Keeping in touch in Montevideo

By Amanda Massello

Keeping in touch is easy in Montevideo. An internet café can be found every few blocks along 18 de Julio. Many internet café’s also double as call centers. Ask for rates before calling, as they vary from cabina to cabina. Discounts are applied on international calling rates after 9 p.m. during the week and on weekends. For local calling, you’ll need to purchase an Antel (the state-run phone company) card to use with payphones. They are readily available at kioskos throughout the city. The country code for Uruguay is +598 and for Montevideo a 2 must be added before the local number. For incoming international calls and interdepartmental dialing the following codes should be placed in front of local numbers:

• Florida +598-352
• Maldonado (for Punta del Este) +598-42
• Mercedes +598-532
• Montevideo +598-2
• Paysandú +598-772
• San José +598-342
• Rocha +598-479
• Las Piedras +598-324
• Minas +598-442

For high-speed internet, head to Jose Ellaurí near 21 de Septiembre. Heading towards Pocitos on Ellaurí there are several internet café’s. Most of Montevideo’s malls also have free wireless internet in the food court for those who brought laptops along.

Montevideo’s central post office (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.) is located on Buenos Aires 451 and Misiones in the Ciudad Vieja. Additional post offices can be found next to the Montevideo Shopping Center, inside the Punta Carretas Shopping and next to the Centro Municipal de Fotografía  on Ejido (under the bridge connected to the Intendencia, Monday- Friday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Saturday 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.)