I'm traveling to Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina for fun. Who offers a cellphone rental for cheap calls to US?

I am traveling to Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina for fun. I would like to rent a cellphone that works in all three countries so I can call my family back in the United States. Of course, I am interested in competitive 'per minute' rates and a low rental charge for the cell phone.

Can anybody recommend a company that can rent me a cell phone with competitive rates for this trip?

Thank you very much!

James

Can I give you an advice? Brazil is very dangerous.Don't show your American attitude.Be low profile.Be care full with your passport.Rio is hot,but not in temperature.In crime.Argentina and other country's are good and safe.However,remember be low profile. Good luck.

Firstly, Brazil isn't dangerous, and neither are Uruguay and Argentina as long as you are a rational normal person. I lived in Brazil for six months as an engineer for a mobile company there.

They have GSM 1800 service down there. If you have an unlocked tri-band PCS phone, you can just buy a sim when you get there-- that'll give you the best possible rates. T-mobile and Cingular are PCS networks in America.

I imagine you're adventurous enough to travel to more places in the world. Every country in the world has GSM (one of three bands 900, 1800, or 1900 which is PCS). It's a good idea to have an unlocked tri-band GSM phone so you can buy sims anywhere you go. Pretty much all GSM phones 2 years old and newer are tri-band.

In fact, it'll probably be cheapest to buy a used unlocked GSM phone when you get to Rio or Sao Paulo if you don't already have one. A used phone will be about 20 USD. Just make sure it's unlocked and a tri-band.

Go for the network called Claro. It'll work in all three countries, but you might as well buy a sim in each one. The sim will only be 10 dollars or so.

Also remember the charge adapter. Brazil has both 110 and 220 V, but an adapter is always handy.