Does anyone know how much it costs to buy cell phone SIMS cards locally, how easy it is to find and purchase them, and how much the various services cost per minute for calls to the States? I've investigated Telestial and GRO Global Roaming, for cards that can be purchased prior to leaving the US -- but their per minute costs for calls to the States are .47+.

I may be spoiled from my travels in China, where the cost is around .10 or less per minute.

Thanks.

Sim cards for all major argentine carriers (movistar, claro and personal) can be easily purchased on the street for 10 pesos. The easiest place to find them would be around the Retiro train station, though i wouldn't recommend going there at night. Also, try to carry small bills so you don't have to expose your wallet for a long period of time.

Happy travels!

S.

Thanks. Do you have any idea how much the per minute charge is, for calls to the States?

it's expensive, but for that you can buy an international phone card (very cheap) or go to one of the many "locutorios" around the city, where people generally go to make long-distance calls.

Cheers!

When you write "international phone card" do you mean a card to use on regular land lines in Argentina? Or SIMS cards to use for cell phones? We like having the ability to have family reach us on cell phones, of course. What I'm finding when I research the international SIMS cards, is that the cost of calls from Argentina to the States is $3-4 per minute, which seems outrageous. We are used to paying .10-.20 for calling from other countries back to the US.

Topping to see if anyone might be able to answer my questions, about cell phone calls to the States from both BA and Santiago. Thank you.

The same situation applies in Chile. A SIM card costs 2000 pesos and up and can be bought at any kiosk. It is cheaper to use one of the many places which offer international calling than to use a cell phone to call the States. Alternatively, there are lots of internet joints which offer Skype.

Yes, thanks. But does anyone have any idea what the charge is for calls from Chile or BA, to the States, using SIM cards purchased locally there?