eSIM and SIM cards in Bolivia

Buy Entel. The coverage difference outside the cities is not marginal.

• Entel is the state operator and has by far the best national reach - 4G across the Altiplano and, importantly, across the Salar de Uyuni, plus 5G in the main cities. Registration is in person with a passport at a store.
• Tigo has fast 4G and 5G in La Paz, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and Sucre, with moderate rural coverage. It allows registration in store or online within 5 days.
• Viva is the budget option, standard 4G in the big cities only.

Practical notes

• A physical SIM costs 10 to 30 BOB; a tourist data package covering two to three weeks is 50 to 100 BOB. By any standard this is cheap.
• Do not count on buying at the airport. Kiosk hours in the arrival halls at El Alto (LPB) and Viru Viru (VVI) are irregular and often closed for late arrivals. The reliable option is an official operator store (tienda oficial) in central La Paz, Santa Cruz or Sucre.
• Passport registration is required for a local SIM at an operator store.
• All three operators support eSIM on compatible handsets, which avoids the store visit for Tigo.

Have connectivity before you land if you can. An international eSIM such as Saily, activated on arrival, saves you dealing with a closed kiosk at 03:00 at 4,060 m, which is not the moment to be problem-solving.