International SIM card data access?

[piglet28266]

If I were to buy a quad-band GSM phone, could I buy SIM cards in different countries I travel to and use the phone to connect my laptop to the internet?

[Celeb C]

im not sure about the phone to be use as internet connection. but im sure you can get a sim card of the country that you going to. try ebay or to save more money wait till you get to that country and buy the prepaid sim card. if i know the country that you going to i can give you all the cellphone service provider of that country. make sure the quad you are getting is unlocked.

[wildruler2003]

Generally no, but I found one web site that sells sim cards that allow data at 5 euros a mb. Which is 7.30 usd a mb. And that is in only a few countries. That is cheaper than either ATT or T-mobile offers. But it is still expensive.

[CobraKitNu]

erwin,

From what I understand, Costa Rica doesn't have SIM cards at all.

Shrodinger,

Apparently I'm not allowed to post links yet but there is a site that offers relatively fast, portable satellite internet for $50/week and $7.95/MB which includes the hardware of course. Works just about anywhere and weighs less than 1 kg. Google search for "satphonestore.com rentals". It's the second one.

[Brendon]

men, that so expensive $50 a week! that is my monthly bill on my plan.
they do have gsm service provider in costa rica.
I.C.E. (instituto constarricense de electricidad)
the frequency they using is GSM 1800mhz
the roaming partner of this service provider here in the u.s is
at&t, Cincinnati bell, suncom, t-mobile.
if one of this service provider is your provider, just give them a call
and ask to turn your international roaming on.
on t-mobile is free but im not sure about the rest of this provider and
how much they charge for services while roaming in costa rica. incoming call. outgoing call,
incoming txt and outgoing txt. find that out to your provider here in the u.s.

[Sarina]

Erwin,

You actually can't roam into Costa Rica at all from what I've read. If you happen to have a phone that is on their approved list of phones, you have to have it specially modified in order for it to work. Apparently they don't have SIM cards at all. You basically have to rent a phone when you get there.

The satellite service is something for vacation or traveling, not a permanent internet connection method. It's expensive (one week costs the same as one night in a cheap hotel though, plus data charges), but consider phone rental charges, international voice charges, data charges, getting ripped because you didn't read the fine print, gas and time spent looking for a good cell signal near a power outlet, lost productivity because you aren't as comfortable as you would be working from your hotel, etc.

Getting online while traveling is really hard but that satellite system makes it really easy.

[xX!irene!Xx]

Not, shrodinger, Shrocat. However, the carrier in Costa Rica does use sim cards, But they do not have data.

[EJ THE EXPERT PC GAMER!]

Shrocat,

You wanna update the wiki? I'm still not allowed to post a link but search for "costa rica travel wiki". It's #1.

Quote:

"Prepaid Sim cards are not available in Costa Rica."

[Margaret B]

i went to the site that you said but i don't see about the cell phone.
what interest me in this site is the prostitution is legal he!he!he! just kidding!
i unlock nokia cell phone and according to my unlocking calculator there is a gsm network in costa rica.
im sure this is not like japan that use only 3g wcdma but maybe im wrong.
why don't you post the link so everybody can see.
i im willing to see what really network costa rica is using.

[Chumpy1970]

hi! ggking7
this may help, they using 2 network to this country. 1 is gsm I.C.E and the other one is tdma.


Costa Rica - Cell Phones: How to get one