Medellin Reports

[Surfer500]

I use Verizon. For Canada they provide, at least on my plan, 0. 5 gb per day of 4 G data, calls and texts are free. An additional 0.5 gb costs $5. I'm in Toronto twice weekly and usually the 0. 5 gb is enough for each time.

In other countries pay $10 per day.

I have Verizon as well but instead of paying the $ 10 per day while in Colombia I opted for a $ 40 a month International plan that gives me 100 minutes of talk time and so many text messages. I use Whatsapp so much for everything that it's cheaper to pay the $ 40 a month versus the $ 10 a day in my case being here for months at a time.

[Mojo Bandit]

I thought all the American tier 1 providers like T-Mobile and at&t have international rates of US $0. 25 or so per minute in most countries beyond the USA Probably more important is the WIFI calling feature. Modern smartphones give users world wide inbound or outbound calling at no cost beyond the monthly service fee when the phone is connected to WIFI. Last week I heard a couple of women in a restaurant comparing mobile plan costs between Canada and the USA Both mentioned they pay a daily add on fee for a lower per minute rate.

Verizon charges me $10 a day for international roaming plus the 25 cents a minute voice calls. I used to just grab a SIM after I reached Colombia but one time my bank card got flagged and canceled at the airport ATM when I landed in Cartagena and I luckily had brought a laptop that had a microphone and I had some money on my Skype account and reached my bank that way but I vowed to never land without service again, so I get the $17 + $10 per GB from Google Fi and with the initial and 5 GB its $67 and I am good for three weeks easily and as long as I use WIFI every chance I get I would probably be good for a month on what Verizon would charge me for week. I would only make a voice call if I get in a bind.

My phone does have WIFI call capability. I also have the "Google Voice" app on my phone that has its own phone number that can be used to make calls on WIFI but I have never used it. I think for me the internet aspect and data is more important part in case I am out where there is no WIFI and I need to use GPS or something. Many years ago I actually had a maps app downloaded to my phone that did not need data to use the GPS (this was before Google Maps was as good as it is now), I still download the map of the area using Google Maps "my maps" to save data on the ground.

[Silver Turtle]

but on my balcony it just looks any normal suburb in the world,

It is a disguise.

[Yoyo2345]

Hi guys,

Some friends and I will be there in early July. Hopefully everything is opened then. If places are closed, or there are curfews, from what I've read there are some places like la Isla that remain open like usual even with curfew in effect. Is that true or am I missing something? I'd just like to know what remained open. How about a club like Gusto? During the 10-5 curfew, can you still have fun before it closes, or does it really close? I have enough info that I can have fun at my place, but I am hoping that if there are restrictions when I go, that I can still go to some places to have fun. And what about activities during the day? Like trips to Guatape? Thank you all for the posts. Everyone has been very helpful. I'll be sure to post about my adventures when I'm there next month.

[Mr Enternational]

However, the elephant in the room is COVID. Right now the infections are the highest they have ever been, yet everything is being opened back up full steam ahead. Doesn't make sense to me that there not instigating any more weekend lockdowns like they did before and the ICU's are still very full.

Maybe after a year of this they are realizing lockdowns are not making a difference any more than curfews. Like Covid can tell time.

[JjBee62]

I thought all the American tier 1 providers like T-Mobile and at&t have international rates of US $0. 25 or so per minute in most countries beyond the USA Probably more important is the WIFI calling feature. Modern smartphones give users world wide inbound or outbound calling at no cost beyond the monthly service fee when the phone is connected to WIFI. Last week I heard a couple of women in a restaurant comparing mobile plan costs between Canada and the USA Both mentioned they pay a daily add on fee for a lower per minute rate.

I use Verizon. For Canada they provide, at least on my plan, 0. 5 gb per day of 4 G data, calls and texts are free. An additional 0.5 gb costs $5. I'm in Toronto twice weekly and usually the 0. 5 gb is enough for each time.

In other countries pay $10 per day.

[Knowledge]

I thought all the American tier 1 providers like T-Mobile and at&t have international rates of US $0. 25 or so per minute in most countries beyond the USA Probably more important is the WIFI calling feature. Modern smartphones give users world wide inbound or outbound calling at no cost beyond the monthly service fee when the phone is connected to WIFI. Last week I heard a couple of women in a restaurant comparing mobile plan costs between Canada and the USA Both mentioned they pay a daily add on fee for a lower per minute rate.

