Phones on Easter Island
Telephone and internet communications on Easter Island have always been one step behind that in the rest of Chile. This is due to two reasons. On the one hand, the extreme geographical conditions of this territory have always caused technical difficulties that have been corrected thanks to the development of satellite system. And on the other hand, telecommunications companies have never seen the profitability of investing in a community so small, so remote and so isolated.
Read more about internet on Easter Island
Fortunately things are changing little by little, and although there are still many limitations, islanders and visitors have many more options to communicate with the outside than a few years ago.
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Phones
There are no public telephones in Hanga Roa. So if you want to make a national or international call you will have to request it in your accommodation or go to one of the few existing establishments that have telephone booths. On the main street Atamu Tekena are Man@net, Ciber Hare PC and Omotohi. The latter also has another seat in Te Pito o Te Henua street on the way to the Holy Cross church. Please note that Sundays are closed.
Mobile phones
The mobile phone signal on the island only works in Hanga Roa and not always correctly. Cuts in calls or coverage failures are common. Timidly it is extended to other places of the island like Rano Raraku, and it is hoped that soon it will be able to arrive at Anakena beach.
If you wish to use a foreign mobile phone on the island, we advise you to consult your operator to evaluate the roaming costs. Being an extreme zone costs can be very high and communication is not guaranteed.
If you travel with a Chilean cell phone, keep in mind that Entel Chile is the only company that provides coverage. Therefore, Entel contract phones are the best signal received, especially 3G. In theory, the cost of Entel calls is the same as that from mainland Chile, but we advise consulting with the company.
If the phone belongs to Movistar Chile, the user must register in the Movistar network by entering the configuration of his equipment and selecting manual search of network or system. The phone will search the available networks and choose from one of the following options to apply local rates to calls and SMS messages: MOVISTAR, TMOVIL, TELEFONICA, CHI02, CL02, and 730 02.
If you register with another network (Entel), roaming charges will apply. The technology used by Movistar is 2G so the signal is not very good except at Mataveri airport and its surroundings and in some areas of Hanga Roa.
It seems that currently the other operator Claro has no service on Easter Island.
How to call Easter Island by phone?
To call Easter Island you must take into account that the country code for Chile is 56, the code for mobile or cellular phones in Chile is 9 and the area code for Easter Island is 32. In February 2016 was unified the way to call the phones of Chile. Here’s how to dial in the different possible situations:
From continental Chile or Easter Island itself
Calling a landline number from a Chilean flandline or mobile phone:
- Dial: 32 + landline number
Calls to a mobile phone number from a Chilean landline or mobile phone:
- Dial: 9 + mobile phone number
From abroad or from a foreign phone in Chile
Calling a landline number from a foreign landline or mobile phone:
- From the USA and Canada dial: 011 56 32 + landline number
- From the rest of the world dial: 00 56 32 + landline number
Calling a mobile phone number from a foreign landline or mobile phone:
- From the USA and Canada dial: 011 56 9 + mobile phone number
- From the rest of the world dial: 00 56 9 + mobile phone number
How to call from Easter Island?
To mainland Chile or Easter Island itself
Calling a landline number from a Chilean landline or mobile phone:
- Dial: 32 + landline number
Calling a mobile phone number from a landline or mobile phone in Chile:
- Dial: 9 + mobile phone number
Calling abroad
Calling a landline number from a foreign mobile phone:
- Dial: 00 + country code + city code + landline number
Calls to a mobile phone number from a foreign mobile phone:
- Dial: 00 + country code + mobile phone number
Calling a landline number from a Chilean landline or mobile phone:
- If it’s Entel dial: 123 + 0 + country code + city code + landline number
- If it’s Movistar dial: 188 + 0 + country code + city code + landline number
Calling a mobile phone number from a landline or mobile phone in Chile:
- If it is Entel dial: 123 + 0 + country code + mobile phone number
- If it is Movistar dial: 188 + 0 + country code + mobile phone number
Useful phone numbers of Easter Island
Emergency
- Ambulance: 131
- Firemen: 132
- Carabineros (Chilean police): 133
- PDI (Investigation Police): 134
- Maritime Rescue: 137
Otros teléfonos de interés
- Provincial government: +56 32 2100254
- Municipality of Hanga Roa: +56 32 2100226
- Mataveri Airport: 56 32 2100700
- Latam Airline office: 56 32 2100279
- Sernatur office: 56 32 2100255
- Hanga Roa Hospital: 56 32 2100215
- Conaf (forest fires): 56 32 2100236
- Taxis: 56 32 2100700 | 56 32 2554000