I am using Google Fi. It works pretty good here, but after 90 days they will restrict data for international plan. You need to use the phone in the US for awhile to reset the 90 days. Their international plan is included in the unlimited plan. I also am using a local phone with TIgo and Claro service on the same phone. It loses service sometimes in the mountain areas, but works well in the towns.
Yeah, 30 days of use in the US to reset. Which puts your FEIE at risk. It's risky. It's just reselling TMobile so the service is the same. Just a different pricing model.
I’ll be coming to Nicaragua in February, landing in Liberia and taking a NicaExpreso bus to cross the border. I assume I can buy a Claro sim at the Liberia airport but do you think it will be more expensive than buying it at the border shop when the bus stops there ?
You can buy Claro Costa Rica at the airport, you can't buy a Nicaragua SIM in another country. Nor can you buy a Costa Rica SIM in Nicaragua. So if you want a CR SIM (I've considered it) then yes, grab one there. If you want a Nicaraguan SIM, the Claro dealer will normally get on the Nica Expreso (that's what I ride too) at the border and will help you set up your phone and SIM right there on the bus.
Bats are awesome animals that we love. THey do no harm and they eat mosquitos. Like... they are our natural best friends. Bats are our first line of defense against humanities greatest foe: mosquitos.
Hi, Scott. It is Jamie and Lisa and we are in San jaun del . Sur and we have tigo did not realize it. Will not let us check our bank for text to Canada.
No, most banks use their resources to force you to buy phone services in country. I assume that they have investments in the phone companies or the government pushes them to do so as there is no technical or security or customer service reason for it. It's purely to either give them a reason to drop you as a customer or to extract a hefty fee from you to remain a customer that most people don't equate with being a fee, but it is. Canada especially has these problems compounded as there are no even remotely acceptable phone carriers. Unfortunately you are stuck keeping a Canadian number for Canadian banks.
I have a 2+ yr old phone (OnePlus) that only has a single sim slot. I plan on getting a new phone in Nicaragua when I get there, one of the Chinese ones that I've heard you talk about, something cheap, that ill use in-country, and keep my current T-Mobile phone for 2 factor stuff. Question is, can I get a phone at the Claro store or should I go to another store where there might be more selection. In the US, not all carriers have all types of phones available, especially in smaller stores, so i hope this isn't that stupid of a question, lol.
Don't buy at a carrier. Go to a store for the phones. Like the Mi Store for Xiaomi. Or an Honor store. Don't keep your own phone. Move the SIM over to the new one :)
So, when I arrive I should get a sim at the airport, put it in the old phone so I have indrive for a taxi, then go to the Mi store and get a phone? Or will indrive work on my T-Mobile phone? I know WhatsApp works on it, but is indrive like poneytas-ja, and needs a local number?
Have my Claro SIM still in my phone from last trip. I think I can just re-start my service with a new plan using the same card next trip? My phone has two SIM card slots, not e-SIM compatible. Just signed up for the WhatsApp discussion group. Looks like there are several sub-groups as well, or is it just one of them yours?
I have T-Mobile. I don’t want to lose my USA phone number, my iPhone has a slot for a eSIM. I want to know with my phone if I can have two different phone numbers, or carriers? Does this make sense, while in Nicaragua?. A Nicaragua carrier, and a USA T-Mobile carrier.
hi scott sorry can you just clarify- if my iphone supports esim can i not just keep my own phone number...i have heard i need to download an e-sim app like (airalo) have you heard of this? im travelling for 3 weeks.
You KEEP your old number. But does your service from wherever that is from provide data in Nicaragua? Those "download esim apps" tend to be quite expensive (but not always) and don't give you a local number so services that require a local number don't work. Getting a new esim does not imply getting rid of your old one. But you will need service in Nicaragua. So if your current data plan doesn't cover Nicaragua (from North America, only T-Mobile really does this) then you need some way to have data here. Claro and Tigo are the carriers here. Just get an esim when you arrive.
@ thanks yea sorry from Canada data plans too expensive … my phone does except e sim so will do when I arrive thanks… the app I was looking at was $30 a month data only- so maybe I will just wait thanks again
T-mobile good 👍🏽
Thank you Scott for all the gold nuggets - you rock!🤘
Very timely and useful. Thank you, Scott!
Scott my pulperia sells sim cards with no passport required ,
Wow, that's great. I've always needed someone with a cedula. But I only buy so many, obviously.
@@ScottAlanMillerVlog if you want a few from claro and tigo just give me a hollar and i will make it happen.
I am using Google Fi. It works pretty good here, but after 90 days they will restrict data for international plan. You need to use the phone in the US for awhile to reset the 90 days. Their international plan is included in the unlimited plan. I also am using a local phone with TIgo and Claro service on the same phone. It loses service sometimes in the mountain areas, but works well in the towns.
