Can you buy a phone with pre loaded minutes on it to use in Spain?

[vgen5122]

I will be in Spain in late August. I have a phone, but it is not too smart. Can I buy a pre loaded mins phone in Spain or is it expensive?

 

[Leigh J Christensen]

I purchased a sim card and popped it into my phone

 

[evanlow]

If you are coming in from the US it is be better to get the phone in Spain. Go to any phone shop to get both the SIM and the phone. A decent cheap starter smartphone from Huawei will probably be around 110 Euros and SIM card around 20-25 euros (with 2GB data and some voice credit).

If you intent to use the phone camera for pictures get a 16 or 32 GB micro-SD card from the US before coming as it would be cheaper than getting it in the phone shop. The base phone memory for these starter phones are usually quite small and are only adequate for contacts and installing some additional apps (like Skype or Viber).

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Regular phones that are unlocked GSM phones will accept a SIM chip. You will get several hundred phone calls and text messages for under 10E (typically). Most of the cell company phone sites offer data and calls, but in the stores, you can still buy just the SIM with phone service.

 

[Pilar]

I have limited technical abilities and no need for a telephone except to use in emergencies and to call for a reservation now and again. I have taken an older non-smart phone and have been able to get an inexpensive SIM card to work 1/3 times I have tried. Next time I will get the 30 euro preloaded non-smart phone for the trip.

 

[t2andreo]

The key to using an existing phone in Spain, or the rest of Europe, is to ensure it is a GSM Quad (4) Band Phone. Most North American phones use two of the four frequencies. In Europe, of course, the other two frequencies are used. So an inexpensive North American cell phone may not work by simply swapping a SIM.

I lived in Europe for two years before I got my first iPhone. I still have that Quad-band flip phone with both US and European SIM cards and I maintain the balance on the Euro phone. This is how I learned what I am trying to share here.

If your phone is an older phone (not a smart phone) or is known to NOT have full 4-band GSM capabilities, your best option is likely to buy a cheap GSM phone on arrival. You can get them at the airports. However, I recommend you wait until you are in Spain.

On the other hand, check the specification for your smart phone. Most if not all smartphones are built with full GSM capability, plus G2 and G3 backward data compatibility. In Europe G4 and LTE data is not as common as in the US or Canada. Capable smart phones will seek the strongest signal they can receive.

Just as an FYI: my iPhone is fully-frequency-capable as I bought a high-end, unlocked phone direct from Apple. I use a prepaid t-Mobile nano SIM for voice, data and text. The advantage to using t-Mobile is that most of their North American plans INCLUDE FREE DATA AND UNLIMITED TEXT in over 140 countries, including all of Europe. Even though free or cheap voice calls are not supported under this standard feature, I can use Face Time on the iPhone to place voice-only calls over the Wi-Fi supported by my data stream. I tested it in the US with my voice circuit turned off in settings. It works.

If you bring your GSM capable smart phone, look for prepaid SIMs or nano-Sims in the airport or mobile phone shops AFTER YOU ARRIVE IN SPAIN. Again, they are ubiquitous and not overly expensive. You can usually recharge or top off either online, or by buying top off cards at designed locations.

BTW - Inexpensive GSM phones with SIMs are so common in Spain that even BIC (of ballpoint pen, cigarette lighter and shaving razor fame) make such a phone. I have seen them sold in blister packs at cash registers in Spanish airport convenience stores, supermarkets and some cellphone shops. However, the later prefer to sell you a more expensive phone, of course...

I hope this helps.

 

[kmrice]

I read something about roaming charges being eliminated in Europe. Has this gone into effect? Do you still have to buy a phone card in Spain to use in it in Spain? Or can you now buy one in France and use it in both countries?

 

[Bradypus]

I read something about roaming charges being eliminated in Europe. Has this gone into effect?

Not yet. Due to be in place in 2017

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/27/europe-abolishes-mobile-phone-roaming-charges

 

[kmrice]

Not yet. Due to be in place in 2017

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/oct/27/europe-abolishes-mobile-phone-roaming-charges

Thanks.

 

[kusitb]

The key to using an existing phone in Spain, or the rest of Europe, is to ensure it is a GSM Quad (4) Band Phone.

Hi @t2andreo,

I'm from Canada. I have an unlocked Nexus 5, and the specs says that, among other things, it supports "GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz" and that it uses a "Micro-SIM". I'm assuming that this will meet the specs for Spain, is that correct?

Aside from the Camino Frances, we will be visiting France and Portugal. As the bulk of our trip will be spent in Spain, I'm planning to buy the SIM card in Spain, like you suggested above.

I'd like to do research ahead of time so I know what I'm dealing with in terms of price, packages (international texting, incoming calls, etc). Is there a web site (or a thread on this forum - I searched but could not find one aside from this thread) that you can recommend?

Thanks in advance.

 

[kusitb]

Also - We're flying in to Paris and starting our Camino from SJPdP. Where would be the first opportunity to buy a SIM card in Spain? Will it be Pamplona? Just trying to figure out how many days I would be without a "local" phone.

