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Cell Phone Rental
https://forum.costaricaticas.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=33784		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Sajisme [ Fri May 14, 2010 2:15 am ]
Post subject:  Cell Phone Rental
Where can I get a cell phone for rent in San Jose to make calls to the US? will be there for a week.
Author:  Chilimike [ Fri May 14, 2010 7:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
making calls to the us is cheap ...if you get a cell phone for san jose ...get it so u can use for san jose ....girls girls girls ...it will improve your trip.....I bought one here and got the card once I hit san jose ...
Author:  Sajisme [ Fri May 14, 2010 9:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
Any place in BarAmon or airport to buy a local cell phone? needing it for a week. I suppose San Jose airport has facilities to make international calls?
Author:  Orange [ Fri May 14, 2010 11:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
You have a couple options:

1. You can buy a pre-paid phone card (at airport or anywhere in town). For ¢3,000 ($6), you will have 18 minutes to the US. You can call from your hotel room or a pay phone. (When staying at SL in my early trips, I would always see a charge of about $0.50 on my bill for each call that I made using the calling card. I could never get a clear explanation why I was charged when using a calling card, I didn't really fight it.)
This is what it looks like, the picture/color differs but it must say 199 on it: http://home.roadrunner.com/~orange/prep ... one199.jpg

2. You can rent a cell phone (with SIM) for $10/day. If you are staying for a week, that'll cost you $70. Local calls are free, but calls to the US cost $1.05/minute. It can quickly add up. Here's the company to use: http://www.cellulartelephonerentals.com/

3. And the best for last.... this is the option where you bring your own UNLOCKED GSM cell phone and buy a prepaid SIM at the airport for ¢2500-10000 ($5-$20). You will have local calls and texts, as well as the ability to call the US. With the ¢10,000 SIM, you'd have local calls and texts, with about 60 minutes to the US.

If you run out of time, you can recharge it for any amount. You must bring an UNLOCKED, GSM cell phone that is compatible with the 1800Mhz band (some dual band phones, all tri- and quad-band phones will work).

You can buy a new unlocked phone on Ebay or Amazon for pretty cheap.
http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SLVR-L6i ... 524&sr=8-7
http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-V3-Unloc ... 595&sr=8-8
http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-V188-Qua ... 95&sr=8-12
http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-V190-Unl ... 39&sr=1-18
Author:  Orange [ Fri May 14, 2010 11:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
Sajisme wrote:
Any place in BarAmon or airport to buy a local cell phone? needing it for a week. I suppose San Jose airport has facilities to make international calls?

None at the airport. They sell cell phones in any electronics stores all over town, but the prices for a new one are 2-3x what they go for here. Some cell phone stores may have a used one for $40-50. You're better off getting it on Ebay or Amazon and bringing that. Make sure it's unlocked and works on 1800Mhz band.
Author:  Santas Bro [ Fri May 14, 2010 1:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
You can buy a quad band, 3g, unlocked, qwerty, cell phone for around $30.00.

I have recently purchased two. I will use one as a back-up for my travels, and then as a trade for services prior to leaving. I figure that an unlocked, quad band, 3g phone must be worth at least a TLN. I'll let you know after my trip in November.

If you intend to travel more than once, buying a used cell phone, and then the Sim in the country you are visiting makes sense. My ride did not meet me at the MDE airport, and I did not have a phone. That convinced me that I will not allow that to happen again. I now will always travel with a quad band phone, unlocked. In the PI, the ride to the hotel was not where he was supposed to be. I bought and Sim & minutes ($10.00 total lasted the whole trip for texting and a couple of calls), made a call to the hotel, she told him where I was, and I was on my way. The touts could smell my PI rookieness, and were all over me. Without the phone my options were not nearly as safe, nor desirable.

IMO, it is much better to have an unlocked quad phone with you when you land. You can then buy a Sim, and if there are problems with the connections, you can call from the airport and make them right.

