Getting a Guatemala Cell Phone

You can buy a cheap cell phone in Guatemala for as little as 125 quetzales, which about $17 in October, 2008. It is not necessary to open an account with the phone company.

For a few hundred more quetzales, you can swap out the SIM card of some cell phones from overseas (but not the USA) and use them in Guatemala.

Either way, you get lower prices on long distance calls. For example, a call to the USA currently costs Q1 a minute with Claro. Make the same call from a hotel or other business that offers long distance telephone calls, and you will pay Q2.

Local calls are also inexpensive. So you can also use a cell phone to stay in touch with other people traveling in your group. This is especially useful if you are taking separate tours or day trips, or your group includes one or more people who tend to drink a lot of rum or tequila and wander off into the night.

Phone Cards

Cell phones in Guatemala work the same as disposable phones in other parts of the world. You buy a card and phone in the serial number to activate it.

A new phone comes with at least Q100 of time. You can buy a new one for Q10-Q100.

Buy a cell phone card on a doble or triple saldo day, and you get either two or three times as much time. Watch for posters in shop windows.

Where to Buy a Cell Phone

In Panajachel, Antigua, Xela and the capital, you will find shops that specialize in selling cell phones. Elsewhere, they are sold in small tiendas. Look for signs in the windows that say Claro, Tigo or Moviestar.

Locals say that Claro gets the best reception around Lake Atitlan, but that Tigo works best around the country.