communications

The best form of communication from Guanajuato to the rest of the world is by e-mail. There are internet cafes all over the city. They cost about 10-12 pesos per hour. If you have your own computer, you can also get your own internet account through a local ISP (Redes Internet on Calle Alonso 70, 473-20611) or through a Prodigy-Telmex connection. Telmex is located on the highway into Gto. at Carr. Guanajuato Juventino Rosas km 5.5 in Marfil, GTO. 36251. The phone # is 473-31700 and fax is 473-31888.[ISP's charge about 200 pesos per month for unlimited service..]

Pray that wherever you decide to live here has a telephone line already installed. It is not impossible to get a new line, but it does take some time and usually some "pull". Some of the people we have talked with lately have waited an average of 3 months for a new line.

The average phone bill, without long distance charges, runs about 300 pesos a month. You will receive a monthly bill which you can pay at a very user friendly automatic teller machine on Calle Alonso #4 at Estrella in centro. If you are computer illiterate go next door to Colonial Video and pay there or at most banks or check the GTO yellow pages for a list of other stores that accept payment.

There is a business called "Computel" located just down from the Post Office that will put through your long distance or locals calls for you. They speak English and the service is usually very good. L.D. charges to the States run about 90 cents per minute currently. Yikes.

And of course, there is always the option of a cell phone when you get totally frustrated. They are widely available, but take someone with you that speaks Spanish to decipher all the different plans.

La Conexion, a mail forwarding service out of San Miguel de Allende. With membership you get a U.S. mailing address in Laredo, Texas, and mail is forwarded daily to San Miguel de Allende. Their site also gives details regarding changing your address from the United States to one in Mexico and tells which forms you will need. This is the best way to insure that you get important mail like bills, insurance papers, new ATM cards, magazines, books, etc. in a timely manner.

We have known of horror stories where some people have waited 2-3 months for replacement ATM cards that were sent through the Mexican mail system.

The membership fees are $20.00 USD per month or $15/Mo. if you sign up for one year in advance. We have found it to be well worth the price. Not to mention you can also sign up for their "Call Back" long distance service at a rate of 24 cents per minute from Mexico to the USA. You can also call from the US to Mexico at the same rate with a special number. What a deal!



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