Health & happiness to all...............
Author:  CLN20 [ Sat May 15, 2010 1:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
I know a guy that rents cell phones, I think $15 per day, and they come loaded and ready to call the US. There is a 200 deposit he told me, but that might be a viable option.
Author:  Braddwardlaw [ Tue May 18, 2010 8:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
Call Derrick for cell phone Rental in CR 8955-1429
U.S. 407-615-5714

15.00 a Day 70.00 a week. Good Phones and Service
Author:  Orange [ Tue May 18, 2010 9:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
Braddwardlaw wrote:
Call Derrick for cell phone Rental in CR 8955-1429
U.S. 407-615-5714

15.00 a Day 70.00 a week. Good Phones and Service

Does that include calls to the US? Unlimited?
Author:  Trimologist [ Tue May 18, 2010 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
I have used this guy 3 times to rent a cell phone in SJ. Very reliable and had good experience.

META Rent A Cellular

Mario ...... 8354-9427 OR 8354-9950.

metarentacelular@yahoo.com

$ 4 per day PLUS $ 1/minute for all calls (whether local CR calls OR USA calls).

$ 250 deposit.

My driver gave me this guy's name and #. Is convenient because when my driver would meet me at SJO, he would call Mario and Mario is usually at SJO during day time hours and I would meet him 1 - 2 minutes later. Would go into parking garage and get phone, carry case, charger and give him CC deposit. He would meet me at SJO on day of my departure, return phone, pay him in USD (or he takes CC). Very convenient. He also has driven to my Hotel (Clarion) to bring the phone to me.
Author:  Orange [ Tue May 18, 2010 12:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
Trimologist wrote:
I have used this guy 3 times to rent a cell phone in SJ. Very reliable and had good experience.

META Rent A Cellular

Mario ...... 8354-9427 OR 8354-9950.

metarentacelular@yahoo.com

$ 4 per day PLUS $ 1/minute for all calls (whether local CR calls OR USA calls).

$ 250 deposit.

My driver gave me this guy's name and #. Is convenient because when my driver would meet me at SJO, he would call Mario and Mario is usually at SJO during day time hours and I would meet him 1 - 2 minutes later. Would go into parking garage and get phone, carry case, charger and give him CC deposit. He would meet me at SJO on day of my departure, return phone, pay him in USD (or he takes CC). Very convenient. He also has driven to my Hotel (Clarion) to bring the phone to me.

Sorry, but this is a HUGE ripoff. Lets say you make 5 calls a day (2 minutes each). It will cost you $4 rental + $10 (5x2) = $14/day.

For $14, I'd have 2 weeks worth of calls using a prepaid SIM. (In late April, I bought the ¢2500 SIM. I called (and texted) like crazy over 4 days, including 2 short calls to the US, and I still had almost ¢500 left when I left.

And don't have to fork over a $250 deposit. :shock: :shock: :shock:
Author:  Tuanis [ Wed May 19, 2010 6:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
I have a question. The fact that you can make local and long distance calls with these phones is great. My question is, can you receive local calls ?

tuanis
Author:  Dan D Dick [ Wed May 19, 2010 6:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
My Motorola RAZR from Newegg.com cost me $79 & works just fine. Calls to the US run about 30 cents a minute. Pick up the SIM card at the ICE booth at the airport & recharge there or online from the US. I call my US voicemail once a day & return all my calls from my RAZR/ICE phone; it comes through as "unknown" & I just tell my clients it must be a cell tower issue. No problems to date.

I now call my novia from the plane once I land, just like a local....

/dddick
Author:  Dan D Dick [ Wed May 19, 2010 7:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Tuanis .....
....sorry I forgot to answer your question. Yes - I have a local, CR number.
I have even received calls from the US.

/dddick
Author:  Orange [ Wed May 19, 2010 9:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Cell Phone Rental
Tuanis wrote:
I have a question. The fact that you can make local and long distance calls with these phones is great. My question is, can you receive local calls ?

tuanis

YES. The good thing about cell service in CR is that, unlike the US, you don't get charged airtime (minutes) for incoming calls. You can take incoming local or international calls and it doesn't eat up your prepaid balance.
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