My wife and I are looking forward to a 3-week visit to Argentina before the end of 2013. We would like to have access to cel phones during our visit. The purpose for the access is to communicate with each other, voice and text, at those times when we are both off in different directions and to make local calls. We are budget minded and admittedly several generations behind the latest technology. We plan to spend most of our time in the metropolitan Buenos Aires area but we may take a couple of side trips to other cities. Is there a cellular service provider that offers short term plans that meet our needs? Does that provider have retail outlets that are easy to reach? This is my first post to the forum. Thanks,

Welcome to Fodors IkeS

Lots of cellphone shops in every city. You best bet is to take two "unlocked"cellphones and then buy pay as you go SIM cards when you get there. These will either be loaded up with cash and you pay per minute for calls and per text or with a given number of inclusive minutes and number of texts( e.g. 500 minutes and 200 texts etc..). If you need more you can reload in any of the cellphone shops or many other shops, ATMs etc. from memory, I think Claro and Movistar are the big providers but maybe an a BA resident such as the renowned Avrooster will chip in.

Welcome, IkeS and DW!

Top poster Crellston is right, as usual. I'm not too sure what "an a BA resident" is, but he is right. Just kidding!

You can read here about other travelers' experiences in BA, which should help for your trip.

I assume you know all about the "informal" or "blue" rate of exchange, with which you can obtain significant savings.

Top poster Crellston also knows all about that.

You'll have a great time in my country, IkeS & DW.

BTW, top poster Crellston has certainly aged, since I met him five years ago!

http://tinyurl.com/k9zthcr

Avrooster, I am only 21 but have had a hard life -