10 GB | $29 |
There is also an option to put it on open billing or cut the line when you reached the limit. I will explain that later on in the Telcel postpaid application section of this article.
Plan your trip to Mexico with us! Get expert travel advice and customized trip-planning itinerary from our local experts on the ground.
📴 How to get a Telcel prepaid sim card
Step #1: Go to shops that sell Telcel prepaid sim card
You can easily buy your Telcel prepaid sim card upon arrival at any international airport in Mexico. There are many kiosks all over the airport and they are recognized distributors.
If you missed doing this at the airport, go to the nearest Oxxo, Kiosko, Circle K, or convenience store. They also sell them at major supermarkets like Walmart and Chedraui.
Please note that the Telcel prepaid SIM card must be purchased at the counter with the cashier. They are not on public display within the shops. Go straight to the counter and say “Telcel chip, por favor,”
🤟 Spanish 101: In Mexico, a sim card is called “chip.” No one will really understand you if you say “sim card.” When you go to the Oxxo, say “Telcel chip, por favor,” or whatever provider you prefer.
Step #2: Pay the activation fee Step
The activation fee for the Telcel prepaid sim card is $4 USD or 79 pesos. The cashier will first charge you the activation fee and ask you to pay the sim card which costs $7 USD.
This is a separate transaction and notes that these rates may vary per state. I’ve lived in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, and Sayulita and all of these places seem to have different pricing!
Step #3: Pay for the unlimited data
After charging you with the sim and activation fee, the cashier will NOT ask you if you want to top-up for unlimited data.
They simply don’t do that initiative, especially most cashiers are not equipped with the English language.
Many foreigners and expats assume that the $4 USD activation + the $7 USD sim fee already includes unlimited data but it does not. They just do the transaction separately.
After paying for the activation and sim fees, tell the cashier that you would like to purchase unlimited data plans.
She will then ask you if you want 100, 200, 300, or 500 pesos for your unlimited data.
Step #4: Start using your Telcel unlimited data
Once the cashier inputs the data plan you selected, you will instantly receive a text that your number has been topped up.
The best practice is to turn off your mobile phone and turn it on again so that the data will propagate.
When this is done, you can start browsing with unlimited data using your Telcel prepaid sim card.
🚀 How to get a Telcel Mexico sim card (post-paid)
Please note that you can only apply for a Telcel postpaid sim card if you have a Mexico residency visa (FM). You will also have to bring your passport to complete this process.
You will also be asked for two references. You can just use the number of any of your Mexican friends that are under Telcel.
If you are new to Mexico and don’t have many local contacts yet, ask your landlord or Airbnb host if you can use them as a reference.
Step #1: Go to a Telcel distributor/store
Telcel and Telmex are different entities although they are from one company. All major cities in Mexico have Telcel stores – you just have to put on google “Telcel store near me” or use the Spanish term, “distribudor Telcel.”
Step #2: Get a number
Telcel, fortunately, is not like other Mexican establishments that have long lines and slow processes.
You can complete your Telcel postpaid application within 30 minutes! They are very efficient and the tellers are really fast.
As soon as you arrive at the Telcel store, a lady at the entrance will ask what’s your motive for visiting the store.
You may also hear the word “tramite,” a term widely used when processing legal documents in Mexico.
She will then give you a number that is appropriate for the Telcel application that you wish to do.
Sit at the waiting area and make sure to watch out if your number has been called by looking at the screens in the Telcel shop.
Step #3: Choose a plan and fill out the form
The person in charge of your postpaid application will give you a paper consisting a table list of all the Telcel postpaid plans.
You will see two prices for each data plan, one at the bottom and one at the top.
The top price refers to the “open billing,” a plan you can choose if you NEVER want them to cut off your data plan.
For example, if you choose $25 USD on open billing, you will pay for the fixed $25 USD per month and when you exceed the plan, they will just add the bills/fees of what GB you exceeded.
Whatever that “exceeded” plan price is, I have no idea and have not asked the teller. With this, I opted for the fixed plan.
The price of the fixed plan is found below the open billing and it is usually higher.
For the $25 USD open billing, expect to pay $5 USD more if you want to only pay for the fixed plan. Fixed plans will automatically cut off when the limit is reached.
In this case, this is the 10 GB pricing. Meaning, you won’t be surprised with your “extra” phone bill using the fixed payment price.
After choosing your data plan, you will need to fill out a form with all your personal details.
Step #4: Go to the cashier and pay for your plan
After filling out the form, they will ask for you to wait 10 minutes so they can input your details in the Telcel system. This does not take long so take a sit until the same person calls you.
