Anyone else has taken T-Mobile phone?

[Miguel Pazos]

And what have been the experience of pilgrims on the Camino Frances with T-Mobile, or other US carriers?

 

[SYates]

I just buy a local (Spanish) SIM card on arrival - caveat - for this to work you need an unlocked (not subscribed to a contract) phone. Buen Camino, SY

 

[design4life]

T-Mobile is the way to go in Europe. Your plan includes unlimited data and calls at 20¢ a minute. Your plane lands, you turn on your phone, and within a minute you see a message welcoming you to Spain. TMobile connects with the local provider automatically, so you don't have to do a thing. This is particularly helpful if you are beginning your camino in France or Portugal. TMobile automatically reconnects you with the new provider as you cross the border. You always have service, without having to buy a card for each country.
You can save the 20¢ by calling with wi-fi, but when that's not possible you don't feel constrained.
Also, there is no cost for Spaniards to receive your international call. So, no albergue host or hotel owner ever objected to my calling to reserve a room.

 

[OTH86]

I agree with @design4life , but would add a couple of things. The amount of data you have will depend on the plan (with T Mobile) you are paying for in the US. I have 2 GB - which is more than enough for me for a month then it renews.

BUT the main thing to know -- regarding the insurance thru T Mobile -- IF anything should happen to your phone, they will ONLY send a replacement phone to YOUR HOME OF RECORD!! And even if they were to send it to you in Spain, you would not be able to pick it up at Spanish customs / correos. Personal experience from 5 months ago!
Buen Camino!!
Terry

 

[Kev]

I used one a year ago, it almost always had a signal and was mostly seamless in it's use.

 

[design4life]

You are right about that!! I do carry the insurance but have only had to use it in the US, thank goodness. One thing I do --- I have put an o-ring through one of the holes in the Otter-like case. I have a long cord with a clasp at each end. I keep the phone tethered to my waist pack and can lift it out to take pictures or whatever, with less concern about dropping it or having someone snatch it from my hand or cafe table (which is unfortunately common in some cities.) It has proved to be an excellent system. And yes, service is always good, because you are automatically connected to the strongest local carrier.
I use a Samsung Note, because of the large screen. Good for tucking into my bunk with the latest issue of the New Yorker or scanning the guides for a room when necessary.

 

[t2andreo]

I use t-Mobile in the States with my iPhone 6s. My 5Gb data plan is very much in excess of my usual needs, so t-Mobile "snowballs" the unused data monthly. I have traveled in several European countries and used my data seamlessly, and without extra roaming charges. All texting is also free.

When my phone rings in Europe with a US number, I reply with a standard text (see Phone in Settings) stating that I am unable to take the call...send me text or e-mail. Urgent calls are answered and an agreement to return the call using Wi-Fi at a later time is made. I do this in less than one-minute, so the call costs USD .20. Five such calls run up a USD one dollar tab. So that is not onerous to me.

I visited friends in Belgium in March, walked from Madrid in April, and worked as a volunteer for a month in July-August at the Pilgrim Office in Santiago. My t-Mobile service worked through the Belgium (Proximus) Spanish (Movistar or sometimes Orange) roaming partners seamlessly and flawlessly. It gave me continuous GPS, mapping, translation, text, internet research, hotel booking, and e-mail coverage, to the extent I desired the interruptions...I controlled the usage and incoming traffic.

Using this for the first Camino (in April) since adopting a smart phone convinced me that the comparative weight of the phone and charger were far superior to carrying a old-school guide book. Are you listening Mr. Brierley?

Besides, veterans like me, know that simply following the arrows will get you where you need to be eventually. Any guide, analog or electronic, is simply an optional benefit. Carrying a mobile phone is primarily for emergency use, and to call ahead to make lodging bookings if one does not use albergues.

When I was in a place with "free" Wi-Fi, I was able to turn off using cellular services for voice calls, and place voice calls over Wi-Fi using Face Time Audio. So, I was able to make routine, scheduled contacts with my wife and elderly parents without problems. Again, this arrangement was FREE.

One day, I even had a two-hour Face Time call with my wife (we are renovating a home in FL and had a lot to discuss). My cost was exactly ZERO! This call used my accumulated, more than 20 Gb of "snowballed" data with t-Mobile

Yup! I am sold. If you travel internationally, t-Mobile is the way to go for US subscribers.

However, I do recommend having a Euro or Spanish SIM card for making voice calls. I accomplish this by having an older, SMS Samsung "flip phone" with an inexpensive voice/text SIM, as SYates recommends above. This phone is my emergency, back-up means of calling 112 for emergencies, or if my smart Phone runs out of charge. I charge the older phone weekly, and it is good to go...all week. It rides in a ziplock bag in a cargo pocket of my pants...so it is ALWAYS with me.

My wife is traveling to India and Nepal at the end of October. I am trying to get her to come onto my t-Mobile plan as a second number, from ATT. She will not have it. .. Happy Wife....Happy Life... So, we are scrambling to try to find something else that is economically viable...using ATT overseas will bankrupt us.

However, I will plan to give her the second, emergency SMS phone with the Euro SIM in it so she can reach out for help if needed. It uses a micro USB cable for charging, so I will replace her Apple Lightning cable with a duo-cable with both Lightning and micro USB tips.

I hope this helps.

 

[Miguel Pazos]

I'm glad i have T-Mobile then!!!

 

[Linda SLP]

And what have been the experience of pilgrims on the Camino Frances with T-Mobile, or other US carriers?

We are on the camino now with tmobile. So far so good. They say only 2g, and that seems to be enough for most email and facebook, but not videos. (I should say it was nicer in august when tmobile offered 4g free, but still ok for communication, not really entertainment). We usually connect with wifi at the hostels. Most of the time we get data on the road, but not always. I think that would also be true of Spanish phones. So far, we are happy we didn't switch to a Spanish simple card like we did last time. Main time we use our 20 cent/minute phone calls is to call ahead for reservations when on the camino or to call my mom and ask her to call us so it will be free.

 

[trecile]

I'm also on the Camino using my t-mobile phone. I have unlimited data, and to make super cheap calls to landlines I use the Viber app. You buy Viber credit and then your calls are only 2¢ per minute. Even better I participate in Google Opinion Surveys - it's an android app, and get Google Play credit for answering very short - like 15 second surveys. I then pay for my Viber credit with my Google credit.
And I'm often getting 3G and even 4G speeds in the bigger towns.