This measure was agreed upon by the Bilateral Administrative Commission of the Trade Agreement between Argentina and Chile, in the framework of a session where different mechanisms were discussed to facilitate bilateral exchange, according to Télam. This means that the use of the mobile phone service when crossing the trans-Andean border will have the same costs as the local rate.

The Commission, created on November 2, 2017 to take effect on May 1, 2019, met for the first time yesterday.

Talks on eliminating international roaming were started three years ago by former telecoms watchdog Subtel head Pedro Huichalaf, but were interrupted both by a change in the Argentine government and an overhaul of its telecoms regulator, as well as the replacement of Huichalaf with Rodrigo Ramírez last year. Talks resumed in July this year.

Argentinian providers such as Claro, Personal, and Movistar offer roaming services in Chile, with different packages and pricing options depending on the user’s needs. For example, Claro offers a data roaming package with unlimited data usage for a daily fee, while Personal offers unlimited calls and text messages in addition to a set amount of data usage.

Chilean providers such as Entel, Movistar, and WOM offer roaming services in Argentina with similar packages and pricing options. Most providers offer both prepaid and postpaid plans, giving travelers the flexibility to choose the best option for their needs.

argentina chile roaming