www.CostaRicaTicas.com

This change takes place March 20, 2008

The Change to 8 Digit Dialing draws near

Posted: 29 Feb 2008 08:26 PM CST

On March 20, 2008, how you dial a number in Costa Rica is going to change. This not only affects those of us IN Costa Rica, it also will affect those in foreign lands who make call TO Costa Rica.

If you fall into either of the above categories, by all means read on!


Basically, the change is pretty simple. If you are calling any cell phone number, you must now dial 8 first. If you are dialing to any landline phone (home, office etc.) you must first dial 2.

How do you know if a number belongs to a cell phone or is a land line? Easy! All cell phones begin with 3, 8, or 9 (NOT 900 numbers though!)

Anything else is a land line.

Examples:

From Costa Rica dialing to a cell phone, you will dial: 8-xxx-xxxx where xxx-xxxx is the current cell phone number.

From Costa Rica dialing to a land line phone, you will dial: 2-xxx-xxxx where xxx-xxxx is the current land line phone number.

From outside Costa Rica, you will dial your international access code (in the US that would be 011) then the NEW dialing codes, then the number.

Example: From the USA calling a Costa Rica land Line, you will dial 011-506-2-xxx-xxxx and to a Costa Rica cell phone, you would dial 011-506-8-xxx-xxxx.

Now I am sure this is going to cause vast confusion, but if ICE does their job, and they appear to doing so, this should go smoothly.

800 numbers (free) and 900 number (the ones that cost YOU to dial) are unaffected.

The ICE three digit service numbers (113, 115, 199, 193 etc) likewise remain unchanged.

Want more info?

Check out these links (in English)

http://www.grupoice.com/esp/temas/camp/ ... ex_eng.htm

and

http://www.grupoice.com/esp/temas/camp/ ... ig_eng.pdf

If you are doing business in Costa Rica, you need to get on the stick to get business cards, stationery, and web sites changed.

If you are from another country doing business here, or if you have family/novia here and need make calls into Costa Rica, you should notify family and employees of these changes.

Excellent post.

This should be a sticky.

_________________
PacoLoco: "You pay for it one way or another."
Ace: "Rent everything, do not buy in Costa Rica"