Top up Spanish Orange sim card from UK.

Boohoo

Hello.

I have a Spanish Orange sim card for 2 years.
It is registered in Spain and i have an online account where i can check calls made, balance, sms and to top up.
I am off to Madrin in 2 days time and at the weekend i went online to top up but nothing happened. I used my Caxton fx card 3 times but nothing went through and i checked Caxton account and no money came out.
Today i used Nationwide credit card and the same thing happened.
I used the same credit card last October to top up and it worked.
Does anybody know if Orange.es have stopped taking cards from ouside Spain. I know i can top up in Madrid but you have to top up once a year or they disconnect the number.
Vince

grumbler

Boohoo wrote: »

...I know i can top up in Madrid but you have to top up once a year or they disconnect the number.
Vince

Are you sure? Normally sending a text would suffice. For Orange UK even receiving a short call does the job.

NFH

grumbler wrote: »

Are you sure? Normally sending a text would suffice. For Orange UK even receiving a short call does the job.

In most countries, PAYG SIMS still expire if they do not receive regular top-ups, as used to be the case in the UK. I believe that it's the norm only in the UK and Ireland for SIMs to remain active just by using them. The list at PrePaidGSM.net gives a good indication, although a lot of the data is out of date.

grumbler

NFH wrote: »

...I believe that it's the norm only in the UK and Ireland for SIMs to remain active just by using them. ...

I think this depends on the network rather than on the country. And I know that this is the norm in Russia at least for one network.

NFH

grumbler wrote: »

I think this depends on the network rather than on the country. And I know that this is the norm in Russia at least for one network.

Indeed, but it's not the norm in the country. However, МегаФон has recently started expiring the credit but not the SIM card if it's not used. There's one network in Iran apparently that issues everlasting SIM cards, but again it's not the norm in the country. The only countries where this is the norm are the UK and Ireland.

Intasun32

Boohoo wrote: »

Does anybody know if Orange.es have stopped taking cards from ouside Spain. I know i can top up in Madrid but you have to top up once a year or they disconnect the number.
Vince

@Boohoo,

I too have had a Orange.es sim for some years but have never been able to use a UK credit or debit card to top up my account. Like you have experienced it is rejected. I have had the same problem with a TIM Italia sim card.

I often used the top ups offered at a premium on ebay but since the anti-terrorist laws that were brought in a few years ago in Spain & Italy it has been more difficult.

Good luck

Just found this on ebay, it is expensive but it may help you:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPANISH-SIM-CARD-10-RECHARGE-TOP-UP-MASMOVIL-HITS-LEBARA-ORTEL-MOBILE-SPAIN-/220907097999?pt=UK_Mobile_Home_Phones_Sim_Cards_CV&hash=item336f16cf8f

:beer:

Boohoo

Thanks for the replies.

About the sim card running out if not used according to Orange.es you have to top up within 365 days of the last top up or the sim will expire and all credit will be gone.
I go to Spain at least once a year so i can top up but it was good being able to credit the sim from the UK.
Last August i used a credit card to top up from UK on Orange.es ok. Today i used the Caxton FX euro card and that was no good even though i have used to buy stuff online from UK from on a German website.
As for using top ups on eeeebay 12 euro for a 10 euro credit come on. I will have to if its the last resort.

Intasun32

Boohoo wrote: »

As for using top ups on eeeebay 12 euro for a 10 euro credit come on. I will have to if its the last resort.

@boohoo,

I did say it was expensive...........:eek:


:beer:

NFH

Skype used to expire credit after six months of non-usage; even a call to a freephone number kept it going. Skype abolished this expiry policy quite recently, I believe because of some legislation that either frowned upon it or made it unlawful. Can't the same be applied to PAYG SIM cards? Maybe the EU will also crack down on PAYG credit expiry.

canariestelecom

Canaries Telecom (canariestelecom.com) allow you to top up your Spanish mobile phone (Orange, Vodafone, Movistar, Yoigo) over the Internet.