Once he/she is finished with the details, you will be given an invoice to pay. First, you have to pay for the Telcel postpaid plan (2 months in advance).
This is not a deposit or a floating charge but you can use this when you reach your 12-month mark.
Go to the cashier (separate from the teller that is processing your application) and pay for the invoice.
You can also pay with any credit card. It does not have to be a Mexican credit card.
Step #5: Create a Telcel account
The Telcel app is not necessary but I created an account so I can input my credit card for recurring payments and automatic charges.
You don’t need to do this if you want to manually pay for your monthly plan.
I just figured I am super busy so I needed it to pay automatically without interrupting my Telcel services. If you don’t want an account, skip this step.
Step #6: Start browsing!
There is no activation needed. The sim card will be given to you sealed, packed, and activated.
Just put it in your phone et voila – it will work without having to go through activation steps!
📦 Purchase Telcel sim card from the USA or Canada
If you want to set-up your Telcel Mexico sim card in the USA and Canada, you can simply order a sim card on Amazon.
Please note that delivery is about 7-10 days so make sure to order this in advance. The sim card has a 3 GB data and you can top it up once you arrive in Mexico.
Alternatively, you can also get a Mexico E-sim for as low as $1 per day. This may be a cheaper option!
Is it possible to upgrade beyond 10gig per month?
Also, is there a way to get higher speed internet?
How do I transfer pesos from 1 Telcel phone to a 2nd Telcel phone?
We’ve been living in Mexico for years and now need to return to the States for just 2 weeks. I know Telcel has a US market but it seems separate from the Mexican one. I am wondering if there is anyway to be able to use the US network with my Mexico Sim?
@Camarell, Yes, I do this all the time. If you have an online account, just recharge your plan, put the SIM into your phone, and it will operate as in Mexico. HOWEVER, it seems that when folks CALL YOU, then do NOT put in the +52 anymore…. I have no idea how or why this works if there are number conflicts with existing US phone numbers? I just know that I was able to have folks call me and to call out from my Mexican number in the USA (Oregon) just fine while using my very inexpensive Telcel SIM. It’s like 1/6th the price of crazy USA plans!
-Carl
How do I make local calls
With the telcel sim card its not working
Would a Telcel SIM purchased in Mexico work in a hot spot router?
Thanks
You can check that on Telmex. Telcel is for the mobile while Telmex is for routers.
@RDon, Yes, you can use your remaining data as a hotspot (as long as your phone supports it), or you can buy two hours of unlimited hotspot data for I think 15 pesos. It works great either way!
-Carl
Hello! If I buy a telcel sim card in Mazatlán, can I use this sim card in the USA?
@Woo Glen, Yes, I have used my inexpensive Telcel SIM in the USA. It does require a phone that works with VOLTe, voice over LTE, rather than 3G, as Mexico cell providers still work with 3G phones, but the USA has killed off ALL 3G as far as I know. So my old V20 would not make cell phone calls, but would work with Data, so that I could surf the net, do Facebook and other social media, and I used Google Voice over LTE (4G) just fine for voice. But once again, you MUST have a phone that supports VOLTe to make calls in the USA (and probably Canada) to use the Telcel SIM in the States.
-Carl
Is there any way to purchase a Telcel SIM card from home? I live in Canada and would prefer to have my phone all set up and running when I land.
Hi Beth! For sure! You can order it on Amazon but note that it has a 7-day delivery depending on which US state you are in.
Nice article. Thanks for the information. Three questions:
I’m a US citizen and have temporary residency in Mexico. I’ve been using the Telcel’s Amigo Sin Limite pre-paid plan and a physical sim card since arrival. However, I want to switch to a Telcel plan that is post paid AND switch to using an e-sim on my phone for the same number.
1. Can I as a temporary resident switch to Telcel post paid or do I need to be a permanent resident?
2. If Telcel doesn’t allow the switch because of residency status, will ATT Mexico?
3. Can I keep my same Telcel number on the physical chip if I switch to E-sim be the provider Telcel or ATT Mexico?
Thanks!
Dumb question. If I do the prepaid plan for 30 days, I can wait as long as I need before recharging correct? Say I go back to the States for 3 months, I come back and recharge it when I’m here?
Yes, it will automatically expire after 30 days. If you go back to the US for more than 3 months, you can also top it up online so that your sim card will not expire.
@Trisha Velarmino, we used Telcel sim cards in Mexico until mid February 2023, and are returning at the end of October 2023. Do you know if I can reuse the SIM cards and phone numbers by just topping them up? Is there a time period beyond which the phone number expires?
