Costa Rica

COSTA RICA
There are 3 network providers active in Costa Rica: All providers are GSM providers on these frequencies, so many north american cell phones wont work. Check your phone specifications.
 * I.C.E., prepaid product: Kölbi, state owned, biggest and oldest network. 2G (to EDGE) on 1800 Mhz, wide coverage, 3G (to HSDPA) in the populated areas on 850 Mhz. 4G/LTE has been rolled out this year as the first provider on 2500 Mhz in Central Valley only.
 * movistar, spanish owned, 2G on 1800 Mhz, 3G (to HSDPA) on 850 and 2100 Mhz in the centers only
 * Claro: mexican owned: 2G on 1800 Mhz, 3G (to HSDPA) on 2100 Mhz in the centers only.

Nowadays, it's very easy to buy a prepaid SIM card as a foreigner. You only nee to show your photo ID or passport.

Kölbi (by I.C.E.)
The I.C.E. has still the best coverage nationwide. So this is the best choice, if you travel a lot within the country especially outside the Central Valley.

They have a store at the San José airport (4:30-22 h) which is convenient for arriving passengers and the employees mostly speak english.

The prepaid SIM card is called chip and costs 1,000 - 2,500 Colones depending on promotions. The "Súper Chip" comes with a credit of 1,000 Colones and when you make a recharge of 500 Colones or more in the first 7 days, you get 150 MB interner for 3 days included.

The default rate for internet is 8.58 Colones per MB at up to 1 Mbps. Furthermore, they offer 4 packages they call plans: To subscribe, simply text conecta, navega, descarga or mes to 6060. Every plan renews automatically if there is enough credit. To unsubscribe text salir internet to 6060. Overuse is charged with the default rate.
 * Día Conecta: 24 hours, 60 MB, 1 Mbps, 100 Colones
 * Día Navega: 24 hours, 150 MB, 1 Mbps, 250 Colones
 * Día Descarga: 24 hours, 500 MB, 2 Mbps, 350 Colones
 * Mes, 30 days, 4 GB, 2 Mbps, 9000 Colones

4G/LTE has been started recently and is only available in the Central Valley for now. Kölbi has special promocial prepaid rates for chips on "ultra 4G LTE": Activation is by texting Ultra dia, 6 or 15 to 6060, deactivation by texting salir internet to 6060.
 * Ultra Día 1 GB: 24 hours, 1 GB, 6 Mbps, 1,500 Colones
 * Ultra Mes 6 GB: 30 days, 6 GB, 10 Mbps, 13,500 Colones
 * Ultra Mes 15 GB, 30 days, 15 GB, 10 Mbps, 24,000 Colones

Recharges can be made by vouchers called cards/tarjetas of 500, 1000, 2500, 5000, 10000 Colones or 10, 20 US$ or electronically from 100 to 25,000 Colones at many agencies throughout the country.

APN: kolbi3g