Is it a good deal? Like AAA Apartment Rental offer on their website cell phone rentals anyone tried this? In peru at the airport, when you go to the baggage claim theres lots of girls offering cell phone rentals (I've never gotten it) I was wondering if its the same in BA. Is it better to buy an unlock cheap cell phone in BA. You can get one on ebay for like US$75 (is it cheaper in BA)
Thanks!
I bought a quad band phone on eBay for $10, and then paid 55 pesos to get the phone unlocked on Lavalle. Unless you really need a cell phone for a few days, I'd buy a phone before you get there, plus you can use it in other countries.
Unlocked Quad Band GSM phones can be gotten on ebay for as little as $25 for a used moto V166 or V180 or as much as you want to pay for better ones. I paid $42 for a virtually unused Moto V190 (which is quite a bit better than the V180) I have used it in several countries in Asia, as well as the Dominican Republic and Argentina - as well as the U. S. On T-Mobile.
I'm using a personal SIM card, that cost me 20 pesos, but came with 20 pesos of time.
Just returned from B. A. I'm trying to call some contacts with cell phones in Argentina from the states but I'm having no luck what so ever getting through.
Can anyone offer me any advice on how to call an Argenitne cell number from the states.
Thanks,
Bandit
Calling BsAs cell phone number 15-XXXX-XXXX from a landline in the US, use 011-54-911-XXXX-XXXX. From a cell phone: press and hold the "0" key until "+" comes up, then 54-911-XXXX-XXXX.
Next time, I suggest scanning the forum for your qestion before starting a new thread. Check out this thread:
[url]http://www.argentinaprivate.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2898[/url]
Hi have Nokia 7610 which is unlocked, so I'm pretty sure it will be fine in ARG. What's the average peso / minute conversion. I'll be down for about 5 weeks, so given a reasonable amount of in county conversation, what do you think that will run me.
Thanks,
C
They have a seperate transmission frequency to some other places. Nokia uses different codes so I can't tell you what to look for. However if you PM me I will give you the code on my phone. You can buy the cheapest Nokia here for about U$40 plus U$10 for the SIM. The best option if you cell frequency doesn't work.
Argento
I travel to BA about 4 times per year. If you have the sim card or chip registered with personal at their ofiice and in their computer under your name and passport number, it is easy to retrieve when is has been turned off because of non-use for over 180 days. If you purchase a chip that is not properly registered, you cannot reactivate it--it is garbage. You have lost your cel# and the purchase price of the card. A new chip costs 7 pesos. My ritual is to go to the personal store on Callao between Santa fe and Marcelo T Alvear and show a copy of my passport and reactivate my cell. I like keeping the same number. If I'm out of the country 90 days, the chip is almost always inactive and I have the personal people turn it back on.
At the store I can buy time in 99 peso blocks at a lower cost per minute than the 10 peso cards that you find on the street.
Both Personal and Movistar are good carriers. My fist chip was with CTI (now Claro)they have a better deal with you are traveling around the interior of argentina.
In BA, CTI's (now Claro) service is third rate. I would never use cti again after experiencing movistar and personal.
I know a guy who spends half his time in Santa Fe and half in the Capital Federal. He owns 2 phones: Movistar in BA and CTI (now Claro) for the country.
[QUOTE=WorldTravel69]They sell Sim Cards near the Retiro train station for about 5p.
I do not know about what number you will have and how to activate it.
I have also seen them being sold on Corrienties.[/QUOTE]Can anyone elaborate on this? Corrientes and Retiro are big areas to search.
I just need a sim, and I am not picky on the provider.
I saw a guy selling them in front of the main entrance to the Retiro Train station. I do not know if the sell every day. I saw one guy on Correnties one time.
But you can buy one at any Phone service provider for about 20p or so.
Bring your passport.
I use Movistar, no problems.
[QUOTE=Gato Hunter]Can anyone elaborate on this? Corrientes and Retiro are big areas to search.
I just need a sim, and I am not picky on the provider.[/QUOTE]
Personel sells the chips at 7 pesos and you can buy time time cheaper than anywhere else. You can also reactivate your chip if it is registered under your passport number. Eg you retuen to BA 4 months later. Personal will reactivate.
The chip when you show them your passport.
I purchaed a chip from a phone store and it was registerred under someone else's name. When it was turned off for lack of use, I could not turn it back on. I lost the money on the account and the chip was toast.
GO to the tel carrier's main stores. If you are in bario norte or recoleta: callao.
Between santa fe why Marcelo T. My experience is that movistar has slightly better coverage, but personal and movitar are quite simular
Thanks for the info.
I read your post Bob, and thats actually what I tried to do but my spanish sucks and stuff and the girl kept asking me for a DNI. I think.
I will get it worked out in the morning.
There 2 guys who speak enough english to do a transaction in english at the personal office that I am recomending. They work upstairs in the management offices and will come down to help you if requested.
I carry reduced size photocopies of my passport in my wallet. 75% of the time the copies will work just fine in BA. Personal accepts photocopies, no problem.
Wait on the line by the door. When it is your turn--say some like "Ingles, por favor".
--english, please. Chip is the argentine term for a sim card. Chip nuevo. Pago con cajetas--pay with cards. You can do it! Bring cash in pesos. Personal will not accept a foreign credit card. Buy up to 99 pesos in time and receive free bonuses of extra credit. The end of may, my 99 pesos purchase yieded 156 pesos worth of time. This was enough to do more than two weeks worth of heavy cel phone use. You also get bonuses on buying smaller amounts of time directly from them at their store.
The customer service people will check that your phone is unblocked and works with the chip. Have the customer service rep write down how much time you want to buy. You pay for everything at the cashiers just below street level. La caja.
This is easier than buying a chip on the street
[QUOTE=Miami Bob] Pago con cajetas--pay with cards.
This is easier than buying a chip on the street[/QUOTE]The correct word is tarjeta - Cajeta is another slang word for pussy;)
[QUOTE=Aqualung]The correct word is tarjeta - Cajeta is another slang word for pussy;)[/QUOTE]Makes sense, since in English "box" is also slang for pussy;)
[QUOTE=Seaman]Makes sense, since in English "box" is also slang for pussy;)[/QUOTE]But box would be cajIta this is cajEta. I'll have to investigate into this word!
Hmm. That shows off my Spanish knowledge I guess;)
Tarjeta, now I know!
I got a card and its working. I took a few spanish speaking friends with me today and got it worked out.
It was 20 pesos, with 10 pesos of credit. Thru Personal.
Thanks for the advice everyone.
Happy Mongering
This may not be news to some, its new to me.
Some kioskos have a feature that you can give them your phone number and they will recharge your phone. Saves you from buying a card and scratching / calling etc. Its very quick.
The 25 HRS place at cordoba y cerritos is one that has this.
I am using Personal.
You also get a better deal. Using this electronic system you pay 20 pesos and you get 24 pesos credit.
When you use skype to call a landline phone, use the 54 Argentina prefix, then 11 and the 8 digit code. 54 11 4444 4444.
Jes
[QUOTE=Jes1959]When you use skype to call a landline phone, use the 54 Argentina prefix, then 11 and the 8 digit code. 54 11 4444 4444.
Jes[/QUOTE]When calling a cellphone, make sure you use 911 in place of 11.
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=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.