Best Cellular for calling and recieving calls from USA

Parrothedd says on Dec 29, 2007, 13:16:

If you have a quad-band UNLOCKED cellular phone you can cheaply and easily buy a SIM card in Colombia from a few different cellular companies that will have you up and running in no time. The SIM cards cost about 10,000 pesos or about $5.00 USD.

You can also buy a cellular phone in most supermarkets and phone stores for about 60,000 pesos or about $30.00 USD.

We use Comcel and have had very good luck with service all over Colombia. Colombian government regulations require you furnish a copy of your passport or cedula for identification, then a fingerprint of one finger, and a bunch of papers to sign. Once you have your SIM card you can buy additional minutes with pre-paid cards in denomations of 10,000, 20,000 or more. You just dial an access number and enter the code on the card or receipt to add the additional minutes.

Your Colombian cell phone will have a 10 digit number starting with a 3. For people to call you from the States they would dial 011-57 the 10 digit number.

To call the States from a Comcel phone we dial #9991 the 10 digit number in the US.

The calls to the States are not cheap, probably around a dollar a minute so keep that in mind.
An alternative to making expensive calls to the US is using Skype, a voice over internet service, but you of course need an internet connection and computer or a Skype phone. The Skype calls are only about .02 cents per minute to the States.

Hope that helps.

"The sea's in my veins, my tradition remains I'm just glad I don't live in a trailer." Jimmy Buffett

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Catfish35 says on Dec 29, 2007, 13:27:

ParrotHead,

Helps a lot, thanks. Hows the Cheeseburgers there in Paradise?

Happy New Year, Peace to you!

Catfish

"So many guns, and so few brains". sam spade

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ColombianoGringo says on Dec 29, 2007, 13:43:

Comcel has the widest coverage all over the country. They are the only ones that will almost always work in rural areas and when traveling by road between cities. If you are only going to be in cities and large towns, then Movistar and Tigo have great coverage in those areas and usually have some better prepaid rates.

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guacharaca says on Dec 29, 2007, 17:28:

Comcel and absolutely NOT Tigo. It is difficult to get through to Tigo cells from abroad.

Colombianos: Las armas os han dado independencia, las leyes os daran libertad. (Santander)

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ColombianoGringo says on Dec 29, 2007, 17:56:

I call a Tigo line at least 3 or 4 times a day from the US and also receive calls to the US from that number. I call direct through Sprint and various VOIP services with no hassles. The only problem with Tigo is their coverage in rural areas. They have great service in most cities and large towns.

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Papi de Alejo says on Dec 29, 2007, 19:40:

I call a Tigo cell way too often. It's usually in the mountains outside of Santa Marta and I rarely have problems getting through from my Sprint phone. I have also called through Yahoo Messenger and calling cards; still got through. I didn't like the sound with Yahoo however.

PdA

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Parrothedd says on Dec 30, 2007, 06:14:

We haven't found a really good cheesburger here in Cartagena yet...one that might qualify for being a "Cheesburger In Paradise". However, there are tons of great restaurants. I see there is a new Hard Rock Cafe in Cartagena and they usually have good burgers. The search continues....

"The sea's in my veins, my tradition remains I'm just glad I don't live in a trailer." Jimmy Buffett

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ds says on Dec 30, 2007, 07:31:

Yeah, I just had a cheeseburger in Hard Rock Cafe Cartagena: Not only the most expensive burger I had in my life, I spent the whole night shitting my soul out. The same happened to the friend who was with me. - for half the price you find excellent "Lomo Fino" or whatsoever....

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Parrothedd says on Dec 31, 2007, 22:04:

Thanks for the warning about the Hard Rock Cafe. I'll take a pass on that cheesburger.

"The sea's in my veins, my tradition remains I'm just glad I don't live in a trailer." Jimmy Buffett

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