How to call costa rica on whatsapp
How to Make WhatsApp International Calls for Free
Using this article, I intend to teach you how to make international WhatsApp calls at no cost to you whether you are home or in other countries abroad. You can use these methods on both iPhones and Androids.
But that’s not it.
In fact, not only will I share with you everything you need to know about the subject, including how to add international phone numbers, but I’ll also reveal some useful tricks such as how to make free international calls in countries where WhatsApp is banned.
Let me introduce myself, I mind my manners 😅
I’m Frankie Caruso, an instant messaging app expert and tester for some of the most popular mobile software. If you want to know more about me, I’ll drop you a link to my bio.
Note: if you want all of these tips and helpful pieces of information to your inbox, you can take a moment and sign up for my free weekly newsletter to save you time.
Back to us.
Thanks to WhatsApp you can call friends and relatives anywhere in the world (nearly anywhere) for free.
Doing this is very simple and does not require any computer skills. All you will have to do is follow the directions provided in this guide and spare me 2 minutes of your time.
Ready?
Great, enough chit-chat, let’s get started!
In short:
- To make an international WhatsApp call, open WhatsApp > than select the contact you want to call > next choose either the phone icon or the video icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
- WhatsApp international calls are always free via Wi-Fi. Depending on your cellular plan, you may incur international charges for using cellular data on WhatsApp.
- If you are in a foreign country, I recommend turning off roaming and using only Wi-Fi, so you won’t run into extra charges.
How to make an international call on WhatsApp
Regardless of whether you have an iPhone or an Android follow these simple directions:
- Open WhatsApp mobile app
- Head to the Calls section and type in the name of the contact you want to call in in the search bar
- Click the phone icon to call or the camera icon to video call
That’s it!
As you can see it’s not complicated.
While we’re at it I’ll also show you how to make WhatsApp international calls on WhatsApp Desktop app.
This might come in handy, for example, if you are in an airport or hotel room and you are connected to wi-fi via your laptop.
Note: I would like to set one thing straight – when I mention WhatsApp Desktop, I am not speaking of WhatsApp Web.
They are two different things. Unfortunately, as of today you cannot make international calls or video calls via WhatsApp Web.
Follow these steps:
- Open the WhatsApp Desktop App from your laptop (you can download it from here if you don’t have it)
- Select the contact you want to call
- In the top right-hand corner, you’ll see phone and video icons. Click on the one you want to use
Done! Enjoy your call 😄
Everything you need to know to make WhatsApp international voice and video calls abroad or at home
When I speak of international calls, I mean both calling from your country to a different one and making calls back to your home country while you are traveling the world.
Below you can get introduced to everything you need to do to accomplish this.
Does WhatsApp charge for international calls?
As you are likely the same as everyone else, you want to know how this affects your pocketbook.
Fortunately for you, it doesn’t.
WhatsApp international calls cost nothing.
WhatsApp uses your phone’s internet connection (ex: 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G, EDGE, or Wi-Fi) to send/receive messages and to make any phone calls.
What this means is, you are not paying for messages or phone calls.
As long as you do not reach a point where you have reached your data limits, you can use cellular mobile networks or available Wi-Fi to talk around the world. Your carrier does not charge extra for the use of WhatsApp.
Now that you know you are not having to shell out any money, let’s talk about what you need to do to make international calls through the app.
Frankie’s Take:
You do not have to pay a dime to make calls on WhatsApp or receive messages. You just pay your regular bill to access data on the phone as you normally do, no extra charges or strings attached.
What is needed to make international WhatsApp calls?
Now that you are breathing a sigh of relief that your money is safe, you might be thinking: What do I need to make international calls?
In truth you do need things – three of them in fact.
- You need an active internet connection via mobile networks (5G/4G/3G/2G/EDGE) or Wi-Fi
- Have the number you wish to dial stored in your phone’s contact list (if an international number, it must have the appropriate country code)
- The recipient of the call must have WhatsApp installed on their phone (but you can invite them if they do not have it).
