cell phone- use and rental in Argentina/Chile

[smeyer418]

I was looking to take a rental GSM phone(its free) from Verizon for use in Argentina until they told me its 4.99 per minute!

so I was looking around to see what a cell phone rental would cost and found this

 

http://www.phonerentalusa.com/int_producto_gsm.php?codigo=5

 

any one use these people?

[On2CDWrld]

Where is the Chile info? Also do you have the option to change your present phone to a Verizon Escapade?

[smeyer418]

Where is the Chile info? Also do you have the option to change your present phone to a Verizon Escapade?

Verizon is $4.99 per minute plus taxes in Argentina(where I will be 75% of the time)! Its a mere $2.99 in Chile...2.29 if I join the international plan. Its not the phone that is the problem. Its the pm charge!

[On2CDWrld]

The rate i compare with is the at sea rate(NCL Sun) which according to Verizon is $2.49. Of course if you are making frequent and lengthy calls, in port especially, the rental phone makes good sense.

[greatam]

I was looking to take a rental GSM phone(its free) from Verizon for use in Argentina until they told me its 4.99 per minute!

so I was looking around to see what a cell phone rental would cost and found this

 

http://www.phonerentalusa.com/int_producto_gsm.php?codigo=5

 

any one use these people?

 

The cheapest way I know of-unlocked GSM/quad band phone with SIM cards for individual countries. Telestial sells unlocked phones as well as SIM cards, but the unlocked phones are generally cheaper on Ebay or other places. Argentine specific SIM service is $.49 per minute outbound, local calls billed at local rates and incoming is $.39 per minute. http://www.telestial.com/

 

Mobal is slightly cheaper than Verizon in Argentina-$3.95 per minute. More expensive than Verizon now in Chle. I personally use my sat phone but of course the company owns the phone (no rental fees) and we have a $1.00 per minute Iridium plan.http://www.mobal.com/

 

World Cell has a great rental plan and offers superior service, but again, the ppm in Argentina is not particularly cheap but cheaper than Verizon and Mobal. http://store.worldcell.info/home.php

[smeyer418]

The cheapest way I know of-unlocked GSM/quad band phone with SIM cards for individual countries. Telestial sells unlocked phones as well as SIM cards, but the unlocked phones are generally cheaper on Ebay or other places. Argentine specific SIM service is $.49 per minute outbound, local calls billed at local rates and incoming is $.39 per minute. http://www.telestial.com/

 

Mobal is slightly cheaper than Verizon in Argentina-$3.95 per minute. More expensive than Verizon now in Chle. I personally use my sat phone but of course the company owns the phone (no rental fees) and we have a $1.00 per minute Iridium plan.http://www.mobal.com/

 

World Cell has a great rental plan and offers superior service, but again, the ppm in Argentina is not particularly cheap but cheaper than Verizon and Mobal. http://store.worldcell.info/home.php

 

 

LOL I should have known to ask you. Do you know which cell phone I should buy on ebay? I have had great experiences with ebay.

 

Thanks

 

Sid

[greatam]

LOL I should have known to ask you. Do you know which cell phone I should buy on ebay? I have had great experiences with ebay.

 

Thanks

 

Sid

 

I favor Motorola, as well as SOME of the Nokia's. Did you check Telestial so you could see the prices?

 

Here is one my admin had book marked-some cheap phones that are GUARANTEED unlocked. OR they have an "unlocking" service if you can lay your hands on a cheapie tri/quad band phone. And the best part-they are in BROOKLYN (my admin must have had to get one of our NY guys an international unlocked phone). I think I would buy local-at least talk to them. Some of their prices looked pretty good for the Motorola phones. http://www.cell2get.com/

[greatam]

Sid,

 

I just took a look at the website in Brooklyn Rose had marked. She ordered two unlocked phones from them when our guys went to the Middle East. She sent one of our straight truck drivers over to pick them up.

 

They had a couple of Motorola's for less than $50.00, which should serve your purpose well. But then you still have to get the SIM cards (I personally do not like buying SIM's overseas except in Europe). And for those, Telestial is the cheapest I have found.

 

You will also need to purchase one for Chile and any other place you are going UNLESS you buy a global SIM (and the calls are considerably more expensive with a Global SIM). The only problems with buying individual SIM cards-your phone number changes every time you change SIM cards, you have to keep track of which SIM card is for which country AND you have to keep track of minutes used because they can only be recharged in the country. Good luck with your phone search.

 

 

http://www.telestial.com/view_product.php?PRODUCT_ID=LSIM-AR01

[smeyer418]

Sid,

 

I just took a look at the website in Brooklyn Rose had marked. She ordered two unlocked phones from them when our guys went to the Middle East. She sent one of our straight truck drivers over to pick them up.

 

They had a couple of Motorola's for less than $50.00, which should serve your purpose well. But then you still have to get the SIM cards (I personally do not like buying SIM's overseas except in Europe). And for those, Telestial is the cheapest I have found.

 

You will also need to purchase one for Chile and any other place you are going UNLESS you buy a global SIM (and the calls are considerably more expensive with a Global SIM). The only problems with buying individual SIM cards-your phone number changes every time you change SIM cards, you have to keep track of which SIM card is for which country AND you have to keep track of minutes used because they can only be recharged in the country. Good luck with your phone search.

