How does one go about setting up Internet Service in Brazil?

Hello Alstromeria55,

It will not be difficult for you to get this information, as this forum is very active and the people are very friendly.

I also changed the title of your discussion.

Cheers,

Cheryl

Expat.com team

A word of advice, bring a cell phone into Brazil with you, for use in Brazil.  Not sure where you are, but phones in the USA are WAY less expensive than the exact same phone in Brazil. Virtually all electronics are super expensive in Brazil.  For example, a Playstation 5 in Brazil is just about double the price compared to buying it directly from Sony in the USA, (I just did this). In Brazil, you can easily buy a SIM card, the issue is you must have a CPF number to activate the time. I use Claro Pre-Pay and it's easy, they assign the telephone number to you when they activate your SIM card, which they can also sell to you.

Depending on the area typically internet is run by the same companies as cell phones. You do need a cpf number for a regular plan (you can sign up prior online via ministério da fazenda, however if you are applying for a visa and doing the whole process in the US you’ll have that done as one step). I ran into issues however because I had nonexistent credit for obvious reasons. The alternative is signing up for 3 months as a tourist with your passport but you often have to educate the workers that this is possible. If you’re renting people often land in an Airbnb and then start the house hunt. If you own it might be easier actually, I’m not sure there. Hope this helps!

Thanks for the information. My son and daughter-in-law live in the city I am moving to. I think they should be able to help me with this.

Thank you for the information. My son and daughter-in-law live in the city I am moving to. I think they can help me with this.

You need New number Brzall you use whsp number hold

Well do you know how much data you will be using? Because if you use it mainly for text-based stuff (e-Mail, reading websites and so on), and if the cellphone reception of at least one operator isn’t too bad, you could just get a SIM card from this operator, and use your data allowance (and buy more if needed). If you need it for Netflix and similar stuff, that will be too expensive, you’ll need a landline

How does one go about setting up Internet Service in Brazil? Can I still use my same e mail address? Also, I assume I will need to get a new phone number when I get to Brazil. How do I go about doing this?
-@Alstromeria55

i assume you are oblivious about the inner works of  internet , so a short explanation is in order.

The services you regularly use, including the ones for free, and some billed, are content.  E-mail, as an example, it's content. Your Productivity apps, content.  Your social media, content, Videos on Netflix or Youtube, content . 

Now, there might be content you can't access in Brazil, because the content provider blocks its property in Brazil.  Specific videos, movies, stuff like that.    There's ways to get around this.   To be explained at the end.

The physical connection, or broadband connection, ir what you need to be set with.  You need to order a broadband connection to your domicile, granted your son/daughter don't have it installed.   

Back home, you would call your local Cable/Internet Provider, be it Verizon, Bell South Pac Bell, Comcast, Charter, Cox Communications, AT&T.,

Same here, only that your soup letter will change.   Your choices, for most part, will be Vivo. / Claro & NET / Oi / Telecom Italia-TIM, or any local internet Service Provider out your neck of the woods.  For Vivo, and possibly Claro, and certainly TIM-Telecom Italia,  you can go to the nearest Mall, and a salesperson will handle your connection and order a scheduled install date.   

Once there, they will check your domicile to make sure they actually can roll services to your doorstep. 

Broadband Services here are term contracts, usually a 12 month term.   After the 12th month is elapsed, you are on a month to month at will contract,

At the pre set scheduled date, a lineman ( usually a third party contractor with the logo on their Mickey Mouse car, as they do not use full size trucks here ) will show up at your door step, and bring all there is to it for the scheduled install. Most usually, that person will have a logo on its vehicle, a badge.  Just make sure you get someone you can trust to be alongside.

Billing, do not let it go on automatic debit.  Tell the salesperson , at the ordering, you  will rather pay through a "Boleto". They can accommodate you on this     

Most broadband providers also handle your wireless , so bundle them up for savings and for your convenience's sake.  Very likely, you will get Broadband, Cable, Wireless, if you so desire. BTW, there's a lot of American content programming, same as you see back home. Sometimes, it is in English, sometimes, in sub, sometimes, it is lip synced

The Boleto works such as that when your bill comes due, it will pop at your e-mail., You can print it, take your debit card, and pay at the Bank'\s ATM the due amount.   You do not need to invest in a printer. More than likely, your local friendly stationery store can actually print what you send them, so save the money on printer and cartridges, unless you can justify the spending based upon your usage patterns.

Boleto in hand, your plastic on your purse, you can pay your bills at the ATM.  I suggest you to eschew online billing, until you are absolutely certain that your home setup is safe.

Privacy.  Get a VPN, for fending off snoops.  Wireless indoor connections  ( aka Wi-FI ) are an open back door for less than savory people to snoop in your account.  That and malware.   Brazil is a heaven for scammers, just as it is in Russia, China, India.

So invest in a VPN ( the monthly service charge is peaunuts, no more  than USD 5,00 and it is worth your while  ), and whatever you can use to block eavesdropers ( maybe a premise based firewall you can purchase at a computer / el,ectronics store ). 

VPNs not only afford you a modicum of security, they also allow you to be location agnostic, so that when a specific movie can only be seen at any given country, you won't be blocked ). Anyone who lived in China can tell you it is a God send ( out in China Google, Face Book, Youtube are blocked by the Chinese Government ). 

That should do it.

Cell phone handsets. 

What Raypo means,, is that you might want to purchase an "unblocked" phone with a global setup. 

In the US, the signal works in a different frequencvy range, so you have to be specifc when ordering your handset.    Most US handset sales with the plan are blocked, so your old handset might be useless here. 

You still can buy handsets here, they are as expensive as they make out to be.  Typically your Samsung, or the new Chinese ones  ( Xiaomi ) , or Motorola, or LC, will meet your budget ( Apple phones here are wicked expensive ).

Retail chains sell them ( Casas Bahia usually have good deals on handsets )