I really like Google FI for its international coverage, going from one country to another without worrying about the rates changing but it is not meant to be activated outside of the USA and a person has to use a workaround to accomplish this:

https://graydonschwartz.com/how-to-a...utside-the-us/#Google-Fi-Activation-Outside-the-United-States.

I also have read that Google means for their customers to use the service primarily in the USA and that buried in the "Terms Of Use" it says that if they determines that the usage is too extensive outside the USA than they may cut your service:

https://community.nomadgate.com/t/be...he-us/15835/11

[JohnnyO]

Unfortunately things have been very un-predictable in Colombia, and a lot of things kind of defy logic in a sense. Such as the protests that started a month ago wrecking havoc all over the place, and a few days ago there were protesters protesting the protesters in Bogota all wearing white, begging for the blockades and violence to stop. I hope all of this protest madness is over. I think most Colombians are very fatigued about it and it will subside until the politicians come up with another ill timed idea.

However, the elephant in the room is COVID. Right now the infections are the highest they have ever been, yet everything is being opened back up full steam ahead. Doesn't make sense to me that there not instigating any more weekend lockdowns like they did before and the ICU's are still very full.

Regardless, with Medellin being wide open with no weekend lockdowns, at least for the time being, now's the time to come and enjoy. Probably the best place to be for mongering right now on the planet, way better than Mexico, however I don't know about Brazil. And you can forget Asia, the place is toast.

Sorry you cancelled your trip.

One thing thing that makes me think. I live in a nice peaceful part of Laureles with a friendly local feel. I look out of my balcony and watch people just going about their business as well as the shops and restaurants getting ready for the days trade. I read about and saw lots of videos regarding robberies, protests and violence in Medellin but on my balcony it just looks any normal suburb in the world, but here's the thing, that normality can change in a heartbeat. In one single day I witnessed a mob running after a lunatic with a gun and all out war on the streets. Never ever let your guard down here or get complacent no matter how normal things appear to be.

[Surfer500]

You guys should not change your Medellin visit outlook at the drop of the hat. Who is going to pay for my non refundable ticket and other costs I sunk in to cancelled trip, you or JohnnyO.

Just kidding! LOL.

Unfortunately things have been very un-predictable in Colombia, and a lot of things kind of defy logic in a sense. Such as the protests that started a month ago wrecking havoc all over the place, and a few days ago there were protesters protesting the protesters in Bogota all wearing white, begging for the blockades and violence to stop. I hope all of this protest madness is over. I think most Colombians are very fatigued about it and it will subside until the politicians come up with another ill timed idea.

However, the elephant in the room is COVID. Right now the infections are the highest they have ever been, yet everything is being opened back up full steam ahead. Doesn't make sense to me that there not instigating any more weekend lockdowns like they did before and the ICU's are still very full.

Regardless, with Medellin being wide open with no weekend lockdowns, at least for the time being, now's the time to come and enjoy. Probably the best place to be for mongering right now on the planet, way better than Mexico, however I don't know about Brazil. And you can forget Asia, the place is toast.

Sorry you cancelled your trip.

[Mojo Bandit]

I agree on many of your points. My concern is, I guess, if I could buy a new phone in MDE (assuming it was stolen) and activate my T-Mobile e-SIM. I think I could be ok, as I was in Panama and was able to get customer service to help me fix some things. I use a dual-SIM so that DiDi, Rappi, putas, etc. Don't have my personal cell phone number. It also helps with being able to make / receive local calls when necessary. Maybe I'm over-thinking it. Hopefully, no report to follow! Thanks to all for the responses.

And maybe AT & T and GoogleFi will allow you to remove the SIM card and put it into a international phone and it work. T

I really like Google FI for its international coverage, going from one country to another without worrying about the rates changing but it is not meant to be activated outside of the USA and a person has to use a workaround to accomplish this:

https://graydonschwartz.com/how-to-a...utside-the-us/#Google-Fi-Activation-Outside-the-United-States.

I also have read that Google means for their customers to use the service primarily in the USA and that buried in the "Terms Of Use" it says that if they determines that the usage is too extensive outside the USA than they may cut your service:

https://community.nomadgate.com/t/be...he-us/15835/11

[Knowledge]

I use a dual SIM phone too for the past 15 years. It's a real dual SIM phone (the kind that accepts two physical SIM cards) not an iphone. There are several iphone workarounds. You will be OK, no worries.

