Cellphones: Calling-Using-Buying-Importing-Activating-Renting

There was a FTC law passed that all cell phone carriers have to unlock phones. This is only about a month old.

I have a Cingular Razr. I went to a store while xmas shopping and told them I was going to Argentina soon and would like to be able to change sim cards and be on the AR cell network. They told me no problem, and gave me a number to call. It is 1-800-335-4685. Just call them and say you are about to travel. Took about 5 minutes. They did ask me how long I has the phone, I told them a year. I don't know if there is any restrictions, if they give you a hard time I would look up the FTC ruling. I don't have it handy.

Also your phone must support the correct network, I. E. Gsm, 3g, etc.

From what I have figured out, if you are on cingluar or t-mobile with a gsm phone you should be ok in AR.

Ill find out in Feburary and report back.

Go to [url]www.tigerdirect.com[/url] and look at the offerings for un-blocked 4 band phones in both reconditioned and new, in all there must be about 100 different choices. Then when you get to BA you go to a "Personal" phone store and ask them for a sim card. They charged me ten pesos for this and included installation.

Also when the phone came to my office it didn't look even remotely reconditioned, it looked brand new.

Only problem was that when I turned on my phone down there for the first time it asked me for some security code which I didn't have. No problem, they told me to visit a certain Peruvian guy a few blocks away who for 30 pesos hooked my phone up to some device that unlocked it completely in about 30 seconds. I was off and on my way with my first Argentinian cell phone. Only trouble was the phone I had gotten was either defective or had some configuration problem since I could hear everything people said to me but they couldn't hear me. I'll return this phone to [url]www.tigerdirect.com[/url] and see how they custome service is and how well they stand behind their product.

Hello,

I am new to this forum and I have found really interesting info as I navigated through this. But to congratulate the forum is not the intention of this message.

I have a Personal GSM chip which I didn't use after my last trip in May last year. Some argie friends told me that I had to reacharge four months after the last use, and I had like $ 4 as a left over. I had the chance to recharge it some months after, but I was really busy and I didn't want to overload my credit card. The last time I tried to recharge it, at the beginning of December, the link to the recharging page didn't work and I didn't check the Personal site. As of today, Jan. 2nd, the page is unavailable.

If I want to reactivate my number. Should I try recharging from the site when it's available? What are the procedures of reactivate a number? Do I have to buy another GSM card again? I have plans to go there in February or April and somewhere in the 2nd part of the year.

Well, I look forward to answers!

Greet.

Mozzy

[QUOTE=Mozzy]Hello,

If I want to reactivate my number. Should I try recharging from the site when it's available? What are the procedures of reactivate a number? Do I have to buy another GSM card again? I have plans to go there in February or April and somewhere in the 2nd part of the year.

Well, I look forward to answers!

Greet.

Mozzy[/QUOTE]I don't know about recharging, but I just got a CTI Movil gsm card and charged it. It cost like 10 or 20 pesos for the actual charge and you load it up from there. It seemed that for the pay as you go the ctimovil plan was the cheapest. Could be wrong but it was nice. I didnt have my passport or anything. Just wrote down some nonsensical numbers in the slot for the passport number. It said something about a dni but the lady was more interested in selling me somethign than asking for ID. God bless argentina. This was at a citimovil stand near the Grand Tortoni Café on Avenida de Mayo, on that side of the street.

I don't think you need to worry about 4 bucks. Although its an oxymoron since exon just flamed me for complaining about a $us 18 fuck. Heh.

I have been to BA 5 times but have never managed to master just getting a SIM card 'pay-as-you-go' style, to use on my existing GSM mobile. When I asked before a year or so ago I was told I had to buy a contract, is this no longer the case? I have managed to just buy SIM cards and reload them in other countries in Europe, but never in Argentina.

In order to make calls to Chica's, I find myself buying phone cards where I have to enter 5 different access codes before making a call from my rented appartment, or otherwise being getting embarassed in a cabina, just when I ask the most awkward question, some middle age lady steps into the cabin beside me! Know the feeling?

So, from what I understand having read back a few pages, this is now possible. Whats the best company? And do you need to be a resident etc / are there any places you experts can recommend which are hassle free in this respect. Would appreciate any advice from you experts! My phone is a new Nokia Quadband, unlocked, so I guess I should not have any problems from this respect, right ?

[QUOTE=Coupe66]I have been to BA 5 times but have never managed to master just getting a SIM card 'pay-as-you-go' style, to use on my existing GSM mobile. When I asked before a year or so ago I was told I had to buy a contract, is this no longer the case? I have managed to just buy SIM cards and reload them in other countries in Europe, but never in Argentina.

In order to make calls to Chica's, I find myself buying phone cards where I have to enter 5 different access codes before making a call from my rented appartment, or otherwise being getting embarassed in a cabina, just when I ask the most awkward question, some middle age lady steps into the cabin beside me! Know the feeling?