Yeah, 30 days of use in the US to reset. Which puts your FEIE at risk. It's risky. It's just reselling TMobile so the service is the same. Just a different pricing model.
I bet I have to have more of a smart phone for an e-sim for my street phone. Now I have that old fashioned kind for walking in the street, lol.
I’ll be coming to Nicaragua in February, landing in Liberia and taking a NicaExpreso bus to cross the border. I assume I can buy a Claro sim at the Liberia airport but do you think it will be more expensive than buying it at the border shop when the bus stops there ?
You can buy Claro Costa Rica at the airport, you can't buy a Nicaragua SIM in another country. Nor can you buy a Costa Rica SIM in Nicaragua. So if you want a CR SIM (I've considered it) then yes, grab one there. If you want a Nicaraguan SIM, the Claro dealer will normally get on the Nica Expreso (that's what I ride too) at the border and will help you set up your phone and SIM right there on the bus.
Thanks, Scott! Should I have US cash or Nica cash to pay for the sim or will the Claro Nica dealer take a credit card?
On the bus, that is. Thank you, I’ve learned so much from your channel! 😊
@patinka816 any cash. no internet for CC on the bus. it's southern Rivas. middle of nowhere.
very informative Scott thanks... but one question, why is it "perfect" that bats live in your bodega?!?! lol
Bats are awesome animals that we love. THey do no harm and they eat mosquitos. Like... they are our natural best friends. Bats are our first line of defense against humanities greatest foe: mosquitos.
Hi, Scott. It is Jamie and Lisa and we are in San jaun del . Sur and we have tigo did not realize it. Will not let us check our bank for text to Canada.
No, most banks use their resources to force you to buy phone services in country. I assume that they have investments in the phone companies or the government pushes them to do so as there is no technical or security or customer service reason for it. It's purely to either give them a reason to drop you as a customer or to extract a hefty fee from you to remain a customer that most people don't equate with being a fee, but it is. Canada especially has these problems compounded as there are no even remotely acceptable phone carriers. Unfortunately you are stuck keeping a Canadian number for Canadian banks.
@ScottAlanMillerVlog two, thanks for the info.It clears that up as usual.Appreciate you
I have a 2+ yr old phone (OnePlus) that only has a single sim slot. I plan on getting a new phone in Nicaragua when I get there, one of the Chinese ones that I've heard you talk about, something cheap, that ill use in-country, and keep my current T-Mobile phone for 2 factor stuff. Question is, can I get a phone at the Claro store or should I go to another store where there might be more selection. In the US, not all carriers have all types of phones available, especially in smaller stores, so i hope this isn't that stupid of a question, lol.
Don't buy at a carrier. Go to a store for the phones. Like the Mi Store for Xiaomi. Or an Honor store. Don't keep your own phone. Move the SIM over to the new one :)
So, when I arrive I should get a sim at the airport, put it in the old phone so I have indrive for a taxi, then go to the Mi store and get a phone? Or will indrive work on my T-Mobile phone? I know WhatsApp works on it, but is indrive like poneytas-ja, and needs a local number?
God, I'm sure I butchered that name, lol. Is it Peñitas-Ja?
Pedidos Ya. "Orders Already"
Have my Claro SIM still in my phone from last trip. I think I can just re-start my service with a new plan using the same card next trip? My phone has two SIM card slots, not e-SIM compatible.
Just signed up for the WhatsApp discussion group. Looks like there are several sub-groups as well, or is it just one of them yours?
I have T-Mobile. I don’t want to lose my USA phone number, my iPhone has a slot for a eSIM. I want to know with my phone if I can have two different phone numbers, or carriers? Does this make sense, while in Nicaragua?. A Nicaragua carrier, and a USA T-Mobile carrier.
hi scott sorry can you just clarify- if my iphone supports esim can i not just keep my own phone number...i have heard i need to download an e-sim app like (airalo) have you heard of this? im travelling for 3 weeks.
You KEEP your old number. But does your service from wherever that is from provide data in Nicaragua? Those "download esim apps" tend to be quite expensive (but not always) and don't give you a local number so services that require a local number don't work. Getting a new esim does not imply getting rid of your old one. But you will need service in Nicaragua. So if your current data plan doesn't cover Nicaragua (from North America, only T-Mobile really does this) then you need some way to have data here. Claro and Tigo are the carriers here. Just get an esim when you arrive.
@ thanks yea sorry from Canada data plans too expensive … my phone does except e sim so will do when I arrive thanks… the app I was looking at was $30 a month data only- so maybe I will just wait thanks again
Yeah, a month of really fast data with a local number is just $12 here