www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Just returned last night from a week in CR.

I followed FMC1's advice and stopped at the ICE booth at baggage claim at SJO. It's all true! They even had a little sign on the counter promoting the prepago SIMs.

As stated, your phone must be capable of operating on 1800Mhz GSM and it must be "unlocked" or able to operate with any carrier's SIM. (Most phones purchased from a carrier are "locked".)

I grabbed one of the user guides for the SIM.

3 SIMs available.
c2500 good for 30 days
c5000 good for 45 days
c10000 good for 90 days

Airtime varies from c40/min for the c2500 SIM to c34/min for the c10k SIM. Off peak rates are lower. Text messages cost "tarifa vigente" or "current rate" what ever that is.

You will receive a text when you have c500 left and you have 5 days to "top up" if you wish. You can also recharge the SIM (before it expires, I assume) for the same amount as originally purchased at any ICE office or agency.

I bought a c2500 SIM and it worked great! The gal at ICE even got my phone set-up and working for me! The menus all went to Spanish with the ICE SIM installed but I was able to go into the phone's set-up and change the language back to English.

I was really glad to have a cellphone since I was staying at a flea bag hotel in SJ without phones or at a cabin in the Orosi valley without a phone either. I always had adequate signal.

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Women are like beers. I've never had one that I didn't like. Just some that I like more than others! --Western

Nokia 1100a UNLOCKED

These phones are available on Ebay at a very good price (you can buy a used one from someone here in the USA ..... or a refurb unit out of Hong Kong....and the Hong Kong mail system works most excellent between there and the USA). They are built like a tank and were specifically designed for 3rd World use. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_1100

Given that one can now easily obtain a pre-paid SIM chip to put in the Nokia 1100a...this is the phone to carry (if you don't already have a fancy phone that you swap out simm chips) at a very small cost.....they are easy to get on Ebay....typically are refurb units which are shipped from Hong Kong....but still work JUST FINE for their purpose in Costa Rica; the more you travel back to CR....the lower the cost of the phone (they're under $25.00 delivered on Ebay).......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_1100

Note: CR uses GSM-900/1800

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

I happened to take a peek at the ICE website today and they actually have updated the website with the prepago info. (Not very Tico like!)

http://portal.grupoice.com/wps/wcm/connect/web+content/Esp/CatTelecom/Personal/solucVoz/Prepago/

The website actually has more information than the users guide that I picked up from ICE. The web page has a link for compatable handsets.
Click on the "Teléfonos Homologados" link to see if you phone will work.

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Women are like beers. I've never had one that I didn't like. Just some that I like more than others! --Western

I can see two possible issues with buying a Nokia 1100a.

1. It’s dual band only so if you buy an 850/1900 it will not work in CR

2. If you buy a 900/1800 it will not work in the US so you may not know if you just bought yourself an expensive paper weight until you’re in a country like CR that has an 1800 MHz system.

I used a Nokia 6085 quad band in Costa Rica “fyi: it’s not on the ICE supported list”, also in Columbia on both Comcel and Movistar, in Argentina on Movistar or Claro I don’t remember which, in Canada on Rogers and on AT&T in the US.

Needles to say I am very happy with it and it cost me $40.

Thanks very much guys for the info no I can dump my skype which only work when I have Wifi. definitely will check this out

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"THE TRUTH IS' EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HURT YOU. YOU JUST GOTTA FIND THE ONE WORTH SUFFERING FOR"
Robert Nesta Marley

Here's a good article that discusses this very subject.

Plus it lists all countries and the bands their cell systems work on.

http://thetravelinsider.info/roadwarrio ... phones.htm

Suggest you check out the wikpedia link I posted. The 1100a is ONLY 900/1800 whereas the 1100b is the 850/1900.

Myself, personally, only want the toy for Costa Rica

The tri and quad band phones are cleary the most functional BUT....for those of us who seldom use cell phones anywhere, not worth the added expense. Yes, the 6085 works....but you were "roaming" with your Nation of origin's carrier I suspect?

I'd like one for $40....but is there a service obligation contract with some carrier that you have to purchase along with the phone?

http://allworldcellphones.com/gsm-frequencies-list.htm is a link to world wide cell phone frequencies in use Nation by Nation....very similar to the one Orange has posted above....

As for the phone not being on ICE's list....suggest you email and let 'em know. I appreciate that any manner of list exists, period, and am glad Western posted it! However I *believe* the 6085 was manufactured exclusively for AT&T in the USA.

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"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

This is the phone I bought for MDE.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... No=4424423


It is a quad band with 1800 and 1900 capabilities. When I bought it in April, I didn't know that it would be ultimately be compatible in CR. I guess I lucked out (I assume, although I will find out in a few weeks). This phone also would appear to work in Rio. Although it is now unavailable on Tigerdirect.com, I saw that it is offered on various ebay sites. This is a very slim and easy to carry phone, and continues to work quite well, although I never figured out how to use voice mail in MDE. Voicemail does not seem to be that popular however, as texting seems to be the alternative to actual phone calls.

If I had it to do over again, I would probably seek out a phone with a camera. My modus operandi in MDE was to meet a chica and have her put her digits in my phone, then I would add her name. It would have been great to be able to have her picture there, along with her name and number, as by the end of my trip, I couldn't remember who was who!


Ciaociao

All those other features on other phones (QWERTY keyboard, camera, etc. etc.) are no doubt neat to have but that Nokia 1100 Series has 1 feature not mentioned on the others--a built-in flashlight. Plus as Steven1 said, built for harsh environments and rough handling. There's a reason 200 Million on them have been sold.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Nope, I was using my unlocked Nokia 6085 with the prepago ICE chip when I wrote the first post in this thread.




I bought the phone about a year and a half ago from a no name cell phone repair store about 3 blocks from where I lived in NY at the time. It was sold to me as a refurbished unit for 40 dollars but I could not tell it apart from the new ones that he was selling for 100 dollars.

At the time I was looking for a phone to use in Colombia with a Movistar SIM. I prefer the “clam shell” type phones that fold and the 6085 happened to be the cheapest one he had with that design and it is quad band to boot.

I would think if anything the prices would come down over time, but who knows.

Good luck

I'm looking for a quadband phone that is NOT a flip (clamshell) or slider or any of that fancy crap. Just a straight up cell that has a screen and buttons on the front.

Any suggestions? I like the Motorola L6 and L7.

I'm seeing a lot of touchscreen i68 and i9 phones made by CECT, but the reviews on them aren't so good.

If you like it buy it and try it.

I think the term for that type of phone is candy bar, but your better off asking a K*D not an old fart like me.

Personally I think the L6 is a good value and according to my local cell phone guru the street price is about 50 dollars for the tri band and 60-70 for the quad. If you’re not into bells and whistles he said forget the L7. The tri band L6 leaves out the 850 MHz band.

Asking him how to tell the difference between a quad and the tri L6.. let’s just say I did not get a direct answer.

Thanks for the info. I went with the L7. I got it for $68 with tax, brand new. I wanted the L6 but I couldn't find one that was a quad for a good price, most were tri.

Orange, as I understand the technology...

The phone must use the GSM system of encryption/transmission/decryption, not TDMA or CDMA. This single characteristic, along with the frequency range are necessary for the phone to work in C.R. Check your owner's manual to see if the phone is a.) GSM compatible b.) operates on the 1.8 GHz/1800 MHz frequency band and c.) is unlocked or can be unlocked.

HTH

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

Is the ICE booth open on Sundays? I have my unlocked Moto V196 ready to go once I get there this Sunday.

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mh