Spanish SIM card

Minerva_2

I will be going to Spain this year and was wondering about buying a Spanish SIM card, as I will be making and taking calls in Spain.

At the moment I have Virgin PAYGO.

Is it possible to buy a SIM card for use in Spain?

Is it worth it?

Thanks!

slowen

Minerva wrote:

I will be going to Spain this year and was wondering about buying a Spanish SIM card, as I will be making and taking calls in Spain.

At the moment I have Virgin PAYGO.

Is it possible to buy a SIM card for use in Spain?

Is it worth it?

Thanks!

You could try phoning Virgin to see if they offer international roaming so that you can use your current sim card abroad, I done this with an O2 pay and go simcard when I was in Gran Caneria In October and the calls worked out reasonable compared to using the payphones over there

redux

it would be much cheaper with a local SIM card though - especially if you can use it (or the callbox) with a calling card

if you search the Mobiles forum for Spain, there are already several threads ...

sorry, not much point in posting a link for searches, as they expire

reelcrazy

I bought an Amena sim card off ebay for around £12 which came with 12 euro credit on it. Make sure your mobile is unlocked before you go though

virgo17

redux wrote:

it would be much cheaper with a local SIM card though -

You can get a local PAYG SIM from most airports or from the Phone Companies shops in most towns. The two main players are Vodafone and Movistar as they have the networks with the best coverage. Also consider Amena, although I would say their coverage isn't quite as good as the other two.

Provided your phone is unlocked and dual band (most recent phones are at least dual band), it will take any of the SIM cards mentioned. There are different calling plans in Spain with their off-peak starting much later in the evening than in the UK.

Don't forget also that with Spanish SIM cards your credit will expire if the phone is not topped up or used usually every six or nine months, depending on network. Voda SIM's are fairly easy to top up from the UK wheras Movistar are more complex, but can be done.

Hope this helps.

V.

strangey

Get a local sim card when you're there its much cheaper. they have their local vodafone, telefonica movistar and amena.

When I was there I got a telefonica movistar sim card for 60 euros, which came with 60 euros calling credit (though this was given to me by them in chunks but nothing difficult) - so it worked out free.

Vodafone isnt as good value as movistar imho, amena is cheaper than both but not as good service/coverage if you ask me.

Make sure your phone is unlocked and you should be dandy.

RightRevBod

I bought a "used" Vodafone Spain sim card from http://www.spainsim.com

I did a fair amount of hunting, and they seemed to be the cheapest for both new and used sim cards. They are based in Spain and posted the card to me. Took about 4 days.

I have not had to test what they are like with complaints, but all the contact that I have had with them has been quick and good.

redux

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/spain.html

I should have put this on the first time - take a look on there and the network sites for favourite number options (maybe the €0.09/min on Movistar) and use that with a calling card to call UK cheaply

Minerva_2

Thanks for your replies. I have a Nokia 3410, a few years old now, and I don't know if it is dual band. I hasn't been unlocked. How do I get it unlocked?

Thanks!

skintscotsman

Minerva wrote:

Thanks for your replies. I have a Nokia 3410, a few years old now, and I don't know if it is dual band. I hasn't been unlocked. How do I get it unlocked?


Thanks!

i used a 3410 in romania so i imagine it'll be ok in spain.

there are threads about unlocking somewhere.....a bit of searching should find you one in a dew minutes.

Minerva_2

Thanks skintscotsman, I will have a search!