What is the best SIM card to get for Peru and how much does it cost? Thanks.

My advice, george, is that you just rent a cell phone during your next visit to Peru.

Should you decide to settle in Peru, the cheaper option is to sign a contract with one of the mobile phone companies. They will give you plenty of cell phone models to choose. They can charge you as low as $ 2.00 per month, either for renting or buying the equipment, provided that you engage on a six-month contract.

Hope I've helped you.


Gunslinger

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The lady in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed (parafraseando a Stephen King).

There are two operators in Perú, Telefonica and Claro. Both can sell you a SIM card for your phone, either one is just as good. Claro seems to be a little (very little) cheaper right now but that changes continuously (free market and fierce competition, you know). Still, if you want it just for a short visit it is best to rent a cellphone at the airport.

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Homo_Lo_Gato
...El único único GATO!

RT here. Welcome to the forum.

Homo Lo Gato is right -- both companies are virtually the same, for purposes of us mongers who just make an occasional visit. There are both Telefonica and Claro stores throughout Miraflores and just about every supermarket has kiosks that sell both phones and SIM cards (make sure that you have a tri-band phone and it is unlocked if you want to use your own equipment). Last month, Claro had SIM cards for 15 Soles (just over $5) and cheap phones with activation starting at around 100 Soles. This is all for a pre-paid plan.

Getting new service (either with a phone or just a chip) will take you around a half hour and requires at least some Spanish skills.

I agree with both guys above, if you're visiting for just a very few days and don't have plans to return, renting is a good option. You can get it done while you are waiting for your luggage at the airport, the 'salesgirls' are pretty and speak English, and the price won't break your budget.

For a repeat visitor, nothing beats having your own number. Your time doesn't really expire (when you re-load upon your return you get your 'expired' credits back), and -- if you plan on cultivating long-term chicas -- it adds an air of 'permanance' that is so, so valuable.

One tip: don't load too much time on your phone at once. Girls are always asking if they can use your phone, and whatever time you have will get used by them. I just keep a few extra 10- or 20- Sol cards in my wallet.

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Back in Peru for a few weeks, I just bought a new SIM chip for my phone ... the prepaid ("prepago") system is pretty straightforward at the kiosk in the supermarket (e.g. Wong).

You go to the kiosk (I chose Claro, as the girl there was prettier) and ask for a "chip". She gives you a couple of numbers to choose from, fills out a form (I wasn't asked to show an ID) and tells you to present this paper at the supermarket cashier and pay there your 15 Soles.

After paying the sim-card (together with some beer and whatever else you bought) you head back to the kiosk and give the girl the receipt, the paper and your phone ... she does all the rest and hands you over the readily activated phone.

With the chip comes some initial credit to call other Claro phones for 15 minutes and/or to receive any call. If you want to make calls to any national phone (which you most probably want), you've to go back to the supermarket cashier (pretty girl too) and ask for "recargo" of your new phone number. (If you don't speak Spanish: just show her the phone number on the Claro card and give her the desired amount of Soles, e.g. 20 Soles for a credit of about 40 minutes - she will most probably understand what you want).

That's all, simple and takes less than 10 minutes. Advantage over renting a phone (and have all dialed phone numbers recorded by the renting company): Your Privacy!
Enjoy Peru!

Thanks.

I got a chip, but had to do so at a Claro store. I could not find one anywhere else. It took a while for the girl to setup the account. This took a while for her to do. Make sure you get setup for the TUN (Tarifa Unica National) which is much cheaper (.5 soles/minute) than the default rate for calls outside the company's network. I got the default and went through 45 soles in 2 days!

You'll have your first choice to rent a phone right at the Lima airport. Once you go through immigrations you'll find a few girls offering you to rent cheap mobile phones at the lugage pick-up area.