Update 2010-Jun-2: Telcel have introduced a "new and improved" version of their website. I'll update the description below in a while if they stick with their new site. In the meantime, most items in the article below may now be in a different place on the screens, or a different sequence of screens. Checking your internet consumption is now under Servicios, Internet, then the really pale "consulta" tab near the top.

Checking a balance

To start at the beginning, when you add money to the phone, either with a scratch card, at an Oxxo store, at an ATM, from outside Mexico via Babblebug or by refilling from a Mexican bank account, that balance is normally valid for 60 days and decreases each time you make a call or send a text. (exception: refills under 100 pesos are only valid 30 days)

You can check the balance by phoning *333, which costs 1.14 pesos a minute. You can also get a balance, and expiry date, by dialling *133#, the reply will come back as an information message on the phone's screen. This costs the same as sending a text message, 0.85 pesos.

Registering for online access

The online account management page is at https://www.atencionenlinea.telcel.com/. The first time you use it, you need to register to get a NIP (PIN number). To do this, click on Registrate Aqui (register here). Enter your full ten digit Telcel Amigo phone number with no spaces, like 6861234567 and press enviar (enter). Fill in some registration details on the next page - if there's anything you don't want to answer or don't understand type a space to leave it blank. Press enviar (enter).

The next page will tell you a NIP (4 digit PIN) has been sent to your phone as a text message. Go and read that message (it may take a while to arrive) and make a note of that NIP. If you have more than one phone, you need to repeat this registration process with each phone.

When you have the NIP. go back to the first page of the site https://www.atencionenlinea.telcel.com/ and enter your ten digit phone number and 4 digit NIP, and press enviar (enter).

The next page (if you got the NIP right) will welcome you Bienvenido with the name you registered with, and give a choice of actions on the left.

Saldo

Saldo is your balance (it's the two amounts combined), press "Consultar" to accept the 0.85 peso charge. Podrás utilizarlo antes... at the bottom of the result shows the date it expires

Alta de servicios

Alta de servicios (level of services) has two options, Activación de Servicios (Activation of Services) and Consulta (View). The services you can activate are mobile internet access, Blackberry access, and Nokia messaging.

The internet access (for this phone account) can be activated for 1 day (24 hours from activation), 2, 7, 15 or 30 days, either immediately Inmediata or a date in the future. If you tick Quiero recontratar el mismo paquete ... the access will automatically renew for the same length of time when it expires (if you have enough balance at that time). You need to tick He leído y estoy de acuerdo ... to indicate you have read the terms and conditions, then press enviar. If you have requested immediate internet access, the amount specified will immediately be debited from your account balance, and a text message sent to the phone to say it is active.

It might seem strange going online to get internet access, but you could do it from another phone, or a cybercafe, or on your phone before the access runs out.

With Consulta you can check which internet service is active, and the date (but not time) when it expires. The page also shows the amount of data included Datos incluidos in your current package, how much you have used Datos consumidos, and how much is remaining Datos disponibles (currently that has a typo on the site, should be GB not MB).

Amigo Bip

Getting back to the main menu, the Amigo Bip menu offers a text message package of some sort. Not being a heavy texter it's not something I've really looked at.

Correo Web

Correo Web itelcel (itelcel web mail) gives you a free webmail account. All in Spanish, so not really useful to a typical reader of this site.

Mensajes Multimedia

Mensajes Multimedia (multimedia messages) sends some settings to your phone to allow it to send multmedia messages (such as photos).

Suspensión de Linea

Suspensión de Linea (suspend the line) is for you to notify Telcel if your phone is stolen Robo or lost Extravío. Use with caution, it's probably impossible to undo! This will become a great deal more useful after April 2010 when the new registration requirements come fully into force.

Pasatiempo

Pasatiempo (pass time) allows you to send part of your balance to another Telcel account, for a 3 peso fee and with various restrictions. Beware, you can only transfer your real balance (not the gift balance), and it becomes a gift balance for the recipient - which is less useful than a real balance, as it can't be used for (for example) buying unlimited internet access. Of limited use really.

Adminstra tu Cuenta

With Administra tu Cuenta (administer your account) you can change the NIP (password PIN), or datos (your name and address etc).

Numeros Frecuentes

Numeros Frecuentes is the "favorite numbers" option (might only appear, or be useable, if you've had the account for over a year). It gives you reduced rates to the numbers you specify (if they are Mexican landlines, or Telcel numbers). There are charges for each time you change this, so plan changes carefully. The options are Consulta (view), Alta (set), and Cambio (change).

Salir

Finally, Salir is to exit (logoff).