Before you start

Identity document for registration
A Paraguayan cédula and proof of address for a postpaid contract or fixed line

Step-by-step

1
Buy a prepaid SIM on arrival
Available at operator shops, supermarkets and kiosks across the city. Prepaid gets you working immediately and does not need residence.
In personWho: YouDay one
2
Register the handset's IMEI if you brought it from abroad
CONATEL runs a national IMEI register. Paraguay is a huge importer and re-exporter of consumer electronics and the register exists to keep stolen and cloned handsets off the networks — a phone that is not on it can be blocked.
OnlineWho: You
3
Move to postpaid once you have the cédula
Postpaid plans and family bundles need residence documentation. This is the point at which the cédula pays for itself again.
In personWho: You
4
Check fibre availability at the exact address, not the barrio
Coverage is patchy in a way that does not follow the usual desirability map — a tower block in Villa Morra and a house two streets away can have completely different options. Ask the building administrator who actually works there before signing a lease.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport or cédula for prepaid registration
Cédula and proof of address for postpaid or fixed-line contracts

Things most newcomers don’t know

CONATEL's IMEI register is not a formality here.

Paraguay's electronics trade, centred on Ciudad del Este, makes handset provenance a real regulatory concern. A phone bought informally can be barred from the networks.

Source: CONATEL — Registro de IMEI

Four operators is genuinely competitive for a market this size.

Prices are low and prepaid promotions are aggressive. There is no strong reason to commit to a contract in your first months.

Fixed internet quality is a street-level question.

Asunción's build-out has been uneven and the answer depends on the specific block and building rather than the neighbourhood's reputation.