The Nokia 3120 Classic is just one of many phones you can buy cheap off of eBay and will work nice in Costa Rica with a prepaid SIM card.
A couple of years ago we wrote about cell phones in Costa Rica and since that time, things have changed.
About 2-4 times a week we get questions on whether or not someone personal phone will work in Costa Rica. So this is all about common questions and answers on Costa Rica cells phones.
I HAVE A BLAB BLAB PHONE, CAN I USE IT IN COSTA RICA?
One of the first things you have to remember, Costa Rica is not smart phone savvy and as of now it is limited to G3, but everyone is Costa Rica seems to have a cell phone, and they do have a fairly good cell phone service. In the tourist areas the phone service is excellent, but when you get into the sticks you will have problems.
Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE, pronounced “ee-say”) is the leading government owned monopoly of cell phone service. Cellular phones from the USA will generally not work here. And do not believe your US cellular company claiming it will – most of the time the service personal is trying to get you to buy a International Card, a cost that will drain your pocketbook.
To put it bluntly, it depends on who your carrier is. If you carrier is a CDMA type (no removable SIM card) (like what Verizon, Sprint, Alltel) you won’t get any service in CR, unless you have a GMS (Global Services for Mobile) type of phones. T-Mobile and AT&T are just a couple that use GMS. Or you can use a compatible world phone, a special type of phone that companies like Telestial offers.
GEEKISM read Difference Between GSM and CDMA.
However, some systems in the USA have offer roaming service in Costa Rica. But beware, the roaming rates can run between $4.00 to $5.00 per minute and the service may not be what you want. Their network is limited. Some US companies customer service personnel will claim their SIM card applications work with most phones, but in reality they have no clue to what they are talking about when it comes to Costa Rica.
OKAY, WHAT TYPE OF PHONE DO I NEED?
You need a GSM phone that is UNLOCKED and works on the correct band. Now, if you understand geekism, there are four bands (frequencies) that GSM cellular phones work on. In Costa Rica, they use 1800Mhz, so the phone MUST work on that band. Most tri-band (850/1800/1900) and all quad-band (850/900/1800/1900) phones will do. Some dual-band phones will work too. Just about ANY 1800 band PHONE will work. To find out your band, you have to dig into your cell phone user guide or find out about it by doing online search entering make and model of your phone.
The below LINKS are from ICE with manufactures, and it will direct you to the make and model that ICE supports. Please note, these links do change!
BLACKBERRY | HP | MOTOROLA | NOKIA | PALM | PANASONIC | SAMSUNG |
OTHER PHONES THAT ICE SUPPORTS
COOL, I GOT THE CORRECT PHONE, WHERE DO I GET A SIM CARD?
We would recommend you buy a prepaid SIM directly from the phone company (ICE) at San Jose International Airport. According to some locals, these SIM cards are not offered in ICE’s stores because they don’t want locals buying them, but there are many cell phone retailers that sell SIMs. In fact, it only takes about 20 minutes. People can bring in their phones from outside the country. However, if they require unlocking, prices ranges in price from ¢10,000 to ¢14,000. The cheapest GSM phone in Costa Rica goes for ¢30,000 or around $60USD.
Tip: Beware, places like Craigs List have phones for sale all the time, many times these phones are stolen, so buyer beware!
When you arrive in CR, first you will go directly to immigration and then baggage claim. In baggage claim, there is a small desk on the right side against the wall near the luggage carousel and the restrooms. There is also one upstairs, but sometime that one is closed – and why would you want to go back upstairs again and hassle with customs? Both places will say ICE on it. You can buy your prepaid SIM there. You can buy one for ¢2500 (about $5), ¢5000 ($10), or ¢10,000 ($20). The local call rate is about ¢40 colones a minute, or around 8 cents a minute. The rate to the US is about ¢160/min (about 30 cents).
Incoming calls (local and from US) are free, but they could cost the person on the other end a lot.
