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I think I read that you have to have your residency to get a cell phone. Is that true? If so, can you just bring an unlocked phone from the US and buy SIM cards as needed?
you can buy a cell without residency or we would all be talking to ourselves. 🙂 Just not enough therapists to handle the volume if that happens. There are a lot of places that sell them
It’s not as simple as that. You can also get a simm card if you have a corporation – then you would get the phone service in the name of the corporation.
You can’t use just any unlocked phone. It depends on where in Costa Rica you will be using the phone. If you will be outside a major town or city, you are likely to need a 3G phone.
It must be compatible with the ICE wavelength which is 850. US unlocked phones with this wavelength are also compatible with AT&T and Sprint.
Verizon unlocked phones will not work. Global 3G phones also will not work because they operate on a 2100 wavelength. An unlocked 3G phone with 850 wavelength from the US could cost as much as the same phone from Costa Rica.
However, the 3G phone purchased in Costa Rica may not be unlocked and therefore may possibly only be used in Costa Rica. We had a Nokia E71 3G unlocked phone(US version) for several years and we used it both when we were in Costa Rica with the simm from ICE and in the US as a prepaid GoPhone with a simm from AT&T.
We just swaped out the correct simm depending on where we were. That is until my husband laid it down and left it at the bank in Costa Rica and someone stole it. I miss it.
Now the price for the same unlocked phone is over $200 on Amazon which is too costly for us to replace.
[quote=”evrodd”]I think I read that you have to have your residency to get a cell phone. Is that true? If so, can you just bring an unlocked phone from the US and buy SIM cards as needed?[/quote]
On our last visit, we bought a Nokia phone with minutes at the local ICE in Tilaran. We were told by several people that was the easiest and best way to go. CR minutes are cheap and, between the minutes and phone, we paid about $110 if I remember correctly. The whole transaction took about 45 mins to complete and now communication is so much easier when we’re there!
Was that Nokia a 3G or a 2G phone? Did you have to have residency or a corporation to get it? If you got a 3G phone for $110, that would be amazing.
[quote=”rosiemaji”]Was that Nokia a 3G or a 2G phone? Did you have to have residency or a corporation to get it? If you got a 3G phone for $110, that would be amazing.[/quote]
I apologize, but I am a techno-dud, so I have no clue if it is a 2 or 3G. I looked at the phone and it says C2-01 and 3.2 mega pixel, if that helps.
We do not have residency but do have an inactive corp, however, that was not required. I can’t recall if they needed just a passport and/or driver’s license.
I can look for the invoice and get back to you when I find out something specific. But we did go through ICE in Tilaran and it was a very quick(by CR standards)process. Plus she spoke wonderful English!
Sorry that I couldn’t be of more help.
[quote=”evrodd”]I think I read that you have to have your residency to get a cell phone. Is that true? If so, can you just bring an unlocked phone from the US and buy SIM cards as needed?[/quote]
Buy a cellphone that is “OEM FACTORY UNLOCKED MOBILES” and that has QUAD band as possible. If you get “prepaid Sim card, all what you need to show is your passport…you can buy more credits at any authorized mobile agent/store or online. I was in Costa Rica last week and I used my cell with a QUAD band(GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900). I bought my prepaid SIM card from Kolbi/ICE…I can receive/send(make) text and phone calls.
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