Destinations
Internet in Brazil: a country where everything runs through messaging
Good network along the coast and enormous distances inland. Why running out of data complicates more than usual and what a typical trip uses.
Irene Salazar 6 min Photo by Davi Costa on Unsplash Brazil is a country where messaging is not just another app: it is the default channel for almost everything. Hotels, transport, excursions, restaurants and even shops answer there, so running out of data complicates daily life considerably more than in Europe.
Coverage
Wide 4G along the entire coastal strip and in the big cities, with 5G in São Paulo, Rio and other state capitals. The main roads are covered.
The gaps are proportional to the size of the country: the interior of the Northeast, Amazonia, the Pantanal and long road stretches between states. In Amazonia you have to count on being without signal for hours or days, depending on the route.
The distances, which deceive on the map
A three-hour domestic flight is normal, and a road journey between two cities can take a whole day. All of that is hours of a phone working or a phone without signal, depending on where the route passes.
What the phone is used for there
- Messaging to book, confirm and ask about anything at all.
- Transport apps in the big cities, which are also the recommended way to move around at night.
- Payments by code, very widespread in the country.
- Maps, with the local habit of not trusting the shortest route blindly in certain neighbourhoods.
What you will use
Between 400 and 800 MB a day on a normal trip. It rises at the beach and during carnival, which are video and photos at all hours.
How your plan treats Brazil and what to check first is in what your operator charges outside the EU.
Safety and the phone
In the big cities the local habit is worth adopting: do not carry the phone in your hand on the street, use it inside shops or in the car, and share your location with someone if you go out at night. This is not alarmism, it is what everyone there does.
Frequently asked questions
Is coverage good in Brazil?
Yes along the coast and in the big cities, with 5G in several state capitals. The gaps are in the interior of the Northeast, in Amazonia, in the Pantanal and on long road stretches.
Do I need data in Brazil?
Quite a lot: almost everything is organised by messaging, from the hotel to the excursions, and urban transport is ordered by app.
How many gigabytes for two weeks in Brazil?
Between 6 and 12 GB with normal use, and more if you post photos and videos daily.
Is there coverage in Amazonia?
Very little. Depending on the route you have to count on hours or days without signal, so tell someone your plan and carry what you need downloaded.
Is it safe to use the phone on the street?
In the big cities the local habit is the sensible one: use it inside shops or in the car and do not carry it in your hand while walking.
