Thread: Cable and Wireless question

Hi All,

I was pretty bummed no one answered my question about internet air cards in Panama but I found out through a friend in David that they have them and they work fine. I went to the C and W website and it is exactly what I need. I will be in David on a Saturday and was wondering if Cable and Wireless is open Saturdays and asking again if anyone is using one. I use my Verizon 3-G one here in the US for getting internet on my laptop when I don't have a normal wireless connection. Any help or suggestions on other companies would be appreciated. As I mentioned, my house is in Costa Rica 20 miles from a Panama cell tower at Rio Sereno and we get a killer strong signal. Costa Rica is still real behind the times with communications and does not offer these air cards yet. I have no landline in CR.

Last question. In Costa Rica, a non resident cannot get a cell phone in their personal name. My Panamanian friend said that it is no problem to get a cell account in Panama. He said just pay up and I am done. Is it that easy?

Harry

C&W in Panama City is open Saturday, but I don't know about David.

Movistar also offers wireless cards; which one is better depends on signal strength in the area where you will be using it, and there's no way to tell that other than asking users what kind of reception they're getting. E.g., I know that Movistar is poor in Las Cumbres (in the hills just north of PC), but I don't know about David; I've always used C&W.

As far as getting a cell phone: If you go with a Prepago plan, they usually don't even ask your name -- at least the independent vendors don't. They just sell you a SIM chip for $5 (which includes a little air time). If you go with a Postpago plan, then they will want your name and ID (like a passport).

With your laptop use, you probably want a data plan, and I believe that the cost of those is much more reasonable if you go with Postpago (i.e., a monthly contract).

Another wireless provider in Panama is Mobilnet; lots of people in the boonies (like Bocas, Volcan, etc.) use them, but I really don't know about service, rates, etc. Mobilnet Internet Service | Panamainfo.com

You'll get more first-hand info to all these questions on the Yahoo! Group for ex-pats in David: Gringos_in_David_Panama : Gringos living in and around David
▼
▲▼
▲

Thanks a load for your help. I got the 3G USB Wireless card for the computer and it works. Now I just need to figure out how to pay my bill from the US.

HarryH

I think the only way to do that is to give them your credit card for automatic payment -- i.e., you have to do that when you sign up. If you have a Panama bank account, some offer online payments to utility companies -- but not the cell companies, as far as I know. E.g., from my bank I could pay for my C&W landline (if I had one), but not for my C&W cellular.