How to get a local number in the Dominican Republic

When traveling abroad it's always a good idea to get a local number in case of emergencies. Most of the time it’s cheaper to have a local number than to pay the international roaming rights by your home provider. From what I’ve learned, most countries are on the GSM network. Companies like T-Mobile and AT&T in the United States use GSM. When you are in the Dominican Republic, the two major phone companies are Claro and Orange. Orange is a GSM network. In order to get a local number you need a passport to open an account and an unlocked phone that takes sim cards. You can decide to add data to your number such as being able to use the internet without wi-fi or a pay as you go basic plan. It’s not necessary to have a contract. You can refill your minutes by buying minutes at Claro or Orange store or you can get them at the local gas stations, liquor stores, or at a kiosk. All you need is your phone number and any of the employees at the stations can add the minutes to your phone for you. You don’t have to carry your passport with you to refill your minutes.