In CR, you only pay for outgoing. If you plan to call the US, get a ¢5,000 or ¢10,000 SIM. If it’s only for local calls, get a ¢2500 SIM. If your minutes are running low, you will get a text asking to buy more and they will give you a number to call, which is MASTER Pago, a Costa Rica Banking/Trust Service, that sells prepaid items. They will ask for your passport and it is a secure company to do any type of credit card transaction
I’M GOING TO COSTA RICA FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, IT IT BETTER TO JUST RENT A PHONE?
Well that depends on you and how important is that phone. You can rent a phone (or just a SIM) from many tours companies that advertise they do rent phone. Many Companies like travel agencies and car rentals do rent, but they charge anywhere from $10-$15/day just for local calls and making a call to the US, you are back up to the 4-$5 a minute, in otherwords, it can be a ripoff. Also we have heard horrid stories on some of these off-the-wall cell phone rental companies. Usually a hefty deposited is required and your credit card number is on file. Just shop around and you can find some where the price is around $5-$7 USD a day.
See, Cell phone rentals in Costa Rica
WHAT ABOUT USING HOTEL PAYPHONES?
If possible avoid using any hotel phone especially ones that have this huge sign that says “Low Rates to US.” They will ask for your credit card and you have about a 90% chance it is a scam. The hotels get a commission from it. They will charge you about $50 for a 5 minute call. My friend got ripped off big time when he got a message to call his office, and after 20 minutes his bill was around $600. The hotel sided with the phone operator who claimed the rates were given to him and he agreed.
Making a local call on a hotel room line is okay, it will cost you a few dollars for a couple of minutes, just do not make a habit of it.
WHAT ABOUT JUST BUYING A PHONE?
In Costa Rica, only person that has a legal address and ID can in a sense purchase a cell phone line ( i.e. a phone number). A phone with no line is also known as a paperweight. However, the wait for a line and to go through normal channels is known to take months. However, for a few extra bucks (about twice) and know someone who has an in with ICE, that time can drop in half.
WHAT DOES TICO TIMES RECOMMEND?
Phones do come in very handy and it depends on your needs. If you plan to use it lets say around 5 times a day, renting would be your best bet from a reliable rental place.
If you rely on a phone for business (like we do) we would suggest buying a cheap phone off eBay for $50 and then buy what SIM card that fits your needs. If you are are going to make a lot of calls, we suggest traveling with laptop or Netbook (Netbooks are going real cheap since the ipad has come out. I bought a brand new one off of Craigs List for $100) and load Skype and Magic Jack ($19/year) – that way you can make an unlimited amount of calls to the US for almost nothing.
Not that I know of only for iPhones
Does anyone know if ICE sells prepaid microsim card for IPADs?
I just purchased a Kolbi Prepaid SIM chip at the upstairs counter before customs at the airport. The employees were nice and helpful. I brought a jailbroken iPhone 4 on firmware 4.2.1 from AT&T US that is using an Ultra Gevey SIM as an unlock with the FuriousMod app so that I don’t have to go through the unlock procedure with every reboot. At first it would not work – the SIM could be seen but the phone would not log onto Kolbi ICE.
The solution was to boot up with the chip, then go disable the SIM PIN number in Settings since all ICE chips come preloaded with a locked SIM PIN. After that, the Gevey SIM would successfully unlock the phone and the phone would find ICE. It seems like the Gevey works after performing a series of functions restarting the SIM search procedure so having the SIM PIN be requested after each unapparent restarting was not allowing the unlock process to finish.
Also 3G works fine with this chip and is only $0.25 per day so Internet access is cheap. Calls locally are cheap too. Too bad we can’t have such rates in the US.
18 February 2012
- I used a 3G SIM Card in an unlocked 2G phone with no problem, also in an unlocked 3G phone.
- ICE Kolbi PrePaid (Prepago) SIM Cards are available in front of Gate 5 and Luggage Claim Carousel 1. Just ask for a card and don’t forget the SIM Unlock Code on the card the SIM is attached.
- Many places in the country offer the recharging of prepaid card, but it is difficult to find a prepaid card.
