Cell phones

[Tinto]

Originally Posted by southernroller

...I am getting a monthly plan down there because I am in Colombia about half the year.

None of the Colombian cell phone providers offer a monthly plan any longer. To get the more favorable plan rates you have to sign up for a one year contract. something to consider when comparing prepay vs. plan.

Tino , I may be wrong but I think the government passed a law not not ago prohibiting the yarly contract on service plans. I think they hook you with the purchase of the phone and they divide payments for 12 months. So people end up thinking they are binded by the service contract, but I think its the purchase of the phone that binds you, not the service, it can actually be upgrated or changed at any time.

I think this is the way it works now but I may be wrong.

[Tinto]

Angie,

If that is true then the information that I received recently from both Comcel and Tigo is incorrect. I used to have a month to month plan with Comcel but it expired as I was outside of Colombia for a few months. When I tried to get it reactivated they told me that plan was no longer available and that I would have to sign up for a one year contract to get a plan through them. Same story with Tigo. If you find out otherwise please let us know. Gracias.

like we say here in Colombia "hecha la ley, hecha la trampa" The law is real but phone companies have found ways to get around it. They can't make you take a year contract on regular plans, but they can " put their restrictions" on "promotional plans". To make the long story short all cell phone operators are required to have regular plans with no restrictional clauses of stay. But they also have promtional ones with it. So call back to this number in Bogota 6181818 or 01800341818 option 1 then 8 and ask them to give you the information for the regular plans that have no stay requirements. They have them, they just don't push them so don't take no for an answer. I know there's one in comcel called the 320 plan where you pay $42.290 per moth iva included no stay clause.

Hope this helps

Angie

[rpcv]

Originally Posted by slyry75

Is it worth it to rent a cell phone in Cartagena, or is it better just to buy one down there with prepaid minutes? It looks like my Verizon phone will work there, but it would cost like $4.95 per minute.

Go with a Colombian cell phone. There are different providers Tigo, Comcel, MovieStar, and you can buy minutes at supermarkets etc. At first I was using my USA cell phone (AT&T) and even with an international plan, I was paying $2.30 a min and .25ct per text.