cellphones from the states

[barbara ann]

I have heard that tmobile can be used here, does anyone know if that is true?

[lyncota]

I have a very basic TMobile touch screen phone (quad band) that I am able to use when I visit CR. To avoid tremendous long distance/international roaming fees, I had TMobile provide the code to “unlock” the phone, and I purchase a Kolbe SIM card at the airport when I arrive. Of course, I then have a Costa Rican cell phone number. This works well for my visits that run from 9 days to 6 weeks.

[Cancertomnpdx]

I have used T-Mobile’s WiFi calling for the past two years when in Orosi and the Cartago area. It worked perfectly. I even had a T-Mobile rep tell me that he thought even after I move in September that the TM WiFi calling would work with my contact list is I can find free WiFi which there are several in Orosi.

We will have to wait and see if that will be possible if I put a CR Sim card into the phone. The rep also said if I did that, since it is a factory installed app, that when I found free WiFi, I could access the WiFi calling.

Could this really be? I will have to wait to see.

Thanks,

Tom
Portland, Oregon

[jreeves]

You can use your locked or unlocked T-Mobile phone in CR with your US SIM card via WiFi calling as if you are on the T-Mobile network. This means you can continue calling your US contacts as if you are still in the US in terms of the effect on your plan.

If you unlock the phone & put a CR SIM card in, you are no longer on the T-Mobile network. The WiFi calling app is still there, but it will tell you “Invalid SIM” if you try to actually use the WiFi calling.

Hope this helps – I have both an unlocked T-Mobile phone with a Kolbi SIM in it as well as an under contract T-Mobile phone with a US SIM in it using WiFi calling (for my US-based business).

Jessica

[Author]

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