Newcomer Passing on some advice about tourist SIM cards/chips

[James22]

During our three-month stay in Argentina, I purchased a used cell phone to insert a local SIM card.

We headed to Movistar in Palermo Hollywood, where a man directing traffic at the entrance made us wait in a numbered queue. When we reached the counter, we were handed a piece of paper and told to buy a SIM card at a nearby kiosk, as Movistar didn't sell them directly. After some searching, we found the kiosk a couple of blocks away. Once back home, we installed the SIM card and attempted the registration process, encountering difficulties and having to repeat it numerous times without success.

Returning to Movistar for assistance, we were met by the same individual as before, who provided us with registration instructions and little else. A kind couple tried to help us, but the employee discouraged their assistance. After several days of frustration, we finally managed to register the phone. However, we still faced hurdles in making calls due to issues with adding credit.

We decided to try Claro, located in the Palermo mall. There, an advisor promptly assisted us, installed a new SIM card in the phone, registered it on the spot, and activated the service. Furthermore, they helped us top up our credit effortlessly, using our credit card without any issues.

In conclusion, our experience with Movistar was disappointing and frustrating, whereas Claro provided efficient and friendly service.

 

[Traveler]

Why not simply purchase an eSIM online for an unlocked smartphone?

eSIM Argentina - Prepaid & Unlimited Data | Maya Mobile

Travel with unlimited high-speed data in Argentina with a prepaid travel eSIM. Instant activation via email, no SIM card required!

maya.net

 

[Ron]

Claro is the sole provider offering the "Tourist prepago sim" package priced around 9000 pesos, payable upon activation. It's valid for 30 days and can be recharged thereafter.

Movistar may register you, but often they refuse ("our system does not accept foreign IDs, only DNIs, etc."). I agree, their service can be frustrating!

Personal is another good option. Their system accepts foreign IDs, and I was able to complete the process smoothly in-store.

 

[Melibaires]

All three companies offer a prepaid tourist SIM card. Here's the information for Movistar's:

Sim Card para turistas extranjeros en Argentina - Movistar Argentina

Chip prepago para turistas extranjeros. Conseguí tu tarjeta sim prepago en kioscos o en nuestros puntos de venta.

www.movistar.com.ar

 

[superman]

Welcome

I have to give you a lot of credit and a brownie point for trying.

Just keep in mind that if you're going to travel more, you might have to jump through hoops like that.

Or, as mentioned, start using eSIMs.

 

[Leo]

For frequent international travelers from the US, Google Fi is a great option. It operates in most countries, offering data at the same rate as at home and affordable international calling rates. No need to spend time searching for local SIM cards, simply turn on your phone after landing, and you're good to go.

 

[James22]

@Traveler - My phone doesn't support eSIM, requiring a physical one.

@Ron - The 9000 pesos covers 25GB of data, which is a lot unless you're constantly streaming movies. However, additional charges apply for making calls and sending texts.

@superman - We'll be heading to Patagonia in a month and plan to recharge it before leaving. While we've used SIM cards in Mexico, Costa Rica, etc., we've never encountered this level of hassle. It's just something to be aware of, but I wanted to give the next Movistar customer a heads up.

 

[Melibaires]

@James22 I completely understand your frustration. It's unbelievable that the agent instructed others not to assist you! My assumption is that this specific branch, located in a tourist area, deals with a high number of inexperienced customers, and the agent may have unfairly categorized you without listening to your concerns.

I'm relieved that Claro was able to resolve your phone issue. However, such frustrating situations could occur at any company. I believe your experience with Movistar might have been better at the branch in Alto Palermo.

 

[Ron]

You're correct. The Claro pack only includes data, whereas Personal packs come with both data and calls.

Both companies are reputable and offer good choices!

To utilize some of that generous data allowance, you can also make calls using WhatsApp, as it's widely used by businesses in Argentina.

 

[James22]

@Melibaires The difference with Claro is that they swiftly install the chip, register your passport info, and you're set, all within 5 minutes. Movistar, on the other hand, makes you wait in line only to inform you they don't have chips, then directs you to find one elsewhere and navigate the cumbersome online registration process (if you can). While employees at other branches might be nicer, the tedious process likely remains the same.

We've also found WhatsApp to be extremely useful, especially with Wi-Fi. However, there were instances where we needed to make international calls, such as contacting a company in the US about tickets. So, the phone definitely came in handy for that purpose.

Cheers

 

[alexis h]

We purchased the Claro tourist SIMs the other day, but they ended up costing $15,000 each, not the $9,000 as advertised on their website.

 

[James22]

If they were $15,000 each, it sounds like you may have been overcharged, unless there were additional packages added at the time of purchase.
I was there a week ago, and it was definitely 9,000 pesos. If you kept your receipt, you may want to consider going back if you feel it's worth the bother.

 

[kyron]

We recently purchased SIM cards in El Calafate for less than 1000 pesos each. Additionally, we bought a 3000 peso package that includes 15 gigabytes of data, 1000 minutes, and 1000 SMS for 30 days. The only issue we encountered was a delay in activation when registering online. As we were leaving El Calafate, we finally found a very helpful gentleman at the airport snack shop who sold Claro SIM cards and was able to assist us with activation.

 

[James22]

I went to claro's website and the price is still the same:

 

[Ted89]

I have TMobile in the USA that has free data it says in Argentina. Does anyone know if that will be fast enough for using Google Maps and Whatsapp?

 

[MikeYoung]

I have TMobile in the USA that has free data it says in Argentina. Does anyone know if that will be fast enough for using Google Maps and Whatsapp?

Yes it is fast enough. I have Tmobile as well and I get free data internationally and the service is very good in Buenos Aires. You may want to download ahead of time the map for Buenos Aires on Google Maps. You can download so it will save on data. But I am using my Whatsapp here and no issues at all with Tmobile free data plan. Just make sure to note they charge you for incoming and outgoing calls. I bought a # on Skype and use that to call out to the USA and it works well.

 

[llantas]

Very good info. Thanks for sharing.