www.CostaRicaTicas.com

In case it helps anyone I have a cingular motorola GSM world phone and last october it didn't work but now tunes in to "ICE" network and I made a call to Hotel Amon. I guess the merger with ATT was worthwhile.

The phone is a year old and if I can get it to work anyone can. I assume it's the 22 Cents a minute roaming charge.

I have it set to "automatic" but it allows you to select the different GSM bands.

Now for the stupid question how do I dial the States from CR is it "011" or....?

It is 001 from Costa Rica with an ICE card.

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In Search of Fine Kittens,
Please... Bring back the Muff

Please tell tell us next month when you get your phone bill how much it cost per min.

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so many women, so little time

Thanks for the 001 code Bro, will report back on how bad they gouge me. Might just call them to find out...

Goal,

You are going to be paying a lot of money using your Cingular phone, expect anything from $.99 to $2.99 per minute - that's no joke unfortunately.

I don't know how Cingular works but my T-Mobile phone works in a number of countries, I pay that countries rate no matter where in the world I am calling even if it just to the local pizza shop down the street from my hotel. There's no such thing as a local rate.

Normally I'd advise getting a local sim but that's not possible in CR thanks to ICE.

Cingular roaming in CR is $1.99/Minute. I just spoke to them a few days ago and turned international roaming on so I could use it next week while I am there.

I here caller ID works also so I will see my calls coming in and can choose whether to answer or not. Anyone know if text msging works to and from the states while roaming? And the price for txt messages?

Goal.
Thanks for the info..................Just bought a moto v180 gsm
Hoping it works down there.

Only for emergencies of course


Does anyone know if it is any different if the phone is "unlocked"

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" I have neither the time nor the inclination to expain myself "

Jagged, when you buy a phone from Cingular, T-Mobile etc it is sold as a "locked" phone. You cannot switch to another network and use that phone on the new network. The phone company includes a sim chip for their network that you cannot swap for the sim from another company. That's why they sign you up for 1 or 2 year plans and throw in a $500 phone for $250, they make money back over the life of the contract.

You can unlock the phone, how easy it is depends on the make and model of the phone. Nokia's have a reputation for being easy to unlock, other brands are harder. There are a lot of web sites out there that will explain what you need to do to unlock the phone. Be careful as you could deactivate the phone while trying to unlock it, if you do then you need to have it reprogrammed.

I bought a second cell phone with a camera for my trips while I was in England. It was a pay as you phone so I was basically buying a new phone for $100. It was a Nokia and my brother showed me how to unlock it so that I could swap the sim out. I've tested it by swapping sims from my other phone and it works great. I will be using it in Rio as I have another sim from a Brazilian phone company. If I can reactivate the sim, then my old Rio number iwill work.

Once unlocked, then you can remove your US sim chip and replace with another from the phone company of the country you are in. (Not Costa Rica though. They will only sell the sims to residents.) Then you have a local number and pay local rates whenever you call.

Downandup,

Thanks for the info....the phone I bought (as a 2nd phone) is already unlocked.

got it for $50 on e-bay.......I refuse to sign a 2 yr contract with any of these companies just to get a phone .

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" I have neither the time nor the inclination to expain myself "

Great information guys, when I bought my cingular I was clear it had to work in Latin America. fyi I got a different sim card in Rio works perfectly so my phone must be unlocked.

I think you are correct about the 2.99/minute rate guess I will just use as emergency.

Use it all the time 2.29 per minute... no extra charges inbound or outbound....

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Thank you for supporting CRT!

SHIT...thats a lot of $ to have your office or wife track you down. And just to warn newbies...the cell coverage here is spotty at best. Nothing like a $3 minute phone call drop in the middle of every conversation. Some of you bringing wireless laptops might want to consider bringing a mic headset and use VOIP. www.skype.com is free software and 5 cents a minute calling out anywhere international. Cheapest way I know to stay in touch intl on your own time and schedule. And its all freeware if you dont have to call out to a regular phone.

Hey guy why not get a novia with cell and borrow her cell. Then when you pay her phone bill at least you"ll be getting something for your money .

Dbcocker

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If a little's good than a lot's better and too much is just right

I always bring my laptop and use skype.com, and the cost is about 2 cents a minute for calls all over the world. If both parties have skype then it is free. Download the program. Skype-out cost 10 euros for 10 hours, or 25 euros for 25 hours.

I have a Packet8 VOIP Adapter that I bring with me. I have been able to make unlimited calls to anywhere in the US or Canada for a flat rate of $19.95 per month. It works anywhere you can get a broadband connection and I have had no trouble getting a connection anywhere I have been in CR. Last month I rackd up 837 minutes in calls to the US from CR. The down side is that you have to carry around the adapter and a standard telephone but the ease of use cannot be beat. Just plug it into a broadband connection, pick up the phone, get a dialtone and dial the number just like you were in the US. Voice quality is excelent.

You can check it out at http://www.packet8.net