WiFi in Mazatlan, internet cafe, free wifi, internet access and cellular in Mazatlan Mexico

Mazatlan internet access, telephone, cellular, WiFi, and internet cafe information - Internet service providers and
telcom service providers, Wifi hot spots, getting a cell phone in Mazatlan, getting telephone and internet service in Mazatlan Mexico

UPDATED APRIL 30, 2012 | CONTACT

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Cocina D'Paulina internet cafe in Mazatlan Mexico

Internet and telephone service in Mazatlan Mexico

Mazatlan internet, cellular and land line service providers and public telephones

WiFi Hotspots | Cyber Cafes

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Internet cafe locations, WiFi, and ISPs in Mazatlan Mexico

Using the telephone and connecting to the internet can sometimes be a bit challenging for tourists and other visitors to some parts of Mexico.

Luckily, Mazatlan has a competitive telephone and internet service provider market, and most telcom services in Mazatlan are at least acceptable -- some actually good.

We begin with internet access in Mazatlan. Further down the page you will find information about telephone services and your choice of cellular or land-line phone service providers.

Internet access in Mazatlan Mexico can be obtained in four ways: from internet cafes and free wireless hotspots; from a number of service providers via wireless technology; from Megacable via cable modem internet connection; and from from Telmex / Prodigy via conventional land lines.

Free WiFi in Mazatlan

Internet cafes in Mazatlan provide easy and inexpensive connection to the internet. Mazatlan has a number of cyber cafes, with hourly rates usually in the range of 30-40 peso per hour. Most of these internet cafes offer additional services, such as the ability to scan and print documents.

For many tourists and other short-term visitors it will not be neccessary to purchase internet access: there are a number of free internet access options in Mazatlan Mexico.

To begin with, many of Mazatlan's hotels -- including many inexpensive hotels in Mazatlan -- have free unsecured WiFi that is either in-room or in a public part of the hotel, such as the lobby, restaurant, or bar. In addition to free wifi, many Mazatlan hotels have one or more public computers for those not traveling with a laptop.

Our database of Mazatlan hotels indicates the hotels that we are aware of that offer guests free WiFi access.

Similarly, many restaurants and bars in Mazatlan offer free WiFi -- our database of restaurants and coffee houses in Mazatlan with free WiFi is extensive, and growing.

It is also worth noting that many public spaces in Mazatlan are covered by one or more unsecured WiFi signals that eminate from surrounding businesses.

The Plaza Machado -- the heart of the Centro Historico -- was an early example of a public space that had multiple unsecured WiFi signals coming from private businesses at most times.

More ambitious, a creative partnership between the Colegio El Pacifico Centro Universitaria De Mazatlan and some of Mazatlan's hotels has resulted in a free unsecured wireless signal designed to cover the entire Malecon from Olas Altas Beach to the beginning of the Golden Zone.

Four useful Mazatlan WiFi Hotspot locations:

General Rafael Buelna Aeropuerto: Coverage throughout the Mazatlan airport (free for 10 minutes before there is a charge).

Gran Plaza: Coverage in the food court / restautant area.

McDonalds on Camaron Sabalo: Within the building and just outside it.

McDonalds on Boulevard Internacional: Within the building and just outside it.

Cyber cafes in Mazatlan

For visitors to Mazatlan not traveling with a laptop computer or other WiFi-capable device -- or who simply want to visit a Mazatlan internet cafe! -- we recommend the following:

Allegro Caffe Internet Cafe in the Centro Historico

Located in the Centro Historico, the Allegro Caffe in Mazatlan is for more that a WiFi hotspot. This cafe is also a delicious restaurant that serves great coffee and delicious meals with a decidedly different spin and a relaxing laid-back atmosphere. Open from 7am-11pm, daily, the Allegro Caffe has both outdoor and indoor (air conditioned) seating.

Telephone 669 913 0080

Belisario Dominguez 1403 / Centro Historico

Oscar Computacion Individual Internet Cafe in Colonia Lopez Mateos

Located in Colonia Lopez Mateos, Oscar Computacion Individual in Mazatlan is a simple internet cafe with a number of work stations and extremely inexpensive rates: only 10 pesos for the first hour of internet access, 5 pesos per hour after that.

Telephone 669 986 1434

Avenida Revolucion 40 at Insurgentes / Colonia Lopez Mateos

Super Cocina D'Paulina Internet Cafe in the Centro Historico

Recently re-located to a far larger space at Calle Sixto Osuna 61, Super Cocina D'Paulina is both an internet cafe and an inexpensive delicious Mexican restaurant.

Paulina and her husband Francisco have run a cyber cafe in the Centro Historico for years, and the addition of a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu has been a real bonus for hungry web surfers.

The menu offers a wide selection of well-prepared traditional Mexican food and new vegetarian dishes. Super Cocina D'Paulina is very inexpensive, with few items on the menu over 6 USD, many far less.

This internet cafe in the Centro Historico has public computers and, of course, a wireless signal. Super Cocina D'Paulina is open from 8am until 10pm every day except Sunday.

Telephone 669 668 2392

Calle Sixto Osuna 61 / Centro Historico

Venados Car Wash and Internet Cafe Cyber Cafe Nuevo Mazatlan / Colonia Juarez

One of the coolest business concepts in Mazatlan, the Venados Car Wash and Internet Cafe is, as the name implies, both.

The original Venados Car Wash is located in Colonia Juarez on Avenida de las Americas 31, basically at the corner of Insurgentes.

