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(#1)
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Junior Member
Amateur Member
Posts: 14
Join Date: 03 Jun 2011
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Costa Rica - Prepaid Data SIM? -
23-02-2012, 21:55
I'm going to Costa Rica and I really can't find good info about the state of data down there. I have a Mifi and I don't really need voice (if I do I can Skype through the Mifi).
Has anyone ever purchased a prepaid data SIM, potentially from ICE in the airport in San Jose? |
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(#2)
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Senior Member
Prepaid Professionist
Posts: 1,465
Join Date: 27 Feb 2004
Location: Mississippi, USA
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24-02-2012, 02:19
Last time I looked into C.R. wireless, they had introduced prepaid but it was d*am near impossible for a non-resident to get a prepaid SIM. It looks like ICE is really pushing their 3G-850 service. For ¢4500 you get 1 Mbps service for 15 days. (klbi | Planes y precios) It appears you now just need your passport to get service. That's a step forward. So take your passport and a phone that has WCDMA-850 and let us know how it worked out.
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(#3)
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Junior Member
Amateur Member
Posts: 14
Join Date: 03 Jun 2011
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09-03-2012, 23:57
Great! Nice find!
If I read it right, I just have to put in "kolbi3g" as my APN. The time costs about $9US, but I guess there may be a card cost also. Anyone know if I can pick up a Kolbi card at the ICE in the airport? |
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(#4)
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Senior Member
Prepaid Professionist
Posts: 1,465
Join Date: 27 Feb 2004
Location: Mississippi, USA
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10-03-2012, 00:32
Looking at their list of vendors, if you look down at "Alajuela" you will see "Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santa MarÃ*a", "Lunes a Domingo 5:00am - 10:00 pm." As long as you arrive within those hours, you should have a good chance. OTOH, it is Central America.
One thing you might want to consider. ICE seems really big into "homologation" of handsets. You might also want to make sure that you take a handset you can show them that will pass muster. I have no experience to say that they would reject you if you don't produce a handset they say is OK but it would be a pain to get there and have them say "no" because of that. |
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(#5)
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Junior Member
Amateur Member
Posts: 14
Join Date: 03 Jun 2011
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11-05-2012, 18:32
OK - and the answer is, it worked! No problem!
$5 US. The woman at the ICE/Kolbi counter in the airport (before customs/immigration) tried her personal SIM in my Mifi first to be sure it would work, then sold me one, and gave me instructions. The whole thing was pretty quick and easy. The only issue was the speed - 2G. While I was very happy for the access, the speed made a lot of surfing tough, and the coverage wasn't great either. But, considering the spotty hotel access, this filled in the gaps pretty well. |
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(#6)
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Senior Member
Prepaid Pioneer
Posts: 590
Join Date: 22 Jun 2004
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11-05-2012, 19:09
Quote:
Mobile phones: iPhone 5, Blackberry 9900, Nexus S, Samsung S3322 duos Mobile data cards: Huawei E587u-5, Huawei E583c, Huawei E160 Postpaid SIMs: CA: Fido, Wind; INTL: Telna Prepaid SIMs: DE: Fonic, Lidl; AT: yesss!, bob; UK: O2; US: AT&T; RO: Orange, Vodafone; FR: b&you, Lycamobile; NL: Lycamobile; BE: Lycamobile, Jim Mobile; CL: Entel; MX: Telcel; INTL: eKit Blue, eKit Yellow Dead SIMs: too many to list |
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(#7)
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Senior Member
Prepaid Professionist
Posts: 1,465
Join Date: 27 Feb 2004
Location: Mississippi, USA
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11-05-2012, 18:50
Excellent news. Costa Rica has come a long way. Their government-owned telephone/power monopoly has not been the quickest to react to business demand. With all the tourist business, you'd think that they would have been very quick to adopt temporary prepaid but that was not the case. It's good to see that they have now moved into the "relatively easy" column. Thanks for the report.
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(#8)
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Junior Member
Amateur Member
Posts: 14
Join Date: 03 Jun 2011
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11-05-2012, 18:55
I should have added that, I think, my $5US was for a week of unlimited access, but that I'm pretty sure I went over into the eighth day technically, and I didn't get cut off.
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(#9)
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Junior Member
Newbie
Posts: 1
Join Date: 17 Oct 2012
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17-10-2012, 15:31
Just to resurrect this thread...
I will be assigned in Costa Rica for a couple of months and being a sea farer I would need a micro SIM for my 4S... Does ICE have micro SIM cards now??? Also, does Panama have too and have 3G data??? Sorry for sounding very ignorant about these countries... |
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(#10)
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Senior Member
Prepaid Specialist
Posts: 774
Join Date: 21 Apr 2009
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14-10-2013, 23:42
Perhaps a SIM cutter would be something to add to your gear?
I am sure other crew members would love to use it also? If you are an OFW, perhaps you could leave a message in the suitable forum about Philipino SIMs available that might be of interest to people in other countries? I have SMART Buddy I use as an international SMS card. |
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