[Tango-L] Cellphone rentals in Buenos Aires

[chenth@comcast.net]

To expand on the options available:

For US based visitors Sprint and Nextel allow roaming using a digital dual-band or
tri-mode phone. The rate is $1.99/minute. You must activate this feature prior to use
which is best done before you leave the US (it does not cost anything to activate).
Note that Verizon does not provide coverage in Argentina.

For anyone using a GSM-based service, Argentina primarily uses GSM 1900 although
per GSM World, AMX Argentina S.A. (CTI Movil) does have some GSM 850 coverage. If your
phone operates on GSM 1900 and is unlocked you can buy any local pre-paid SIM card
and use it with your regular phone instead of needing to buy a separate phone for travel.

http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_ar.shtml

Of course you can also use your own carrier's SIM to roam but rates can be very high. Most
GSM phones not sold in the US are unlocked. Most GSM phones in the US are locked and
can be unlocked (i.e. not tied exclusively to your carrier's service/SIM card) by contacting your
carrier and requesting this to be done or using any of the number of web services available.

For extensive travel use, an unlocked tri or quad band GSM phone in addition to your regular
US mobile can be obtained very cheaply from Ebay. Argentine pre-paid SIMs will be far
cheaper than any of the available global roaming SIMs which have rates comparable to
roaming using your home carrier.