www.CostaRicaTicas.com

For those of you who use the prepaid SIM cards, here's some useful info:

Directory assistance is 1113

You can dial 1150 for:

option 1: recharge SIM (not sure if this can be done with a CC or with a recharge card only, besides online)
option 2: check balance
option 3: transfer funds to another prepaid number
option 4: change language (defualt is Spanish, but you can change to English and all options will be in English going forward)

I didn't know about option #3 until this trip. I forgot to recharge my minutes and ran out on Friday night, so I could not buy a recharge card and the website has been down for about a week, they are redesigning it. My wingman was leaving the next morning, so he transferred the majority of his balance to my number.

For options 1 and 3, it asks for a password, which is the last 6 numbers of your phone number, not the PIN or PUK. For example, if your number is 8950-1234, the password would be 501234.

EDIT: the 3-digit service numbers added a 1 in front, so 150, is now 1150.

Thanks for that information Orange. It's good to know I can change to English. Do you know if you can recharge it while in the US? I know of the website where you can buy minutes, but don't know if you can activate them on that website. I noticed on Bank of Costa Rica's website that you can buy minutes there, but the activation question still remains.

Yes, you can recharge minutes online from the US to keep the number active. (50 colones is the minimum to keep the number active for 30 days, that's about 10 cents. )

What I do is recharge ¢50 each month which extends my SIM expiration date for another month.

http://www.masterpago.com (But the site is currently offline as it's being re-designed)

***This is the only way to automatically recharge the SIM from the US (without having the phone in CR and connected to the ICE network).

I don't suppose they might be extending the expiration dates while their site is down for maintenance? Hopefully, Cfernandez2010 still checks in on these threads.

The website to recharge the prepaid SIMs is back up after the redesign (looks exactly the same btw ). Muy Tico.

There is one change though. You can no longer recharge a SIM without registering on the site. The buttton that said "Continue without registering" is gone. (Maybe they were offline for 2 weeks to remove the button.)

I tried registering, but you need a cedula number, local landline number, address, and 2 last names.

I emailed customer service today to see how foreigners can recharge.

This is just another great example of "Muy Tico".

I was looking for a calling card to use to call the US during my weeks stay. If I remember correctly I can purchase this from the ICE store at the airport. Does anyone know if this is true and how late does the ICE store remain open. I land at 9:35 PM. Hopefully the Bank at the departure level and the ICE store will still be open.
Thanks
Bobshere

I went through the registration steps last night with my passport number, prepaid CR cell number, middle and last name.

Today they emailed me, "Para terminar su activación a nuestra página seria que me envíen por este medio ya sea la cedula de residencia o el pasaporte escaneado por favor."

I emailed them a scan of my passport and about an hour later I received my confirmation email.

Yes, I was able to register over the weekend too.

The ICE booths are open until 10pm. I would hurry up and get there ASAP after you land. They probably close a few minutes early if it's totally dead. There is one near Gate 7 or 8 I think and one in the baggage claim area.

You can buy a prepaid calling card or get a prepaid SIM (which is the same rate to the US as the calling cards).

You can also buy calling cards just about anywhere in town.......stores, hotels, etc. They have different $ amounts..$10, $20, etc.


PURA VIDA!

_________________
Livin' & Lovin' in Key Largo....oh....And the one in The Keys, too!

Does anyone know if the prepaid SIM cards available also give access to data? If I bring an unlocked iphone 3gs, can I buy the SIM at the airport and use voice, text, Internet and data or do the prepaid SIMS just give you voice & text?

_________________
Slut Puppy in Training

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

I know there is data but I'm not sure if it's a different type of SIM that you have to ask for. Here's what I found on the ICE website (instructions to configure your 3g phone to connect to the internet):



http://portal.grupoice.com/wps/wcm/conn ... l/Prepago/

Mr. Orange:

I can't seem to get registered. Fill everything out & it says the boxes marked with the X must be filled out & they are. Seems every time I try I get the same response. Do you have their e-mail, if so please PM it to me.

Looks like I'll be arriving just after my SIM expires and now, for the first time in months I can't recharge online.

Thanks.

/dddick

Great thread... Can anyone confirm though that the SIM guy at the airport actually has SIMs that fit the iPhone, and can they configure the settings? The iPhone uses it's own special "pain in the ass" SIM.

No, I read somewhere that you have to cut them down to size.