Communications
Telephone
Nicaragua's
old telephone monopolist, Enitel, still controls most of the telephone connections.
Landlines are not available everywhere, but the majority of the tourist places
have good connections. Calling to other countries is not a problem, but it
can get pricey. Especially calling overseas is expensive (calling to Europe
for example can cost over $1 per minute). Internet cafes offer cheaper international
calls, using online VOIP (Voice Over IP) systems, which mean you will call
from a computer to any regular phone in the world for significantly lower fees.
The International calling code for Nicaragua is +505.
The cell phone system in Nicaragua is rapidly developing, and new antennas are popping out of the ground throughout the country. In all of the bigger cities you will have good coverage, and next to the main roads more antennas are planted to ensure coverage for the ones on the road. The GSM 1900 network is used in Nicaragua, so be sure to check that your phone supports this system. You can buy a SIM-card in Nicaragua for only a couple dollars, which enables you to have your own Nicaraguan cell phone number and to make local calls charged at local rates. Rent-a-car companies and hotels also offer cell phone rental.
Internet
Internet connections are available in many cities and towns, be it not very fast but the coverage is significant. The government subsidizes internet cafes and internet is consequently available at cheap rates throughout the country. The price per hour is around $1, often a little more on remote places. There are quite some nice places with air conditioning, modern computers, and flat panel monitors.
Every day, these internet cafes allow more and more people in Nicaragua to browse the internet.
Sending a postcard from Nicaragua is no problem and the prices are very reasonable. Delivery is not guaranteed, but the majority of the mail ultimately reaches its destination. Stamps can be bought at the mail offices. Below is an overview of the prices:
Regular Mail (letters, postcards, etc):
| Weight | Nicaragua | Central America | Miami | Rest of America | Europe | Rest of the world |
| Up to 20 g | C$4.00 | C$6.50 | C$8.50 | C$10.00 | C$13.50 | C$16.00 |
| 21-40 g | C$4.50 | C$8.00 | C$10.50 | C$12.00 | C$17.00 | C$20.00 |
| 41-60 g | C$5.00 | C$9.50 | C$12.50 | C$14.00 | C$20.00 | C$24.00 |
| 61-80 g | C$6.00 | C$10.50 | C$14.50 | C$16.00 | C$23.50 | C$28.50 |
| 81-100 g | C$6.50 | C$12.00 | C$17.00 | C$18.00 | C$27.00 | C$32.50 |
| 101-120 g | C$7.00 | C$13.50 | C$19.00 | C$21.00 | C$30.50 | C$36.50 |
| 121-140 g | C$8.00 | C$14.50 | C$21.00 | C$22.00 | C$34.00 | C$40.50 |
| 141-160 g | C$8.50 | C$16.00 | C$23.00 | C$24.00 | C$37.00 | C$44.50 |
| 161-180 g | C$9.50 | C$17.50 | C$25.00 | C$26.50 | C$40.50 | C$48.50 |
| 181-200 g | C$10.00 | C$19.00 | C$27.00 | C$28.50 | C$44.00 | C$53.00 |
| every additional 20g | C$0.50 | C$1.00 | C$2.00 | C$2.00 | C$3.00 | C$4.00 |
| Arrival | 2 days | 7 - 15 days | 7 - 15 days | 7 - 15 days | 7 - 15 days | 7 - 15 days |
Express Mail Service (EMS): National and International Courier Service. Price for documents:
| Weight | Central America | Florida | Rest of US / Canada | Rest of America | Europe | Asia | Africa |
| 0.5 Kg | US$13.00 | US$14.00 | US$22.00 | US$28.00 | US$34.00 | US$42.00 | US$42.00 |
| 1 Kg | US$17.00 | US$20.00 | US$25.00 | US$31.00 | US$37.00 | US$47.00 | US$52.00 |
| 1.5 Kg | US$19.00 | US$24.00 | US$29.00 | US$36.00 | US$43.00 | US$53.00 | US$63.00 |
| 2 Kg | US$21.00 | US$29.00 | US$34.00 | US$42.00 | US$49.00 | US$59.00 | US$65.00 |
| every additional ½ Kg | US$2.00 | US$3.00 | US$4.00 | US$4.00 | US$5.00 | US$5.00 | US$5.00 |
Express Mail Service (EMS): National and International Courier Service. Price for no-documents (hardware, tapes, etc.):
| Weight | Central America | Florida | Rest of US / Canada | Rest of America | Europe | Asia | Africa |
| 0.5 Kg | US$20.00 | US$25.00 | US$35.00 | US$44.00 | US$47.00 | US$57.00 | US$67.00 |
| 1 Kg | US$25.00 | US$29.00 | US$39.00 | US$49.00 | US$54.00 | US$69.00 | US$69.00 |
| 1.5 Kg | US$29.00 | US$35.00 | US$49.00 | US$54.00 | US$64.00 | US$75.00 | US$82.00 |
| 2 Kg | US$32.00 | US$39.00 | US$49.00 | US$59.00 | US$65.00 | US$79.00 | US$79.00 |
| every additional ½ Kg | US$2.00 | US$2.00 | US$3.00 | US$3.00 | US$4.00 | US$5.00 | US$5.00 |
Sending cards for free with a delivery time of only a couple minutes? Send an e-card from Nicaragua to your friends and family!
Links
Written Media
La Prensa
Newspaper with a long history, strong positioning, and high circulation throughout
the country.
El Nuevo Diario
Newspaper with strong positioning, high circulation, and high acceptance throughout
the country
Estrella de Nicaragua
Biweekly publication edited by Nicaraguans from Miami, U.S.
Notifax
Electronic newspaper focused at Nicaraguan news.
Bolsa de Noticias
Daily publication focused at Nicaraguan news.
Television Channels
Televicentro Canal 2
The largest TV channel with the most coverage in Nicaragua.
100% noticias
TV channel broadcasting news, 24 hours a day.
Telenica
Canal 8
Channel with enormous acceptance throughout the country.
Radio Stations
Nueva Radio Ya
Very popular radio station among young people.
Radio La Primerísima
Radio station broadcasting news and analysis.
Radio Corporación
Traditional radio with a long history.
Stereo Romance
Regional radio station from Jinotepe, Carazo.