Telephone and electricity networks in Colombia
How do you communicate and recharge your phones in Colombia?
During your stay in Colombia, it's important to be familiar with the country's telephone and electricity networks to make your journey easier. In our article, you'll find all the information you need to avoid being caught out once you're in the country, while spending relatively little to stay connected to the modern world, even abroad.
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Telephony & Internet in Colombia
Colombia offers a modern and relatively well-developed telephone and internet network in most parts of the country, given the natural obstacles (mountains, Amazon, after all!). You’ll find several mobile phone operators offering prepaid SIM cards or monthly packages.
How can I call a mobile or landline number in my country of residence from Colombia?
Imagine you’re a Frenchman, a Brazilian or even a Canadian on holiday in Colombia, but you need to call someone in France, Brazil or Canada. How do you do this?
- Use Skype (recommended): yes, you read that right! You can make international calls to landlines and mobiles using the Skype application. You just need to credit your account and that's it. We haven't found a cheaper solution to date: 1 hour's call costs around €2-4, depending on the destination.
- Using overage (not recommended): of course, you could also simply use your usual package, but being abroad, the cost of making an international phone call could be expensive. Not a good idea.
How can I get Internet on my phone in Colombia?
As with most countries in the world, there are a number of very simple solutions for staying connected while travelling in Colombia.
- Use a local SIM card: this is THE main solution we recommend for any traveller wishing to visit Colombia, whether for 1 week or 6 months. It's very easy to get a local SIM card on the spot
- Use the mobile package of your country of residence: depending on your country of residence and your telephone operator, you may be able to get data abroad with Colombia included in the list of countries (like Free in France with its €9.99/€19.99 5G package or SFR RED and its €35 South America Stay Pack option). However, very few packages in Europe offer data for Colombia, and we can't say how well this works once you're in the country.
- Free wifi: many public places (hotels, restaurants, airports, some public parks, etc.) also offer a free wifi connection (sometimes limited in time, and of variable quality). There are also cyber cafés with computers if you don't have a mobile phone.
Where and how can I buy a SIM card in Colombia?
It’s quick and easy to get a local SIM card in Colombia, whichever telephone operator you choose.
All you need is your passport. You pay for the SIM card itself (around 3,000 – 5,000 COP) + the prepaid package you want.
And of course you need an unlocked mobile phone, otherwise it won’t work.
- Go to an official shop (recommended): go to an official Claro, Movistar or Tigo shop in all the major cities (Bogotá, Medellin, Cali, Cartagena, Santa Marta, etc.) and medium-sized towns (Armenia, Pereira, Manizales, Popayán, Ipiales, Neiva, etc.). You can pay by credit card or in cash.
- Go to a grocery store/kiosk: many small grocery shops (‘tienda’ in Spanish) also sell SIM cards and packages. These tiendas can be found literally everywhere, even in small villages. Be careful, though, as you may be in for a surprise when it comes to data credit, if the seller wants to rip off a tourist.
- Please note that if you are staying in Colombia for more than 30 days, you must register your mobile phone. In order to curb the illegal trade in mobile phones, all handsets must be registered to be considered non-theft/legal if you are staying for more than 30 days. We therefore advise you to ask the seller to register your phone when you buy the SIM and the package, so that you can rest easy afterwards. They will need your passport and your IMEI number (obtainable by typing *#06# on the phone).
Which Colombian telephone operator to choose?
Colombia has 3 major recognised telephone operators: Claro, Movistar and Tigo. And let’s be clear from the outset, we advise you to take a prepaid SIM card from Claro, which has by far the best coverage in the country.
Be warned, though, that whichever operator you choose, there is more than one area in Colombia where there is NO signal. But don’t worry, it’s only isolated places, ‘at the end of the world’ that are affected, such as deep in the Llanos, certain parts of Amazonia, etc. There are no problems on the major tourist routes, in the big cities or in the small villages.
Below is a comparison of prepaid packages from each operator, excluding the purchase of a SIM (around 3,000 – 5,000 COP).
Claro
30-day package-
30-day package
-
30 GB of data
-
Unlimited calls (Colombia only)
-
Unlimited SMS (Colombia only)
Movistar
30-day package-
30-day package
-
12 GB data + 3 GB bonus
-
Unlimited calls (Colombia only)
-
Unlimited SMS (Colombia only)
tigo
14-day package-
14-day package
-
10 GB of data
-
Unlimited calls (Colombia only)
-
Unlimited SMS (Colombia only)
-
Comparison made in July 2023.
For longer stays (e.g. 2 months) or shorter stays (e.g. 10 days), there are of course other packages, more or less expensive, that could meet your needs.
Power grid in Colombia
It is important to note that in some more rural and isolated areas, there may be variations in the quality and stability of the electricity supply. It is therefore advisable to find out about the specific situation in the region you are planning to visit beforehand.
The electricity network in Colombia operates on alternating current and uses a standard voltage of 110-120 volts with a frequency of 60 Hz, compared with 230 volts and 50 Hz in Europe. The most commonly used electrical sockets are type A and B, which have two flat pins.
It is important to note that some hotels or more modern accommodation may also offer type C sockets (with two round pins) or type F sockets (with two round pins and an earth connection), as in Europe. But this is very rare.
Just check that your different devices are compatible.
- If you live in Europe, you'll need a mains adapter to charge your electrical devices (smartphone, laptop, tablet, etc.). We use this Welly adapter bought on Amazon, which also has USB ports, and we've had no problems whatsoever.
In Colombia’s major cities, particularly Bogotá, Medellín and Cali, the power supply is stable and reliable, comparable to that in developed countries. Hotels, restaurants and shopping centres generally offer broadband connectivity to recharge your devices and stay connected.
However, in more rural or isolated areas, the situation can vary. The electricity supply may be less stable, with occasional power cuts. If you are staying in the Amazon, the ecolodges only have electricity for a few hours each day.
If you need medication or medical equipment that depends on electricity, be sure to check the specific health requirements before travelling to Colombia.
Practical information about Colombia
Advice
Here’s our advice on how to be prepared for every situation in Colombia. Ensuring a minimum level of comfort, especially in isolated areas, can be important, especially if you’re staying for several days.
Beware of roaming charges
Roaming charges refer to the extra costs charged by your mobile phone operator when you use your phone or mobile data in a foreign country that is not covered. So don't forget to deactivate roaming charges just before you leave for Colombia, and until you have activated a Colombian SIM card (if you wish). Otherwise your next bill could be very high!
Using WhatsApp
WhatsApp is a free instant messaging application that uses the Internet. WhatsApp is extremely popular in Colombia, and is widely used by individuals and businesses. You can use it to contact your hotel, travel agency or guide. It's also a simple and effective way of keeping in touch with family and friends. All you need is an Internet connection (hence the local SIM card!).
Take an external battery
An external battery, also known as a power bank, is an essential accessory for modern travellers. This small, portable power source lets you recharge electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, cameras or headphones when you don't have access to an electrical socket. We recommend this Charmast battery on Amazon, which has good autonomy and is well supplied with ports.
Using a VPN
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is an application that enables you to surf the Internet anonymously, because the websites you visit cannot trace your identity or location (via your IP address). The fact that you can change your location is useful when travelling. You can book internal flights before you leave, or continue to watch your country's audiovisual programmes, even in Colombia! We use Proton VPN.
Practical travel guide Colombia
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