- To change to English after buying your SIM card, dial 1150 and press talk, enter the number 4 to change, then 2 to change to English, then 1 to confirm.
- Text 1150 to get your account balance sent to you.
- Dial 1150 to recharge, get account balance or transfer your balance to another ICE Kolbi Prepago SIM Card.
For the iphone and others, the phones have to be unlocked
can we get a Costa Rica pre-paid SIM card for Iphone 4s?
does Costa Rica pre-paid SIM card work for Samsung GT-E1150 that is 2G Network GSM 900 / 1800
Complete conversation with Grupoice online chat 21 January 2012:
Por favor espere. Un operador estará con usted en breve.
Espere en linea por favor…
Cecilia Cordero dice:
Bienvenido Bill Maes al Servicio de Chat ICE, mi nombre es Cecilia Cordero, en que le puedo ayudar?
Bill Maes dice:
¿Dónde puedo comprar tarjetas SIM de prepago?
Bill Maes dice:
I will travel to Costa Rica in February.
Cecilia Cordero dice:
There`s lots of places where you can buy a prepaid card
Cecilia Cordero dice:
In a ICE agency or in the stores that sells
Cecilia Cordero dice:
prepaid lines
Bill Maes dice:
Are these businesses the places to buy? http://www.grupoice.com/wps/portal/kolbi_prepago_recargas_Puntos_de_venta_y_lugares_de_recarga
Bill Maes dice:
Or they just recharge?
Bill Maes dice:
Is there a list on Grupoice website of stores that sell?
Cecilia Cordero dice:
Yes, the puntos de venta that`s right
Cecilia Cordero dice:
No they also buy recharge lines
Cecilia Cordero dice:
No in this moment we don`t have a complete list, every day we have new stores
Cecilia Cordero dice:
In this link you can see that they sell and make recharge
Cecilia Cordero dice:
http://www.grupoice.com/wps/portal/kolbi_prepago_recargas_Puntos_de_venta_y_lugares_de_recarga
Cecilia Cordero dice:
http://www.grupoice.com/wps/portal/kolbi_prepago_recargas_Puntos_de_venta_y_lugares_de_recarga
Bill Maes dice:
2G and 3G SIM cards available?
Cecilia Cordero dice:
Almost all the prepaid are 3G
Cecilia Cordero dice:
in this momentç
Bill Maes dice:
SIM cards are not in short supply?
Bill Maes dice:
Plenty of SIM cards available?
Bill Maes dice:
Thanks you for your patient assistance.
Cecilia Cordero dice:
You`re welcome
Cecilia Cordero dice:
We don`t have short
Cecilia Cordero dice:
supplies
Cecilia Cordero dice:
We have plenty of lines there`s no problem
Bill Maes dice:
Thank you. You have been so helpful.
Cecilia Cordero dice:
You`re welcome
Cecilia Cordero dice:
If you have another question
Cecilia Cordero dice:
I can help you
Bill Maes dice:
No, Thanks for asking.
Cecilia Cordero dice:
Ok thanks for using the ICE service
Cecilia Cordero dice:
Have a good day
Bill Maes dice:
You, also.
Cecilia Cordero dice:
Thanks!
From the Grupoice website is a list of Prepago recharge and resellers. Great information’
http://www.grupoice.com/wps/portal/kolbi_prepago_recargas_Puntos_de_venta_y_lugares_de_recarga
You need a unlocked GSM cell phone that has the UMTS 850 frequency for the new pre-paid SIM cards sold at the airport.
ADMIN, Don’t delete this post as this information does conflict with that in the article.
I have been reading a substantial number of websites and blogs this evening and have found something that doesn’t show here.
For the ICE Pre-Paid SIM card, purchased at SJO, you will need an unlocked 3G Network GSM cell phone with compatibility to UMTS 850 frequency band.
Above it is stated that the pre-paid card from SJO will work with the 1800Mhz frequency. That Freq is the 2G GSM network that I have been using for 6 years..
