Phone Usage in Brazil

Telephone numbers in Brazil are composed of the following:
The actual phone number consists of 9 digits. These are always the last 9 digits of the number. In Brazil, both mobile and landline numbers have regional area codes. These area codes consist of a zero followed by two other digits. For example, the area code in Florianópolis is 048. Some providers have established themselves so strongly that you can only make nationwide calls by first using an additional, provider-exclusive code. These provider codes are 015 or 021. If you call a place outside of your local area with such a provider code, the zero from the regional area code is omitted. For example, if you call a number in Florianópolis from Rio de Janeiro with the 021 provider, the number would be 021-48-XXXXX-XXXX.

To buy a SIM card from a local phone provider in Brazil, you usually need a Brazilian tax number (which is called CPF). Since the Confederations Cup in 2013 and the Soccer World Cup in 2014, the national agency for telecommunications (Anatel) has made it possible for foreign tourists to purchase a SIM card by presenting their passports. Unfortunately, this new regulation does not yet seem to be known among all sellers of local phone providers. To that end, there is no guarantee that you will actually be given a SIM card at every point of sale. However, since most hotels offer free Wi-Fi, at least this option can be used for online communication.

It is also possible to order a virtual card for trips abroad via an eSIM provider before departure. An eSIM is a virtual version of the traditional SIM card.