www.CostaRicaTicas.com

On the one hand it's "unlocked," but on the other it says "U.S. Version."

Can anybody point me toward a user's guide for buying a cell phone for CR? It's not for me...it will be used by a Tico...I'm just letting them use me to get a discount. This C2-01.5 is the one I was asked to get, but when I look at the Amazon description I'm not sure it will work.

Can ya'll educate a cell phone novice?

http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-C2-01-5-Unlocked-Player--U-S-Warranty/dp/B004NLTWFG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355257699&sr=8-1&keywords=nokia+c2o1.5

It will work, it is a quadband GSM, unlocked. american version won't matter.

But, you are paying too much. go on ebay and look for unlocked qudband, but look for 3G service. GSM is OK in SJ and bigger towns, not so good at the beach and out of town. If you have the time, use the search function at the top and put in cell phone and you'll have enough reading for a few days.

DGB is right, you will get GSM but not 3g. When looking check the specs: needs to be 1800 in gsm and 850 for 3g. 3g is really much better for coverage and clarity. And if you don't have a SIM card for CR yet, buy one from Movistar when you get here.

a good shopping option is www.newegg.com check samsung for good deals

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Voted San Jose's #1 Maripepino

Phone specs show it will get 3G:

Unlocked quad-band GSM cell phone compatible with 850/900/1800/1900 frequencies

Moviestar is just one of three providers. You can use any of the three. Kolbi (ICE can purchase the SIM card at the airport), Claro or Moviestar.

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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

----> 3G compatibility via 900/1900/2100 UMTS/HSDPA

Yes there are 3 providers but Movistar is far superior than Kolbi or Claro. Either of the 3 will be sufficient for a trip to CR though.

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Voted San Jose's #1 Maripepino

Is that fact or your opinion? I have never seen any independent study that rates them. I have read opinions but no factual material so perhaps you can enlighten us as to how you can make that statement.

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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

Some is fact and some is anecdotal. I've been in the wireless industry since the bag phone, so I'm somewhat familiar with the business.

I'm surprised that a seasoned CR vet like yourself is not aware of this. Even the Kolbi/ICE executives know it. They were quoted in Tico Times a few months back stating they expected to lose 50-60% of their customer base when number portability is offered in CR in Q1. You don't lose that large part of your base if you are offering even "good" service.

I still have a Kolbi number for my second phone. I have used the speed test app on my iPhones, Movistar vs Kolbi at the same time. On Movistar I get close to 1.5mg download. On Kolibi, I MAY get .7 Sometimes Kolbi won't even load the page using internet while Movistar is spot on. I've also been able to make calls using Movistar when Kolbi can't or is choppy.

Hope this helps........

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Voted San Jose's #1 Maripepino

Those are facts. I like facts. Dependant as to where you were when you ran your speed tests of course.

But, didn't I read that Movistar's signal was not so good once you got out of the valley? I thought the article said all 3 carriers were just so so once you got out of Dodge.

I spend 90% of my CR time on the Central Pacific coast. Kolbi 3g has been "good" for calls, still some dead spots, but move 10' away and you get 3 bars, sometimes a half a block away depending where you are. Don't know about internet download, I do my surfing at my condo.

The other question I would have is what if you have a dumb problem, like a lost phone or malfunctioning SIM card because it got wet, or whatever and you're not in SJ. I really like being able to go to the local ICE office in Quepos or wherever and get the occasional dumb problem squared away within 15 minutes. Movistar and Claro would have to offer that type of customer service nationwide or I predict alot of disgruntled Kolbi customers are going to be going back to Kolbi. I haven't noticed many Movistar or Claro customer service offices other then in Dodge, but I am sure they can get they going nationwide within 6 months?

Also, I just looked at Movistar's website regarding prepaid recharge for when I am in the states. I assume they have some type of # of days period of time that you must recharge your phone or lose your number, like Kolbi. Didn't see a place on their site that would accept my gringo credit card. Kolbi's is all setup via Masterpago. ICE had a site for recharge but last week kicked me to the Kolbi/masterpago site. Regardless, easy.

I guess we'll see soon in a few months, 1st quarter 2013 when tel # portability kicks in. If that many people bail on ICE/Kolbi as you say was predicted by the analysts, something's wrong with Kolbi.

Exactly the point I was making. There have been no independent studies that establish Moviestar is "far superior" to Kolbi or Claro. The quality of service changes, sometimes dramatically, depending where you are at any given moments no matter what carrier you use and it is non-preferential. At any given moment and location Claro may be best a kilometer away Moviestar may work better and another kilometer away staid old Kolbi may shine. Because ICE refused to share their tower network Claro and Moviestar ping off different towers effecting signal strength is some areas.

I like Seabreeze carry 2 cellphones just for that reason. One is Kolbi because I have had that number for 8 years and the other is a Claro phone because they had a location convenient to where I live. Coincidentally the last figures I saw showed Moviestar in third place as far as customer base. As "a seasoned CR vet" I can not say anything about Moviestar since I have never had their service so it would not be fair for me to say Claro "is far superior" to the other 2. Even if you carry a phone from all three providers you could only relate your experience comparing each which would not necessarily be repeated by someone who lives in or travels to a different area of Costa Rica.

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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

YMMV, true. But when many many people tell me Karen is a star en la cama and I try her and I agree then you pretty much get a accurate assessment. Albiet not a scientific conclusion. Even then there will be some dumbass that wants to argue that Karen is not good at her trade....yes YMMV

Lastly, the figure given about Movistar being 3rd was accurate after their 1st qtr of launch. I doubt that is the case now, though I have no scientific data to support it.

Shit! Why didn't I put "IMHO" after saying Movistar was far superior???????

No intent to hijack, but the analogy is striking. KAREN COULD BE OUR MOVISTAR. Her service never fails even though she goes down all the time.

She is a magnificent, unrivaled actress. She makes each of us think that we are wonderful. Ain't it great !!!!!!!!

Thanks for the on-point info guys.

Haha.

First, what type of iPhone? I would be able to give you a better answer with the information.

All AT&T iPhones will work a CR sim card if unlocked. If your iPhone is off contract it can be unlocked for free by AT&T. Verizon's iPhone with the exception of the first one, which was CDMA only, will also work in CR if the GSM portion is unlocked. The Verizon iPhone 5 comes unlocked so no action is necessary but I don't know how easy it would be to pick up the new nano sim which it uses. If you have an earlier Verizon iPhone call them and they will unlock it for you. But do you want to carry your iPhone 5 in CR? If lost or stolen a new one is a minimum of $650 since it will be off subsidy.

While I was visiting the US I bought a new iPhone 5 from Verizon. As you mention it, along with most LTE/4g phones, come unlocked. I had to use scissors to cut my sim to nano size!

But the 5 just launched in CR today with Kolbi, so I'm sure they have the device to cut it to nano.

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Voted San Jose's #1 Maripepino

You can get a template on-line for cutting the Sim card down to size.

Happy Holidays to all......

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It's not the size of the wand that put the rabbit in the hat, it's the magic in it!!!