Prepaid SIM Cards in Paraguay — Research Chat¶
From: https://claude.ai/chat/f9b5c2f3-4d69-4428-92f7-6beca2851381
Question 1: Prepaid SIM comparison¶
Do a deep research of prepaid sim cards in Paraguay. Cheap and good performance. Advise minimum balance to keep alive the number.
Answer 1: Operator comparison¶
Let me research the current prepaid SIM card landscape in Paraguay for you.
Here's what I found, Augusto. The landscape in Paraguay is pretty straightforward with three main operators worth considering.
The operators at a glance
Tigo is the largest mobile operator with about 51% market share and the best overall coverage. Their 4G/LTE network is strongest in the southeastern region around Asunción. Their SIM card costs PYG 5,000 and is available in all three sizes from their shops.
Personal (by Núcleo S.A.) is the second largest with about 33% market share, offering good coverage at lower prices than Tigo. Their SIM card costs PYG 10,000 and comes loaded with PYG 40,000 of credit valid for 7 days. That's a solid deal right off the bat.
Claro has the fastest speeds but the weakest 4G/LTE coverage in the country.
Prepaid pricing breakdown
For Personal, packs start from as low as Gs. 2,000 for a WhatsApp pack, with a daily pack at Gs. 4,750 and larger options at Gs. 10,000 and Gs. 40,000. A key advantage: credit balances don't expire on Personal. Per-use rates are Gs. 24 per second for calls and Gs. 360 per SMS sent.
For Tigo, their "Redes Sociales" paquetigos run Gs. 7,000 for 1 GB general + 2 GB social media for 2 days, Gs. 10,000 for 1 GB + 2 GB social for 3 days, and Gs. 13,000 for 2 GB + 2 GB social for 4 days. They also have daily autocompra paquetigos and extended plans of 5-7 days. WhatsApp is included free with active data packs.
For Claro, a Gs. 10,000 recharge gives you WhatsApp gratis, 500 MB for browsing, unlimited calls to Claro numbers, plus you keep the Gs. 10,000 as credit. A Gs. 20,000 recharge bumps that to 2 GB general + 500 MB for social media. Benefits activate with a minimum recharge of Gs. 5,000.
Keeping your number alive
This is where it gets tricky — Paraguay (CONATEL) doesn't have publicly documented universal rules like Peru's OSIPTEL. Based on the available information:
Personal is the safest bet for a "keep alive" line because they explicitly state balances don't expire. A periodic small recharge of Gs. 2,000-5,000 (about $0.25-$0.65 USD) should keep things active. For Tigo and Claro, the general practice across Millicom/AMX operations in Latin America is that lines get suspended after roughly 90-180 days of total inactivity (no recharges, no usage), with a grace period before final deactivation. A monthly or bimonthly recharge of the minimum amount (Gs. 5,000 for Tigo, Gs. 5,000 for Claro) is the safe play.
My recommendation
For your use case as a resident who wants cheap and reliable day-to-day connectivity, Tigois the strongest pick for coverage and network quality. Their paquetigos via *222# or the Mi Tigo app make it easy to buy exactly what you need. For a secondary/backup line you just want to keep alive cheaply,Personal is ideal — their no-expiration balance policy means you can do a minimal recharge every couple months and not worry.
A practical "keep alive" budget would be around Gs. 5,000 (~$0.65 USD) every 60-90 days as a safe minimum. But I'd recommend confirming the exact inactivation policy by calling Tigo at *611 or Personal at *111, since these terms aren't always published clearly online and can change.
Question 2: Where to buy Personal SIM¶
Where to purchase prepaid Personal SIM Card in Lambaré, Fernando de la Mora and Asunción Paraguay?
Answer 2: Store locations¶
Here are the Personal stores I found in your area. I didn't find a dedicated Personal office in Lambaré or Fernando de la Mora specifically, but there are several within easy reach.
Here are the Personal stores I found. A few things to note:
Best options for you in Asunción:
The Sede Central on Av. España 522 (3.8 rating, 2,700+ reviews) is the flagship — it's the most complete office for chip activation. Open Mon-Fri 8-18h, Sat 9-12h. Expect some wait time based on reviews.
The Shopping del Sol location on Av. Eusebio Ayala 4599 is your closest bet if you're coming from Fernando de la Mora. It's right on the border. Big advantage: extended hours including Sundays (11-20h), so you can go on weekends without rushing.
The Centro location on Calle Palma is downtown, same hours as the sede central.
For Lambaré and Fernando de la Mora specifically: There's no dedicated Personal office in either city. Your best options are the Shopping del Sol store (closest to Fernando de la Mora) or the Sede Central on Av. España (accessible from Lambaré via Av. España going north).
Tip: Beyond official stores, you can also pick up a Personal prepaid chip at authorized resellers like cell phone shops, kioscos, and supermarkets throughout Lambaré and Fernando de la Mora. The chip itself costs Gs. 10,000, and you can activate and recharge immediately. If you just need the chip without any complex transaction, a local punto de venta will be faster than dealing with the lines at the official offices. You can also request a chip via the Personal website form or by calling 0971 100 000 for Personal Delivery service.