I just got a USB dongle for my lap top so I could get a mobile internet connection. Now that is not new, and lots of folks have these things.
The thing that is new (at least to me) is that ICE has a very nice prepaid mobile internet service. Go here to see the link: http://www.grupoice.com/wps/portal/kolbi_InternetPrepago_planes.
Now let me explain a bit how it works for us and why it is so interesting, at least for me:
First you need to get a USB internet dongle, sometimes called air card. Then go to an ICE office and establish an account. That gives you a phone number for the air card and a SIM card to put in the air card. Now deposit some money in the account with ICE for that phone number. I gave them ¢5,000.
Now you have the choice of different time periods of service at different prices.
To start the increment of service you want just plug in your air card with your new ICE SIM inside. (Your air card should have already installed a communication manager program) With the air card's communication manager program running you send a free text message to ICE 6060 with the simple one word message of:
ICE will return a message and the service will start then. You may have to re boot your computer the first time.
Once started, the service will be in effect continuously until the period expires.
The thing I find so interesting in this service is that it has a low price, and that you only have to pay for the service when you want it. I can turn on the service for a day or two while driving around Costa Rica and then when home on WIFI, I do not need it and DO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR IT!!!!!
So I plan to keep a little balance in my account for occasional use while traveling. I even had a use for it yesterday at home when my ADSL connection got very slow. I just went onto the air card and kept going with the internet til the ADSL fixed itself.
So there you go, enjoy.
Regards William Vorih