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| Cell Phone questions https://forum.costaricaticas.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=42776 |
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| Author: | SteamJockey [ Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:11 am ] |
| Post subject: | Cell Phone questions |
Verizon's global travel group tells me that all 4G LTE phones are unlocked. Assuming they are correct and I purchase a SIM from ICE at SJO, where do I get my phone number? Is it part of the sim? Do I have to look in settings for it or will it be displayed. My new Samsung Note II is a quad band and will drop back to GSM if it cannot find a LTE network, 'or so they tell me'. TIA, FNG |
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| Author: | DGD [ Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:39 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
Without getting into the Verizon phones working in CR issue, when you get your sim at SJO at one of the Kolbo desks, you'll get your phone number before you leave and your pin on a little plastic card. They will make sure you are connected to the network before you leave. You can re-set most phones so you don't have to keep re-entering your pin everytime you boot up. The people working at the the Kolbi desks are bi-lingual, very knowledgeable and very effecient. Hopefully you get to one before a line forms because they will help a new or existing cutomer until the problem is solved and so you can be waiting. Double check on your Verizon phone working in CR, heretofore older Verizon phones not, but stuff is changing all the time and I am not a cell techie. Make sure it is unlocked and keep in mind your cell co and the CR cell govt owned cell service may not be shaking hands tech wise. I would be leery of a Verizon phone when until your post my understanding was they won't work. Pleae post what happens so we know. |
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| Author: | SteamJockey [ Thu Jan 31, 2013 5:54 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
OK, thanks for the heads up on the phone number/pin. That was the missing piece I needed. I posted a query over on the Android Forums regarding Verizon's claims. I have a Samsung Note II which does have a micro SIM and supposedly falls back from LTE to GSM where it doesn't find LTE. Have to wait and see what they say. I'll post a follow up when I get more. Want to get back before the wet months but waiting to find a travel buddy first. |
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| Author: | Seabreeze [ Thu Jan 31, 2013 7:57 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
SteamJockey wrote: OK, thanks for the heads up on the phone number/pin. That was the missing piece I needed. I posted a query over on the Android Forums regarding Verizon's claims. I have a Samsung Note II which does have a micro SIM and supposedly falls back from LTE to GSM where it doesn't find LTE. Have to wait and see what they say. I'll post a follow up when I get more. Want to get back before the wet months but waiting to find a travel buddy first. i'm in the bidness and can confirm that Verizon's LTE phones come unlocked and will work fine in CR. You'll need the Kolbi reps to cut the sim card down to the nano size. |
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| Author: | SteamJockey [ Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
Thanx Seabreese. Glad someone could confirm that. I just never know when a Verizon rep gets it right although their Travel Group is better than most. |
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| Author: | SteamJockey [ Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
Now that I have my phone working, what kind of plans are available?. Can I get a data plan or is that wishing for too much? |
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| Author: | DGD [ Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:44 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
Did Kolbi trim your card to nano, curious? Re data plans, you can buy by the minute .033 centavos, day, week, or month, cheap. You have to change the settings but Kolbi desk should do that for you with no problem. http://translate.google.com/translate?h ... K2yLE0!%2F Go to the Kolbi prepaid link. |
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| Author: | SteamJockey [ Thu Jan 31, 2013 8:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
Sorry, that was just a way of speaking. Haven't made the trip yet. Hopefully before March. Looking for a travel buddy to share expenses. Want to spend a couple weeks in Tamarindo on the beach. My Note actually has a micro SIM. I took it out and measured it. The card should come as micro as I understand. You can buy SIM trimmers online almost anywhere. Here's a link to one on Amazon for under $5. Cheap insurance. http://www.amazon.com/cutter-iPhone-Sim ... B009ERXEDK If you have an iPhone, you may want to take a piece of fine sandpaper with you as their nano sim is a bit thinner than standard and you may have to sand the back side a bit. |
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| Author: | Superman44 [ Thu Jan 31, 2013 11:33 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
