Let's Discuss Phones...

The phone you already have may be all you need, or you may want to leave it behind.

Verizon phones will only function on WiFi in Latin America. Local SIM cards will not work with them.

Any phones purchased in Colombia will work almost anywhere in the world. They use a standard called GSM which is used almost everywhere.

Verizon in North America uses their own proprietary technology called CDMA which is not compatible with GSM-based cellular systems.

You should be aware that telephone theft is the most common crime in Colombia, and there are dozens of ways they can do it.

Electronics are more expensive in Colombia than in most English-speaking countries, and incomes are considerably less. If you are carrying the latest iPhone you need to keep in mind that here it might cost more than a person used to make in 4 months, and now he could be unemployed. The temptation is sometimes just too great...

If you normally buy expensive "flagship" phones, you may want to consider leaving them behind. Otherwise, your travel photos could end up being very expensive, and you may not even have possession of them. The good news is that a $100 USD phone today can probably take photos as good as those from the most expensive phones of 5 years ago.

Most Colombians, including businesses, use WhatsApp to communicate over WiFi for free. It's very unusual to find someone who can only be reached with a "cell plan". You can probably just use your current number with WhatsApp.

The only reason you might need a Colombian SIM card is if you will need data for translation and navigation. If you don't speak much Spanish and you don't know where you are going, then your phone can provide lots of reassurance. If you have a Travel Guide, you may never need this kind of assistance. If you want to feel secure, just in case, you can get a SIM card and a pre-paid package with data good for 30 days for less than 7 Dollars, Pounds or Euros. I recommend the carrier Claro, because they have the best coverage, and the SIM card and data plans can be purchased almost anywhere.

Questions? Go to the Contact page and send me a message!