If you meet all of the above requirements, it is going to be very easy to make international calls using the app. It works the same whether you are home or somewhere else in the world using both domestic and international numbers.
Below you can see a video breaking down the process for you so that you are completely confident in what to do.
Once you watch the video, you should have a pretty good idea of what to do. If you are still struggling, you can check out a step-by-step guide to making phone calls with WhatsApp.
If you are attempting to call anyone in another country, make sure their number is stored appropriately in your phone.
I can explain the importance of this and how to do it in the upcoming paragraphs.
Frankie’s Take:
There is literally no difference calling domestic or international numbers from your living room or halfway around the world. The calls follow the exact same process and use the same data streams to connect.
Adding international numbers on WhatsApp
There is no other way to call numbers from your home country and add them to your contacts than what you have always done. This should be second nature to a seasoned WhatsApp user.
International numbers are a little more complicated.
It is not rocket science to add people from another country to your contacts. The real trick is making sure that the number you are adding has the proper format.
What the heck does that mean? I will tell you.
You do know that every country in the world has its own respective country code, right? You have to add this code before the phone number you are adding of your new international contact.
EXAMPLE: Let’s say you have a friend Mark in the UK, and you need to save his phone number to your WhatsApp contacts. England’s country code (+44) must get added before Mark’s number in your contacts to ensure the call gets directed to the right place.
It is vital that you remember to add the code for the respective country, otherwise you are going to connect with someone – just likely not Mark.
So how do you figure out what code belongs to what country?
Sure, you could ask your hypothetical buddy Mark, but you could also use the infinite knowledge of the Google search engine.
Or you can use this link to check out the WhatsApp country code list. This site has all the codes for every country across the globe.
Need to call someone in your home country from abroad?
You do not need to add a country code.
For example, if you are American and you are calling a number in the United States, you do not need to add prefixes necessary for international numbers.
Here is an important bit of knowledge, though.
You might just want to get in the habit of saving all of the numbers that you add to WhatsApp with the appropriate country code to avoid potential problems.
We all have seen how WhatsApp can play some games on you from time to time, so to avoid any potential hiccups in calling, add your contacts with the country codes too.
Frankie’s Take:
When you are adding an international number, you have to start with a “+” sign. This comes before any numbers get entered. You then add the country code after this icon.
WhatsApp isn’t working in a specific country – What do I do?
You might find that certain areas of the world can make it challenging to use this app to reach out to someone back home or reaching someone in one of these areas.
Why would that happen?
Surprisingly enough, there are countries that have actually banned the use of WhatsApp.
This might happen for several reasons, but it often mostly revolves around the end-to-end encryption.
WhatsApp uses this security measure to protect the privacy of users and prevent law enforcement and government entities from spying on its citizens.
While bans might not happen all over the world, you can expect them in areas like Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa and South America where rulers do not want citizens to have too much privacy.
A list might change regularly to accommodate new laws and regulations, but currently here are some areas where WhatsApp is prohibited:
- China
- North Korea
- Cuba
- Iran
- Syria
- Qatar
- UAE (only blocks voice and video calling)
If you are traveling to these areas, you are not out of options. There are two things that you can do to get the service running right:
- Subscribe to a VPN Service
- Use Different Apps to Make Phone Calls
Below I delve a little into each of these potential solutions.
Frankie’s Take:
It should go without saying that if you are trying to reach someone living in these areas of the world, they should also be employing one of these mentioned methods to work around a WhatsApp ban.
1. What is a VPN and how can it help with international WhatsApp use?
Allow me to begin by providing simple terms to describe a VPN.
VPN, or Virtual Private Network, encrypts your internet traffic to better protect your identity online.
To put it plainly, you are signing into a private network which allows you to become invisible to unauthorized spying. It also masks your actual location, which makes it appear that you are logged in from somewhere else in the world.
