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

[QUOTE=Damman]MEXICO CITY -(Dow Jones)- Wireless carrier NII Holdings Inc. (NIHD) and Research In Motion (RIMM) said Monday they will sell the Blackberry Curve 8350i smartphone in four Latin American countries starting in the first quarter of next year.

In a joint press release, the two companies said the smartphone, which includes push-to-talk service and Wi-Fi capability, will be made available through NII Holdings' operations in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Peru.

NII Holdings, which operates in five Latin American countries, reported just over 5.8 million subscribers at the end of September.

NII Holdings competes with larger mobile operators in the region, including America Movil SAB (AMX) which has rolled out Apple Inc's (APPL) iPhone in recent months, Spain's Telefonica SA (TEF) and Telecom Italia (IT)[/QUOTE]Personal offer both the Blackberry Curve and the Blackberry Pearl for aprox 1000 pesos plus a monthly fee of about 100 pesos for the service.

[QUOTE=Aqualung]Personal offer both the Blackberry Curve and the Blackberry Pearl for aprox 1000 pesos plus a monthly fee of about 100 pesos for the service.[/QUOTE][url]http://www.glofiish.com/[/url]

Have a good look at these products. Way much better than an I phone and many others.

I tried to get one before leaving Athens but they were sold out.

You need to install some software in order to get maps etc but it is easily available on the net for free if you know how and where to look.

A friend of mine is using it, in RIO now, he is very satisfied, and can make and receive skype calls on the move as long as you have a WiFi signal.

No need to have commitments. Any GSM sim card accepted. I think a new model can accept even 2 sim cards and have TV on the move too. They are selling them with 3 year guarantee back home.

[QUOTE=Poker]Paste.

It is not possible to SmS a phone number from Argentina with a US phone.[/QUOTE]I've sent text messages to Ba phones with my US T-mobile phone. I noticed that if the girl has Claro (formerly CTI) it does not work. If she uses Movistar, it works. I have not tried Personal. (my tmobile phone is unlocked, for international calls.

I have personal and I can send messages to any phone I have ever tried in the US - Also to Indonesia! But I have never tried to the UK. Come to think of it I should try!

While we are on this subject, does anyone know if it's possible to SMS cellphones from a computer? It's possible in the US but I have been unable to find a service which supports BA cellphone numbers.

Thanks,

Bob

Yes you can.

Try [url]http://www.mensajesacelulares.net[/url]

[QUOTE=AllIWantisLove]While we are on this subject, does anyone know if it's possible to SMS cellphones from a computer? It's possible in the US but I have been unable to find a service which supports BA cellphone numbers.

Thanks, Bob[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Banana Rep]Yes you can.

Try [url]http://www.mensajesacelulares.net[/url][/QUOTE]Has anyone tried this and can say if it works or not?

Are most cell phones in Argentina set up to receive SMS messages? I tried using the above website to send a test message to my rental prepaid phone (Personal) a few days ago but couldn't get the text message to go through.

[QUOTE=James Bond 007]Has anyone tried this and can say if it works or not?

Are most cell phones in Argentina set up to receive SMS messages? I tried using the above website to send a test message to my rental prepaid phone (Personal) a few days ago but couldn't get the text message to go through.[/QUOTE]I tried it and it didn't work!

To your second question, yes all phones here are set up to receive SMS messages.

I tried calling Heidi, Sol, and Nancy without much luck. This was today (Sunday) so I guess no suprise.

My spanish is basic. Heidi's voicemail said either it was full or not taking messages.

Sol, I was only able to leave a message.

With Nancy, I did the same.

There is no substitute for talking with someone, so I'll give it another try tomorrow.

Happy hunting guys and Poker thanks for the intel.

As far as calling them you need to dail 54 11 then xxxx-xxxx to call from outside BA, if you are local, 15 xxxx-xxxx if you are calling their cell phone, and just xxxx-xxxx if it is a local landline. Take a look at thier advertisement to see what you should dial.


One question, do any of the top ladies use email?

The rule above applies if calling a landline, but if calling a cell phone (15-xxxx-xxxx) you change the 15 into a 911.

eg: Calling a cell (15-xxxx-xxxx) --> +54-9-11-xxxx-xxxx

Whereas calling a landline (11-xxxx-xxxx) --> +54-11-xxxx-xxxx

[QUOTE=Aqualung]I tried it and it didn't work!

To your second question, yes all phones here are set up to receive SMS messages.[/QUOTE]I wonder if SMS's will work if you try using 011-54-9-11-xxxx-xxxx as the number?

[QUOTE=Jamesp]I wonder if SMS's will work if you try using 011-54-9-11-xxxx-xxxx as the number?[/QUOTE]I don't know about the service you all were discussing below, but when I was in the States, I had no problem exchanging SMS messages with my wife who was here in BA. She has Personal here and I had AT & T (first a contract, and then later a Go-Phone pay-as-you-go).

And that is right about using the correct code you mention as quoted.

Here's how it works. The only 2 US phone companies that work in Argentina are T-mobile and AT & T. That's because unlike all other US companies, they use the GSM system which is standard in the rest of the world. GSM was designed so that all phones are the same, and you can just change the SIM card (a small chip that slides in next to the battery) and voila, your same phone handset works on a different network. In the US almost all companies except those 2 use their own proprietary networks so that a phone from Sprint can never be transferred to Verizon. All those other companies cannot access the universal GSM system which Argentina uses, so your American phone is useless unless it's from T-mobile or AT & T. With these companies you can not only send SMSs but you can also talk in any country (although at exorbitant roaming charges) The best is to call T-mobile or AT & T and ask them to unlock the phone (allow any SIM card to work) and then go to a phone store in Argentina and just buy a SIM card. That way your US handset can work like a local phone in Argentina without international roaming charges. You will get a local phone number, starting with the 15 code.

ATT will give an unlock code 3 months after signing a contract. If you call them they will send you an e-mail with instructions.

You can't do it usually until you have a different sim card in your phone. Before you leave call AT & T and get the e-mail, when you get here get a sim card and your set.

I am not sure if this works with an iPhone. Although there are different cracks for that.

You should be able to get a Razr for nothing these days. I would not walk around with a fancy smartphone, or iPhone. This makes you a target.

Nextel also works here in Argentina. If you have unlimited radio service you can extend that to international for another 20 pesos or so a month. Not a bad deal if you have friends in the states with Nextel.