The purchase of a local cell phone chip is highly recommended for anyone planning a long stay in Rio both for safety and comfort reasons - given that the ability to access a variety of important information on the internet anywhere is one of the greatest achievements of this century, and considering that the permanent possibility of change on a carioca's daily plans is one of their most noticeable traits, one should not leave home without proper connectivity.

Should, however, the cell phone's internet fail an unlucky visitor, this map shows the general distribution and concentration of free wi-fi spots across the city - sponsored by the government of the state of rio de janeiro, here is a list of where to find centros de internet comunitários, locations offering free internet access, as also seen on this map.

In case an emergency copy is needed, most paper shops, called “papelarias” in Portuguese, Have copy machines and charge just a few cents for each black and white copy, although it is possible that the prices are much higher for colored copies or, as with every other store, depending on the location of the business.