Calling from/to Mexico

Jun 22, 2025, 2:55 PM

Like most people, I normally take my personal cell phone to Tijuana. I've heard a couple of things regarding ring tones/phone numbers and wanted to check with some of you veterans and see if they were accurate.

1-I'm in TJ. Someone from the states calls my cell phone. Do they hear a ringback that is different then if I was in the US? I read something about an international ring tone??

2-I'm in TJ calling the US. Is the caller ID displayed to the called party in the US my telephone number or is it somehow masked?

Thanks in advance!

comments (5)

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ilbbaicnl6 months ago

I don' t know if people can tell you talked to them from Mexico. But, just in case, think of a plausible reason you'd be hanging in San Ysidro. I've heard it does happen that cell phones get the strongest signal from a tower across the border.

Jascoi6 months ago

over the last 11 years in Zona Norte in Tijuana I have received some calls from the US and made a few calls to the US... I have no concern of somebody else knowing I'm in Mexico. (I'm divorced.) I have heard a strange ring once in a great while but usually it sounds pretty normal.

sushiman6 months ago

Couple of things I've noticed when calling to/from overseas (not Mexico).

Calling from the US to another country, at times there is a different ringtone, depending on the carrier.

Calling to the US from another country, there is a time lag (seconds) where you finally connect to a carrier.

I suggest the following: 1-Call your carrier and ask them what happens when you call from Mexico. 2-Call using Whatsapp and if possible, connect to Wifi. I've called without it and it will go thru. 3-I have Google voice and I've not been able to make outgoing calls with Google voice. I have been able to receive calls overseas on my Google number.

Hope some of this helps.

RonJax25 months ago

My current plan covers Mexico. AFAICT, there's no difference to the person on the other end when I call out of Mexico versus the US. YMMV...

TimmyTrumpets95 months ago

@RonJax2 is unsurprisingly spot-on as always. If your plan covers Mexico, and as long as you're not calling via your phone's "Wi-Fi Calling" feature, you will have no issues.