Starting today all phone numbers across Costa Rica, both mobile and landline numbers, will become one digit longer.
Landline numbers starting with a 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 will have an extra ‘2’ added to the beginning of the number ,whilst mobile phone numbers starting with 3, 8 and 9 will have an extra ‘8’ added to the beginning of the number. It is be mentioned that all mobile phone users must switch off and then back on their mobile phones to reboot their phone so that their phones can work with the new number guidelines. Without this restart the mobile phones will not be able to connect up to their service.
ICE (Costa Rica Electricity Institute) have been working hard over the past month or so to prepare their systems for the change as well as making the public aware. Huge campaigns have been run in newspapers, magazines, on the radio and most notably on the television with a catchy little jingle. ICE have even had staff members on the streets standing at busy traffic junctions displaying signs to remind drivers that the change was coming.
ICE have also spent time alerting major worldwide phone operators of the change too which may incur some problems for international callers who wish to call families, friends and business in Costa Rica.
ICE have made the changes to cater for the ever increasing demand for both landline and mobile phone network connections as ICE increase their services to parts of the country that were once unreachable.
All 800 numbers and the emergency 911 will not affected by changeover.
