[lindros2]

So I'm headed to Costa Rica (a conservative country in which a foreigner cannot buy a local [ICE] SIM card).

Does anyone have experience using AT&T or T-Mobile pre-paid OUTSIDE of North America (preferably central/south america) ?

I was able to get a T-Mob SIM card to work just fine here, so at least I know their newer 64K cards don't throw the channel error.

If I can't go pre-paid looks like I'll pay out the arse to use Vodafone.

[dohturdima]

Vodafone also has prepaid SIM cards - I am using it as I type this but I am in Europe. Do ur reserch...

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[lindros2]

Vodafone also has prepaid SIM cards - I am using it as I type this but I am in Europe. Do ur reserch...

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

I'm going to COSTA RICA.

So Vodafone pre-paid won't help me in a country in which the lone (reliable) wireless carrier is ICE. Unless I want to pay €3,00/minute. Oh, wait, how do I re-fill a European SIM card in COSTA RICA?

I'm sick of people who post half-as$ed responses to questions that don't help at all.

[priceless819]

Well if you can't get a "local sim" then you unfortunately gonna pay through the **** chute. Every US Carrier will have comparable rates to vodafone in my opinion. They love that int'l roaming. It is a read money maker. I just came back from Trinidad, and I had a local sim and I had zero problems with service and using the phone itself. I would see if there is a second phone service that you can get a sim from if you can't get it from the original carrier as desired. Generally they use the same cell sites, and if you do find a different company sim card to use, the roaming fees locally should be cheaper.

Good luck, and remember to change to the 3G/2G option in the network settings to move to GSM.

[FF22]

You might check on the Verizon Global Plan. I don't know about Costa Rica but in Europe calls were $0.99/minute to/from the phone and to/from the US. Data was UNlimited. Cost could be prorated at $69/month. You BIS plan price is prorated also.

[bb2iphone]

This prepaid will work in costa rica. Incoming calls are free. Cellular Abroad - National Geographic Travel Phone Let us know how it goes. Only thing is you get a UK number

[lindros2]

Thanks for the excellent follow-up emails.

I'm between a rock and a hard place - even a friend's Colombian SIM won't refill outside of Colombia (and I believe is the equivalent of US$2.99/minute).

My fear with the National Geographic card is that it's a 32K SIM. I'll investigate and report back.

[bb2iphone]

The tour should be able to support all kinds of SIM card? You will just need to unlock your verizon tour first. What extra functionality are you seeking from a 32k SIM? BTW, if you do decide to go with the national geographic keep in mind that it's a callback service and that you can find it cheaper on amazon. Good luck.

[bb2iphone]

btw, where did you learn that foreigners cannot buy ICE prepaid?

[Mojary]

Can you have somebody, or have a friend in Costa Rica, buy it for you locally?

[lindros2]

btw, where did you learn that foreigners cannot buy ICE prepaid?

From our driver (whom we've hired/worked with before) and others:

Prepaid Sim Cards in Costa Rica ... - Thorn Tree travel forum - Lonely Planet

Can you have somebody, or have a friend in Costa Rica, buy it for you locally?

See above. There is no pay-as-you-go. Only contract available to Costa Rican residents.

The problem is that ICE is a government-owned monopoly.

[bb2iphone]

I think it's probably designed to curb harder to trace crimes related to prepaid sim use which isn't tied to anyone's name. Learn anything about the national geographic card as I might be getting that card too when I travel to costa rica for vacation sometime soon?!