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Hola,
my name is Kathleen and I have come to live for a year in Atenas before returning to Boston. I know that you must have a corp. to sign up for a cell # or landline but I heard something recently about purchasing a pre-paid “chip”. I don’t think it’s a pre-paid card which I think would be for public phones but wondering if anyone has any information on something like that?
thanks!
KathleenKathleen
There are 2 booth’s at the SanJose Airport .One at the lower level and one as you come in on your right next to where you
pay for the departing tax. It is a ICE booth for SIM cards
and come in $5 $10 $20 pre pay.
Lett us know how much it comes to per min and if it works.
Closed on Sundays.Thanks for the quick response! I will try that since apparently I bought a GMS phone which is not the type for a cell phone service with ICE (using a corp). Going back to the store where I purchased my phone they said the type I needed runs about $400…
so am determined to go the SIMS route and will persevere until successful 🙂 Will let you know. ICE did say there is a waiting list for numbers for this type but that’s fine. Patience is a virtue…and worth learning!
[quote=”kathleen6711″]Thanks for the quick response! I will try that since apparently I bought a GMS phone which is not the type for a cell phone service with ICE (using a corp). Going back to the store where I purchased my phone they said the type I needed runs about $400…
[/quote]If you go the route of prepaid then you have the correct phone. If you want a regular contract with ICE, you will have to purchase a 3G phone(make sure its on their approved list) but it should be much less than $400.00.
Beware of what’s on ICE’s approved phone list, however. A couple of months ago, I bought two Nokia 5530 cell phones from Amazon at a very good price. Friends brought them down. Only when I went to ICE to get SIMs for them did I learn that they are the older 2G/GSM variety. They’ll still work, as 2G phones, but you do not get the benefit of the new 3G network with its much improved coverage and signal strength.
Too, lately I’ve seen a couple of signs in ICE offices that say that they will no longer install a 3G SIM in a 2G phone.
David: Well that is a real disappointment! Are there Nokia cellphones available that DO have the 3G capability? Thx!
There are, indeed, Nokia cell phones with 3G capability, Sue. The Nokia 5800 we’ve discussed is certainly one. Another is the Nokia 2730. And I’m sure there are others.
Both of these Nokias, and many other 3G cell phones, will work in “dual” mode which means that they’ll first opt for the 3G network but, if that can’t be reached, they’ll switch and try for the 2G network. So your chances of getting a signal are improved.
You can review all the specifications at http://www.nokiausa.com. Then Google the model you’re interested in and buy it online.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]There are, indeed, Nokia cell phones with 3G capability, Sue. The Nokia 5800 we’ve discussed is certainly one. Another is the Nokia 2730. And I’m sure there are others.
Both of these Nokias, and many other 3G cell phones, will work in “dual” mode which means that they’ll first opt for the 3G network but, if that can’t be reached, they’ll switch and try for the 2G network. So your chances of getting a signal are improved.
You can review all the specifications at http://www.nokiausa.com. Then Google the model you’re interested in and buy it online.[/quote]
OK what about the iPhone 3Gs, does it work there?
The 3G iPhones will work in Costa Rica [b]IF[/b] they are “unlocked”. If I recall correctly, iPhones in the U.S. are locked into AT&T’s cellular system, so they can’t be used on other’s networks. But you can buy the “unlock codes” for your iPhone on ebay and likely elsewhere and unlock it yourself. Then, with a SIM from ICE, it’ll work on ICE’s 3G system.
Of course, you must still have standing with ICE (as a legal resident or via a Costa Rican corporation) to obtain that SIM.
OK that’s great my iPhone is unlocked as I paid a hefty sum for it, I also have a Corp in CR as we own land there in that name so guess we can apply when we get there.
Thanks kindly
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]There are, indeed, Nokia cell phones with 3G capability, Sue. The Nokia 5800 we’ve discussed is certainly one. Another is the Nokia 2730. And I’m sure there are others.
Both of these Nokias, and many other 3G cell phones, will work in “dual” mode which means that they’ll first opt for the 3G network but, if that can’t be reached, they’ll switch and try for the 2G network. So your chances of getting a signal are improved.
You can review all the specifications at http://www.nokiausa.com. Then Google the model you’re interested in and buy it online.[/quote]
“Then Google the model you’re interested in and buy it online.”
I have always been under the impression that you must buy your phone in CR, and show the receipt to ICE in order to get a chip. Your statement suggests otherwise. Can you enlighten me?No, sir, it is absolutely not necessary that you purchase a cell phone in Costa Rica in order to initiate cell service. As discussed previously, however, you must have legal standing to do so.
We have recently (in the past month) established two new cellular accounts (one for our guest house guests and one for renters in the house we manage) and in neither case did ICE question the source of the phones themselves. And both phones were purchased online from Amazon and brought to Costa Rica by friends.
ICE does want to know the unique identifier for the phones their chips are installed in. They say that, with that information, they can disable the phone remotely if it is lost or stolen. I dunno . . .
I have also recently seen signs outside two ICE offices which state that they will no longer install a SIM chip in a 2G phone, so even if you live in the heart of the city, where the older 2G (GSM) system gives you good coverage, they won’t knowingly let you use the 3G chip in an older model.
Be careful what you buy! There are still 2G phones available for sale.
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