Let’s use the example of being in China. You can connect through VPN to an American network and WhatsApp believes you are in the United States and work as it was designed to. You can watch the video I have included below to get a better idea of how this works.
So, the question now is: where do you find one?
There are many services available online, some even for free. While this might be a tempting term, the free service is so unreliable and chaotic that it might give you a nervous breakdown to use it.
I am sure you would prefer not to waste considerable time hunting for the best VPN out there.
Paid services are not expensive and offer a better interface.
I personally recommend and use NordVPN for the value and its reliability when I need it. I would say it’s the best, but Google has dozens of reputable companies you can choose among.
Frankie’s Take:
When you are traveling the world, it is wise to use a VPN service. Not only can you make easier international calls, but you can more readily access streaming websites, news, and personal accounts.
2. Other apps that allow international calling for free
When you travel to areas where WhatsApp has gotten banned, and you do not have a VPN service, you have no other choice but to explore other apps.
It is also possible to opt for an online service to make regular calls as you want.
If you are curious about what apps allow free international calls like WhatsApp can, surprisingly there are several.
Some of the most popular include:
- Viber
- Skype
- Facebook Messenger
It is recommended to acquire these apps before you leave for your journey and ensure that your favorite contacts have done the same.
I have already written a long article all about all the best apps to make international phone calls, so if you want to learn all of the available methods, it is now accessible. Check it out.
Frankie’s Take:
I would always recommend using a VPN while abroad so that you can access your streaming services, social media, and make phone calls – but most importantly protect your privacy. You can also benefit from some of the secondary apps to work around WhatsApp bans.
What are the drawbacks to WhatsApp for international calling?
No matter how great I can tell you that WhatsApp might be for calling internationally, this service isn’t without its cons.
By my estimations, there are three potential drawbacks.
I will go over each of these individually.
1. Higher data usage on inadequate roaming packages
As you learned earlier, there are no direct fees for international and domestic video and voice calls through WhatsApp. You owe the app developers and its service nothing.
What you might owe, however, is the provider of the internet services that you use. If you are not on Wi-Fi, you are utilizing data in your cell plan which can eat up this available allotment.
But how much data can you expect to use making calls?
Voice conversations consume 500-600 kb of data per minute, or 30-35 MB an hour. Audio calls alone might not seem like much when you are calling from your own country. It is the international calls that you make abroad where you might get stuck with a higher bill.
If you are calling with a data roaming package (which is usually very skimpy) you must pay close attention not to exceed your limit.
If you go over, the bill is going to be expensive at the end of the month.
This is even more so if you are intending to make video calls through WhatsApp.
With video calling, as you might suspect, the data consumption increases exponentially. Transmitting both audio and video signals over a mobile network uses 2-3 MB per minute, or nearly 200 MB an hour.
EXAMPLE: If you have a plan that only offers 1 GB of data, you have about 5 hours of video call that you can make before you are over.
The moral of this story is if you intend to use a roaming mobile data package for WhatsApp calling, you have to check with your provider to learn the full information about how much data is available.
Don’t just shrug off this advice. I have known many people who have paid excessive bills after underestimating data consumption.
Frankie’s Take:
If I am traveling the world, I schedule phone calls for the evening hours when I am back at my hotel and likely on a Wi-Fi connection.
You can also seek out cafeterias and other public venues offering free Wi-Fi to save your data.
2. You cannot call numbers not directly linked to WhatsApp
You cannot use WhatsApp to dial landlines or other numbers like you would normally use your smartphone to handle.
This can be a nuisance if you are wanting to contact a business or company in another country – because they usually only offer a landline or mobile number for contacts.
That can be a pain.
So now you have no choice but to pay the exorbitant long-distance fees unless you can find a reliable alternative for making cheap international calls online.
Frankie’s Take:
In the cases where you are wanting to contact businesses, a landline, or make other regular phone calls, you can avoid spending tons of money by using one of these online services to make phone calls at cheaper rates.
Conclusion
I think I have said enough about the things you need to make international WhatsApp calls for free without any surprises.
