Sim cards and mobile internet
 

How straight forward is it to buy a local sim card in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru?

I presume that there is plenty of wifi about in Argentina and Chile, but still
what about mobile data, what are the costs and coverage like?

Got a Claro data card in Cusco peru from the main shop in the Plaza Vea complex. Wouldn't work in my unlocked wireless modem so I bought one of their USB wireless units. About 120 Soles for the dongle plus 3gig data for 30 days.

Haven't bothered in Ecuador but there is a slight chance the claro dongle might work with a claro data sim bought locally. Enough campgrounds have wifi anyway so won't bother.

Didn't bother in Chile because almost every Bibleotek has wifi often reaching out in the street 24/7 and once you register once you are on to the national system.

In Argentina just about every petrol station has free wifi and even if it is locked, they are pretty generous with the password.

I always use Entel in Chile , takes 2 minutes to buy a sim card and for aprox. 10$US you get 1 GB

Coverage is pretty good, even in remote areas down south .