www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Does a Verizon Smartphone work in CR? I seem to remember that it does not but that you can do something to it in order to make it work. I know ATT works fine but need to know about Verizon. If it's a big hassle then I'm guessing renting a phone is maybe an option? This would be for about a 3 week trip. Thx.

As I remember Verizon uses CDMA technology while the cell phones in CR use GSM and the systems are not compatible so a Verizon phone will not work on the CR networks.

Now that you can buy a prepaid chip you can buy a phone for around $40.00 which makes renting impractical.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

Nope Verizon does not work in CR, however your smartphone will work using WiFi so if you have Skype installed on it then you can make calls out using Skype via WiFi. You can also use Skype this way to make calls to CR telephone numbers (from US or CR ) if you have $$ on your Skype account.

The best solution that I have found is to either buy an unlocked-jailbroken iPhone 3gs in the states and get it active on TMobile's network in the states. Typically if the cellphone will work on Tmobile in the US, it will work in CR. TMobile has a low use plan for $100 per year (voice & texting only).

When you arrive at the airport in San Jose, you can purchase a Kolbi SIM card for $10 (either at the kiosk next to the escalator leading down to immigration or in the baggage claim area). The SIM card is active for 120 days and you can keep it renewed by getting a friend in CR to place as little as $1 on the account before it expires. This will give you another 120 days before expiration. The GPS on the iPhone is very accurate in CR. You will have voice, data and internet, including GPS and international calling. You won't believe how cheap cell service is in CR and the service is fairly good.

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Slut Puppy in Training

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

Good reply, and that's good news, but I thought ICE chopped off interent on cells a few months ago. When did you last do it? I ain't the coldest beer in the fridge when it comes to this stuff.

they changed their minds; internet is available on prepaids

I have the Iphone 5 and it works on GSM networks. So does that mean all i need to do is pop in a sim card for when im in CR? When I was in curacao, I called verizon and paid them $25 to use my phone on the global plan so I wouldnt get any crazy roaming charges.

I just got the iphone 5 with Verizon and was assured many times that all I would need to do is swap the Verizon SIM card with a SIM card (small one) from KOLBI in Costa Rica. They promised me the phone did not need to be unlocked or jailbroken. However, I've not tried it yet. If any of you can verify that it works, I would appreciate hearing it before I go to CR again.

_________________
Slut Puppy in Training

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

The Verizon iPhone 5 comes unlocked. However, it uses a new sim card called a nano sim (iPhone 4 and 4s used a micro sim) which I doubt are yet available in Costa Rica. You could probably pick up a micro sim and bring it to the mall and one of the Chinese cell phone booths should have a sim cutter.