www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Trip 2 planned for last week of September and I just bought cheapy basic talk/text only cellphone. Blu T193($17 Amazon). I'm going to get a prepad sim when I arrive and would like to keep the same CR phone # for a few years.

My question for my more experienced Monger Brothers is which prepaid sim/plan is the easiest to recharge with minutes when not in CR? Say from the USA? Maybe online or by toll free call whatever Kolbi, Claro, etc?

Thanks Guys!

NJ

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If you see me at the bottom, please bring me my running shoes!

Bad choice. The chicas (and everyone else in CR) uses WhatsAPP almost exclusively. Send it back and get a basic Android phone that supports WhatsAPP.

I have a Kolbi SIM. My manager refills it for me but you can do it almost anywhere.

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Any opinion or observation in the post above is purely presented for entertainment purposes and does not promote "sexual tourism" or "human trafficking". The laws of Costa Rica apply to all activities in Costa Rica. No warranty is expressed or implied. Void where prohibited by law. Your experience, observations or perspective may be different.

In exile in pu*sy prison

Yes........ you need a Smartphone to use WhatsApp. You can buy a reliable, BLU smartphone on Amazon for under $50.

Any of the 3 CR cellphone companies (Kolbi, Claro, Movistar) are easy to recharge . . . either in CR or over the internet (for a small fee) when you're not in CR.

You have to put new money on your SIM at least every 90 days to keep the phone number alive (regardless of the balance currently on your SIM). If you don't recharge for 120 days, you'll loose your number FOREVER.

Rac"s advice is right on, I will just second the fact that you HAVE to have Whattsapp here.

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I am NOT a Cien Boy!!

I already have a Monger Smartphone with Whatsapp and CR Chicas #'s loaded, as well as, #'s from the Netherlands, Germany, USA Etc. I Whatsapp over wifi when outside of the USA. Like my original post says, I'm just looking for a CR # with basic talk and text ONLY. A CR # for Non-Monger purposes.

Sounds like I can easily recharge the # online when outside of CR. I also have a Wing that just got an apartment in The Gulch. Might be easier to have him recharge it for me.

Thanks for the info guys. Maybe we'll cross paths at La Amistad the last week of September

NJ

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If you see me at the bottom, please bring me my running shoes!

I use a site/app called Ding to recharge my movistar card. You pay a small surcharge but you can add min to many providers in many countries. It was mentioned in a thread here so I gave it a try and works great.

Even used Ding from the US to add to the balance of a favorita who had no saldo... in trade I got some nice pictures, but I digress.

I've been keeping my movistar # alive this way at $5 and change every few months.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

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https://www.movistar.telefonica-ca.net/mmo/pais.zul


Been recharging my Movie Star for years here with no problems.

Yeah I tried but for some reason my card gets declined. Maybe I need to just break down and call my CC company.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

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This post is provided purely for entertainment purposes and free of charge on the part of the author. No tourist or travel promotion is expressed or implied. The author of this post was not provided compensation (monetary or otherwise) for this potentially entertaining contribution.

https://llamacostarica.com/buy/mobile_recharge

This is the company I use to recharge my phone and my fiances as well. I used to have moviestar but changed to Kolbi about 2 years ago and have less dead spots.

Not exactly correct Rac. So long as your phone has a balance, your number is safe. I had a habit of every visit adding $20 to my phone, and this was building up. One day I learned how to check, and I had over $100 in balance. I haven't put money on my phone in 6 months, yet my number is still operational.

It might be that a number with zero balance will expire after 90 days, but that would be from the start of the zero balance. So if you want to keep your number and don't have an exact return trip planned, just ask them how much to keep your phone active for several months.

Oops, forgot. I use CLARO. YMMV.

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bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!

Maybe it varies between cell companies. With Kolbi, RAC is correct. If you don't recharge for 4 months you lose the number, regardless of how much money is on the account.

Why the hell would you have $100 on a prepaid phone in Costa Rica?

Because for many, many visits, my first day I just hand them 10k to ensure the phone works when I arrive on the next trip. I didn't know it queued up. I thought it burned down every month like in the states. Claro permits it to queue up. I haven't charged the phone since February.

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bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!

I believe Claro and Kolbi requires that there is activitie in your prepaid account. Make or receive a call, text, or refill in a 90 day period.

From Kolbi's website:

17 - ¿Puede mi servicio prepago vencer?
Si no recargás tu cuenta o no realizás o recibís llamadas, mensajes o usas datos en 90 días, tu línea será retirada en el día 91 y perderás el saldo que tenías en la cuenta.

18 - ¿Después de cuánto tiempo puedo perder mi línea prepago definitivamente?
Si tu cuenta permanece 90 días sin ser recargada, recibir o realizar llamadas o SMS o sin uso de datos, tu servicio será retirado de forma definitiva y perderás el saldo que tenías en la cuenta.

google translate:

17 - Can you beat my prepaid service?
If not recharges your account or make or receive calls, messages or use data in 90 days, your line will be removed on day 91 and lose the balance that you have in the account.

18 - After how long is I can definitely lose my prepaid line?
If your account is 90 days without recharging, receive or make calls or SMS or unused data, your service will be removed permanently and lose the balance that you have in the account.

http://kolbi.cr/wps/portal/!ut/p/z0/04_ ... dFQE6axaN/