Argentina Prepaid On "personal"

[dg7feq]

Originally Posted by GSMnewbie

I'm new to this international stuff, so forgive the simple question.
I, too, am on my way to Argentina soon and already own a Nokia 3100 with a UK-based SIM card. But I'll be in Argentina (mostly Buenos Aires) for at least two months. As I look to buy a SIM from some sites, many of the SIMS say you must have a GSM 850/1900 phone. Others don't mention what type of phone you need.
The Nokia 3100 is EGSM 900, GSM 1800 & GSM 1900. Will that do, or does it have to be exactly GSM 850/1900?
Thanks in advance.
GSMN

It will do but with a limited coverage to only the 1900 band.
Most likely the big cities will be covered but not the countryside (As it is in the US as well).

Chris

[PhotoJim]

Originally Posted by dg7feq

It will do but with a limited coverage to only the 1900 band.
Most likely the big cities will be covered but not the countryside (As it is in the US as well).

That's certainly possible, but we have rural GSM 1900 coverage here in Canada on Rogers (in addition to GSM 850). Rogers did that so that the early GSM adopters who have GSM 1900 (or 900/1800/1900) phones would have nationwide coverage.

[GSMnewbie]

All very helpful, thanks. As I said, I'm very new to all of this.

Follow-up questions:

1. from the coverage maps i've found, there's one provider who has far more coverage around Argentina than the others: CTI Compania de Telefonos del Interior S.A. (CTI Movil). In order to get their vastly superior coverage, does it matter whose SIM i buy? or is it all just determined by roaming?

2. If i buy a SIM card for Argentina, how do I get voicemail? is voicemail something that I get as a result of buying a SIM card (with the Argentina number it comes for)?

Thanks again,

GSMN

[powerlifter]

Originally Posted by GSMnewbie

All very helpful, thanks. As I said, I'm very new to all of this.

Follow-up questions:

1. from the coverage maps i've found, there's one provider who has far more coverage around Argentina than the others: CTI Compania de Telefonos del Interior S.A. (CTI Movil). In order to get their vastly superior coverage, does it matter whose SIM i buy? or is it all just determined by roaming?

2. If i buy a SIM card for Argentina, how do I get voicemail? is voicemail something that I get as a result of buying a SIM card (with the Argentina number it comes for)?

Thanks again,

GSMN

1. If you want that coverage that CTI Movil provides you have to buy that sim card.

2. It depends on the carrier. In the UK and most if not all the EU countries have voicemail in some of the Russian Block countries it is a seperate service that you have to pay for. Not sure about South Americia as I do not travel there.

[Anton]

Found Personal to be a convenient/fast solution for calls/internet access.

1.- SIM may be purchased w/o hassle at many street press stands. Look for signs reading "venta de chips personal, movistar, claro" Price 12 Pesos (some 2 EUR).

2.- As sold chip holds no credit. Recharge with min 15 Pesos (carga virtual) or min 25 pesos (scratch card).

3.- To activate dial *151

4.- Purchase Pack "Todo incluido" for 15 Pesos to get 25 Mb to use in 7 days. To do so choose "Autogestión/Comprar Pack/Pack todo incluido" in the Personal Sim menu.

5.- Find an international phone card with a local access number / use voipbuster, etc. and choose the access number as a "número amigo". Use *152 to this end. Then buy pack "llamadas número amigo" to get 12 hours of calls to that number to use in 5 days. Price 9 pesos.

6.- All in all everything you need to stay in touch in Argentina for a week for about 7 EUR. On my Blackberry 8520 (no 3g), I got EDGE in BsAs and EDGE or GPRS in Calafate and Iguazú.