My Move To Panama
Ask About Our
​White Glove Service
US: (214) 431-5235
​Panama: +(507) 6270-4333
  • Home
  • Buy
    • Condos for Sale in Casa Bonita, Playa Bonita Resort >
      • Playa Bonita Resort
      • 24P Casa Bonita Penthouse for Sale
      • 21M Casa Bonita Penthouse for Sale
      • 21P Casa Bonita Penthouse for Sale
      • 20-o Casa Bonita Penthouse for sale
      • 19L 2 Bedroom Condo at Casa Bonita High Floor
      • 18F 2 Bedroom Condo at Casa Bonita High Floor
      • 18G 2-Bedroom Apartment
      • 15G Casa Bonita 1-Bedroom Condo for Sale
      • 11J 2 Bedroom Casa Bonita
      • 10F Casa Bonita for Sale
      • 10i Casa Bonita for Sale
      • 9K Casa Bonita 1 bedroom for sale
      • 9e Casa Bonita 1 bedroom for sale
      • 7F 2 Bedroom Large Apartment at Casa Bonita High Floor
      • Casa Bonita New Apartments
    • Condos for Sale in Panama City >
      • Winston Churchill 3 Bedroom Paitilla
      • Amador 2 bedroom
      • Vista del Mar 1 bedroom
      • Aqualina 3 Bedroom Punta Pacifica
      • White Tower - 2 bedroom
      • Amador 3 bedroom Jr. Penthouse
      • Amador 3 bedroom Penthouse
      • Costa del Este PH Parque del Mar
    • Condos for Sale in Coronado >
      • Royal Palm, Gorgona, Panama
      • Coronado Golf Tower >
        • Coronado Golf 2-Bedroom Apartment
        • Coronado Golf 11th floor
        • Coronado Golf Tower 1-Bedroom
      • Casamar Beach Community >
        • Perlamar at Casamar - 1 and 2-bedroom condos
        • Altamar at Casamar - 3 bedroom condos
      • Bahia Resort, Nueva Gorgona, Panama >
        • Bahia Resort 1 Bedroom
    • Priced-to-Sell Beach Properties >
      • Las Islas, Punta Barco-Panama
    • Houses for Sale >
      • Penthouse in Amador (30% discount)
      • Villamar at Casamar
      • Villamar 14
      • Marinazul at Casamar >
        • Marinazul Masterplan
        • Marinazul #4
      • Vista Mar Villa
      • Costa del Este House
      • Oceanfront Home in Majagual, Panama
      • Oceanfront Home in Malibu Beach, Panama
      • Coronado Farm $1.2 MM
    • Land for Sale >
      • Boquete House Plus 10 Hectares
      • Absolute Beachfront Lots Pedasi
  • Rent
    • Rent at Casa Bonita >
      • FAQs About Renting at Casa Bonita
      • Casa Bonita 7D
      • Casa Bonita 7e 1 bedroom
      • Casa Bonita 7F
      • Casa Bonita 7i
      • Casa Bonita 9b 1 bedroom
      • Casa Bonita 9e 1 bed
      • Casa Bonita 13B 1 Bedroom
      • Casa Bonita 14B 1 Bed
      • Casa Bonita 14J
      • Casa Bonita 15B
      • Casa Bonita 17J
      • Casa Bonita 18e
      • Casa Bonita 18F
      • Casa Bonita 19D
      • Casa Bonita 19L
      • Casa Bonita 23o Penthouse
      • Casa Bonita 24o Penthouse
      • Casa Bonita 24N Penthouse
      • Playa Bonita Resort
    • Renting in Coronado >
      • Coronado Golf 1-Bedroom Golf Course View
      • Coronado Golf 2-Bedroom
      • FAQs About Renting at Coronado Golf
      • About Coronado Golf Tower
    • Renting in Panama City >
      • Villa del Mar 2 bedroom apartment
      • Amador 2-bedroom
      • Vista del Mar 1 bedroom
      • Amador 3-bedroom
    • Rental Terms & Conditions
    • Fun Facts About Panama
    • Resources for Renters
  • Visit
    • Why Panama?
    • Things to Do in Panama >
      • Monkey Island Panama
      • Fish Market Panama
    • Foodie Tour
    • Gift Videos
    • French People Moving to Panama >
      • Porquoi les Français s'installent-ils au Panama
  • Concierge
    • Premium Services
    • Property Management
    • Moving to Panama >
      • Getting Money into Panama
      • Opening a Bank Account in Panama
      • Getting a Bank Mortgage in Panama
      • Bringing Pets to Panama
      • Checklist for Bringing Your Dogs & Cats to Panama from the US
    • Testimonials
    • What Do Renovations Cost in Panama?
    • Redecorating in Panama
  • FREE Book
  • Contact
    • About Us
  • Blog

Setting Up Cell Phone Service in Panama

8/6/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
If the term "disposable phone" brings to mind untraceable calls between drug dealers, throw your TV-mind away. This is Panama. Disposable phones are used by the masses here because they are so affordable. For about $20 you can get a decent phone made by Nokia or Samsung or another brand you recognize. You then pre-pay for cell phone service in any amount you want and your usage is deducted on a per-minute basis. The rates for pay-as-you-go service varies by provider but will range from five to fifteen cents per minute. You can even make calls to the U.S. for just a few pennies more per minute.

If you're coming to Panama for a visit, it's cheaper to buy a disposable phone in Panama and put $10-$20 of credit on the phone than to use your foreign-based service.

If you run out of credit, no need to hunt down a cell phone office. Just go to your nearest grocery store, mini mart or Chino and you can buy cell phone credit and then input the credit on your phone via a simple code. (By the way,  a Chino is a local's mini mart that typically has a person's name attached to it, like Jonathan or Melissa or Isabella. These are often owned by Panamanians with Chinese heritage and are therefore called Chinos. It's not a derogatory term but rather a term the Panamanians use to describe something, similar to calling a blonde woman "a blonde.")

The main cell phone providers in Panama are Claro, Digicel and Movistar. Expats who move here typically invest in a nicer phone as their main phone, but keep a disposable phone from a different provider as a backup to make sure cell phone service is always available.

To get a phone, you simply need to provide a copy of your passport and choose a prepayment amount. You will get a phone and a phone number. Nothing could be easier. Just charge the phone and you'll be ready to chat away. 

One of the services offered by Panama Relocation Concierge is to provide clients with a complimentary cell phone while you are visiting Panama and looking at property.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Melissa Darnay is a marketer, a serial entrepreneur, and a relocation concierge in Panama. Learn more... 

    Archives

    July 2020
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    August 2017
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2015-2019 Choose Panama Inc. All Rights Reserved.