International SMS enabled for GSM phones

The Costa Rican GSM cellular phones are now able to send and receive international SMS (short message text).

The ICE (Costa Rican Electricity Institute) is currently running a pilot plan to test the service. ICE is the only telecommunications provider in Costa Rica for cell phones, land lines and internet.

So far, the international messages are only available between the Costa Rican cellular phones and other five countries (USA, Mexico, Panama, Nicaragua and El Salvador).

To do so, the user needs to write the message and utilize the number as when placing an international phone call: 00 + country code + phone number.

I.e. to send a message to the US you use the number as:

00 + 1 + area code + phone number.

Currently the messages cost the same as local SMS; however this could change within the next 6 months.