What is monthly charge for high speed Internet connection in DR

oola

New member
Nov 27, 2008
8
0
0
I am planning my trip to DR and have a couple of questions.

What is monthly charge for high speed residential internet connection typically?

Also, what is the frequency band for cell phone, 850MHz or 900Mhz?

What is the monthly charge for cell phone? Do I need to sign contract with provider?

Can I use my Moto Razr over there?


What is the cell phone system, CDMA or GSM?

Is there many smart phones with large touch screen for sale? and how much is for an iPhone?

My friends in this forum, could you please give me some answers?

Thank you very much.
 

curtdave

New member
Nov 28, 2008
3
0
0
Hi,

I have no idea about it, but generally there is some difference in charges that's for sure.
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
5,808
948
113
There is CDMA and GSM. Some TDMA may also still be in use.

One problem with bringing your own phone may be to get it "un-locked" for use on a system here. A phone that has the ability for multiple Nams is good, so that you do not lose the number from where you came from. (Still make sure the tech does not over-write your home Nam).

You can get prepaid service for a phone, paying by using a calling card which is very popular by many people here over using a contract (More expensive most likely).

High speed Internet by Codetel may still require a two year contract.
 

johnny

Bronze
Feb 8, 2003
907
74
0
hausenland.com
for internet in codetel, you need a 1 year contract.
monthly fees goes from RD$850.00 for 512/128kbps , to $2,200 for 1.5mb/128kbps and up.
instalation and wireless modem are free.
add 28% tax

for cel phone. there are different plan rates.
it depends of the amount of free mins. included you requiere.
for example I have a plan of 950mins. free mins. with a montly rate of 2,390 plus tax.
 

WillSDQ

New member
Nov 3, 2008
47
10
0
Cell phone info

The magic number in the DR is 1900. 95% or more of the cell phones in the DR work on GSM 1900. However, my Sprint CDMA 1900 also works, but, the roaming charges are a killer. My first DR cell phone was a Verizon/Claro and it was a CDMA 1900 phone.

As others have posted, you will need an unlocked GSM phone(capable of using a SIM card) that operates in the 1900 band. Most phones you can purchase these days are multi-band phones. Just read before you buy and make sure 1900 GSM is one of the bands supported. PHONES DESIGNED TO WORK IN EUROPE OFTEN DO NOT HAVE 1900! Read before you buy.

I use an unlocked Blackberry in the DR. It just operates as a phone in the DR. I do not depend on e-mails very much. I see Dominicans using smart phones all the time. Not sure of the prices or the required service for these types of phones.

One new type of phone is the "dual SIM/ dual standby" phones. I am looking into this now. These phones (which are also smart phones) take two SIM cards. You can put your SIM from back home into the phone and a SIM from the DR too. As the phone is a "dual standby" phone, both lines will ring. It is truly two phones in one. When you want to place a call, there is a toggle switch so you can choose the line you want to use. These phones are made in China and are available on Ebay. Again, not all of these phones supports 1900. Read read read. Also, make sure that the phone you purchase also supports your SIM card from back home as well.
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
13,766
2,195
113
Punta Cana/DR
www.mikefisher.fun
i use a cell phone cotract line with claro/codetel/whatever name they may have , change often, ha ha, same number since 13 years, 1000 free minutes per month for around 1100 pesos a month, the plan includes 25 free minutes per month to europe/germany and a special rate if i pass those 25 minutes, for calls to the US i pay actually around 3.5 pesos per minute including the taxes.
i started that plan back in the day with just 300 or 400 minutes free per month, calls to other providers like orange been not counted towards the free minutes, today i have a 100 pesos per month extra fee included so all calls to all providers count towards my free minutes, extra minutes are much cheaper that the minutes purchased with a prepaid phonecard.
with such a plan/contract you can change your phone every 18 months, the more expensive models require a little extra payment on the change, but reasonable, the last years i switched my phone in the rhytm of around 12-14 months, they never complained, it is negociable.
Internet, here it depends where you wanna move to, if the area/residence is connected to the landlines of claro/codetel you can make a contract with them, their basic services are available for reasonable rates, their overall service is *****(yeap, i have over 13 years of "Codetel" experience with internet and landline office and private phone services, and their provided services are ******), but their functionality may vary from area to area.
here at my home claro/codetel does not have more landbased lines available since a decade or so, so i use a wireless internet service, provided by a company named Bec-tel, it is a simple 384/128 connection, the few times i had trouble with that one i called and got assistance right away/problems resolved right away and without charge(opposite on claro/codetel, even if you are a company you may have to wait a full week plus the next weekend before a technician even shows up to ask 'what is not working'). i manage on that connection my website and i am on my e-mails all day and night long, works fine for that, but is also not a cheapy, i pay $98.- per month taxes included, since a week i have for 15 extra bucks per month a local phone number installed on that, too, not used that often til now, will have to find out how it works, til now it works just fine.
Mike