Here are some of the important takeaways from the reading:
- International calls in WhatsApp are free
- You need to save foreign contacts with their respective country code
- WhatsApp is banned in certain countries, use a VPN to work around this
I have also detailed a few of the potential problems that you could encounter when using WhatsApp for international calling. That is something that you should check out if you just skimmed through it.
You can find other fantastic WhatsApp tricks in this guide: fantastic WhatsApp tricks and tips you should know.
That’s all I have for you in this installment. If you want to know more or share some comments on the subject, you can always reach me through the comment box below.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel for how-to videos about WhatsApp.
As always, a hug for you.
Frankie Caruso
P.S. Don’t forget to sign up for my free weekly newsletter to learn tricks and become a master of messaging apps like WhatsApp
Can I Use Whatsapp in Costa Rica? – Costa Rica Travel Tips by Chifrijo Jones & Friends
Written by ChifrijoJones in Tech
If you plan to travel to Costa Rica and stay for an extended time, you should consider having a local cellphone and installing Whatsapp.
Whatsapp is the most popular app in Costa Rica. According to a study by El Financiero, 97% of people that live in Costa Rica, have it installed on their smartphones. It is among the top free apps, along with Waze and Google Maps, that we recommend installing before you arrive in Costa Rica.
Since 97% of Costa Ricans have it installed, you can assume that any cell phone number (which begins with a 6, 7, or 8) can receive messages that way.
It such an important part of daily life in Costa Rica that the local cellphone carriers offer free data for Whatsapp in order to attract new customers.
Unlike traditional phone calls and text messages, Whatsapp isn’t complicated by national boundaries. When you have it on your phone in Costa Rica, not only can you communicate for free with local friends and businesses, you can also keep in touch with loved ones back home without the expense of an international plan.
Having a Local Cell Phone in Costa Rica for Whatsapp
To take advantage of such an offer, you will need to either:
Once you arrive, you can establish and a prepaid account and buy a SIM card from one of the local cellphone service providers.
In order to establish the prepaid line, you will need to show your passport and pay for the initial service. This can be as little as $5.
Once your service is established, you will have a local phone number.
Which Costa Rican Cellphone Carrier to Choose
Ten years ago there was only one choice in Costa Rica for cell service. It was the state-owned ICE, which is also the national electricity utility.
Since then, the market has been deregulated and competition has changed the competitive landscape.
There are three mass-market carriers. They are:
The company, OpenSignal analyses cell phone data performance. In their most recent report on Costa Rica, Kolbi has overtaken MoviStar as the best performing carrier. It offers the best 4G and 3G download speeds, twice as fast as the others.
Additionally, according to nPerf, Kolbi has the best overall geographic coverage of the three providers.
Getting a prepaid line and SIM card from Kolbi is super easy.
If you are arriving at the San Jose airport, look for the Kolbi kiosk in the baggage claim area. If you see the car rental area then you have gone too far. The Kolbi kiosk in the airport is no longer there. There is a Kolbi store less than ten minutes from the airport, inside of City Mall Alajuela.
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Express delivery to Costa Rica from Russia
Where can I get the packaging?
When placing a request for delivery, tell the manager that you need packaging. The courier will arrive with envelopes and safe packages. If sending abroad will be through an office in Moscow, then a specialist on site will reliably and compactly pack the contents of the parcel, in accordance with international rules.
If I call TSM next time, will I have to tell you again about what and where to deliver?
From the first contact with the TSM international courier express delivery service, a personal manager is assigned, who maintains a customer card. On the next call, the client gets to the assigned manager of the TSM company. nine0003
Is TSM open on weekends?
On weekends and holidays there is always a manager on duty who is ready to advise on delivery issues, fill out an application, set a date and time for pickup on a weekday, but couriers do not work on weekends. If the client has a deadline, then we connect an air courier who is ready to urgently deliver the shipment to the addressee.
Do you have branches/offices abroad?