@Trisha Velarmino, Telcel will actually keep your number active (ready to e recharged) for 365 days after the last money was on your account. In practice, that is 365 days since you last used it. I regularly to 180 days of non-use, and always get my number back each fall when I come down.
-Carl
Overall a very good article.
I learned about the postpaid plans which on telcel.com don’t make any sense
Some small corrections.
$150 MXN ($7.36 USD): 2 GB Internet valid for 28 days
is actually 26 days.
In step 3 you are not purchasing unlimited data you are purchasing additional data.
Each of the postpaid plans include MOBILE data.
Ejemplos: $99 MXN ($5 USD): 1.5 GB per month
$149 MXN ($7 USD): 3 GB per month.
If you exceed the data limit they don’t cut the line, they stop the data plan but you can still make and receive phone calls and texts.
I don’t know if you can purchase additional data after you’ve used your limit.
Telcel often doesn’t make any sense in what they allow you to do.
You can purchase the plans without the limit and set the data limit in your phone 10% below the limit so you never go over.
Calls, Texts & Social Media chat are unlimited not mobile data.
Llamadas / Minutos, SMS y Redes Sociales es sin limite.
Los datos tienen limites.
Mexican Spanish is a very rich and complex, but ambiguous language so you have to read and listen very carefully. Even native speakers sometimes have problems.
Spanish speakers from other Latin American countries often have problems as Mexico is a large country with many dialects and much colloquial language.
This is the message from Telcel purchased 1st of June.
(xxxx) added for clarity.
Se activo tu Paq(uete) Amigo Sin Limite SL150 con MIN y SMS ilimitados + 2 GB (mobile data) MX/EUA/CAN y MB (mobile data) ilim(itado) en Redes Sociales. Vig(encia). 26/06/2023 a las 23:59 hrs.
To the person with the iPhone who is running out of data before months end.
Make sure that your network settings are correct.
Go to a Telcel store, show them your phone (so you get an agent that knows iPhones well) and explain the situation.
If your Spanish isn’t good enough install a translating application on your phone and have a conversation that way.
Even though my Mexican is fairly fluent I keep both Microsoft Translator and Google Translate on my phone as you can have a spoken conversation using those apps.
It’s also possible that an application is running in the background and using your data though that doesn’t usually happen on iPhones.
It’s common on Android as Google lies about their default memory management being good. You have to manually set the applications installed or they will often run in the background.
===============
Information that may or may not be useful to you so don’t feel obligated to read it.
Use Vivaldi instead of Chrome
and set it for automatic translation.
Since I do business in various countries it translates 6 languages into English which is my native language.
Since it’s built on Chromium it will be identified as Chrome by websites but it doesn’t have all the crapware & spyware that Google adds to Chromium.
It’s also takes up less memory and runs faster than Chrome.
The Android version does not allow extensions though the Windows and Linux do
I came to Mexico in 2001 and though my language skills have improved greatly they are still far from what a well educated Mexican has.
Mexican pulls its words and phrases from many different languages including many different indigenous dialects.
It often makes little or no sense to non Mexican speakers.
As an example the phrase for “cancel your license plates” is “baja vehicular” not Cancela tus matrículas o Cancela tus placas.
In Mexico license plates are called placas.
If you use Google Translate you’ll notice that there are 20 regions for Spanish, 15 for English and Arabic has 14.
All other languages have 4 or less regions.
If you’re in Spain many Spaniards will be happy to tell you that you don’t speak Spanish if you speak one of the other 19 versions. 😁
The most difficult part of Spanish is conjugation as most of most used verbs are single, double or triple irregular which is common in many languages, but Mexico seems to have a lot more than any other language.
Get Barron’s 501 Spanish Verbs which will teach you most of the important conjugations.
It includes online learning exercises.
Feminine and masculine words have exceptions but nowhere near as many as verbs for conjugation.
A cheap trick is to use antes and despues if you can’t remember how to conjugate before and after tenses but it’s a bad habit to get into as it makes it more difficult to learn the proper conjugations.
If you’ve read this far you deserve something to drink.
Go out of the patio, look at the sunset, mountains or whatever scenery you have and enjoy yourself.
Just wanted to say thank you, Trisha your site was very helpful with my Telcel questions Looking forward to checking out the other info you have to offer on living in Mexico, so far I am enjoying every minute. Cheers.
Hi Trisha,
I’ll be in Cabo for 10 days, arriving from Mexico City.
is it better to by the chip in MX City Airport straigth away?
You say “The only unlimited data plan that you need for this provider is “Paquetes Amigo Sin Limite.”
What does that include? ?im going to use Maps i think offline maps will work just fine, i guess) IG .
