Job Discussion Forums

[emmajanesmith]

Hi Guys,

I'm heading over to Chile in September and would appreciate some advice about phones.

Bearing in mind that I want to find the cheapest way to call another mobile in the UK...

1. Is it possible to bring my mobile phone (Motorola V3) from home (UK) and buy a sim card in Chile?

2. If so, what's the best Network?

3. Would it be cheaper for me to call home using a phone card on a public phone - can you recommend which cards are the best for calling a mobile in the UK ?

4. Is there a better option that I haven't mentioned?

Thanks in advance,

Emma

[tiolee]

You may want to look into buying an international sim card.

you can buy them in the uk and they let you call almost anywhere, chile included. They give you a low rate to make and receive calls.

http://www.orate.co.uk/Abroad/Payasyougo.html

may be worth a look at that website, many other available.

This website tells you about the gsm service all over the world.

http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/index.shtml

Chile uses the 1900 band .

The v3 is quad band so it will work in Chile.

you can buy cards to call the uk etc in chile. I bought one for 2000 pesos , just under �2 which lets you call for 20 mins.

Another option for calling back to the uk would be to use skype from a pc if you have access to one, thru ur laptop etc its dirt cheap to call a uk land line or mobile using skype and you top it up in 10 euors top ups if i rem right.
http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/rates/

�0.013 per min to call a uk landline

and

�0.162 per min to a uk mobile

it does not matter where you call from just where you call to. Also cheaper if your family wants to call you in chile. Works just like msn messenger.


ENTEL PCS
ENTEL TELEFONIA MOVIL
Telefonica Movil de Chile

Those are the big 3 in Chile. They all the same really.

You can by prepaid cards much like the ones we had here in the uk where you scratch off the silver bit at the back and then dial the compnay and top it up. I seen them at 8000 pesos and 3500 etc. Not sure on the rates from the mobile to the uk, depends on the tariff you choose I guess.

Using your own sim with international roaming would cost a fortune if you intend to use it often. I will also be taking my motorola with me to chile in nov but will leave my sim and either buy a card there or just get another cheap little phone to use there. I have the a1000 which is quite big. I am in the UK too.

I will post the rates to call uk mobile from chile if i can find it.

hope this was of some help

[tiolee]

Some info on cards in chile to call abraod from chile as well as in chile etc.

http://www.entelchile.net/entelcorp/spublico/ticket/ticket.htm

you can us ethat one to call inside chile, abroad as well as call chile from abroad or any other country.

I dont know how good your spanish is but but not that hard to read.

It comes in 1000 - 10000 pesos.

[tiolee]

this may be of use for those who wanna use their cell to call abroad
from Chile
http://www.gochile.cl/inc/CellPhone/CP_Rent.asp