www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Unfortunately, my iPhone is un-lockable via software as Apple has patched all the Dev Team's exploits. It doesn't look too good either for the future of being able to unlock the iPhone 4. The only iPhone 4s which are unlockable are those on the first baseband which was 1.59.00. The baseband can be found under Settings, General, About down toward the bottom labeled as Modem Firmware. The iPhone 4 is nearly a year old now and up to baseband 04.10.01 which can not be unlocked. Similar problems exist for iPhone 3g and 3gs.

You used Redsn0w? I think you mean Ultrasn0w. You must stay away from Redsn0w if you intend to unlock your iPhone. It is fine to use RedsnOw if you just want to jailbreak. However, if you need to unlock it then you must use Pwnage for the Mac or Sn0wbreeze for the PC so the unlockable baseband is preserved. If the iPhone is already upgraded to an unlockable baseband,like most, you need to use other methods. I used the Gevey but was hoping the dual sim device you mentioned also unlocked. Oh well, I guess I am stuck with the Gevey method. Hopefully in a few months when iPhone 5 is released they will offer factory unlocks since Verizon now has the phone and AT&T is buying T-mobile.

As to the CR sim yeah I keep putting money on it every month but the site is currently down and my 30 days is quickly approaching. That sim has be cut down for the iPhone 4 so I will have problems because I think the airport only carries the regular sims.

Make sure your get your information correct there to big fella!

I.C.E. Prepago minutes expire on a sliding scale of 30 to 60 days depending on how much credit you purchase and deposit on your phone. If you deposit 50 to 2,450 Colones the credit only lasts 30 days, 2,500 to 10,000 Colones the credit will last 60 days.

And don't make to many assumptions based on the warranty of the iPhone.... I actually have one that was denied service to replace the battery because it has been unlocked and yes!!!!! I restored it to the newest available software prior to sending it in for the new battery. I am speaking from my personal experience of being hosed by Apple, not from your experience of "reading the warranty"

I didn't mention anything about warranty or SIM policies so I think you have me confused with another poster. I just want to know about the new microsims and where they are available. If masterpago isn't up soon, my cut down sim is going to expire. If I can easily get a microsim in CR I will do so but if I can't I will need to buy a sim cutter for my next trip.

Masterpago (the website to recharge prepaid SIMs) is still down. I think my SIM expired a couple of days ago.

Update: I just called ICE and they have no idea when the site will be back up as the site is independent, not directly affiliated with them.

FYI-If you have to get a new SIM because your current one expires, it will not have the ability to access the internet. Effective March 7, 2011, all new prepaid SIMS will not have internet access, according to ICE website.

See (towards bottom of this page in light blue font--Spanish): http://portal.grupoice.com/wps/wcm/conn ... l/Prepago/

If you have an account with Banco National, Banco Costa Rica, BAC San Jose.... they have the option to make deposits from 50 to 10,000 Colones at any time. You could contact a friend to make a deposit of 500 Colones to get you through the next 30 days.

That really sucks! I need the internet because I rely on google translate. I checked and I have 6 days left on the sim. Hopefully, they have the site back up soon.

I don't have an account with the bank. I have a favorita who I am sure would put some colones on my sim if possible. Does she need an account at said bank? What is the process please? Thanks.

Is there any way, via the web, to check one's prepaid SIM balance and when it expires?

NO.

That figures. I can't seem to connect to the 800 number on the ICE/Kolbi site either. My favorita added 1,000 colones from a prepaid card but I wanted to confirm this gives 30 more days. I don't know if it is treated as a recharge or a transfer. According to the site a transfer doesn't give you 30 more days.

Yes, a prepaid recharge card is considered a recharge so you'll get 30 more days.

I assume that she has your SIM with her?

No she doesn't, which is why it doesn't make sense to me and want to get some confirmation. She just used my phone number. I have never recharged using a card so I have no idea if you can directly apply the credit to another sim. I saw on their website you can transfer credit but it doesn't give a fresh 30 days. It isn't looking good for me as my sim expires Tuesday. I did see on the website a mention of a 5 day grace period. Hopefully masterpago is up soon.

On either of Banco Costa Rica, Banco National, or BAC San Jose you can go to the bill payment screen. Under public services is an option for I.C.E. Prepago... you effectively create your own "bill" for the amount you want to recharge the phone, then pay that bill and with in a few seconds you will receive a text messgae on your phone confirming the deposit. Using this method you can deposit.... let's say 500 Colones every month while you are in the U.S. and keep the number active. When you are in Costa Rica you can deposit how much you think you will need and recharge as needed. I formerly did this when I was with a girlfriend for a year and her daughter used a prepaid phone... every 6 to 8 weeks I would charge her phone with 5,000 Colones so she could text her friends. Keep in mind that that deposit lasted 60 days because it was over the 2,500 Colones mark. Any deposit lower than that amount will only last 30 days if not used.

For the prepago cards that can be purchased at, for example, AM/PM or most of the street vendors (for example infront of INS near Sportsmans Lodge) you take the card, open the plastic wrapper and scratch the back like a scratch and win lottery ticket. You then call 1150 and follow the prompts to enter the PIN and CLAVE on the card and charge with the amount that you have purchased. FYI, if you change the menu to English when calling from your line it will remember that setting and always answer the auto menu in English from that moment forward.

My suggestion is the online bank account method if you are trying to save money. If you do the pre paid card method you might as well get a new sim card everytime you come to san jose as it will be 7,000 Colones (I believe that is still the amount) to initiate the line with a new number and SIM card.

If your chics does it for you she can make the deposit to your line and later transfer it to her line so that the credit does not go to waist. She will need your I.C.E. pin (different than the pin # on the prepago card) to make the transfer from your line to her's.

If you have the SIM, then she can't recharge you using a card. You have to put in the PIN while the SIM is connected to ICE. So really what you did is recharge her phone.

A new SIM costs ¢2500, ¢5000, or ¢10000. There are no ¢7000 SIMs.