Scissors work fine. I plan myself to bring my vzw s3 down. I have no fears. I use it with a tmobile and att sim with data all of the time. I think in crt notes and s3s will get up to hspa+ and ive read in forums they work fine overseas. |
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| Author: | SteamJockey [ Fri Feb 01, 2013 4:04 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
Superman44 wrote: Scissors work fine. I plan myself to bring my vzw s3 down. I have no fears. I use it with a tmobile and att sim with data all of the time. I think in crt notes and s3s will get up to hspa+ and ive read in forums they work fine overseas. Can't speak for S3 but someone on the android forum told me the Note II still needs to be jailbroken so you can change the APN. Without the correct APN a Note II won't find thecorrect network for data. Talk and Text will work fine but not data. Not sure I believe it as I was able to get into settings and it appears I can change the APN from there. I didn't reset it cuz I still need the device now, but at some point I will work up the courage to do so or validate it otherwise. |
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| Author: | DGD [ Fri Feb 01, 2013 2:20 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
I always bring 2 used unlocked phones so I have a back-up. Crazy stuff can happen. Also, once I thought I had my I-phone 3gs unlocked by ATT's out of contract deal. I did it wrong. When I got there, Kolbi sim would not work. Glad I brought the back-up. I always have somebody there wanting one when I leave, for sale, barter, or gift. I could probaly bring 10 unlocked smart phones and have no problem getting rid of them. And my laptop of course. Texting is important there with the chicas and maybe to shoot an SMS back home, 30 US cents. Email, though I bring my unlocked Iphone which I need for the return trip to the US, not as important to have at the tip of my fingers. I can get it at the hotel in SJ or my condo or if all hell broke loose, CR still has an abundunce of internet access places for by the minute cheap. That would be my advice. Bring your new one if you must, but be prepared should you not get it going down there or worse. You can buy a used Iphone 3g on ebay for $80, or other unlocked 3g phones for way less, and easily get rid when you leave or save it for next trip back-up or back-up at home. |
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| Author: | Seabreeze [ Fri Feb 01, 2013 5:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
SteamJockey wrote: Now that I have my phone working, what kind of plans are available?. Can I get a data plan or is that wishing for too much? I'm a big fan of carrier Movistar. They aren't in the airport but available in many places. They have a store almost directly across fro Park Morazon. I mention them because you can text DIARIO to 606 and get 1.5 mgs data speed which is better than any I'm aware of. I mean by that it is a legit 1.5. Kolbi has something similar but network congestion kills the data speeds. |
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| Author: | Miles Finch [ Fri Feb 01, 2013 11:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
my verizon LTE phone doesn't work in CR their Global Travel Program just sent me a phone to borrow ($25 for overnight delivery) besides that, costs are on a per call/per minute basis or per text/either receiving of sending no actual cost to borrow will activate before leaving contacts will be updated on the borrowed phone (droid) when i return from travel, i send it back to verizon with the postage slip that they sent to me so ... i'll be abroad, folks able to reach me at my number and, also important for my situation, my number will appear on the caller ID when i contact them that's my plan got the computer angle covered also, but that is a different story |
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| Author: | SteamJockey [ Fri Feb 01, 2013 11:49 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
What I plan to do is turn off data service and transfer text and talk to a Blackberry I can borrow from my son. When I get incountry, I'll get a SIM at SJO for my Note II and if it doesn't activate, just use the Blackberry. I know the berry works cuz I used it on a trip last Mar. I'll be taking My Samsung Tab 7". It's got a bluetooth keyboard and I can use it wherever wi-fi is available. |
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| Author: | Seabreeze [ Sat Feb 02, 2013 7:56 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Cell Phone questions |
Miles Finch wrote: my verizon LTE phone doesn't work in CR their Global Travel Program just sent me a phone to borrow ($25 for overnight delivery) besides that, costs are on a per call/per minute basis or per text/either receiving of sending no actual cost to borrow will activate before leaving contacts will be updated on the borrowed phone (droid) when i return from travel, i send it back to verizon with the postage slip that they sent to me so ... i'll be abroad, folks able to reach me at my number and, also important for my situation, my number will appear on the caller ID when i contact them that's my plan got the computer angle covered also, but that is a different story Miles, do you own one of the original LTE phones? What brand/yr is it Verizon changed their policy last year to unlock all LTE phones. thx |
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