Cell phone – which provider and best place to buy

[ROGER WILLIAMS]

I will be going back and forth from US to Arenal area a few times a year and I want to buy a pay as you go phone, preferably one where minutes do not expire or at least not for a year or so. Do you recommend a particular service provider and a best place in San Jose to buy?

[JASON HOLLAND- COUNTRY EXPERT]

Hi Roger,

Great question. Your best option is what is called “prepago,” which is essentially pay as you go. You can bring a phone from the States, as long as it is a GSM phone. Basically if you can take out the SIM card, it’s GSM. It should also be unlocked, in other words, not tied to a particular carrier like Tmobile. If you have an unlocked iPhone, Blackberry, or Android, or other lower-tech cell phone, you should be able to bring it to Costa Rica no problem.

You can also buy phones in Costa Rica – there are cell phone stores on every corner, although a great place to buy a phone is actually Walmart. If you’re flying into San Jose, Walmart is right across the street from the airport. The cheapest model will run you $20 but I recommend getting a mid-range phone in the $70-$100 range.

Once you have a phone you buy a SIM card, or “chip,” for one of the local cell carriers, you install it, and activate your account over the phone with a customer service rep (the clerk can do it for you or the reps often speak English or can transfer you to someone who can). Be sure to have your passport handy as they like to register the phone with your info. The chip costs about $5 and comes with several hours of call time. To recharge the phone minutes as you use it, you simply go to any store with a little sign with your companies logo – most grocery store checkouts will do it too. You give them some cash and they recharge it for you online or give you a card to add minutes yourself.

I haven’t really noticed a huge difference in networks, but these are the big three: Claro, Movistar, and Kolbi.

The thing with the minutes is that I think they will shut off your SIM if you don’t use it for several months at a time. But because the SIMs are so cheap, you can swap them out every time you visit. Just don’t put too many minutes when you recharge the phone, $10 will go a long way.

If you have a smartphone, Movistar offers a data/talk/text plan for 60 cents per day.

[LYNN BOURBEAU]

Hi Jason,

Is Movistar a contract plan? If it is, do you know if they have plans that don’t require a contract? How good is the service? Do you know if this Movistar plan can be used in Panama too?

Thanks,

[Author]

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