Don't want to bring your shiny new device and pay the international fees of your US/ Canadian/ European carrier and/ or risk losing your expensive toy, but want the convenience of being able to surf the net and the safety valve of having a phone? Follow these simple steps to use that old phone you've got tucked away in a drawer somewhere. (I did this for iphone, but assume it might also work for other smartphones that use a SIM card.)
1. Make sure the phone is unlocked before you leave. It may take up to a week to get the phone unlocked by your carrier/ Apple. This should be free.
2. Buy a SIM card from Claro or Orange. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR PASSPORT with you. This is less than $5 US.
3. Load the phone with prepaid minutes. They can load pretty much any amount onto the phone. $20US should last you a while.
4. Double check that the credit has actually loaded onto the phone while you are still at the vendor. For Orange you can do this by dialing #131#.
5. Make sure that your settings do not allow data to automatically "push" as this can run your credit down, even if you do not buy "data" minutes.
6. Enjoy use of your phone via the carrier and use of your wi-fi in hotspots all over.
1. Make sure the phone is unlocked before you leave. It may take up to a week to get the phone unlocked by your carrier/ Apple. This should be free.
2. Buy a SIM card from Claro or Orange. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR PASSPORT with you. This is less than $5 US.
3. Load the phone with prepaid minutes. They can load pretty much any amount onto the phone. $20US should last you a while.
4. Double check that the credit has actually loaded onto the phone while you are still at the vendor. For Orange you can do this by dialing #131#.
5. Make sure that your settings do not allow data to automatically "push" as this can run your credit down, even if you do not buy "data" minutes.
6. Enjoy use of your phone via the carrier and use of your wi-fi in hotspots all over.