Do you thik this plans below are enougth ?
$150 MXN ($7.36 USD): 2 GB Internet valid for 28 days
$200 MXN ($10 USD): 3 GMB Internet valid for 30 days
After bying the plan, i must pay $4 USD activation + the $7 USD sim , correct?
I’m sorry but i did not understand the steps.
Cheers and thak you for your time and help 🙂
Augusto
Hi Augusto, yes, you can buy the Telcel chip at a Telcel kiosk in Mexico City Airport. You can also go to Oxxo and Seven Eleven to buy and top-up the sim card. The 200 MXN should work for you for one month so just tell them “dos cientos paquetes sin limite.” Most of them don’t speak English.
Hola, my husband and I have been have been purchasing the 200 pesos Paquetes Amigo Sin Limite every month but our data is running out after 1-2 weeks. We use our phones mostly in wifi and haven’t had this problem in previous years while in Mexico. We have checked our iPhone settings to see what is consuming this higher data usage but at a loss.
We could buy the 300 pesos package guess but why do they say unlimited data when we run out?
Thanks.
Hi Alison, yes that is rather strange. Are you sure they are giving you the amigo sin limite? Do you speak Spanish? It shouldn’t be running out that fast. If you got a paquete sin limite, you should be able to receive a text message saying what your plan is so you better double check that.
@Alison, I have the same issue. Apparently TelCel is notorious to inflate data usage numbers. I am not even sure how it is legal. Internet is filled with many such stories. Looks like all the bloggers are getting paid to recommend Telcel. I am in Mexico now and I barely left the hotel in past couple of days so I am mostly on WiFi. According to TelCel I have used 1.68 GB data while if I add app data usage of all my apps it comes to less than 400 MB.
I’ve been topping up my plan for 3 months now and I still have 6G to use (I”m leaving in 3 days) But my plan is set to expire today…I just want to be able to use the phone for texts & calls till I leave…is there a way to get phone credit without adding more data?
Hi Jacquie, I also experienced the same! I have a phone for the office (not a Smart phone so no data needed) but I can’t seem to top-up just for call and text! I guess what you can do is to just purchase the 100 pesos paquete sin limite. That’s the cheapest trick but that still includes data. Hope this helps!
Just topped up my monthly plan. Something changed when I did. I can receive messages, but not able to send messages. Help!
I am trying to top up my Telcel amigo package online. All works well until I am filling out my credit card information. I am from Canada, and when they ask for a zip code, it does not accept my postal code. Won’t allow me to enter any letters, just numbers. Is there a solution?
@Bob Kirkpatrick, I used the 5 digit Mexico postal code for where I am staying and that worked for me. https://postalcode.globefeed.com/Mexico_Postal_Code.asp
@Bob Kirkpatrick, you remove the letters from your Canadian Postal Code and add two zeros at the end.
Eg: V8A2Z1 becomes 82100 this will allow a credit card to authorize
Have the Telcel rates been updated starting January 2023? The largest
“Unlimited Friend Package 500” plan goes to only 6 GB vs 10 GB noted in your article. The cost is $500.
This is an example as all the costs are different.
Thanks for this explanation! What I’m not sure about though, is the phrase “unlimited data”. None of the plans you mention are unlimited, as they are limited by 1.5, 5, 10 GB etc.
What is meant by “unlimited”?
@Sjors, they must mean unlimited on social media sites, but it’s certainly not unlimited for cell data. Otherwise why would there be 1.3G, 2G, 4.5G and 9G plans for different money per month (or 26 days, etc, based on the payment amount)? No prepaid plan has unlimited cell data.
-Carl
can i have 2 phone numbers on my telcel prepaid account ?
Hello Doug! Not sure that’s possible but I am going to Telcel on January 2nd and I will ask! I am applying for another phone line and will let you know what they say!
“Below are the Telcel postpaid plans that you can avail:
$99 MXN ($5 USD): 1.5 GB per month
$149 MXN ($7 USD): 3 GB per month
$349 MXN ($15 USD): 8 GB per month
$499 MXN ($25 USD): 10 GB per month”
The above is very misleading. Those are rates to ADD ON extra gigabytes to an existing plan. Plans start at $229 MXN for 1.5 GB per month.
@Biff,
Thank you for that clarification.
Now I know why I was confused on the Telcel site as they show what you said not what was said by the author here.
I use Telcel prepaid $200 30 days plan. I don’t use all GB.
I heard that if I recharge my plan before my 30 days expired my unused GB will roll over. I tried it once but it didn’t work. My $200 were used to by extra GB without renewing of my plan.
How do I make renewal before my plan is expired and make rollover of unused data?