Cell phones - buy in Panama or bring one from US?

If you are up for an upgrade and do not have to sign up for another contract, then do it, especially if they will let you have an unlocked phone. If you have to sign up for an additional contract, then no, because ATT is not available in Panama. Phones are not the same in Panama, most of the high end smartphones are available, but they are not cheap. It is best to not decide on a phone carrier in Panama until you are where you are going to be living as phone service by the various carriers is very different in every region. We have iPhones and pay $11.27 per month for unlimited data and then buy minutes as we need them with Cable & Wireless. They are the best in our area, Pedasi, and that was the cheapest way to go. We usually spend $5-$10 per month for minutes. We also have Magic Jack, which you have to get while you have a U.S. address and you will have to maintain a U.S. address with them. We kept our old home phone number from California, that way our family and friends can call us and we can call them for free.

Digicel offers prepaid (prepago) Smartphones for under $70.  We did not want a contract or monthly bill so we purchased a prepaid Smartphone phone and buy minutes $20 at a time.  It was confusing to use at first, but it works just fine for international calls and taking photos.  www.digicelpanama.com/es/plans/digiflex

I would just tell them that you are going to Panama and ask them to unlock your new phone so you will be able to use it while you are away.  Someone mentioned Magic Jack which is very useful in Panama.  It gives you a U.S. number so friends and family can call you without paying international rates.  I also use Skype in Panama.  The free Skype is great for calls and I also have Skype out for calls to home phones.  In Panama I use a smart phone that has these two apps on it in addition to pre-paid minutes for calls here.  Rather than buy an expensive smartphone I got one with 3G which is fine for Panama.  ATT was very helpful in giving me codes to unlock phones I brought to Panama with me but those were just cell phones. It can't hurt to ask them if they will unlock it.

Get  a new, unlocked phone on Ebay for about $300.  It does not have to have to be the most current edition (I have a Iphone 4)  Make sure it is unlocked.  Then you can sign up for whatever  service you want.  I have Cable & Wireless - 2+ hrs tak and more data than I've ever used - for $20 mo.  The best thing is that you can download apps that will make your life so much easier.  Spanish-english translations, WAZE, WhatsApp, Duolingo and so many more. It will have wifi capability to call anywhere in the world. If you bring an unlocked phone to Panama, you will be at the mercy of someone here to charge you whatever he wants.  I was quoted $150 but had it done in Florida for $40 several years ago.

Hello,
We arrived here to Boquete over 10 days ago.
I came down with my I Phone 5S that I got unlocked by ATTT on their web site from here in Panama. Very easy to do, although I was on a monthly plan... no contract.
The next day went to Cable & Wireless and was up and running in 10 minutes. I paid  $25.00 and change and got 175 minutes. They had a special going on as they always do. It was a slight learning curve converting voice prompts for messages, voice mail, and checking your balances. But it's all good. Phone service here is excellent!
Totally agree with Tombseekers, all those apps are very helpful. It will make  life much easier here.

Don't know what it's like in other areas but here in Atlantic Canada smartphones are super expensive without a contract. If you sign a contract,  you have to keep paying when in Panama. My solution was to buy a good (unlocked) smartphone from; www.everbuying.net and buy a sim card from a carrier when I get to Panama. I can still use a local sim card when I go home. Magic jack is great for contact to family back home. You can even forward calls from the magic jack to the smartphone.

I would bring one from the USA. I went thru three phones purchased here before I finally gave in and bought a high end phone in the States and brought it here. Also, some advice, ATT is not nice about unlocking their phones when you've moved unless you are using ATT and that is not what you want to do, it's extremely expensive to use them here even with all of their passport programs. Better to buy a SIM card when you arrive. The easiest place to buy a good quality phone (IPhone or Galaxy 4-5) is online, just make sure it's an unlocked phone that takes a SIM card. And bring it with you. I learned this the hard way.