Even in metropolitan Buenos Aires, coverage inside buildings can often be low quality. Improvements are promised by the operators.
Argentina makes use of the GSM 850/1900 and the iDEN networks. The most important companies in mobile telephony are:
- CTI Holdings
- Movistar – owned by Telefonica de Argentina
- Personal – owned by Telecom
- Nextel
These companies offer a very wide range of different contract calling plans and prepaid cards. If you want to know what would be the best plan for you, we recommend that you look at the webpage of the Argentine Sub Secretary of Consumer Defence , which forms part of the Argentinean Office for Economics and Trade, and click on “ Precios de Telefonía Celular”. At this page a comparison of all calling plans is kept up to date on a monthly basis.
If you bring your own Cellular phone, make sure it is compatible with the network in Argentina and that your telephone is SIM-Lock Free. If you have a Northern American or Asian handset, it may be a non-GSM compatible. A prepaid SIM-card can be bought starting around AR$ 30 at CTI, Personal and Movistar which includes credit. If you decide to buy a prepaid telephone, at prices start around AR$140.
Nextel differs from the other providers in that it does not use the GSM network. Nextel operates on the iDEN network and uses the specialized mobile radio band (SMR). You will need a Nextel telephone to make use of the iDEN network.