Chile Phones, Cell Phones, and Communication
From Chile Wiki
Phones in Chile and other forms of communication
The phone system across Chile is for the most part new and modern with many options. That said, using and contracting phones can be very confusing because of all the options for phones in the Chilean market.
Traditional Landline Phones in Chile
1. Dialing Landline to Landline in the SAME area code (same city or region)
Dial just the number:
In Temuco to Temuco
985207
2. Dialing Landline to Landline in a DIFFERENT area code (a different region or city)
[carrier] + area code + number From Santiago to Temuco carrier 188 + area code Temuco + phone 985207 188 45 985207
The carrier will depend on the plan hired by the landline owner. Usually in calling centers they have the carrier they are using published.
If you have a landline at your place, it is better to have a plan for long distance calls. You could probably access the major carriers without contracting a plan, but the prices will be much higher. Usually the best prices are Telefonica – CTC mundo (188) and Telmex (171).
Check the list below of the most used carriers in Chile.
3. Dialing Landline to Cell Phone
09 + first number of the cell phone (7, 8 or 9) + cellphone number
For Example of calling the cell phone: 7 6200259
09 7 6200259
If can program the number in your phone, make sure you insert the appropriate pauses (P).
09 P 7 P 6200259
International Calls
From a landline: carrier + 0 + country code + area code + number 171 01 702 6969259
Please see the carrier list below.
Cell Phones in Chile
Chile has several cell phone companies. The major companies are Movistar, Entel PCS, and Claro. All Cell phone companies offer cell phone plans which are cheaper but often require a credit record or checking account. At most stores or malls in Chile you can buy a cell phone in a box that is charged by buying cards with prepayed cell phone minutes to recharge your cell phone.
If you are Dialing from a cell phone:
These instructions will apply to all cell phones in Chile.
1. Cellphone to cellphone:
Just the number: 7 6200259
The number always starts with a 7, 8 or 9 to a cellphone in Chile.
Examples:
- 7 6200259
- 8 6787249
- 9 6785429
The number including the 7, 8 or 9 should be eight numbers. NO ZERO in the beginning.
Why do people add a Zero sometimes?
Because in the beginning of cell phone history in Chile, we only had 9, some people forget to mention the first number (this is the 7, 8 or 9). Also, because just recently dialing from a land line to a cell was changed from just 08 – 6787249 to 09 8 6787249, some user instead of giving you the straight number will start with a zero before the 7, 8 or 9. (v.g. 08 6787249)
Remember NO ZERO BEFORE THE NUMBER.
2. Cellphone to Landline
0 + area code + number
For example: area code Temuco + phone 985207
045985207
Special Notes About Phone numbers
NOTE: Check the list of area codes below. They do not correspond to regions, cities or provinces. You have to dial the 0 even when you are calling from the same city.
Only Santiago has one number (2), the rest of the country has two numbers (e.g. Viña del Mar and Valparaíso is 32)
Traditionally just Santiago had seven digits numbers, and the rest of the country just six. Recently (this year) Valparaíso and Viña added one digit, so all numbers in those areas are modified by adding at the beginning of the number a 2.
For example, Viña del Mar land line number: Before 96 99 95 Now 296 9995
WARNING FOR NUMBERS IN VALPARAÍSO AND VIÑA DEL MAR
Because this is a new development, people might forget to add the number two, or old listings will not have it. If you dial the old number you probably will reach a recorded message. JUST REDIAL AND ADD A 2!
Most used carriers in Chile for calling long distance
Telefonica [1] 188
Telmex [2] 171
Entel Chile [3] 123
VTR [4] 111
Telefonica Manquehue [5] 122
Telefonica del Sur [6] 121
Phone Companies in Chile
Mail System in Chile
Public mail system
Private mail companies in Chile
Dialing a Phone in Chile Cheat Sheet
Area Codes in Chile
