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The Definitive iPhone Puerto Rico Report

Posted July 27, 2007 5:00 AM by Hadley Stern
Categories: Tips 

imagePoor Greg didn’t know what he was getting into when he penned a blog post a while back called, The iPhone is One Right Puerto Ricans Don’t Have. 153 comments later the piece still gets a lot of energetic posts.

Well, we at iPhone Matters take your questions and concerns seriously. So seriously that I just got back from a 5 day visit to Puerto Rico. Ok, that is a lie. Not the being in Puerto Rico part. Rather the supposition that I was there just for iPhone Matters. So happens, by coincidence my wife and I were on vacation there. And, of course. I had my iPhone with me. So, without any further delay, or obfuscation, here is my iPhone in Puerto Rico report.

Hour 0: Landing
As soon as the plane lands and is at the gate I turn my iPhone on. Within seconds I have full bars and the edge network. Nice! I also have a visual voicemail that works perfectly. Puerto Rico is lookin’ good.

Hour 1: Baggage Claim
I sneak in a quick SMS to Greg letting him know the iPhone is working fine. I hear right back from him. Check off SMS.

Hour 12: The Hotel Room
OK, I haven’t checked my email yet but I give it another whirl from where we are staying about an hour east of San Juan. Edge network works fine from the hotel. This thing is working fine

Hour 36: The Hotel Lobby
Holy Moly, my first other iPhone siting! Hard to tell if he is a tourist or not. Probably, seeing as he looks like a guest in the hotel. Its in a case (can’t tell which one). But his telltale finger flicking is a sure sign that he is using an iPhone.

Hour 58: Avis Car Rental Lady
OK, I swear this is true. We decide to rent a car to go to the rain forest and old San Juan. While doing the paperwork with the Avis lady (why is renting a car still so arduous?) she sees I have an iPhone. She gushes and then quickly grabs an iPhone from her purse. She is frustrated because it is dead. She gets out the cable, everything. With the calm look of a experienced iPhone veteran I calmly pick up her iPhone and reset it, holding down the Power button and home button for the required 8 or so seconds. The iPhone boots up and Avis lady looks at me like I’m a healer of some kind. I blush. She grabs my hands and says thank you, thank you so much! I asked her where she got it, and she said at an Apple store in Florida, and that she loves it.

Cool, my first in the flesh Puerto Rican iPhone user! She still charges extra for the mid-size even though they don’t have a smaller car and asks if we want supplemental insurance.

Hour 62: Rain Forest
High up in the beautiful rain forests of Puerto Rico I sneak a look at my iPhone. No Edge, no network. But this is the rain forest people!

Hour 66: Old San Juan
Old San Juan is beautiful. Much larger than I thought, and my iPhone had reception everywhere.

Conclusion:
Yes, I had to visit the beautiful island of Puerto Rico for this report, eating wonderful food, drinking countless Mojito, and sunning on the beach. But the best news? The iPhone worked just as it does on the Mainland, visual voicemail and all. One caveat, I didn’t research the roaming rates, I assumed they were domestic. But if I’m wrong don’t be surprised if you see a request for paypal donations on this site sometime soon!

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Comments

  1. The iphone plan has unlimited roaming…  smile So ull be fine

    Posted by Tanya Rodriguez on July 27, 2007 8:05 AM

  2. No wonder our rain forests are in danger, no one can get a connection.

    Posted by Tanner Godarzi on July 27, 2007 11:50 AM

  3. Puerto Rico is part of the United States and Cingular covers the Island as it does here in the 50 states. There’s no roaming if you have the National Plan!!!!

    Posted by Walter Morales on July 27, 2007 5:32 PM

  4. I would like to know: How do you compare the EDGE speed back in the states vs. your experience here in Puerto Rico? I bought my phone in Florida and the EDGE was pretty fast. As soon as the plane landed I did exactly what you did. Everything worked fine but my impression is that Puerto Rico EDGE speed was slower than Florida’s. Ah by the way,  AT&T will not charge you for international or national (domestic) roaming.

    Posted by Luis Santos on July 27, 2007 7:25 PM

  5. Luis,

    I’d like to say I have a definitive answer but I don’t. All I can tell you is that it felt a little slower. But, it is an impression. In hindsight I should I done a loading test of a few websites.

    And thanks for the roaming tips everyone! BTW, Puerto Rico was a beautiful experience…the people and the landscape.

    Posted by Hadley Stern on July 27, 2007 7:42 PM

  6. Definitive? How so? All you did is prove that the iPhone is functional in Puerto Rico. The main issue is _activating_ the iPhone as a resident. In this regard, your post is unhelpful at best.

    Posted by Noel on July 31, 2007 12:24 PM

  7. Dear Hadley,

    I just activated my iPhone (yesterday) with my old Cingular SIM card and my current voice (National) and data plans but the best part is that I still have my old (787) phone number. EDGE works decently but the visual voicemail and youtube functions do not work since I’m not using an iPhone plan.

    I just followed the instructions at www.hacktheiphone.com once I opened the package. Yo can find the instructions in spanish at www.tecnetico.com (Windows only)

    Posted by Etienne on August 3, 2007 9:13 AM

  8. It is ridiculous not to have it in Puerto Rico, PR is a us commonwealth.

    In Puerto Rico you can go to any Radioshack store an buy all other apple products and iPods. And you can go to any ATT or Radioshack itself and buy any ATT phone except the iPhone

    Posted by Charles on October 9, 2007 3:26 PM

  9. When will we be able to buy an iPhone in an AT&T store in Puerto Rico?

    Posted by Bill & Laurie on October 20, 2007 8:33 AM

  10. Dear Noel,

    Just jailbreak your iphone, unlock the SIM and put a SIM in from another AT&T Phone with 3G (or another compatible 3G carrier) and make sure you have a data plan with them.

    Posted by iPhone Addict in P.R. on April 4, 2008 2:10 PM

  11. Nice writeup Hadley with Hour stats etc.. and surprised on the iPhony stuff in PR….

    http://www.atlanticcity.com

    Posted by Roselin on May 21, 2008 6:45 AM

  12. Good work.

    Thank you for the informations..

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    Posted by kraloyun on May 24, 2008 11:39 AM

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