Time Saving Machine is an aggregator to which 128 Russian and international courier services and logistics companies are connected, so TSM has representative offices even in corners of the planet remote from megacities. nine0003
How can I track my shipment?
After the courier picks up the parcel, cargo or documents, the personal manager sends the carrier's website and a tracking number, thanks to which each stage of delivery is visible in real time.
Is it possible to send a bank card abroad by courier service?
TSM sends bank cards from Russia to abroad every day. In order for the envelope to pass customs control without hindrance, the sender or addressee must be the owner of the payment card. The bank statement with a blue seal must be attached to the card. nine0003
Are envelopes and parcels opened at customs?
Items are not opened, but X-rays are used during inspection. If the customs service finds undeclared contents, the parcel can be opened, arrested, destroyed, or, at best, returned to the sender.
Do you have delivery within 24 hours in Russia?
If you need urgent delivery between cities in Russia, then TSM has a solution. Within 30 minutes after the application is made, the courier picks up the shipment and, bypassing warehouses and sorting centers, goes to the airport to transfer documents or a parcel on the next flight, thus saving the client's precious time. In the city of destination, a local courier hands over the shipment to the addressee, that is, you do not need to go to the airport and meet the desired flight. Thus, the delivery cycle usually takes up to 12 hours, depending on the distance of settlements from airports and the availability of flights. nine0013
Tell us more about the air courier service
The air courier service is the fastest way to deliver from Russia to abroad and from abroad to Russia within 24-48 hours, depending on the distance of the countries and the availability of flights. The team has a staff of proven reliable air couriers who have visas to all international destinations. Delivery of items is carried out by one person from hand to hand without sorting centers, warehouses and points of issue of orders.
When will the courier arrive?
The manager appoints a courier at a date and time convenient for the client after signing the contract and paying for delivery services. The courier calls 30 minutes before arrival, please do not ignore the calls, otherwise the collection of the departure will have to be rescheduled for another day.
Who completes the supporting documentation?
The logistics department of the international courier service TSM takes over the task of filling in invoices and waybills. Also, if necessary, we help to collect the accompanying documentation for sending parcels abroad. nine0013
Why send photos of the package contents to the manager?
If you plan to send a parcel abroad, it will go through customs control, for which you must provide invoices and waybills filled in English and Russian. Thanks to the photographs, the logistics department will enter the data on the cargo into the accompanying documentation as accurately as possible - this will allow you to freely pass through the customs services.
What do I need to apply for the delivery of a shipment? nine0003
- Contact the TSM manager in a convenient way - by phone, e-mail, instant messengers;
- Please state the weight and dimensions of the shipment;
- Specify the urgency of delivery;
- Please provide addresses, contact numbers, full name of sender and recipient;
- Send photos of the shipment;
- To conclude a contract for the provision of delivery services, send a scan of your passport to the manager;
- Choose the tariff that suits you from those offered by the manager; nine0062
- Pay for TSM's delivery service;
- Tell us a convenient date and time for calling a courier;
- Hand over the envelope or parcel to the courier.
How to save on parcel delivery?
The cost of courier delivery directly depends on the size and weight of the shipment. By packing the shipment compactly, the client will save a lot of money.
If there is no urgency for the delivery of a parcel or documents, then choose an economy tariff with a delivery time of 21–28 business days. nine0013
Will you make a discount?
The more affordable the cost of international courier delivery services, the more often legal entities will be able to exchange commercial documentation, product samples and goods with foreign partners, therefore, when concluding an agreement, we provide discounts.
For individuals, we provide weekly discounts for the delivery of items to 10 Russian and 10 foreign cities. Keep track of updates weekly, probably in your direction there will be a promotion. nine0003
When sending parcels or documents from 9:00 to 10:00 and from 18:00 to 19:00 from the office located at Moscow, Shukhov 17, building 2, for individuals we give a 10% discount on international delivery services.
Do you sign contracts with customers for delivery services?
