... Communications in Costa Rica ...
by Infocostarica Staff

When I was in college in the United States, somebody asked me if there were buses and phones in Costa Rica. I almost died, not of anger, but of amazement at this individual's ignorance. Most foreigners don't have such an obtuse view about the development of this country, but they do have intelligent doubts and questions about it.

Costa Rican TV includes only thirteen local stations, but channels from around the world can be gotten through cable TV (Cable-Color, Cable-Tica) and Direct TV People that are used to watching ESPN, HGTV, Hallmark, HBO and other common U.S. channels, won't have to go without them.

As far as publications go, Costa Rica has several local newspapers such as "La Nación", "La República", "La Prensa Libre", etc. The "Tico Times" is an English language newspaper about Costa Rica, while "Costa Rica Aktuell" caters to the German speakers. International newspapers and magazines can be bought in big cities or in hotels.

The mail service in the country is moderately good. Letters take about five days to a week to get here from the U.S. and about ten to fifteen days from Europe. Receiving or sending packages can be both complicated and expensive, so it's not very advisable. Last but not least, safety is an issue. People shouldn't enclose valuables in letters, since theft isn't unheard of.

Costa Rica has one of the highest numbers of phone lines per capita in Central America and even in Latin America. Even if you can't phone from the hotel there are numerous public phones in most places. The following are numbers that are important to know:

911 - Emergency
912 -- Information
913 -- Collect Calls
914 -- AT & T calls to the United States
915 -- MCI
916 -- SPRINT
917 -- International Call information
Dial 001 before the area code in a United States number
Dial 011 and (506) before dialing a C.R. number from the United States

People can get a cellular phone line in a maximum of two days at the ICE (C.R. phone company) but they must also buy the apparatus itself. Tourists can also use fax machines which are present in most hotels or in RACSA in downtown or at a post-office.

Internet and E-mail have become essential tools for Costa Ricans. If you're coming for a longer stay and have a computer, you can apply to RACSA which is the only authorized commercial provider of internet services. Interested people may call their office at (506)287-00-87 or fax them at (506) 223-16-09.

Therefore, one might conclude that besides having buses and telephones, as my friend once asked, Costa Rica also offers the main communication means that all countries now possess. These services might be more limited than in other places, but they do exist.