In this hyper-connected world, I imagine you’re wondering whether you’ll be able to use your cell phone and have an internet connection in Colombia.
The answer is YES. Colombia is no exception to the modern world.
Here’s our practical guide to communicating in Colombia, where we give you all the practical information and advice you need to call your loved ones in France, contact Colombians in the country or access the Internet on your next trip to Colombia.
One thing’s for sure: having a local SIM in Colombia is super-practical if you want to search the Internet at any time, or simply find your way around using Google Map or another GPS device.
Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
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Buying a SIM card in Colombia
USING YOUR CELL PHONE IN COLOMBIA
The best way to have Internet access everywhere, and to be able to make calls if necessary, is undoubtedly to buy a local SIM card from Colombian telephone operators. The best-known are : Movistar, Claro, Tigo.
Which provider to choose?
We always choose Claro, because it’s the provider with the best coverage in the country. We also recommend it. No contract or anything, the idea is to take a prepaid plan that you credit as you need it.
The SIM costs between $3.000 and $6.000 pesos, then you choose your prepaid plan, which will include minutes for calling, GB for surfing the web, and unlimited use of Facebook, Twitter and especially WhatsApp. That way, you don’t have to worry about staying connected. There are many different plans, running for different lengths of time.
How much does a phone plan cost in Colombia?
Basically, it depends on 3 main factors:
- the duration of the plan
- the amount of Internet data
- the number of minutes
To give you an idea, a plan valid for 20 days, with 7,5 GB of internet, and unlimited SMS, Facebook, X (Twitter) and WhatsApp calls costs $21.500 COP.
If you’d like to be able to surf the web more freely, there are also plans with up to 80 GB of internet, priced at up to $100.000 COP, and valid for up to 30 days. The choice is yours, depending on your needs.
Here are some examples of CLARO prepaid plans (JULY 2024)
Where to buy a local SIM in Colombia
You can buy a SIM directly from Claro or other operators’ stores, which can be found in every shopping mall in major cities, and often have points of sale in supermarkets. But you can also buy a local SIM by going into any telephone accessory store – just look at the entrance, where the telephone operator logos are always displayed.
Top-ups can be found all over the country, and you can ask for them at supermarket checkouts, pharmacies, kiosks and so on. Don’t hesitate to ask the locals where to buy them.
Important things to know about buying a local SIM in Colombia
- Have an unlocked phone: above all, make sure you have unlocked your phone so that it can accept SIM cards from any operator.
- Have an identity document: You’ll need your identity document to visit one of the Colombian telephone operators’ stores.
PHONE REGISTRATION
It seems that some of you are having problems with your phones being blocked because they are “unregistered”. This doesn’t happen every time, but there are two ways to avoid it:
- Ask the seller to register your phone at the time of SIM purchase, using your IMEI and passport.
- Ask the seller which document number he has associated with your phone, so that you can register it on the Claro application yourself. Please note that this number is made up of numbers only, so if the seller has used your passport, it will only be the numbers in your passport.
How do I make a phone call in Colombia?
The country code for Colombia is +57 (0057), so if you need to call for information before your trip.
To call once you’re in Colombia
- From landline to cell phone : enter the cell phone number as usual, starting with 315, 302, 310, or 300 depending on the operator
- From mobile to landline : enter 60, the city code and the phone number. For example, for Bogota: 601, for Medellin 604, for Cartagena 605.
- For calls to another country, we recommend using the WhatsApp application. In case you need to do a traditional call you’ll have to dial your country code before.
USEFUL VOCABULARY
Cell phone: Celular
Provider : Operador
Prepaid Sim Card : Plan Prepago
Refill : Recarga para celular
Internet data: Paquete de datos
Refill minutes: Paquete de minutos
Register phone: Registrar el telefono
Passport number: numero de pasaporte
Using Whatsapp in Colombia
THE MOST USEFUL APPLICATION FOR COMMUNICATING IN COLOMBIA
The Whatsapp mobile application comes in very handy when traveling abroad. You’re probably familiar with it, but for those who aren’t, it’s an application that lets you send messages and make calls.
Whatsapp works with a simple Internet connection, so there’s no need for a telephone network. Above all, in Colombia, all operators offer packages that include unlimited Whatsapp, so it’s the best way to communicate “for free” in Colombia.
- To communicate with your family
In our opinion, this is the most efficient and economical way to stay in touch with family and friends.
- To communicate with Colombians
In Colombia, this application is widely used, so the first thing a Colombian will do to keep in touch with you is to give you his Whatsapp number (which is actually his phone number).
Whastapp is also very useful for reservations and the like, as it’s common to use Whatsapp to contact businesses, hotels, tour operators, guides, restaurants and so on. Customer services in particular can often be reached by this means.
WHATSAPP, HOW DOES IT WORK?
- Download WhatsApp onto your smartphone
- The application synchronizes your contacts and displays in the application those who already have the app
- To communicate with someone, that person must also have WhatsApp
- You can “add” a WhatsApp contact to be able to communicate with them
- Open the application, search for a contact and start a conversation (send text or audio messages, make video or audio calls like on a phone)
Internet in Colombia
HOW EASY IS IT TO ACCESS THE INTERNET?
As we said above, 3G and 4G network coverage is pretty good in Colombia. If you buy a local SIM card, you’ll be able to access the Internet (datos) on your phone.
Internet access
It’s easy to access the Internet in any city in the country. Large cities benefit from stable networks. Connections in medium-sized and small towns are also relatively easy.
Most hotels, hostales and posadas throughout Colombia have a wi-fi network available to their guests, usually free of charge. Don’t worry, you’re saved!
In rural areas
That said, in the most rural areas, in the jungle or the mountains, staying connected can prove more complicated.
Indeed, these regions are often poor and underdeveloped, access roads not always excellent, access to electricity sometimes difficult, and so it’s easy to imagine that the Internet isn’t necessarily accessible. That said, beware, because if the Internet network is lacking, the mobile network can sometimes be present in some of the most remote areas.
After that, a break from the world can do no harm! Nature is there to fill you with energy!
How to call if you don’t have a cell phone
CELL PHONE LENDING AROUND THE CORNER
If you don’t have a cell phone available, or you’ve run out of credit and need to make a quick call when you’re on the street, it’s perfectly possible to do just that.
Selling “minutos
On street corners or in town squares, you’ll often find posts with the sign ” Minutos”, which means you can use a cell phone and only pay for the minutes you use. The price per minute is often between $200 and $300 COP. Does this make you smile? yes, it’s a perfect example of the resourcefulness of Colombians.
Call centers
When we say “call center”, it could be any store with “minutos” written on the window or sign. They’re often stationery stores where you can buy lots of different things and have two or three landline telephones at your disposal.
Which is very practical: you ask to be allowed to call your destination, they’ll direct you to a phone and you’ll pay an amount according to the time spent on the call. If you wish, you can ask in advance for the price of a minute’s call, but in any case, don’t worry, it won’t cost you too much.
