I'm flying to BA next week and was wondering if anyone here in the US has an Argentine SIM card that I can borrow/rent/buy.

Please let me know.

If this doesnt work out... you can always buy a pre-paid SIM card here in Argentina.

Gaucho, where's your wine store? I'd love to visit between 27 Dec and 2 Jan.

Here's the web site of Alex's wine store Terroir:
http://www.terroir.com.ar/

John

I have had trouble with direct dial on CTI back to the states after buying it locally. i do get a local sim each time I come down and only in March 05 was I able to dial the states. that said they work for local calls and i have skype for the LD.

I have a Movistar prepaid, and I've never had a problem calling the US or Europe. I also helped some friends get a Movistar SIM about a year ago, and it was 25 pesos (no minutes included).

John

Ive gotten only good reviews from MoviStar prepaids... seems like a good choice.

Right now the three mobile companies offer prepaid SIM cards for AR$0 to AR$5. That's less than US$2.

You can Buy a SIM card wherever you see the words Personal, CTI or Movistar. In the town center you can find at least one or two stores per block.

Calling INTL is pretty expensive. The trick is to use a "prepaid calling card" that you can buy at any newstand or "kiosko" (little/big drugstores), or even in the stores I mentioned above. Ask the teller which card gives you most minutes to your destination.

Have a nice trip!!

The last time I checked, I paid about a peso/minute when calling the US from Buenos Aires on my prepaid Movistar.

I'm not sure how long before the SIM number is recycled, but it's at least several months after the prepaid amount has been used or expired. I usually recharge with ARS$50, which has a validity of 3 months on Movistar.

John

Where can you get these and will they work with a T-mobile phone??

Talking about the SIM card or the international calling card?

About the SIM card: If you get your TMobile phone unlocked and if the phone has the appropriate band (GSM 1900 in this case) as the mobile phone service provider in Argentina, then yes it will work.

International calling cards at the small kiosks that sell candy, newspapers, etc. too.

As GUWonder posted, you need to have an unlocked phone. Take the phone and your passport with you when you go to buy a SIM. Activation takes overnight, but hopefully the person that sells you the SIM will be able to try out a working SIM to verify that your phone will work.

In Argentina most people I talked to called the SIM a "chip".

You can recharge MoviStar phones at businesses displaying Pagofacil or Rapipago logos (these are places where you can pay bills). Often they will give you a plastic card with a barcode that is associated with your phone number so that you just need to have them scan that when you need to recharge in the future.

The various cellphone vendors have web sites with the pricing/ recharge amounts etc - in Spanish.

John

My phone is unlocked and GSM 1900. It really takes overnight to activate???

That's my experience if you buy a SIM from on of the small free-standing, single person booths that the mobile phone companies have in malls. They have a list of numbers from which you are assigned, and I presume they call in for activation if they don't have computer access.

It may be faster if you go to a store, but I wouldn't count on it.

John

I think I will just buy one of the international calling cards. I really only need to be able to call home, not locally. These can be used in any phone booth?