Phones and Internet in Argentina

Phone calls

Before setting off, be sure to get your mobile phone unlocked and, if you plan to stay here long term, it is recommended to buy a local sim card. Argentina has many telephone operators, with the main ones being Claro, Movistar, and Personal, and sim cards cost between 30 and 50 Argentine pesos.

All these operators offer prepaid cards, which you can buy in supermarkets, shops and service stations. Once your number has been activated, you can top up at a number of kiosks around the city you're in lookout for signs that read Cargamos Personal / Movistar / Claro. You will be asked for your number and the amount you want to top up with, and then you'll receive the credit instantly, accompanied by an SMS confirmation. Most of these kiosks only accept cash and the cashiers prefer you to have exact change, so avoid taking large bank notes with you.

To make calls in Argentina, you must know the code of the province you would like to make the call to. More information and a list of prefixes for some major Argentine cities can be found here.

WhatsApp calls

In terms of internet use, Argentina is ranked highest among Latin American countries, and less than five years ago, 84% of the country's mobile phone internet users were already using WhatsApp for calls and messages. This is partly because it's relatively cheap; in Argentina, you have to pay for each text and phone call, whereas with WhatsApp, you pay once for data and can then use it as much as you like. People here are more likely to use WhatsApp over Facebook, e-mail, or Skype, and they quickly embraced its new features, particularly the voice message, which appeals to the nation's talkative culture.

When you meet someone in Argentina and want to save their number, be sure to add the country code, otherwise, they might not show up on your WhatsApp contact list. All Argentinian mobile numbers begin 54 and should have a 9 between the country code and area code. The prefix 15 must also be removed.

Video calls

Argentina has numerous internet service providers offering attractive packages at competitive prices. You can choose between narrowband, broadband internet, optical fibre, or satellite. You can also access the internet anywhere through a portable modem in a USB key. With a strong connection, video calls all over the world should be possible, so if just hearing your loved ones' voices isn't enough, and you want to be able to see them as well, then you should consider using a video calling service. Skype is probably the most widely-used, as provides free group calling and the opportunity to call mobile phones for less using Skype credit. It is also the best-quality service.

Besides Skype, there are a number of other video calling services and apps you can download, such as Facetime, Google Duo, JusTalk, Tango, and Viber. The best thing is to research each one and find out which is preferable to you.

We hope you found this article useful! For more articles on expat life in Argentina, visit our website.

Useful links:

Movistar
Claro
Personal
Nextel
Telefonica
Fibertel
Arnet
Speedy