Venados Car Wash and Internet Cafe is a highly professional car wash / detailer housed in an immaculate modern bright red building. All car wash services are offered, and the upstairs cyber cafe has both a wireless signal and public computers.

Expanding on this great concept, Venados Car Wash and Internet Cafe has opened a location beside the Pemex station in Nuevo Mazatlan which is a car wash, an internet cafe, and a cafeteria!

Colonia Juarez / Avenida de las Americas 31 / Telephone 669 983 6180

Nuevo Mazatlan / Beside the Pemex Station

Bundled land line telephone and internet access packages in Mazatlan

Land line and wireless fixed-location internet access and telephone services are provided by Axtel, Megacable and Telmex.

Axtel wireless residential internet access in Mazatlan

Axtel is a newer telephone and internet service provider in Mazatlan Mexico. Far smaller than Telmex, Axtel is known for superior customer service.

Axtel provides high speed internet access via fixed point wireless connection (a dish on your roof), and offers a number of bandwidth packages.

Axtel bundles internet access with telephone service -- you get a local 669 number.

All of Axtel's attractive telcom packages include unlimited free calling within Mexico and others -- only slightly more expensive -- unlimited free calling to United States or Canadian phone numbers as well.

Megacable cable modem internet access in Mazatlan

Megacable is the largest cable television provider in Mexico. Megacable in Mazatlan offers high-speed internet access through its' cable pipelines.

As with Telmex Prodigy Infinitum, several bandwidth packages are offered. As in the United States or Canada, you can't simply get internet cable: you have to have at least the basic television package as well. Pricing is in the general range of DSL service in the United States or Canada.

Many people report that Megacable's internet service is poor, with very inconsistent actual connection speeds being the most common complaint.

Telmex land line internet access in Mazatlan

Telmex is the former monopoly land line service provider in Mexico, and suntil provides the vast majority of telephone land lines in Mexico.

Telmex internet access is through a service named Prodigy Infinitum, and can be purchased with a variety of bandwidth packages. Telmex bundles internet access with telephone service -- you get a local 669 number.

Basic Prodigy Infinitum land line internet access is priced in the general range as broadband service in the United States or Canada, but with somewhat slower connections than Americans and Canadians are used to.

Cell phones in Mazatlan Mexico

Cellular telephone services in Mazatlan can be obtained from three service providers; Telcel, Megacable, and Nextel.

Telcel cellular telephone service in Mazatlan

As in the United States or Canada, Telcel offers a bewildering array of cellullar telephone service packages and options. Most involve monthly billing and are not a viable option for most short term or seasonal visitors to Mazatlan Mexico.

Telcel does, however, offer pre-paid plans that are worth consideration.

While the per-minute telephone rate in Mazatlan will be considerably higher than Americans and Canadians are used to, Telcel has made the entry-cost for a phone with a few minutes already on it astoundingly low -- under $25 USD at some points in 2010!

The phone you get is basic, but a name brand -- usually LG, Nokia, Motorola or Samsung -- and is a SIM-card phone, so it is possible that you will be able to use the phone as a spare back home.

Telcel pre-paid telephones and pre-paid cellular telephone plans in Mazatlan can be purchased in a very wide variety of locations, including OXXO convenience stores and many major retailers, such as Walmart.

Additional minutes for your Mazatlan pre-paid cell phone can be purchased at any OXXO convenience store -- and for virtually any amount, starting at 20 pesos.

If you have an unlocked GSM phone you can simply buy a Telcel SIM card. The SIM card will provide you with a local (669 area code) Mazatlan phone number. There are many Telcel distributors in Mazatlan, the SIM card costs less than $15 USD and comes with some "free" minutes on it.

The interface can be programmed to speak to you in English. Telcel SIM cards expire after six months if you haven't added any additional minutes.

Megacable cellular telephone service in Mazatlan

Megacable cellular phone service is tied to a Megacable cable television -- or cable television and internet access account. Megacable has a fairly good reputation as a cellular service provider.

Nextel cellular telephone service in Mazatlan

Nextel offers a variety of cellular service plans in Mazatlan, and attempts to compete head-to-head with Telcel service. Their pay-as-you-go service plans offer the same conveniences as Telcel, such as the ability to recharge your phones' minutes at OXXO convenience stores.

Public telephones in Mazatlan Mexico

There are public telephones everywhere in Mazatlan.

These phones take either coins or phone cards that can be purchased at any convenience store, such as an OXXO.

Local call from public telephones in Mazatlan are inexpensive -- as little as 3p per call, time unlimited.

Long distance (within Mexico) and international calls can be made from these Mazatlan public telephones but the rates -- like virtually all long-distance telcom services in Mexico -- are rather high compared to what an American or Canadian is used to.

Despite the relative lack of utility of public telephones in Mazatlan for international calls, we are perplexed that more Mazatlan tourist information doesn't emphasise their utility for local calls in Mazatlan Mexico.

There has also been a re-birth of private telephone booths -- Casetas Telefonica -- in many Mexican cities, including Mazatlan.

In elclipse as newer forms of wireless phone service proliferated, private telephone booths have made a comeback in the form of independent providers such as Casefon who place booths within air conditioned OXXO's (a big plus on hot days!).

These private phone booths offer worldwide calling at rates ranging from 1 peso per minute for local calls to 12 pesos per minute to countries outside Mexico other than the United States.

A guide to free WiFi, cyber hotspots, internet cafes, telephone service providers, cell phones, land lines and how to get the best recommended telcom service in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico