Brazil covers nearly half of South America. It’s one of the most developed economies in South America, and yet has decent internet speed. Public Wi-Fi is unreliable. International roaming packages are pretty expensive, and therefore the straightforward way to reduce your roaming bills is to switch to a local SIM.
Brazil offers some really good deals on the internet. Most of the operators offer free access to WhatsApp. India calling however, is a bit expensive. Without any further ado, let’s explore the options of staying in touch with your loved ones back in India.
Documents Required
You can buy a SIM card by showing your passport. But some sellers also ask for social security number to activate it (CPF). We advise visitors to reach the carrier shop with the passport so that the CPF can be replaced by your passport number.
Availability
SIM card are available at many locations, but it’s advisable to purchase from the mobile provider shops, as they activate it without CPF. You can also purchase SIM card from shops, kiosks, supermarkets, pharmacies, as well as from the Rio de Janeiro-Galeão and São Paulo–Guarulhos international airports.
Cell Phone Carriers in Brazil
Brazil has four main telecom providers: Vivo, TIM, Claro and Oi. There are a few regional carriers (which aren’t as useful) operating as MVNOs on Vivo and TIM’s network. Vivo is the largest carrier in Brazil followed by TIM, Claro, and Oi.
MVNOs in Brazil
List of MVNOs in Brazil
TIM
- Porto Seguro Conecta
- Datora
- EuTV
- Correios
- Veek
- British Telecom
- FoneLight
- America Net
Vivo
- Movttel
- Mais AD
- Mais ADSA
- Mais Parceiros de Deus
- +Smartimão
Best Brazil Prepaid SIM For Indians
Network | Vivo | TIM | Claro | Oi |
Name of the Product | Vivo Turbo combo plans | TIM Visitor Prepaid SIM card | Claro Visitors | Oi Cellphone Prepaid |
Price | R$ 15 | R$ 25 | R$ 60 | R$ 30 |
Incoming | Free | Free | Free | Free |
Outgoing Local | Unlimited | R$ 0.5/minute | 21 minutes | Unlimited |
Outgoing India | R$ 1/minute | R$ 1/minute | 21 minutes | R$ 7.85/minute |
SMS local | Unlimited to Vivo phones R$ 0.1 to other carriers | R$ 0.5/SMS | Unlimited to Claro numbers 40 SMS to other carriers | 900 SMS |
SMS India | R$ 0.5/SMS | R$ 0.5/SMS | 40 SMS | R$ 0.5/SMS |
Data | 3 GB | 1.5 GB | 300 MB | 4 GB |
Validity | 7 days | 7 days | 7 days | 31 days |
Notable Info | WhatsApp Unlimited for sending messages, videos and photos | Dial * 144 to activate your
line Call * 222 # from your TIM, at anytime, to display your balance | Free access to Facebook and
Twitter 552# to register your number. | Unlimited WhatsApp and Messanger |
Brazil Prepaid SIM Card in India
Though local SIMs in Brazil are easily available, call rates to India are quite high. Avoid high call rates on local SIMs, and save yourself from getting ripped off by local vendors. Buy a Brazil SIM card in India.