So, from what I understand having read back a few pages, this is now possible. Whats the best company? And do you need to be a resident etc / are there any places you experts can recommend which are hassle free in this respect. Would appreciate any advice from you experts! My phone is a new Nokia Quadband, unlocked, so I guess I should not have any problems from this respect, right?[/QUOTE]Since you visit here just go to one of the little phone stores and buy a cheap cell phone for around 30-40 bucks US. It will come with 50p of credit and no need for all the trouble. Simple solution to an ongoing problem. When you leave give it to Roxanna or Ana Luna so they can offer it to Apt. Clients or tour clients. They make a little money and because somebody is using it the number stays active.

[QUOTE=Coupe66]I have been to BA 5 times but have never managed to master just getting a SIM card 'pay-as-you-go' style, to use on my existing GSM mobile. When I asked before a year or so ago I was told I had to buy a contract, is this no longer the case? I have managed to just buy SIM cards and reload them in other countries in Europe, but never in Argentina. QUOTE]CTImovil company used to sell only contracts. I think this is not the case any more.

Yes you can get a SIM card for only 5p and some airtime starting from 10p and you can use it on your 4band phone with its data and camera or buy cheap blocked local phone. Up to you.

Sim card will be alive for 8 months after the last recharge then the number is cancelled. That is for "Personal", the company that I use.

Argentina prepaid SIM cards can be had in the US before you leave (assuming you're US based) Google 'Argentina SIM card' for multiple retailers.

[QUOTE=Hound]Argentina prepaid SIM cards can be had in the US before you leave (assuming you're US based) Google 'Argentina SIM card' for multiple retailers.[/QUOTE]Hound chimes in!

Some guy on the airplane told me about this company. Sounds good.

[url]www.mobal.com[/url]

My wingman and I both bought Argentina Phone Number Sims Cards on ebay before coming down here last year. This way we already had our Cell Phone numbers before leaving the states and were well prepared for passing the number out to whomever we wanted, once we arrived.

Coach

I am coming to BsAs soon and I am bringing my unlocked GSM phone from Canada. From what I understand, I need to buy a sim card and top it up with credits whenever I run out of time. Is that right?

Who has the best reception / service and the best prices?

What is the best place to buy a SIM card without the DNI?

SM

[QUOTE=SexMachine]Who has the best reception / service and the best prices? What is the best place to buy a SIM card without the DNI? SM[/QUOTE]Hi SM,

I think if your cell phone is unlocked AND works on their system here then you should be ok. I know different cellphones sometimes work on different networks such as GSM and so on. So double check that.

And yes you can just buy a sim card at almost any corner kiosk store or any cell phone outlet, they cost around 40-50 pesos depending on the company you choose. Something like 15 dollars US. Then you buy recharge cards that sell for 10-20 pesos and some companies have larger denominations, though most kiosks have 10-20 Peso cards.

The best, I am not sure, though I have CTI, and they are about 70% of the time good, though the other 30% of the time they suck. I have heard the best are MoviStar and Personal, they have the largest networks and so their reception should be better. I have been told Personal is the best, though I can't confirm since I don't have it, but all the chicas swear by it.

Hope that was helpful,

Bad

Best place to get a SIM Prepago (Prepaid SIM) is any of the phone places on Corrientes. My gang and I prefer CTI Movil be / c we can also call back to the US pretty reasonable. You can also send and received US txt messages. The last SIM I had in Nov. 06 cost 50 pesos and I got about 25 minutes. Under normal+ usages I noticed that in ten days one can go through about $120 pesos in phone calls.

Desperado999

[QUOTE=Coupe66]I have been to BA 5 times but have never managed to master just getting a SIM card 'pay-as-you-go' style, to use on my existing GSM mobile. When I asked before a year or so ago I was told I had to buy a contract, is this no longer the case? I have managed to just buy SIM cards and reload them in other countries in Europe, but never in Argentina.

In order to make calls to Chica's, I find myself buying phone cards where I have to enter 5 different access codes before making a call from my rented appartment, or otherwise being getting embarassed in a cabina, just when I ask the most awkward question, some middle age lady steps into the cabin beside me! Know the feeling?

So, from what I understand having read back a few pages, this is now possible. Whats the best company? And do you need to be a resident etc / are there any places you experts can recommend which are hassle free in this respect. Would appreciate any advice from you experts! My phone is a new Nokia Quadband, unlocked, so I guess I should not have any problems from this respect, right?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=SexMachine]I am coming to BsAs soon and I am bringing my unlocked GSM phone from Canada. From what I understand, I need to buy a sim card and top it up with credits whenever I run out of time. Is that right?

Who has the best reception / service and the best prices?

What is the best place to buy a SIM card without the DNI?

SM[/QUOTE]The "gotcha" with GSM is that there are four GSM frequencies (850/900/1800/1900) that can be used but each country / carrier usually uses only one or two of them. A "world phone" is quad band and will work anywhere but many phones are only dual band.

CTI Móvil and Personal Lite both use 1900 which appears to be the frequency used in Canada. But you should check the specs on your phone to be sure.

Also, the cost per minute depends on the price of the card. 10p cards are much more expensive per minute than 20p or larger cards.