For the peace of mind of customers and for the accounting of TSM, it concludes two types of contracts with individuals and legal entities: for a one-time shipment and for the provision of delivery services on an ongoing basis. nine0003
In what currency do you accept payments? Can I pay for delivery services while abroad?
TSM made sure that customers from any country could pay for the services of courier delivery of parcels, documents, cargo, therefore, in March 2022, they opened a foreign currency account abroad, which makes it possible to accept payments in any currency, including dollars and euro.
How do I pay for TSM delivery services?
The following payment methods are available for TSM clients: in cash at the office located in Moscow at ul. Shukhov 17, building 2; through the Internet service for receiving payments Robokassa; to the account of the organization. For foreign clients, TSM has a foreign currency account, so we accept payments in dollars and euros from payment cards issued in Europe, Turkey, the CIS, and the USA.
nine0013
Can the recipient pay for TSM delivery services?
Anyone can pay for courier delivery — the manager generates a link for paying for services through the Robokassu online payment service, sends it to the customer, and the customer sends it to the addressee. After payment, Robokassa issues a check, which must be sent to the manager of the TSM company.
When do I pay for TSM delivery services?
We provide courier services on a 100% prepayment basis. For your confidence and security, we draw up a contract, after payment we issue a check. nine0013
How much does door to door delivery cost?
Hand-to-hand courier service is already included in all Time Saving Machine rates. It is enough for the sender to contact the TSM manager in a convenient way, provide information for filling out the application and appoint a courier for a convenient date, time and place. In the country of the recipient, the shipment will be delivered by the courier to the addressee.
What is the cost of international delivery services for parcels, documents and cargo at TSM in 2022? nine0003
Please provide your TSM personal manager with the following information to calculate the cost of delivery:
- weight and dimensions of the shipment;
- indices and addresses of sender and recipient;
- urgent delivery.
The cost will not seem to be what the client expects. Indeed, the prices of international courier services have risen, this is due to the increase in the route of the supply chain, currency fluctuations and the increase in fuel costs. nine0013
What is the delivery method, but planes don't fly?
In March 2022, TSM opened an office in Asia, where we deliver shipments by air, then arrange shipment to Russia. Aviation in the direction of Asia-Russia-Asia is operating normally.
What is the delivery time for parcels/documents from abroad to Russia or from Russia abroad?
Personal manager, depending on the client's request, selects the optimal tariff.
In 2022, we deliver items from hand to hand in 24-48 hours, 7-12 days, 10-15 days and 21-28 days. The faster you need to deliver a parcel, cargo, documents, the more expensive the cost of delivery services. nine0013
Do you deliver parcels from Russia abroad? / Do you deliver parcels from abroad?
In March 2022, TSM opened an additional office in Asia, through which parcels, cargo and documents transit to Russia, so delivery to and from Russia works as usual.
Costa Rica. Code of Costa Rica - 506. Step-by-step instructions on how to call Costa Rica
Briefly about how to call Costa Rica
From a mobile phone to Costa Rica from Russia
+ 506 [area code | operator code] + [phone number]
From a landline to Costa Rica from Russia
8 10 506 [area code | operator code] + [phone number]
From home to Costa Rica from Russia
8 10 506 [area code | operator code] + [phone number]
From office in Costa Rica from Russia
9 8 10 506 [area code | carrier code] + [phone number]
Important notes when dialing
- 8 - long distance access code
- 10 - international access code
- 506 - area code of Costa Rica
- 9 - as a rule, this code is used to access the city communication
Instructions in English can be obtained from the link: how to call Costa Rica
How to call Costa Rica and its cities
From a mobile phone from Russia to Costa Rica
from the Office in Russia in Kosta-RIKO in Kosta-RIKO in Kosta-RIKO in Kosta-RIKO in Kosta-RIKO in Kosta-RIKO in Kosta-RIKO in Kosta-RIKO in Kosta-RICO in Kosta Rika in Kosta-RIK
| List of cities and information in Costa Rica (Code 506)
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