Cell Phones

[jivau3930]

Can anyone give me info regarding rental or purchase of a cell phone for use in Rio? I have been quoted rental of R$300/month. In addition, I would have to purchase a phone card(s). I plan on being in Brasil for 2 months - mainly Rio. Surely I could purchase a cell phone in Rio for less than R$600. I know nothing about SIM cards, etc. except that my US cell phone cannot be used for international. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

[trilingual]

Now that there's cell phone number portability in the U.S. it's probably time to see about switching to a GSM carrier like T-Mobile, AT&T or Cingular. The GSM technology is the most widely used internationally, so if you want a phone that you can use abroad, that's the kind to get.

 

When you buy the phone, be sure it is TRI-BAND (i.e., a world phone) because the cell phone systems in different countries operate on different frequency bands and you need a phone that can operate on all of those bands.

 

Also when you buy the phone be sure it is UNBLOCKED, so that you can use the phone with any company's SIM card. If a local dealer can't sell you an unblocked phone, shop around on-line. Just be sure it's an unblocked, tri-band GSM phone you buy.

 

Once you've got the phone, all you need to do when you travel to a different country (like Brazil) where you will be spending time is to go to a local GSM cellular provider and buy a local SIM card. The SIM card (also called a chip) is the brains of a GSM phone, which contains the phone number, account information, etc. You just pop out the SIM card for your U.S. account and carefully put it away and slip in the foreign SIM card. The phone will then operate as a local cell phone.

 

In Brazil, without a local bank account, etc. you will only be able to get a SIM card for a pre-paid phone account. Best company to try is probably TIM, which has broad coverage. They have outlets all over, including in RioSul. Be sure to bring a major credit card and your passport, because you will need this when you buy the SIM card (the Brazilians are cracking down on registering pre-paid cell phones because of their widespread misuse by drug dealers). A SIM card will run you about US$20 - 30, at the most. You then buy credits at any newstand, just following the instructions on the card you'll get for adding them to your account.

 

You can do the same thing if you visit Argentina. (I got a SIM card there from a company called Personal.) It was easier in Argentina than in Brazil. To avoid losing the phone number I just have to put a minimum amount of credits on the account every eight months, which can apparently be done on-line. I don't know how that works with TIM -- you'll have to ask. Brazil and Argentina, by the way, operate on different frequencies, so I had to change that. Some phones do it automatically, I think, but mine is manual.

[sf traveler]

Last March, Tri and I went to the TIM store in the Rio Sul Shopping Center and got me a phone so that my office could call me. I paid what amounted to US$69 for the phone and then charged it with the pre-paid cards. The sound quality was amazing--much better than any cell phone in the US. The only trouble is that if you give your number to the boys, they'll call collect! Tri's beau, Clayton, has my phone now and when I get back in Oct. I'll just recharge it. SF Traveler

[jivau3930]

Tri and SF Traveller - thanks so much for the info re the cell phones. I arrived in Rio on September 4, met Carlo at the apartment I have rented through him, and Michel and I went to the TIM store in Rio Sul. Michel purchased a Nokia cell phone for me and a R$50. phone card for under US$80. Now I feel like a native - I have my very own cell phone. If anyone plans on spending a month or more in Rio, follow Tri and SFT´s advice. It will cost approximately US$96 to rent a phone for 1 month and you still have to purchase phone cards. The only catch - you must have, or be with someone who has, a Brasilian ID. Now, if I could only figure out how to enter the phone card minutes!! I have to wait for Michel to finish work to do this (another way he controls me)!!