Booking an albergue in advance with an iphone

[smoore]

I am a new member of this forum and this is my first question. I walked a few years ago (2013) from SJPdP to Los Arcos. I plan on walking the camino frances very soon but am concerned with the overcrowding since my last walk. I understand that many are booking in advance. I have an iphone. What type of plan is recommended to make local calls in order to book in advance? I was just planning on using my phone to take photos and check in with family members using the occasional wifi connections but if I must make local calls, I am not sure what the best plan would be.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Vodafone has a plan for about 10E that includes a SIM chip, a reasonable amount of data, and plenty of calls to Spain. Check their website. You will need an unlocked iPhone, but the store will put the right size chip in for you and set up the account. Unless you buy the chip at the airport in Madrid, Pamplona is likely the first place you will find a mobil store.

 

[SYates]

Wifi is widely available in Spain, so you should be fine using Skype or email for making reservations. A prepaid plan (pay as you go) that I used for both, making calls and connecting to the internet when no wifi was available lasts me normally for a month. BUT, perhaps most importantly, do not panic and go with the flow and trust in the way. Buen Camino, SY

 

[billmclaughlin]

Lots of people will tell you what to do but I'd say it depends on your phone model and provider. I'm in the US with Verizon so I start the conversation with them. Tell the provider what you want to do and find out your options. I pay per call, but not much. And I only call for reservations. A 20-minute call home would be a mistake -- that's what email is for.

And a phone call that gets you an answer is far better than sending an email and waiting for a response.

 

[dougfitz]

Vodafone has a plan for about 10E that includes a SIM chip, a reasonable amount of data, and plenty of calls to Spain. Check their website. You will need an unlocked iPhone, but the store will put the right size chip in for you and set up the account. Unless you buy the chip at the airport in Madrid, Pamplona is likely the first place you will find a mobil store.

There are four major carriers in Spain, Vodaphone is just one. There are also a large number of resellers. The major carriers all seem to offer a similar pre-paid package of voice calls, SMS, and data although some of the charges might vary a little.

 

[NancySpencerTracy]

There is wifi practically everywhere. You can use your iPhone to reserve via Booking.com for even the smallest towns.

 

[dougfitz]

There is wifi practically everywhere. You can use your iPhone to reserve via Booking.com for even the smallest towns.

There are many albergues who do not use booking.com, and towns where none of the available accommodation options use it. I have found www.gronze.com the most useful, linking to booking.com where that is available.

 

[Blaster]

My research was the following in Australia
1. To avoid bill shock using my normal number. Optus offered $10 a day unlimited calls and small and a generous daily accumulating data allowance. Used it and never topped out on it. Telstra offered the same.
2. Better and cheaper if you don't mind a new number is to buy a local SIM card and pop it in. If you make it prepaid you cannot be price shocked.
3. The Wifi set up in Spain is much better than here in Australia in the accommodation and cafes and you can use that and it is usually free.
Buen Camino