Cell phone rentals

[slimdude2]

I will in Rio in December for a week.  Where can I find a cell phone rental while there?  

[mvan1]

1 hour ago, slimdude2 said:

I will in Rio in December for a week.  Where can I find a cell phone rental while there?  

I doubt that you will find a cell phone rental in Rio or anywhere in Brazil. 

The theft of cell phones in Rio is quite common.  That is why I believe it is unlikely any company will rent an item that is so easily stolen.  

For example, I visit Brazil often and I know many Brazilians (clients and garotos).  Every Brazilian I know has had his phone stolen at least once in the past couple of years.  

If you have a cell phone where you live and if that cell phone has a SIM card, you can obtain a Brazilian SIM card when you enter Brazil anywhere from free to ten reais (a few dollars).  

I don't know if you are in the the U.S.  If you are, and if your cell phone provider is either T-mobile or AT&T,  your phone is equipped to handle a Brazilian SIM card.

If you have Verizon or others, their phones are not designed for SIM cards and you will not be able to use your American phone in Brazil except when you switch to roaming, which can be quite expensive (unless you have an international plan).  

Considering that you are not going to Rio until December, you might consider buying a cheap phone that uses a SIM card.  

You can find a phone on Amazon for around fifty dollars.  The phone is not the top of the line phone but it will accept a Brazilian SIM card and the phone will work fine in Brazil.  Considering that the phone is so cheap, if it gets stolen or you lose it, you are not out much.  

Here is one example of a phone from Amazon that is less than fifty dollars:

https://www.amazon.com/BLU-Advance-Unlocked-Smartphone-Black/dp/B072N6BD9V/ref=sr_1_5?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1540744163&sr=1-5&keywords=smart+phone

If you buy the above phone or have one similar, when you arrive in Rio, it is simple to buy a SIM card.  

Some people think you need a CPF number to buy a SIM but that is not true.  Your identification is fine.  

The best place to buy a SIM is at one of the several phone companies in Brazil - TIM, OI, VIVO and Claro are the most popular.

 

 

[wncdemcub]

You are wrong about Verizon. As long as you have a removable SIM card the phone is unlocked (internationally), you can use a Brazilian SIM. I have Verizon and have used it. 

Verizon also offers a $10/day international roaming which includes Brazil.

 

[mvan1]

1 hour ago, wncdemcub said:

You are wrong about Verizon. As long as you have a removable SIM card the phone is unlocked (internationally), you can use a Brazilian SIM. I have Verizon and have used it. 

Verizon also offers a $10/day international roaming which includes Brazil.

 

Thank you for pointing out that Verizon now has a removable SIM.  I knew this.  I had hoped to avoid making the explanation too complicated.  

Initially, only ATT and T-mobile had removable SIMs. 

Verizon currently has a SIM but those who use it in Brazil often (not always) find Verizon's new and different system unreliable and/or not compatible.  But, yes,  Verizon does have a removable SIM.

Although Verizon will work fine in the U.S. and many other countries, in Brazil Verizon's newer SIM system can have issues with Brazil's older systems. 

As you can see from my referral of Amazon for a cheap phone, I assumed the person asking the question about a phone rental in Rio is looking to save money while visiting Brazil. As you wrote, you use an international plan with your phone and you are charged ten dollars each day (plus taxes).

If one is willing to pay an extra ten dollars EACH DAY (plus tax) for international roaming and if a person visits Brazil for ten days, for example, the ten dollars will equal one hundred dollars plus tax or near the equivalent of R$400 (reais) for telephone use while in Brazil.   Paying that kind of money to use a phone in Brazil is not necessary.  

Depending on the telephone/communication desires of the person visiting Brazil, if that person plans to communicate with garotos, a garoto is not going to call a U.S. telephone (too expensive).  

There is a work around for those who use the international plan you mentioned.  The Verizon user (or persons with phone service from most other providers) can download "whatsapp" which allows calls to and from others who also have "whatsapp" installed on their phone.  It does not matter is the phone that has the "whatsapp" has a SIM or conventional calling configuration.  The "whatsapp" avoids long distance charges regardless of where the phone or its number are located.  

Keep it simple and economical!

[slimdude2]

Thanks for the helpful tips. 

