We've had several customers ask us if our phones work with calling cards, and if this might save them on the long distance rate. A few people have mentioned that some other companies claim to offer calling cards to make more affordable calls than the rates we offer. Although we are not fans of dialing 37 access numbers to make a call ourselves, our phones do work with calling cards. Most of the companies offering this service have Internationally blocked phones, so you do not have a choice in how to place a call to the US or where ever in the world you are calling to.
We advise customers, whether you plan on renting a Costa Rica Cellular Connection phone or not, to watch out for the fees involved in addition to the quoted rates on calling cards. Often times you will find that you are paying the local calling rate, plus the calling card rate to the your home country, plus an often unadvertised one time per call access fee. This adds up to people spending 10 minutes dialing for rates that are often higher then making the call directly.
Costa Rica Cellular Connection is proud to offer the best cell phone rental rates in Costa Rica. Far less expensive than our competitors, including other cellular rental companies in Costa Rica, car rental companies, calling cards, and hotel phones. NO minimum per day minute usage, no daily or monthly phone rental rate. Our phones have free voicemail and free text messaging included.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR CELLULAR PHONE RENTALS IN COSTA RICA
- Why do you rent Costa Rica Cellular Connection phones in the US?
- How long does it take to get the phone?
- Can I use my cell phone is Costa Rica?
- What if I’m already in Costa Rica, Can I still get a phone?
- How do I return the phone?
- How good is the coverage in Costa Rica?
- What kind of phones do you rent?
- What comes with my phone?
- Can I just rent a SIM card put in my phone?
- How come you offer much lower rates than the other rental companies and the car rentals in CR?
- How do I pay?
- Do I get call details in my invoice?
- Do I have to use any airtime? What if I want the phone only for emergencies and I don’t plan on making any calls?
- Can I forward my local US or Canada calls to my Costa Rica Cellular Connection cell phone?
We have the phones available in the US because we want to make things really convenient and easy for our customers. We ship the phone to you FedEx Ground or Express before your trip, which is cheap and fast. That way when you land in CR all you have to do is turn on your rental phone and you’re ready to go. Start making and receiving calls that minute. No hassles trying to meet up with anyone or trying to find an office in town somewhere.
How long does it take to get the phone?
We work with FedEx and shipping is very fast. For Ground, 4-5 business days, but if you need it in a hurry we can Express it to you Overnight, 2 Day Air or Express Saver (3 days tops). At the time of shipment I’ll send you the tracking number for you to check on the progress of the shipment. Do you have your own account you would like to use? Just let me know and I’ll send it to using your account.
Can I use my cell phone is Costa Rica?
Cell phones from the US don’t usually work in Costa Rica. Your cell provider might have said that it’s fine, but from our experience the only phones that do work sometimes are ATT, but their rates are outrageous. Please compare!
What if I’m already in Costa Rica, Can I still get a phone?
Absolutely! We have some phones available in CR. Just call or email me and we’ll figure out when/where to deliver the phone to you. Most of our phones are in the USA, but sometimes people hear about us when they are already in CR so we want to help those customers as well. There is fee for delivery and pick up since it requires someone to go out to meet you. We will deliver the phone in the metropolitan San Jose area.
How do I return the phone?
The package we send you includes a prepaid return label. All you need to do when you get back is find the closest FedEx location and drop it off. Or if you have your own account with FedEx, UPS or DHL go a head and send it to us using your shipping company.
How good is the coverage in Costa Rica?
The local Costa Rica network has 75%-80% of country covered. The coverage is good in most populated and tourist areas. If you are traveling to a very remote location you might experience some coverage holes. We would be happy to call you hotel/area in advance to check for quality of coverage in your remote destination.
What kind of phones do you rent?
We offer both TDMA and GSM phones. Just let us know what kind of phone you prefer. We rent mostly Nokia for GSM, and Motorola and Nokia for TDMA.
What comes with my phone?
Your phone package includes the rental cell phone with a wall charger, carrying case, a car charger if requested, calling instructions, and a prepaid return shipping label. Also, when your phone is shipped out, we’ll let you know what your assigned number will be and you to start giving it to friends, family and business.
Can I just rent a SIM card put in my phone?
We rent the phone all together, but you could try it and see if it works. You need to make sure that you’re cell phone is quad band and unlocked. The reason we always give you the actual phone is because it may not always work and we would hate for you not to be able to communicate with loved ones and business.
How come you offer much lower rates than the other rental companies and the car rentals in CR?
We want to make sure that our service is affordable and convenient, and that you can rent a phone on any budget. All of the companies offering cell phone rental services in CR do the same thing. We get the phones from the local communications company and rent them out to travelers. We charge a profit on top of what we are charged. We came up with a fair plan that can accommodate any budget and still make a profit.
How do I pay?
We take all major credit cards, Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discovery. At the time of rental, we authorize your card for $200 (like when you check in at hotel and they take your card for incidentals). Your credit card statement will show a charge of $50 plus shipping. For example, if you had a phone shipped to you in CO, it would be a charge of $60. With Costa Rica Cellular Connection there are no airtime minimums or daily fees! At the end of the rental, we process an invoice for you and charge you for the airtime used. If you rent the phone for more than 30 days, the activation fee is charged every 30 days.
Do I get call details in my invoice?
Yes, we always send out a long distance call log that includes, the date, the number called, and minutes of calls.
Do I have to use any airtime? What if I want the phone only for emergencies and I don’t plan on making any calls?
No. The rental would only cost $50 + shipping! We understand that you might just want the cell phone for emergencies and the security of being in a foreign country. If you don’t use the cell phone, you don’t pay for any airtime.
Can I forward my local US or Canada calls to my Costa Rica Cellular Connection cell phone?
Yes! All you have to do is tell your long distance provider and they will give you instructions on how to set it up. Long distance charges probably apply, but then you would get calls for only .23 on your CRCC phone.
