Uruguay

Basics

Operators and frequencies

Uruguay has 3 mobile operators:

• Antel (state owned)
• Movistar (by Telefónica)
• Claro (by América Móvil)

Coverage and speed are pretty good for Latin American standards. But frequencies are very diverse. While Antel has 2G and 3G on "European bands", Movistar and Claro use "American frequencies":

Operator	2G (GPRS, EDGE)	3G (UMTS, HSPA+)	4G (LTE)
Antel	1800 Mhz	2100 Mhz	1700 Mhz
Movistar	850, 1900 Mhz	850, 1900 Mhz	1900 Mhz
Claro	1900 Mhz	1900 Mhz	1700 Mhz

Legal Requirements

If you want to use a prepaid SIM card from an Uruguay operator, you must register your equipment with the Uruguay customs when you enter the country. To do so, just go to the customs office, show the equipment and tell that you will use it with a local SIM card. You will be asked to fill a form, which takes a minute and it's free. You may or may not get a SIM later in the shops, unless you register.

If you just want to use your home SIM card on roaming, this procedure is not required. For purchasing a Uruguayan SIM card in a shop, you must show your passport and give an local address which can be the hotel address.

Antel

Antel stands for Administración Nacional de Telecomunicaciones, the state owned, national provider of telecommunication. It has a monopoly for landlines, but on mobile networks, it competes with Movistar and Claro. Still, it is the market leader with around 50% of all cellular customers and the best network in the country. Antel 2G/3G/4G Coverage Map. 3G covers about 90%. 4G/LTE started in 2011 is available for prepaid without surcharge but limited to the cities.

Availability

Their prepaid SIM card is called Chip Prepago and available for $ 48 without credit in their shops and sales outlets: Antel Shop Locator Recharges can be made there and everywhere, where you spot the Antel logo for $ 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, 300 or 500 extending SIM life for 5 to 120 days according to top up amount. The SIM card activation can take up to several hours, after that you can buy credit and activate bundle.

Data feature packs

There is no internet without bundles. So after activation you must reload and choose one of these data bundles:

For activation text code to 226. To check data balance text SALDO to 226.

More Info

• APN (for prepaid only): prepago.ancel
• Username and password: BAM
• More info: Website in Spanish

Movistar

Movistar by Spanish Telefónica is the second provider in the country. Still it has fair coverage on "American" frequencies (see above): Movistar 2G/3G Coverage Map 3G coverage is about 50%. 4G/LTE has just started in Montevideo: Movistar 4G/LTE Coverage Area and is given out for free when you have a 4G SIM card.

Availability

Their prepaid SIM card is called Movistar Prepago and available for $ 55 with some bonuses but no data in their shops and sales outlets: Movistar Shop Locator Recharges can be made there and everywhere, where you spot the Movistar logo. You can send a free SMS to 944 with the word DONDE and they text you the nearest locations. Topups are $ 120-500 giving 30-90 days of credit.

Data feature packs

Default rate is the Internet by day rate: 15 MB per day for $ 6.90 up to 23:59 hrs. For more data, you should choose one package called Paquete Prepago:

Data Volume	Time	Price	Activation Code
100 MB	1 week	30 $	Semanal 100 MB
200 MB	15 days	59 $	200 MB
250 MB	1 week	75 $	Semanal 250 MB
400 MB	30 days	100 $	400 MB
1 GB	30 days	250 $	1 GB

To subscribe, text code to 888. The weekly packages are recurrent, the others don't renew automatically. To stop, text BAJA and the activation code to 888. To check balance, text SALDO to 222.

More Info

• APN: webapn.movistar.com.uy
• Username and password: movistar
• Website: in Spanish

Claro

Claro by Mexican América Móvil is the smallest network in the country on "American" frequencies (see above). 4G has started but is not yet advertised. So make a network scan before you buy a SIM card. If you have coverage, they offer the cheapest rates for data right now.

Availability

The prepaid SIM card called Chip Claro Tajetero is sold for 40 $ with lots of bonuses and freebies in kiosks and their shops. Claro Shop Locator Top ups can be made there from $ 20 - 150 valid for 5 - 30 days respectively.

Data feature pack

Like Movistar, internet is by default on the daily rate: 10 MB per calendar day (until 11.59 pm) for $ 10. Then you are throttled to 64 kbps or you can reset for another 10 MB and $ 10 by texting the word TURBO to 252.

Data-only SIM

As only operator in the country, Claro offers a data-only SIM for modems and tablets called Banda Ancha Móvil Prepago. It costs $ 30 per calendar day (until 11:59 pm) and gives 250 MB at full speed, then another 250 MB capped at 128 kpbs, then throttled to 64 kbps. You can reset full speed by texting TURBO to 252 for another $ 30 up to three times per day.

More Info

• APN: internet
• Username: ctiweb
• Password ctiweb999

• Website: in Spanish