www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I've researched this thing to death and come to the conlcusion that a satellite phone is a viable if not more economically feasible option for CR. Of course the only drawback is the necessity of being outdoors for calling (doesn't bother me, I'm almost always outdoors in CR). The chief advantage is that I can get calls for $1.39 using a globalstar calling plan (or a $1.23 if I want to eat the cost of an Iridium phone). That's a huge leap in savings over Cingulars $1.99 a minute!

Of course, I had to toss this idea to the lions (you guys being the lions) and see if anyone had any experience or input on using Sat phones.

My 1st trip to CR, I used the hotel phone to call home. When I got the phone bill at my house, it was almost $140 (approx $12 per minute).

The following 4 or 5 trips to CR, I brought my Globalstar Satellite Phone from my boat with me to CR. It's a line-of-sight phone, so you must make the call outside, but it was only around $1.89 per minute. That was pretty good, but I got tired of packing that phone in my suitcase every trip. So, for the past 12 trips or so, I decided that it was just easier to NOT call home at all!

YMMV, but it works for me!

MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

When I was at the Hotel M, the rate to call the US was $0.35/minute. And as I recall, the rates at the Prez were $1 or less.

The Cingular roaming rate is a bitch, but for receiving calls, I try to just keep it short, and call them back when I am at the hotel. Seems to not be much more work than going outside to use the satellite phone, at least for me.

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"Ah, if only I had brought a cigar with me! This would have established my identity." - Charles Dickens

The rates at Spotsmens Lodge are 25 cents per minute direct dial from the comfort of your room. I have never had a call in excess of $5.

If you are staying at the SL, using Skype is a viable alternative. All you need is to join Skype and bring a headset/microphone combo with two plugs with you. Skype is free calling back to the States via Internet. You can log on at any of the computers at SL and make calls. The quality is equal toa cellphone Int'l call. If you bring your laptop you can make and receive Skype calls directly from your laptop with a bluetooth headset, providing you have a wired or wireless Internet connection

An alternative is to get a Tica (your favorita) who is a CR resident and has a land line installed at her home to help you get a CR cellphone. $60 will get you a basic cellphone and with a $25 deposit (12,500 colones) she can get you service in CR. With ICE in CR you pay only for minutes when you make calls rather than when you receive calls, even if the calls are from the States. (be sure to get the Int'l calling feature activated). I have no idea what Int'l calls from CR cellphones to the States cost but imagine they are expensive.

It will take ICE approx 2 months to send your first bill via text message and you can pay it the next time you are in CR by going to any pharmacy or grocery store and telling them your cellphone number. The worst that can happen is ICE turns off your service until you get back to CR to pay your bill and get your service turned back on. If you never return or don't pay your bill, I understand that it will have no impact on the Tica's service or her ability to help other Gringos get cell phone service.

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Slut Puppy in Training

Is low self esteem a prerequisite for being a good Ho or is it a result? ;-)