I agree on many of your points. My concern is, I guess, if I could buy a new phone in MDE (assuming it was stolen) and activate my T-Mobile e-SIM. I think I could be ok, as I was in Panama and was able to get customer service to help me fix some things. I use a dual-SIM so that DiDi, Rappi, putas, etc. Don't have my personal cell phone number. It also helps with being able to make / receive local calls when necessary. Maybe I'm over-thinking it. Hopefully, no report to follow! Thanks to all for the responses.

[PolloNegro]

I agree on many of your points. My concern is, I guess, if I could buy a new phone in MDE (assuming it was stolen) and activate my T-Mobile e-SIM. I think I could be ok, as I was in Panama and was able to get customer service to help me fix some things. I use a dual-SIM so that DiDi, Rappi, putas, etc. Don't have my personal cell phone number. It also helps with being able to make / receive local calls when necessary. Maybe I'm over-thinking it. Hopefully, no report to follow! Thanks to all for the responses.

And maybe AT & T and GoogleFi will allow you to remove the SIM card and put it into a international phone and it work. The one service that I know for a fact will not work after a phone crashes or breaks, is SPRINT. Thank God that T-Mobile has bought Sprint and those problems no longer occur. With T-mobile's Magenta Max plan, which is much cheaper than SPINT's best plan was, allows me to use whatsapp exclusively without ever being charged a fee due to unlimited data. The last time I was in Medellin, I did not worry about running out of data and looking for a store to top up my data, I just used my T-Mobile phone and that was it. As for burner phones, as long as the phone is unlocked and it comes from Metro-TMobile-ATandT-Cricket and the phone is older than 6 months old, you can have the phone unlocked and it will function in Medellin without a problem. As a matter of fact all American phones that function on a 4 G level, function much faster in Medellin than many of the phones you will buy in Medellin as most Colombian phones still function on a 3 G network. So if spending about $125 for a burner phone is too much, then good luck. You can always play tag with girls on facebook via computer, but if you can't leave your location with your main phone, and you do not want your main number exposed to a home life you have back where ever, you have to make some sacrifice. Nothing is complicated in Colombia other than buying property, cars, or trying to get services in your name. Everything else is very tolerable if you know what you want and you already have a game plan before arriving. Pollo Negro is out!

[Lou32]

I did a search of the forum and looked in a couple of other places off the forum but I can't find a lot of info about Edificio Portalegre II in Laureles. Anyone stay there and have any experiences about the place they could share?

[SlapShot10]

Slapshot you can likely afford to replace a lost or stolen phone. No amount of money will replace your foreign phone number but a spare SIM card will. My two part advice is back up your phone content and keep it simple by using the same phone you use in Mexico, North America or wherever else; part two is get a spare SIM card so you can activate your phone number on it via the Internet or by calling your provider. It's a personal choice but I decided years ago I would not sweat material things I can easily replace. I'm not completely reckless. I don't carry my life savings in a backpack while I'm crawling around Centro. I used to use a generic phone cover so my fancy phone doesn't stick out. Now that I have one of those multi lens phones I keep that covered with my hand the rare times I use it out in an open public setting in Centro. When it's in your pocket a stick up guy is not going to make a distinction between a cheapo Opera Mall knockoff or a US $1300 Samsung S21. For me the convenience of my phone is worth more to me than $1,300. I know it's counterintuitive coming from a Centro rat who rarely breaks the 50 K COP barrier chica plus room included but it is how I roll.

I agree on many of your points. My concern is, I guess, if I could buy a new phone in MDE (assuming it was stolen) and activate my T-Mobile e-SIM. I think I could be ok, as I was in Panama and was able to get customer service to help me fix some things. I use a dual-SIM so that DiDi, Rappi, putas, etc. Don't have my personal cell phone number. It also helps with being able to make / receive local calls when necessary. Maybe I'm over-thinking it. Hopefully, no report to follow! Thanks to all for the responses.

[Knowledge]

I like Miraflores for authentic Peruvian food. There are so many restaurants it's hard to go wrong.

I'm so fucking excited to be going back! I've added about 100 WA contacts from SA in the last 2 months, since leaving. Looking forward to newbies & repeats, alike!

I'm kind of writing-off my first week, as it's just filler until I move into my long-term apartment. I'm considering staying in Envigado, just for a change of pace. Anyone stayed there and have a recommendation as to any smaller pockets that are good areas to be, or any specific apartments? I'd prefer to be by La Calle de la Buena Mesa (CL 30 Sur). Any restaurant or bar recommendations in the immediate area?