Using cellphones in Colombia

[Rodeo9112]

I do not think you will ever have to worry about that.

And by "blowing me up," I meant calling non-stop in case there was any slang confusion!

[Old Parr]

I just don't want to be giving out my everyday number to chicks all over the world and having them blowing me up!

I do not think you will ever have to worry about that.

[Rodeo9112]

You are correct. Once you activate the number on Whatsapp you can deactivate the number with the carrier, my Whatsapp number hasn't been associated with a phone carrier for a couple of years.

Thanks to everyone for your insight! I think I understand now! I just don't want to be giving out my everyday number to chicks all over the world and having them blowing me up!

[Manizales911]

I don't think that is accurate. You must have an active number when you activate Whatsapp. The reason is that they will send a text message to, or call, that number with an activation code. Once you have activated Whatsapp, you do not even need a sim card in the phone to use it.

To Rodeo9112, I suggest you put your working sim in your old phone, then download and activate Whatsapp. Take the sim out and Whatsapp will continue to work. You can buy a local sim in Colombia, put it in your phone, Whatsapp will continue to work with no changes to the app. I know this works because I have been doing that for at least two years. I use Whatsapp almost everyday. When I am in the US, the phone is in Airplane Mode and either has a Colombian sim, a Costa Rican sim, or no sim. If you change the phone you are using for Whatsapp, then you will have to have a working number again. Instructions are on the Whatsapp web site for how to do it. I did it a couple of months ago, it works.

You are correct. Once you activate the number on Whatsapp you can deactivate the number with the carrier, my Whatsapp number hasn't been associated with a phone carrier for a couple of years.

[Fun Luvr]

No, the phone number has to be active. If you cancel your service Whatsaap stops working immediately. There are several "hacks" available online. I haven't found any that actually work. The best thing I have found is T-Mobile has a plan for $3 a month that basically just keeps the line active.

I don't think that is accurate. You must have an active number when you activate Whatsapp. The reason is that they will send a text message to, or call, that number with an activation code. Once you have activated Whatsapp, you do not even need a sim card in the phone to use it.

To Rodeo9112, I suggest you put your working sim in your old phone, then download and activate Whatsapp. Take the sim out and Whatsapp will continue to work. You can buy a local sim in Colombia, put it in your phone, Whatsapp will continue to work with no changes to the app. I know this works because I have been doing that for at least two years. I use Whatsapp almost everyday. When I am in the US, the phone is in Airplane Mode and either has a Colombian sim, a Costa Rican sim, or no sim. If you change the phone you are using for Whatsapp, then you will have to have a working number again. Instructions are on the Whatsapp web site for how to do it. I did it a couple of months ago, it works.

[Dveight]

So, with whatsApp, I know it makes you enter a phone number to start using it. Does the number have to be active? Meaning, if I use an old phone with Wifi to download the app, but service on the phone isn't activated, can I still use whatsApp? Or, if I'm using my real, everyday phone, can I make up a number and just use the app over Wifi?

No, the phone number has to be active. If you cancel your service Whatsaap stops working immediately. There are several "hacks" available online. I haven't found any that actually work. The best thing I have found is T-Mobile has a plan for $3 a month that basically just keeps the line active.

[Rodeo9112]

So, with whatsApp, I know it makes you enter a phone number to start using it. Does the number have to be active? Meaning, if I use an old phone with Wifi to download the app, but service on the phone isn't activated, can I still use whatsApp? Or, if I'm using my real, everyday phone, can I make up a number and just use the app over Wifi?

[Jay Balanty]

Just a heads up, Verizon just added Colombia to the list of travel pass countries. That means it costs 10 $ a day and you basically pull from your voice\text\data plan back stateside. That also includes calling within Colombia. I used to have a t-mobile phone with the unlimited international data plan, it was good abroad but the service where I live sucked so I had another phone when I was home. But with this new verizon thing I am going to cancel my t-mobile service. The only major country I travel to that is not part of this plan is China. Hope this helps you guys.

