Del Pacifico

In these days of constant communication, the idea of being out of reach can be a little disconcerting (or exhilarating depending upon how you look at it). The country code to Costa Rica is 506 and phone numbers in Costa Rica are 8 digit numbers – generally a land line starts off with a 2 and a cell phone line with an 8. There are several options for telecommunications in Costa Rica.

Land Lines:

Telephone service is, for the time being, only available through ICE which is a government agency. Installation and deposit for the line (including tax) costs about 28,000¢ (about $50 US).  Monthly, you will generally pay between $10 and $20, depending upon usage. If you would like to use this line to make international calls, you will need to go in person to one of the ICE offices (there is one in Parrita or one in Jaco) to request this add-on. Rates to North America are $0.27/minute.  However, we have had great success with a VOIP (voice over internet protocol) phone for international calls.

VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol):

VOIP is a technology that allows you to make voice calls using a broadband internet connection instead of a phone line. There are several options of companies that specialize in this type of   service. You will need an internet connection for this to work (see our section on setting up internet in your property) and the service can be affected by power outages. Some options for VOIP are: Vonage, Ooma, Skype & Magic Jack. We recommend looking at each of the options and deciding which works best for you usage needs and budget.

Cellular Service:

Historically, cell phone service in Costa Rica was spotty at best. With the recent dissolution of the cellular monopoly in Costa Rica, we are looking at more options  becoming available in the future.
Using Your Mobile Phone. If you absolutely must have your home cell phone working while you are in Costa Rica, you should first contact your carrier to find out what the costs related will be – with up to $4/minute international roaming and data roaming charges which can be astronomical it is really important to make sure that you are clear about the cost associated to using your cell phone in Costa Rica. Up until recently, you needed a cell phone that operated on quad-band frequency but now you are able to make phone calls on 3 different systems – TDMA (which is being phased out), GSM and 3G (which is now available throughout the country).
Renting a Mobile Phone. There are several options when it comes to renting a mobile phone in Costa Rica. There are services, like tripphone.com , that will deliver the phone to your home before your trip. This will give you a local cell phone to use during your trip. Other options include Cell Phones Costa Rica which will deliver the phone to the San Jose airport or to any San Jose airport or rental car agency (they offer long term rentals) or most car rental companies also rent cell phones.
Obtaining a Cell Line in Costa Rica. At the moment, ICE is the only local cell phone provider (although this should change in the next couple years). While anyone may purchase a cell phone in Costa Rica, only citizens and legal residents may own a cellular telephone line. However, for property owners, the company that owns your property is considered a citizen and may own a cell line. In order to set this up, you will need to visit ICE with the following: a personeria (prepared by an attorney less that is less than 30 days old), the corporate cedula, your passport and an electricity bill for your property. Activation of a cellular line costs 12,500 colones (about $25). Your monthly account fee is 2900 colones (about $6) and includes 60 minutes of outgoing calls. After your first 60 minutes, peak minutes (7am to 7pm Monday through Friday) are billed at 30 colones (6 cents) and off-peak minutes are billed at 23 colones (4.6 cents). Calls to the US are 30 cents/minute. Text messaging is about 1.5 colones (less than 1 cent) per message.
Prepaid Cellular *New In 2011* ICE rolled out a program called Kolbi Prepagado which allows non-residents and visitors to purchase pre-paid SIM cards for their 3G or GSM phones. You can purchase either local or international cards and they come in a variety of denominations. The usage rates are the same as a subscription plan and your minutes must be used in 60 days of purchase. In order to set this up you will need to visit ICE in person. You may use your 3G or GSM phone from home or purchase one in Costa Rica (you may not use TDMA technology with the Kolbi Prepagado). Once you have the phone you would like to use, visit ICE and request service. If you are a tourist, you will need to show your passport (with current entrance stamp) and two copies of your photo page and entrance stamp pages. At the time of application, you may not be delinquent on any current ICE accounts. For more information, call 800-PREPAGO.

Return to FAQ’s

---