Argentina - SIM Card in BA?

I am coming into BA for a couple of days through EZE...can I buy a SIM in airport for an AT&T phone for data and to receive phone calls? I just want to keep my eye on my email.

I can also buy in the city and while I speak French, German and English I don't speak a word of Spanish

Hey. Hope you enjoy BsAs!

1. It is better if you turn off your 3G while roaming and use WiFi to check your emails. There is no way, that I am aware of, to get an Internet/Web plan without a contract in Argentina.

a)If you are interested in how I got my phone number and sim card here is the story:
I went there with an Unlocked Blackberry and I used Movistar as my Argentine Cell Company. I had to go to a movistar brick and motors to register and get a phone number. Then you can go to any kiosko, that has movistar sign out front, and buy prepaid phone cards. It was not the simplest process, especially because I was just learning spanish and the salesmen did not know any english.

2.english is the most popular 2nd language for porteños. If you know those 3 languages I imagine, that many words are similar in spanish and it should not be hard for you to fake it.

Hope this helps.

Damn, so no chance of getting a data phone plan prepaid?Hey. Hope you enjoy BsAs!

1. It is better if you turn off your 3G while roaming and use WiFi to check your emails. There is no way, that I am aware of, to get an Internet/Web plan without a contract in Argentina.

a)If you are interested in how I got my phone number and sim card here is the story:
I went there with an Unlocked Blackberry and I used Movistar as my Argentine Cell Company. I had to go to a movistar brick and motors to register and get a phone number. Then you can go to any kiosko, that has movistar sign out front, and buy prepaid phone cards. It was not the simplest process, especially because I was just learning spanish and the salesmen did not know any english.

2.english is the most popular 2nd language for porteños. If you know those 3 languages I imagine, that many words are similar in spanish and it should not be hard for you to fake it.

Hope this helps.

Damn, so no chance of getting a data phone plan prepaid?

I'm sure you can now get access to 3G services on pay as you go but the cost of it will be high.
As cochino_BA said you'd be far cheaper using wifi or a USB modem if it's just to pick up emails.

Gaucho100K is a bit of a phone geek so he'll know best.

You can get data access in EZE with no contract... but it wont be inexpensive.. although as I always say, expensive for one person may be cheap for another so this is all very relative. Most downtown cell phone stands that sell phones will offer prepaid cards with some sort of data option. Not up to speed on the costs, but check them out and you can decide on the spot.

Actually is not expensive...
Get a Movistar or Personal "PREPAID SIM CARD" for 4 dollars (or less) and buy 1-day package for 10 pesos (less than 2.50 u$s) with a limit of 1GB, to check emails 1GB is a lot!!!

for more information and package details, go to

http://movistar.com.ar/planes/prepago/paquetes/

or

http://www.personal.com.ar/planes/internet_movil/computadora_tarjeta.html

just make sure that your phone is unlocked ;).If is locked, call AT&T and ask them about the unlocking code, is free by law after 3~6 months of service, unless you have an iPhone :rolleyes:

Thanks dude. Thats the exact info I needed. And its an ATT prepaid smartphone so hopefully will have no unlocking issues

Actually is not expensive...
Get a Movistar or Personal "PREPAID SIM CARD" for 4 dollars (or less) and buy 1-day package for 10 pesos (less than 2.50 u$s) with a limit of 1GB, to check emails 1GB is a lot!!!

for more information and package details, go to

http://movistar.com.ar/planes/prepago/paquetes/

or

http://www.personal.com.ar/planes/internet_movil/computadora_tarjeta.html

just make sure that your phone is unlocked ;).If is locked, call AT&T and ask them about the unlocking code, is free by law after 3~6 months of service, unless you have an iPhone :rolleyes:

That is a great deal. Never noticed that before. Good work.

Now you just have to manage getting your SIM card.

Actually is not expensive...
Get a Movistar or Personal "PREPAID SIM CARD" for 4 dollars (or less) and buy 1-day package for 10 pesos (less than 2.50 u$s) with a limit of 1GB, to check emails 1GB is a lot!!!

for more information and package details, go to

http://movistar.com.ar/planes/prepago/paquetes/

or

http://www.personal.com.ar/planes/internet_movil/computadora_tarjeta.html

just make sure that your phone is unlocked ;).If is locked, call AT&T and ask them about the unlocking code, is free by law after 3~6 months of service, unless you have an iPhone :rolleyes:

g

I will post the experience once I get there
That is a great deal. Never noticed that before. Good work.

Now you just have to manage getting your SIM card.



g

Cool... its great to have this updated information !!!

^

Thanks dude. Thats the exact info I needed. And its an ATT prepaid smartphone so hopefully will have no unlocking issues

Yes you will :(, ATT prepaid phones are locked to ATT sim cards, in the past you could get an unlocking code from Ebay (2~4 bucks) but now they use a different code. In other words, get a new unlocked phone or any old blackberry (easy to unlock), if you are not sure, just insert a t-mobile sim card, if is locked it will ask you for a subsidy code (or a wrong simcard message).