 

[jeffnd]

Consider getting a Blu phone. They come unlocked will work in Europe. All you have to do is go buy a pre-paid SIM card in Spain.

You can get a Blu Advance 5.0 for about $60 on Amazon. It's a perfectly capable smartphone. They also have higher-end, more advanced smartphones.

Or, if you just want a regular, old-fashioned flip or bar phone, they have those as well, some for under $20.

No, I do not work for Blu, but I did buy one recently and I'm very happy with it.

 

[Lachance]

Thanks to another thread on this topic, I got a cheap Spanish SIM from simcardspain.es for my trusty old Nokia. I first checked the band thing (thanks Tom from Florida). That was in the phone manual which I downloaded. They mailed it to me here in Oz and it arrived in 2 weeks. You have to activate it when you arrive in Spain, but that looks easy and other members say it is. I was debating buying a cheap phone in Spain until some ever helpful other forum member pointed out that using your own phone means you have all your stored info.

 

[Bajaracer]

Hi @t2andreo,

I'm from Canada. I have an unlocked Nexus 5, and the specs says that, among other things, it supports "GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz" and that it uses a "Micro-SIM". I'm assuming that this will meet the specs for Spain, is that correct?

Aside from the Camino Frances, we will be visiting France and Portugal. As the bulk of our trip will be spent in Spain, I'm planning to buy the SIM card in Spain, like you suggested above.

I'd like to do research ahead of time so I know what I'm dealing with in terms of price, packages (international texting, incoming calls, etc). Is there a web site (or a thread on this forum - I searched but could not find one aside from this thread) that you can recommend?

Thanks in advance.

Here is a worldwide list of prepaid SIM cards with. data.
http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Prepaid_SIM_with_data
Spain http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Spain

 

[t2andreo]

I think "Bajaracer" stepped in and answered the questions. Thank you for the assist. I was away in Belgium visiting friends from my years living there.

Coincidentally, I arrived home yesterday and missed the carnage at Zaventem Airport by exactly 24-hours. Same departure hall, same spot, same time of day, only one day sooner. Now THAT is spooky...

Anyway, the short answer: a quad band phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) WILL work on European GSM networks.

You need the appropriately-sized SIM card for your phone. These SIM cards are commonly available at airports, train stations and convenience stores and supermarkets. You buy them with a small prepaid amount in Euro.

They are commonly refillable with "top up" cards that you can buy along the way. You input a number sequence from the shop register receipt on the phone, and press a key, voila! Your balance is increased.

This is very simple and is intended for voice and test phones. The same specifications, bands, and frequencies apply to smart phones.

However, for data coverage, 2G and 3G networks are prevalent throughout Europe, with LTE level bandwidths seen mostly in major cities. You top up these capabilities the same way using prepaid services.

On my recent 10-day visit to Belgium, I had mostly 3G service on my US iPhone (with a t-Mobile US account), with 2G service when I drove into more rural areas. I only had LTE level service in Antwerp centrum, and at Zaventem Airport outside Brussels. My t-Mobile account (and SIM) from the US roamed onto Proximus networks. Incidentally, t-Mobile allows you FREE use of your US data package overseas, subject to locally available bandwidth (2D, 3G, or LTE), and unlimited texting. it worked great in my recent experience. I was also able to make wi-fi voice calls on the iPhone with amazing clarity, even at 3G speeds.

I am curious about t-Mobile Spanish roaming partners in Spain. I will find that out in two-weeks when I arrive in Madrid for my 2016 Camino.

I hope this helps.

 

[kusitb]

Yes, it does help, @t2andreo. It's settled for me then - I will just buy the SIM card when in Spain and will just try to get by with text messaging and wi-fi until I get the Spanish SIM card.

BTW, glad to hear you missed that carnage in Belgium.

 

[Ern]

Greetings. May I know if there is a sim card which I could buy in Spain and use it throughout Europe? My first stop is Barcelona for a few days before I head to SJPDP. After Spain, I will be moving on the Portugal, Italy, Germany and Eastern Europe, total for about 2.5 months. What sort of sim card or plan would be advisable? Any comments are most welcome.

BP

 

[Robo]

http://robscamino.com/sim-cards-for-your-camino/

both times I used a Vodafone Sim whilst in Spain but sadly these were only for use in Spain.

Last year I also bought a french Sim. That one could be used throughout most of Europe.

The link above shows where I bought them online.

but I am sure a Google search would reveal lots of other options.

 

[evanlow]

Regarding the data roaming of the SIM card in Europe here is my shocker.

After using an Orange 2 GB data SIM card in Spain for 2 weeks, I had a short detour flying to Italy for 5 days before flying back to Spain. While I was in Italy the SIM card notify me I can data roam.

Bad idea. After using it for a day and using less than 20 mb data, the data just stopped. Flying back to Spain I realized that I have zero data credits left, and I had 1 GB data before I left!

It seems that despite all that integration in the European countries, roaming (data only, not voice) is still very costly beyond borders for a prepaid card.