Why You Can Buy a Movie in EC For a Single "Dolarito"

cccmedia

Ecuador / Colombia Expert

Member since 14 March 2014

Quito, Pichincha

cccmedia

31 January 2015 07:54:24

10194

cccmedia

31 January 2015 07:54:24

10194

Quito, Pichincha

Ecuador does not enforce copyright or privacy laws, so anything available can be copied and sold, including CD's, DVD's, books and satellite signals.

You can find a video store "on every corner" (in Cuenca) selling pirated DVD's from 25 cents to $1.50.

Bookstores and schools keep a multitude of photocopy shops in business by copying every book available and selling the copies at a fraction of the original price.

Rosetta Stone language program normally sells for about $800. An EC copy can be had for 40 bucks.

source: Cuenca Residency website

cccmedia

Ecuador / Colombia Expert

Member since 14 March 2014

Quito, Pichincha

cccmedia

31 January 2015 08:05:00

10194

cccmedia

31 January 2015 08:05:00

10194

Quito, Pichincha

cccmedia wrote:
You can find a video store on every corner (in Cuenca) selling pirated DVD's from 25 cents to $1.50.

However, a visitor might encounter some static in trying to take these home.

One time U.S. government agents inspected one of my suitcases at the Atlanta airport, and spotted six or eight of these babies inside it.

I had declared the value, namely what I had actually paid in EC for the CD's. They proceeded to interrogate me as to 'didn't I know that these were pirated, etc.' since they cost me only $1.25 each.

I told them the truth -- that I had bought the CD's in Quito stores and had no information about alleged piracy.

After a few questions, the feds let me put the CD's back in the suitcase and allowed me to exit the area.

cccmedia