Colombian cellular information and SMS text messaging

Calling cards:_____________________________________________________________

There are three primary cellular services in Colombia (shown below) and in Colombia's large cities everyone including kids have a cell phone.  While the technology is the same as in the U.S. including high-speed data, calling plans and billing differ significantly.  All three of the largest Colombian cellular companies offer "prepago" (pre paid) and "postpago" (post paid) services with the former being the most expensive.  Credit history weighs heavily on which plan a Colombian qualifies for. 

An American in Colombia, typically does not have a cedula or Colombian credit history (nor do they check your American credit history) so the U.S. passport will do with all except Comcel which requires one to go to a main office rather than a kiosk to do the passport and thumbprint route.  Prepaid plans can be easily obtained from all three companies but are expensive compared to postpaid plans but without the 1-year contract requirement of the postpaid plans.  Americans with T-Mobile and Verizon phones (except the Verizon/Treo 700 pictured above) are typically SIM based (the little 3/4-inch computer chip inserted inside) and can get their phones easily "unlocked" in such places as San Andrecito in Bogota.  Once unlocked, the phone can accept any SIM from Comcel, Movistar or Ola for use with a prepaid plan and then reverted back to T-Mobile or Verizon service by simply re-inserting that SIM. 

In Colombia, calling a subscriber of a cellular company different than your own can incur additional cost.  Some plans compensate for this, for instance, a Comcel 340-minute plan can be divided into 200 minutes of regular Comcel-to-Comcel and Comcel-to-land line time with the remaining 140 minutes dedicated to calling friends with Movistar or Ola cell phones.

• Comcel The largest of the cellular companies, Comcel offers a variety of plans and cellular phones along with 3GSM high speed data transfer.  Comcel phones can be used in the U.S. at significant cost.  SIM based.

• Movistar The next largest cellular company, Movistar also offers a variety of plans and phones.  SIM based.  Participating merchants issue bonus minutes for purchases much like getting an hour of cellular time for buying a DVD player from Sears.

• Ola The smallest but popular cellular company, Ola offers less expensive plans compared to Comcel but outside of Colombia's largest cities, can be difficult to find service.  SIM based.

SMS texting to cellular phones___________________________________________________

  Click...

  ...here to send a text (SMS) message to a Comcel phone

  ...here to send a text (SMS) message to a Movistar phone

  ...here to send a text (SMS) message to an Ola phone

American cellular companies_________________________________________

  ...here to send a text (SMS) message to a T-Mobile phone

  ... here to send a text (SMS) message to a Verizon phone

  ...here to send a text (SMS) message to a Sprint phone

  ...here to send a text SMS) message to a Cingular/AT&T phone