From the Kolbi website you can find a list of the phones sold for 2G and 3G networks:
http://www.grupoice.com/wps/portal/Site_kölbi/kölbi%20postpago/Planes/kolbi_postpago_planes/
Visit this link and it should give you all the info you want – https://www.costaricacellularconnection.com/component/jshopping/prepaid-sim-cards.html
You can not buy Costa Rica pre-paid SIM cards over the Internet. When you arrive in CR (San Jose Airport), and after going through immigration and going to pick up your baggage, there is a ICE kiosk. This is where you can buy your pre-paid SIM cards.
So, if you have an unlocked phone and bring it there, all you can have right away is a paperweight line without its own number? Then, how do you handle having a group where you want several cell phones you are bringing each with their own cell phone numbers so that you can call EACH OTHER with when separated or in an emergency?
If a line is a “paperweight” line, it would seem to me that you could only make outgoing calls on it, then. If you have no number, how does someone call YOU? This is very confusing to me. When we all go our separate ways, I want us to be able to call someone else in the group should there be a delay, they are lost, or there is an accident, etc.
Can you buy these prepaid ICE sims over the Internet so you have them when you get there?
Carriers will lock their phones so the phone can ONLY be used with their cell service. A unlocked phone will allow the phone to work with many cell companies. Phones that can be unlocked are those with SIM cards.
What do you mean when you say the phone has to be unlocked? I have a Samsung Intensity II.
Can you purchase SIM cards that provide data as well as voice? I want to use google maps when traveling around.
Do these SIM cards allow access to data as well as voice?
#10 – I should add, you must check by dialing 1150 to maintain your SIM card.
#12 – It’s called jailbreaking on an Iphone. Where did I ever come up with ‘bootjacking’? Duh!
#10 – if you don’t let the minutes expire, and buy more time by rolling over the minutes, you can use the same SIM card, and number indefinitely.
#12 – Bell Mobility is not on the GSM phone network. In Canada, Rogers and Fido are GSM. However, your phone MAY be an unlocked world phone, and if it has the 1800 band, and uses a SIM card, MAY work in Costa Rica. Bootjacking(unlocking) an IPhone can be a disaster waiting to happen. You have to do some research on your phone to find out if it’s compatible.Bell will try to sell you a roaming package, so it’s best to do this on your own. Another option, is to buy an unlocked GSM phone, with the 1800 band width, or as the article suggested, rent one from a reputable agency.
Not knowing what model your iphone is, it must be one that is unlocked before it can receive a sim card.
I will be CR for a month in January and was wondering if we can get a sim/gms for Iphones? If it helps answer the question I am Canadian and my phone service provider is Bell Mobility.
Thanks
Karine
Not that we know about.
ICE has prepaid SIM cards, once the minutes are used you have to buy another
I go to Costa Rica for six months. Will the SIM card last that long, or do you need to buy more than one? BTW – I don’t see any lists of “Master pago” stores or sites?
With the new free trade agreement is there any other options for renting a SIM at the airport besides ice? I have an unlocked Motorola razor which I believe will work just need to plan out the sim at the airport.
Really don/t know what you are tying to ask. The added 8 was done several years ago. ICE (IPS) pretty much controls all cell sevice, however since the Free Trade Agreement, more outside companies are now competiting against ICE. And calling anywhere outside Costa Rica, one must use the international dialing format: 011 + 506 + ???? ????
can someone share info on cell service different providers cause the digits don’t coincide from US to Cobano CR New “8″ is not helping me
Thanks for the great info! Do you know if you can get a prepaid SIM in the International Airport in Liberia, Costa Rica? I am traveling there in July. Thanks
Thank you for your helpful research! I am a student traveling to CR and this has information has helped a lot!
Very useful article about cell monopoly in CR. Keep on the good work. We need you guys.
Incredible contribution, I seriously will enjoy updates of your stuff.
Wow! great ICE links, the 1st I have seen on any cr cell service, most want to rent you the prepaid phone and charge you an arm and leg. Great Tips! thanks!