[wncdemcub]

7 hours ago, mvan1 said:

Thank you for pointing out that Verizon now has a removable SIM.  I knew this.  I had hoped to avoid making the explanation too complicated.  

Initially, only ATT and T-mobile had removable SIMs. 

Verizon currently has a SIM but those who use it in Brazil often (not always) find Verizon's new and different system unreliable and/or not compatible.  But, yes,  Verizon does have a removable SIM.

Although Verizon will work fine in the U.S. and many other countries, in Brazil Verizon's newer SIM system can have issues with Brazil's older systems. 

As you can see from my referral of Amazon for a cheap phone, I assumed the person asking the question about a phone rental in Rio is looking to save money while visiting Brazil. As you wrote, you use an international plan with your phone and you are charged ten dollars each day (plus taxes).

If one is willing to pay an extra ten dollars EACH DAY (plus tax) for international roaming and if a person visits Brazil for ten days, for example, the ten dollars will equal one hundred dollars plus tax or near the equivalent of R$400 (reais) for telephone use while in Brazil.   Paying that kind of money to use a phone in Brazil is not necessary.  

Depending on the telephone/communication desires of the person visiting Brazil, if that person plans to communicate with garotos, a garoto is not going to call a U.S. telephone (too expensive).  

There is a work around for those who use the international plan you mentioned.  The Verizon user (or persons with phone service from most other providers) can download "whatsapp" which allows calls to and from others who also have "whatsapp" installed on their phone.  It does not matter is the phone that has the "whatsapp" has a SIM or conventional calling configuration.  The "whatsapp" avoids long distance charges regardless of where the phone or its number are located.  

Keep it simple and economical!

I usually get a Brazilian sim and have had no problems with my phone. I use an old iPhone separate from my main phone. That way if it did get stolen, it’s not a huge loss.

[mvan1]

32 minutes ago, wncdemcub said:

I usually get a Brazilian sim and have had no problems with my phone. I use an old iPhone separate from my main phone. That way if it did get stolen, it’s not a huge loss.

Great, you don't have to pay the $10 + tax daily roaming fee nor put up with Verizon's system conflicting with the wireless systems in Brazil.   

Those Brazilian SIMs, as you no doubt know, are inexpensive and usually work well. 

I found that TIM (phone company) is the most problematic of the Brazilian telephone carriers.    

In my case, I visit Brazil so often I have kept the same SIM and telephone numbers for years.  I have two numbers; one with TIM and one with VIVO (phone company). 

 When I said I keep the same SIM, that is somewhat misleading.  As newer phones came on the market, newer phones were designed for a smaller SIM card.  Over the years, I kept the same phone numbers (and subscriber information) but had to exchange larger SIM cards for a micro then a nano, which is currently the smallest and newest SIM available. 

 

 

[SolaceSoul]

I switched from AT&T (which offers the $10 a day unlimited data, text and calling while traveling international) to T-Mobile which has a plan that allows for unlimited text and data plan whenever traveling internationally, a drastically reduced cellular data calls to and from most countries, and calls on Wi-Fi are always free..I’m very happy with the switch.

[floridarob]

11 hours ago, SolaceSoul said:

I switched from AT&T (which offers the $10 a day unlimited data, text and calling while traveling international) to T-Mobile which has a plan that allows for unlimited text and data plan whenever traveling internationally, a drastically reduced cellular data calls to and from most countries, and calls on Wi-Fi are always free..I’m very happy with the switch.

I switched many years ago to T-Mobile and haven't looked back. I can't understand people that travel frequently using anyone else but them. In some countries, their 2G internet roaming is like not having internet....but I have a dual sim phone and would just buy a sim in that country for that.

[wncdemcub]

1 hour ago, floridarob said:

I switched many years ago to T-Mobile and haven't looked back. I can't understand people that travel frequently using anyone else but them. In some countries, their 2G internet roaming is like not having internet....but I have a dual sim phone and would just buy a sim in that country for that.

Well my reason for not using T-Mobile is lack of signal at my home in the us.

[SolaceSoul]

15 minutes ago, wncdemcub said:

Well my reason for not using T-Mobile is lack of signal at my home in the us.

Interesting, because that was the catalyst for my switch from AT&T!