Well, I hope someone from SJDS can also respond. This is what we have in Granada proper.

Internet service at home at 512 is $25 a month. Will upgrade to 1 MB in fall for same price plus they give you a free HP Notebook for signing up for I think two more years.

Phones are a little more complicated since there are two major phone companies. Claro is more expensive but much better coverage all over the country. MovieStar is cheaper (and more popular) but poorer service. The expense is that if you have one service and call the other company even for text messages then there is a surcharge. This is why many individuals and businesses have one phone for each service.

Most people here keep buying minutes though I have no idea why since it is no cheaper than a plan and you are always running out of minutes and you have to buy the phone.

My wife and I have a phone plan then you each get to select your own phone for free and they replace them if you lose them or damage them. Our plan is $25 a month per phone with Claro and we have never run out of minutes.The surcharges run about the same so for two phones it is around $90-100 a month and it is automatically billed against my debit card. Last time I checked you must be a resident to do this.

If you want a smart phone then I believe there is another surcharge or pay something upfront. It continuously changes because the models keep changing. Since I have an IPad I can't see the value of a smart phone also.

Many people are bringing their IPhones, etc. down here and use them since they are cheaper in the states.

If you stop in a Claro or MoviStar store they will explain your options. Like the states they are everywhere.

Regards

Darrell

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Darrell Thank you for the info.

I am buying a house in the SJS area. Is there any advantage to having the monthly service charge billed to a debit card over a credit card? Just curious.

Thanks again.

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Well, they often do not know you are giving a debit card instead of a credit card so you can try. Remember, it is a little different here. Few people have a bank account let alone a credit or debit card.

Regards

Darrell

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Most debit cards can be used as credit if the business does not accept debit cards. It still comes out of you account right when you use it. For monthly payments we have had money deducted from debit cards in the states to pay for phone and satelite service here in Nicaragua. It is not that easy but if you a have a friend that has a friend that works in the bank, you can open a bank account here without a cedula. Bancentro is probably the easiest and BAC being the hardest. If you open a bank account here you will be issued a debit card and yes, they will allow monthly deductions. If you are retired, visit Mrs. Leon in the US Embassy and she will do the paperwork for you to open a direct deposit account at any bank you wish without a cedula. The money goes to a bank in New York and then wired here. It gets here the 6 th of the month and there is a $ 6.00 or $ 8.00 charge in the US.

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