Cell phone in Brazil?

September 12, 2005 12:04 PM

I'm traveling to Brazil in October and I'd like to have a useable cell phone when I'm there. What's my best option?

My existing Verizon Wireless phone is useless there and since my contract is expiring, I'd like to replace it with something more along the "pay as you go" line, perferably one that I could use in Brazil and back here (which means multi-band GSM). What companies have a decent deal and reasonable coverage in the NY state area AND Rio?

posted by tommasz to travel & transportation (5 comments total)

One option is to get an "unlocked" phone and simply buy a prepaid SIM chip when in Rio. I have friends who do this when travelling from Australia < -> USA, and it always works out cheaper at the slight inconvenience of having to tell people that you have a different phone number while using the other SIM.

Some phones can be unlocked after purchase via the keypad or similar simple tricks -- others need firmware jiggery-pokery which normally requires specialised hardware.
posted by 5MeoCMP at 12:48 PM on September 12, 2005

Or just rent a phone while you're there and use a calling card to phone home. That's what I did. There was a phone rental kiosk in my hotel.
posted by nyterrant at 12:54 PM on September 12, 2005

I believe Nextel (well Sprint now) has seamless service there, you can even walkie talkie between there and here.
posted by forforf at 4:48 PM on September 12, 2005

You can probably also buy a pay-as-you-go phone there and then top it up. IIRC, I paid about R$200 for our phones (3 years back now). You'd pay more without a subscription. Pay-as-you-go is a popular option in Brazil, you can buy phones and top-ups everywhere around Rio and calls are relatively cheap.

Depending on how long you'll be there and how much your US provider would charge you to roam, this might be an attractive option.
posted by sagwalla at 1:27 AM on September 13, 2005

Prepaid phones and chips are very common here in Brazil and it's easy for you to get one and to get further credits (cards that provide phone credits are available in newstands, drugstores, bars, etc).

Just make sure that your prepaid phone has international calls enabled, because some companies have them disabled by default.
posted by rexgregbr at 11:13 AM on September 13, 2005