Service from Dominica is moderately reliable, but you are likely to beat your mail home. We strongly recommend you personally carry home any items you acquire rather than taking your chances with shipping. That being said, DHL freight and package services can be arranged from Roseau if necessary.
For better or worse, wireless internet is available at most lodges on the island. Expect slow-as-molasses speeds, though.
Dominica’s country code is [+767]. Landline and cell phone service is reliably available in and around populated coastal areas, but there are large swaths of landscape without cellular coverage: notably in the island’s interior and along the Waitukabuli trail.
Most visitors don’t have time or patience to shop for a cell phone or SIM card on vacation, and might prefer to get away from phones for a while anyway. But, for those who want or need a phone during their stay in Dominica here are a few tips.
– Cellular service is confined to Roseau and populated areas along the island’s coast, but there are large swaths of landscape without cellular coverage: notably in the island’s interior and along the Waitukabuli trail. The island’s carriers use the GSM 850, 900, and 1900 bands.
– For the least hassle, bring a phone from home that will work upon arrival. Your domestic carrier may have roaming arrangements with one of the local cellular services but you may face steep international roaming charges. Contact your carrier to discuss costs and compatibility with the Dominica’s networks. You may need to enable international roaming for your phone to work overseas.
– When talking to a representative at your cellular company, be sure to specify the Commonwealth of Dominica, as many people (regrettably) confuse this country with the Dominican Republic.
– You may prefer to rent a Dominica-specific prepaid phone, have it shipped to your home, and carry it with you to the island. It will work the moment your plane touches down and gives you a local +767 phone number. Email us if you want assistance with this service.
– The lowest cost option is to bring your own phone and buy a local SIM card. You’ll need an unlocked, quad-band GSM cell phone for this to work.
– For all you iPhone users out there, look in Craigslist for convenient ‘factory unlocking’ services that will permit you to insert a foreign SIM card in your phone.
– If you plan on using a local SIM card, note that you’re only likely to find standard SIM cards, whereas many newer smartphones use Micro-SIM and Nano-SIM cards. A standard SIM card can be physically cut to fit the Micro-SIM and Nano-SIM card slot, but that’s more trouble than most people want to take on. If you are dedicated to the cause, you might want to grab one of these cutters to make the job simpler.
– DigiCel has the easiest plan for visitors to purchase a local SIM card. You will be required to show a copy of your passport. Prepaid airtime is quite inexpensive for local calls and SMS. Your DigiCel SIM card from other Caribbean countries will work in Dominica but will have steep costs.
Wilderness Explorers can arrange to deliver a Satellite Phone, Dominica GSM cell phone or Dominica SIM card to you prior to travel or upon arrival. Email us with your request least three weeks prior to travel.
A better choice for travelers who want reliable communication access during their entire journey is a compact satellite phone. MobalRental.com, Telestial.com, and RemoteSatellite.com offer affordable and convenient rental options. Be sure to mention that you are a Wilderness Explorers client. If you want a phone delivered to your home prior to travel, or to your hotel upon arrival, let us know. We have an affordable service to offer.
Many smartphones allow you to make voice calls using apps like Skype and Google Voice as long as you have a connection to a WiFi network, even if you aren’t subscribed to a local cellular phone service. This can be convenient, especially at a lodge with internet service but no cell service. However, please be thoughtful about over-using limited bandwidth resources
Because people come to the island precisely to escape the distractions of modern life, we ask you to exercise the highest order of courtesy by confining phone, VOIP, and computer usage to times and places that don’t impact your fellow travelers’ experience.