About lismore11

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Some Forum Posts:

Panama: Buying Cellphone on Visit to Panama:

Actually Verizon iphones 5 and later are unlocked and can be used in Panama. I successfully swapped out SIM cards on my iphone 5 without any problems. Here is a concise explanation from cnet about Verizon iphones. Verizon 4G LTE devices are unlocked out of the box One thing to note here in terms of software phone locks is that all Verizon 4G LTE smartphones come unlocked out of the box. The reason why is that the spectrum Verizon is using to build its 4G LTE network had restrictions put on it by the Federal Communications Commission, which required the company to allow "open access" to the network. So as part of this provision, Verizon has decided not to lock those devices. That said, its 3G devices are locked. So what does this mean for the average consumer? Let's take the iPhone 5 as an example. It's a 4G LTE device. A Verizon version of this phone comes unlocked out of the box. There aren't special codes that need to be entered in order to use it on another carrier's network. But because of the spectrum differences I mentioned above, a Verizon iPhone 5 won't operate on AT&T's LTE network. It will operate on AT&T's 3G network, which is based on GSM. So this means you can use the Verizon iPhone on AT&T, but you won't get the fastest Internet speeds on it. The same is true if you take the Verizon iPhone 5 to Europe. You can swap out the SIM card and put in another carrier's SIM card, but the device will operate only on a GSM-based 3G network. And it won't operate on a faster LTE network. And even though the phone is unlocked and uses the same CDMA technology and some of the same radio frequency channels as Sprint, an unlocked iPhone 5 won't operate on Sprint

Panama: Substandard products sold in Panama:

Years ago I worked for a large retail chain in the US. The chain had many foreign subcontractors produce clothing under the chain's private label. If the clothing did not meet the buyer's requirements , or US safety requirements (such as no drawstrings on hoods of children's clothing), the buyer would refuse delivery. The subcontractor could then attempt to recoup his expenses by selling to another retailer. The chain stipulated that the merchandise could only be sold to a foreign retailer and that all labels identifying the chain would be removed. This was known as "dumping on a foreign market". Many times the labels were not removed as we would have customers come into the store telling us about great buys they had gotten in foreign countries such as Mexico where we did not have stores. Maybe other retailers have the same policy for the items mentioned above.

Panama: Credit Unions:

Please read this earlier thread about another credit union Panama James was promoting in 2012. http://www.expatexchange.com/expat/index.cfm?frmid=270&tpcid=3356110&ms=flat&order=DESC Then google COACECSS and Offshore CD Network to see what happened to the previous credit union that Jim Thompson aka Panama James promoted. Boquete Guide and ning have alot written about the failure of these "credit unions".

Panama: First trip:

A marina is under construction at the Vista Mar development in San Carlos near Coronado . I don't have any other information on the marina but it should be near completion. San Carlos is about an hour drive from Panama City without traffic.

Panama: Furniture purchases:

You can also purchase handmade furniture locally. On the road leading to el Valle, there are a few furniture stands. We have purchased tables from Roberto who is on the right side leading to el Valle around the 5 km mark. Cruz de la Cruz has a shop in front of his house on the Panamerican highway after the turnoff to el Valle but before los Camisones. He is in the process of moving to the new shopping center at the turnoff to el Valle - not sure if he has moved yet. We purchased dressers and bookcases from Cruz. He also makes beautiful beds and consoles.

Panama: US Cell Phone:

My iPhone 5s from Verizon was unlocked. I went into the Digicel store in Coronado. The rep trimmed the sim card to fit my phone and I purchased 14 days of data and some call minutes for the phone. It took about 15 minutes and cost about $20.

Panama: can a us person build there own house ?:

There is a Canadian couple who are currently having a house built while they are in Panama to monitor construction. They are blogging about it. You can read their blog at jkeithhowie dot com.

Panama: U.S. gifts to bring to Panamanians:

It seems as if educational toys for children are hard to find in Panama.Parent's Choice Awards has a yearly list of educational board games for children. Ravensburger is another good company that makes board games. Another suggestion would be English books for the children.

Panama: Frame Shop Coronado Beach Area:

We tried to find a framing shop in Coronado in August, but never found one. Everyone we spoke with recommended that we go to Panama City or Penonome to have it framed. The owner of Coronado Cafe did mention a specific shop in Panama City - but I can't remember the name. You could always check with him. The owner of a local hand crafted furniture store had a friend who framed items so we tried a few small pieces. The frames were beautifully made, but the canvases were not properly stretched. If you find a shop, please post it so we all may benefit from your knowledge!

Panama: MY TURN:

Locos Coronado which is located in the Super 99 shopping mall shows NFL football but I am not sure if they show college ball. Las Terrazas del Mar in the Vista Mar development in San Carlos is a wonderful French restaurant. They have delicious escargot. I also recommend their fish dishes. The restaurant had been under renovation over the summer and had been relocated to a lower level near the pool. They may have finished renovations by now. Another favorite restaurant of ours is los Camisones which is a bit farther from Coronado by kilo marker 106.

Date Joined:

2/16/2014

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24

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