If you want, tell me wich smartphone you have (brand/model) and I will let you know how to unlock it ;)

You are a superstar. I bought an unlock code from cellunlocker.net but they are giving me codes that are way too long for the device and hopefully I didn't get scammed. I have an LG Thrive 506 which is the new AT&T prepaid smartphone


Yes you will :(, ATT prepaid phones are locked to ATT sim cards, in the past you could get an unlocking code from Ebay (2~4 bucks) but now they use a different code. In other words, get a new unlocked phone or any old blackberry (easy to unlock), if you are not sure, just insert a t-mobile sim card, if is locked it will ask you for a subsidy code (or a wrong simcard message).

If you want, tell me wich smartphone you have (brand/model) and I will let you know how to unlock it ;)

a)If you are interested in how I got my phone number and sim card here is the story:
I went there with an Unlocked Blackberry and I used Movistar as my Argentine Cell Company. I had to go to a movistar brick and motors to register and get a phone number. Then you can go to any kiosko, that has movistar sign out front, and buy prepaid phone cards. It was not the simplest process, especially because I was just learning spanish and the salesmen did not know any english.

Hope this helps.

Were you able to get Blackberry specific services set up under a prepaid scheme, or does that require a data plan and monthly service? I know I can text 'D' to 2345 and get 2 days of unlimited browsing for 10 pesos as fedechat suggests, but that doesn't help me with email really, since I don't read any of my mails through a browser!

I'm also with Movistar, but have had my SIM considerably longer than my BlackBerry (and I wasn't worried about data when back when I got the SIM). A slight complication is that my pre-paid SIM was procured for me by someone else, and simply delivered to my doorstep with the compliments of a friend who had arranged it for me. As a result, the number is not registered in my name, and I wouldn't know where to find the person whose name it's in at this point if I tried!


edited to add - I just read the actual links fedechat provided from Movistar. It seems the published rate is 10 pesos for 1 day, or 19 pesos for 2 days. That said, I just used this as recently as a week or two ago, and have been getting 2 days for 10 pesos... which is what I've done from time to time for as long as I've had my Blackberry (about 7 months now). As with all things here, it will probably change before you have a chance to get used to it. :)

You are a superstar. I bought an unlock code from cellunlocker.net but they are giving me codes that are way too long for the device and hopefully I didn't get scammed. I have an LG Thrive 506 which is the new AT&T prepaid smartphone

If you have an unlocking code, you have 2 options

1. Insert a t-mobile simcard, you will get a message like "Sim network unlock PIN", then enter the unlock code that you have received.

2. If you don't have a t-mobile simcard, go to the dial pad and type 2945#*506#, then enter the unlock code that you have received.

let us know ^

Tried #2 with both unlocking codes they had given me and no luck. nothing happened when I entered in the sequence.

If you have an unlocking code, you have 2 options

1. Insert a t-mobile simcard, you will get a message like "Sim network unlock PIN", then enter the unlock code that you have received.

2. If you don't have a t-mobile simcard, go to the dial pad and type 2945#*506#, then enter the unlock code that you have received.

let us know ^

Don't try too many times. Check with a t-mobile sim card or any non att sim card, don't you have to any coworker with t-mobile? ;)

even worse. it's asking me for my pin which I think is not the unlocking code. I put a vodaphone sim in there.

Don't try too many times. Check with a t-mobile sim card or any non att sim card, don't you have to any coworker with t-mobile? ;)

Try another simcard, did you use a pin code for that particular sim card? (vodaphone), otherwise is the smarthphone password.

You are eight thousand percent right. Okay. Now i get it. So is a way of unlocking without having a sim in there since i forgot the code for this old sim?

Try another simcard, did you use a pin code for that particular sim card? (vodaphone), otherwise is the smarthphone password.

For that phone the option #2 but it didn't work for you :eek:.
Buy a t-mobile sim card on ebay, only 2 bucks (s/h included), you can unlock you phone by cable, but they will charge you like 25u$s or more. If you need a sim card right now, go to Wallmart/Walgreens/CVS and buy a prepaid phone (t-mobile), usually they have a $9.99 model :D

Finally managed to unlock it. Now it gets more fun. Got a movistar sim card and put 30 pesos on it but while phone works there is no data working. Thia is quite a saga! Also I feel like a mental weakling since three languages is getting e nowhere down here


For that phone the option #2 but it didn't work for you :eek:.
Buy a t-mobile sim card on ebay, only 2 bucks (s/h included), you can unlock you phone by cable, but they will charge you like 25u$s or more. If you need a sim card right now, go to Wallmart/Walgreens/CVS and buy a prepaid phone (t-mobile), usually they have a $9.99 model :D

Try

APN = internet.gprs.unifon.com.ar
User = internet
Password = internet

Dude it is official. You are a fricking genius. I genuflect at the master
It worked!!!!!

Try

APN = internet.gprs.unifon.com.ar
User = internet
Password = internet

Send me some Alfajores Capitan del Espacio de Dulce de Leche :D

Send me some Alfajores Capitan del Espacio de Dulce de Leche :D

^

Sorry not dodging this. Was slammed yesterday. Is this something i can get in duty free? Send me some Alfajores Capitan del Espacio de Dulce de Leche :D

Duty Free will have alfajores, but not Capitan del Espacio.

Might be in BA for an extended period.
Is it possible to sign up for a contract, and pay a penalty?
If it is possible, how much would a monthly contract cost (and the penalty)?

May need it for 2 months.

If I do go with the daily pre-paid option, what happens when I cross 1G mark? Do I have the option to pay another 10 pesos for another 1G?
Can I share out using PAN, or tethering?

Thanks!