My last visit to DR I noticed my Pre Paid Claro account could no longer sent text messages. I have an old Blackberry there that has Wi-Fi so I can use Wassap to send text to most of my numbers. But for those of my numbers who don't use Wassap I had to call. Which by the way, normal voice calls worked fine. So I stopped by Claro in Santo Domingo main office near Parkeo Indepencia and inquired. They said that feature was disabled on those accounts that have long periods of dormancy. Mine was one because I am only there twice a year. It had something to do with some event where Claro lost money. I tried to have mine restored showing my Cedula and US Drivers license as ID. But the representative would not make any changes to my account without seeing my passport. That type of thing I had happen more than once and makes me very angry. One of the reasons I have gone thru the process of getting a cedula was to avoid having to carry my passport. Yet it is useless to many offices unless accompanied by a passport. Anyone know why? Seems the DR doesn't seem to care about the risk of loss of passport and the headache that will accompany it to get back to the states. Well I guess there are two subjects in one post LOL. Anyone chime in on Claro Changes/DR Identification rules. :ermm:
- Thread starter Joe Boots
- Start date
Claro Closes Some PP Card options
As far as the passport, other than going to the bank, our passports stay in the safe with my Cholula sauce. I just show my driver's license in most situations.
The other part on texting, I hope you receive a thoughtful, simple answer because I was trying to follow your story and learn something.
The other part on texting, I hope you receive a thoughtful, simple answer because I was trying to follow your story and learn something.
When I moved into my new apartment, I wanted to set up a Claro account for Internet because it had worked well for me in my former place of employment. I went to the office, but was told that as a non-Dominican, I needed to go to the main office in POP to set it up.
I hightailed it to Orange, where with my (American) passport, I was able to rent a box for a month to try it out. It worked fine, so I went with Orange.
As it turns out, there are zones in Sosua where Orange works better than Claro. And where I live is an Orange zone. So the Master of the Universe smiled.
Go figure. And caveat emptor.
I hightailed it to Orange, where with my (American) passport, I was able to rent a box for a month to try it out. It worked fine, so I went with Orange.
As it turns out, there are zones in Sosua where Orange works better than Claro. And where I live is an Orange zone. So the Master of the Universe smiled.
Go figure. And caveat emptor.
First point. These providers are useless. Quite the norm now for an account to become disabled if the phone is not used for of months. There is differing opinion on what constitutes 'not used'. Some think you need to top up the account regularly to keep it active whereas I believe you only need to keep it charged and so receiving signals to keep it active. I had an emergency phone, a RD600pesos jobby that I never used, I never had any other phone other than landline. That I carried around with me encase I carried around with me never receiving calls other than promotions and never making calls for years, and it never deactivated. I have done this with various providers.
As for the passport, never been asked for passport where cedula is required other than making bank withdrawals from the counter. You will find there is no national policy, go elsewhere and you'll have a different experience.
Meemselle,
So true. I cannot get a Claro cell signal inside my house, so it is Orange for me as well. However, Claro's fiber internet service is available to me and works much better and is cheaper than all other available options for my preferred download speed.
I too needed a passport for Claro in POP, it is what it is and the marginalizing of the the resident foreigner continues. Even a fair skinned naturalized citizens have to sometime jump and down proclaiming their citizenship before the foreign passport requirement is withdrawn. Fastest way to cause a stroke is to present a DR passport when they ask for one. The look on their faces when you present a DR passport instead of what they are expecting...priceless.
So true. I cannot get a Claro cell signal inside my house, so it is Orange for me as well. However, Claro's fiber internet service is available to me and works much better and is cheaper than all other available options for my preferred download speed.
I too needed a passport for Claro in POP, it is what it is and the marginalizing of the the resident foreigner continues. Even a fair skinned naturalized citizens have to sometime jump and down proclaiming their citizenship before the foreign passport requirement is withdrawn. Fastest way to cause a stroke is to present a DR passport when they ask for one. The look on their faces when you present a DR passport instead of what they are expecting...priceless.
In my experience dealing with Claro and the bank is they always ask for the document you opened the account with. I opened my Claro account with my passport and if I want to make any changes to my accounts I need that passport. I have had my Claro number so long I changed my passport. So I could not do any thing with my account until I returned with the original passport I opened the account with and asked them to change my account to my new passport. They did it without any problem. Maybe you can go one day with your passport and and have them change your account to your cedula. Just a thought.
Wood
Wood