 

 

http://www.telestial.com/view_product.php?PRODUCT_ID=LSIM-AR01

LOL I just bought a dual sim card unlocked phone on ebay for $31.00 including delivery.....thanks and happy holidays to you and your family(and the dogs too).....

 

Sid

[smeyer418]

Sid,

 

I just took a look at the website in Brooklyn Rose had marked. She ordered two unlocked phones from them when our guys went to the Middle East. She sent one of our straight truck drivers over to pick them up.

 

They had a couple of Motorola's for less than $50.00, which should serve your purpose well. But then you still have to get the SIM cards (I personally do not like buying SIM's overseas except in Europe). And for those, Telestial is the cheapest I have found.

 

You will also need to purchase one for Chile and any other place you are going UNLESS you buy a global SIM (and the calls are considerably more expensive with a Global SIM). The only problems with buying individual SIM cards-your phone number changes every time you change SIM cards, you have to keep track of which SIM card is for which country AND you have to keep track of minutes used because they can only be recharged in the country. Good luck with your phone search.

 

 

http://www.telestial.com/view_product.php?PRODUCT_ID=LSIM-AR01

 

 

I really only need a sim card for Argentina....you wouldn't happen to have an old one lying around for a poor Ny'er would you?(to buy and return of course)

 

Sid

[greatam]

I really only need a sim card for Argentina....you wouldn't happen to have an old one lying around for a poor Ny'er would you?(to buy and return of course)

 

Sid

 

I sit here in Camp Arifjan Kuwait at midnight waiting for a mil air flight into Iraq. Been kicked off the plane twice already. I am NOT high priority. Thank goodness for Zain internet and CC. Something to occupy my time. I could have slept and gone tomorrow. Oh, well.

 

I just emailed my admin to see if we have any Argentine SIM cards laying around. I really don't think so, because I don't go to Argentina much anymore and my one guy who does has a Mobal company phone plus a global Blackberry. But if I find one, you can have it. Probably won't have many minutes on it and I sure don't know how to reload it IF someone purchased it in Argentina. But you can have it if we have one laying around.

 

You probably would be better off ordering one from Telestial strictly for Argentina for ease of use. They have a distribution center in Boston, so no international shipping. http://www.telestial.com/view_product.php?PRODUCT_ID=LSIM-AR01

[smeyer418]

I sit here in Camp Arifjan Kuwait at midnight waiting for a mil air flight into Iraq. Been kicked off the plane twice already. I am NOT high priority. Thank goodness for Zain internet and CC. Something to occupy my time. I could have slept and gone tomorrow. Oh, well.

 

I just emailed my admin to see if we have any Argentine SIM cards laying around. I really don't think so, because I don't go to Argentina much anymore and my one guy who does has a Mobal company phone plus a global Blackberry. But if I find one, you can have it. Probably won't have many minutes on it and I sure don't know how to reload it IF someone purchased it in Argentina. But you can have it if we have one laying around.

 

You probably would be better off ordering one from Telestial strictly for Argentina for ease of use. They have a distribution center in Boston, so no international shipping. http://www.telestial.com/view_product.php?PRODUCT_ID=LSIM-AR01

 

thanks...my best to you to make it back by New Years eve....

 

If you get stuck at Kennedy let me know after all I can be there in an half an hour.....

 

:)

 

Sid

[greatam]

thanks...my best to you to make it back by New Years eve....

 

If you get stuck at Kennedy let me know after all I can be there in an half an hour.....

 

:)

 

Sid

 

I won't make it back for probably a month. Thanks for the good wishes. If and when I get into Iraq, I have 8 camps to check on and make sure they are getting the proper food at the proper time. Probably take a week-10 days. Then on to Afghanistan, where it will definitely take 2-3 weeks getting around. Have to go by either helicopter or MRAP with all the security. That takes a LOOOONG time to work out transport.

 

Darn, I wish I would have thought about this Saturday. I got into JFK about 8:30AM (overnight AA flight from LAX) Went to my office to see what kind of mess was left after the Xmas party. They actually cleaned it all up. I was very happy!!! After spending a little while there snooping, I was at a loss of what to do. Sure didn't want to go into Manhattan with the after Xmas shoppers. And one of my closest friends in Syosset had gone to his in-laws for Xmas.

 

So I headed back to JFK. Was there in the AA lounge from about 1PM until 9:30 when they started boarding the plane. Got half crocked because I was so bored. You can only read so many books/magazines and play on the computer so much.

 

Heck, you and your family could have picked me up and I would have taken everyone to my favorite place-the River Cafe or where ever you recommended. Could have used a decent meal about 2PM. NEXT TIME!!!! THANKS!!!!

[ajwboca]

A couple years ago I searched for a Global SIM card that would provide reasonable rates yet whose time purchased would not expire. In the end, I bought from Ace Telecom. It's based in the US.

 

http://www.acetelecomstore.com/proddetail.asp?prod=World.Prepaid.SIm

 

The rates from Argentina are in the $1.50 to $2.00 per minute range (different outbound vs. inbound) to USA, and much lower, in the .75 range outbound in Uruguay and Chile (free to de minimus inbound).

 

It's an Estonia SIM card , and so a little costlier to call you from the USA, but, it has worked pretty well for us in the past in traveling Europe and certain other countries.

 

There are probably a number of new options as well if you want to search the internet.