[Rodeo9112]

No load the sims into any phone. What ever is stored on the card will come up. Doesn't have to be the same company. Same network. Your phone book. Notes and apps will load from SIM cards.

Got it! Thanks.

[Rodeo9112]

No load the sims into any phone. What ever is stored on the card will come up. Doesn't have to be the same company. Same network. Your phone book. Notes and apps will load from SIM cards.

Thanks! My contacts in there are 7 years old but, well, it'll be a good walk down memory lane! I know the putas change phone numbers more often than they change underwear.

Anyone have experience re-contacting old flames after years of inactivity?

[Bbrocs]

So, being the crafty devil that I am, I recently discovered the SIM cards I pilfered from my burner phones for Colombia, Panama, and Brazil. I say pilfered because my S. O. Thought she destroyed the phones with a hammer. Dumbass! Anyway, should I be able to stick these into any unlocked phone and view the contacts and messages? Or, do I need to use one of that company's phones? One SIM is tigo (Colombia), another is T-Mobile (DR I think), and the other is blank (I think from Brazil). Thanks in advance for the info!

Rodeo

No load the sims into any phone. What ever is stored on the card will come up. Doesn't have to be the same company. Same network. Your phone book. Notes and apps will load from SIM cards.

[Rodeo9112]

So, being the crafty devil that I am, I recently discovered the SIM cards I pilfered from my burner phones for Colombia, Panama, and Brazil. I say pilfered because my S. O. Thought she destroyed the phones with a hammer. Dumbass! Anyway, should I be able to stick these into any unlocked phone and view the contacts and messages? Or, do I need to use one of that company's phones? One SIM is tigo (Colombia), another is T-Mobile (DR I think), and the other is blank (I think from Brazil). Thanks in advance for the info!

Rodeo

[Sun08]

I am sharing my personal experience of getting a SIM card and having a cell phone in Colombia. May be that helps others who will go through that process the first time they go to Colombia. Before you go make sure you have an unlocked GSM smart phone. Few days before I go, I bought a used iPhone 4's from Amazon for $115 which turned out to be in excellent shape. Once in Colombia, I recommend not to buy your SIM from a grocery store, convenience store, etc. Go to an authorized store and let them put the SIM in your cell phone and test it. The three largest carriers are Claro, Movistar and Tigo. The Claro is the largest and has more stores than others. I selected Claro. You will find a Claro Store in every shopping center in Bogota or Medellin. In my case, I was in Bogota in Zona Rosa area and went to Andino Mall, third floor. I got excellent customer service there so if you are in that area, I recommend that store. I took my phone to that store and handed it to the Rep. And asked for a SIM. The SIM costs 5 K peso. He put the SIM in and tested it. That comes with a bit of air time. Then you need to select a package to add for email, text and Internet access. He showed me on his monitor different packages with different pricing and suggested one for 13 k. So for a total of 18 k peso ($7 US) I had a fully functional phone with access to text, whatsapp and Internet access. That was a basic package since all I needed was text, whatsapp and very little Internet access. If you plan to use Internet a lot, you will need to get a different package. Avoid stores that have lots of customers. Go to one with few customers so the Rep. Has the time to talk and explain in more details the package you need.

[CherchezFemme]

I've lost the equivalent of $50 thanks to the incompetence I've found in people selling recargas and in claro's lack of customer service. I've had the wrong data packages activated twice. They sell all kinds of data packages, some limited to only fb and whatsapp (but only via the apps! Some a combination, some with calls, Some without.

If you're about to arrive in Colombia I suggest Virgin mobile. They have a 38 k data plan with unlimited whatsapp messaging, 2. 5 gbs for brOwsing and some voice minutes. Add in 10 k for the sim card and for about $22 bucks you should be ok for a few weeks.

[BatInTheCity]

I have an iphone 4,would you know how much is it to unlock an iphone in Colombia.

Don't know about iPhones unlocking. I bought a separate phone just for Colombia, got an unlocked one. The investment of $100 was worth it to me, and I have my US phone which I did not need to mess with in any way.