MICRO SIM vs Standard SIM - Available in Spain?

[nreyn12]

Here is a rookie question if ever there was one. I am considering venturing into the world of Smartphone ownership, and in my research I discovered that the phone I wanted to buy takes only a MICRO SIM. I'm old school when it comes to technology and to date had only known of the standard SIM card size.

Are MICRO SIM cards readily available in Spain? How about in the US? I'm hoping this new toy will be fully international (I'm buying it in India).

The phone will be unlocked, of course, but this SIM question has me scratching my head...

Thanks in advance for the forthcoming expertise!

~ Nancy

 

[nreyn12]

I went into Orange in Logrono to get my Spanish sim...they only had the larger ones...and I needed a mini....so they whipped out this fancy cutting tool and cut the big one down to a mini size.

Thanks, Lise! Did you get the sense that they normally have the MICRO SIM, but perhaps just not then? Or is cutting the standard SIM the way it's done in Spain?

 

[nreyn12]

I remember that PIN limitation...I ended up writing my PIN on the SIM card so I'd always know where it was!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Or is cutting the standard SIM the way it's done in Spain?

Initially, stores had a supply of the larger SIM, so cut them down. Now they stock both. As the larger SIM disappears as the original chip in a phone, they will disappear just like the 5 1/4" floppy disk did.

You can change the setting in your phone for the password. I found it very annoying to enter the password, so removing that protection is the first thing I do when I get a chip. Ask the clerk for help if you do not know how. If your phone is not password protected, however, everything on it is exposed if you lose it!

 

[NicoZ]

The last two SIMS I've bought (One in Germany one in Italy) have been both full size and micro.

What that means is the card had a cutout. You could pop out either the full size or the smaller size.

Depending on your phone password and PIN are two different things. The PIN is tied to your SIM. Your phone can have a password. It's possible to have both set up. You can even encrypt Android phones and have a second password. That could mean entering a SIM pin. Then two passwords.

 

[Kathy F.]

1. Arrive in Spain.
2. Go to the phone store (most communities larger than a village have at least one).
3. Show them your phone.
4. Tell them (using words and/or gestures) that you need a SIM card for Spain.
5. Let them work their magic (they'll put the right SIM into your phone).
6. Save your old SIM card so you can put it back into your phone when you leave Spain.
7. Write your new PIN down somewhere obvious.
8. Ignore all the "Welcome, New Phone Customer! " texts you'll get, in Spanish, from your "new" phone company.
9. Start walking.
10. Use your phone mainly for taking pictures, for which you don't need a SIM card!!

I think that's how it works.

 

[Steve Z.]

Here is a rookie question if ever there was one. I am considering venturing into the world of Smartphone ownership, and in my research I discovered that the phone I wanted to buy takes only a MICRO SIM. I'm old school when it comes to technology and to date had only known of the standard SIM card size.

Are MICRO SIM cards readily available in Spain? How about in the US? I'm hoping this new toy will be fully international (I'm buying it in India).

The phone will be unlocked, of course, but this SIM question has me scratching my head...

Thanks in advance for the forthcoming expertise!

~ Nancy

Greetings, prior to leaving the U.S. I had my I phone 5 unlocked. Upon arrival in Spain went to a Moviestar phone store and had a micro sim installed (phone and data) around € 50.00. Worked great throughout the entire trip, had no problem with access to Internet, toward the end, (after 30 days) had to recharge with € 5.00 for additional usage.

 

[Bajaracer]

Most phone shops around the world have SIM card cutters, even in Spain, micro-SIM cards are readily available across the USA and all GSM carriers have all three sizes on hand or they can cut them to size.

 

[kmrice]

I believe the iPhone 5 takes a Nano Sim, not a Micro Sim. The Nano is really tiny. I've seen claims on the 'net of people cutting down a larger SIM to nano size, but I gather there is not much room for error. Cutting a larger SIM to micro size is a lot easier, and is done frequently in stores.

Karl

 

[grayland]

I believe the iPhone 5 takes a Nano Sim, not a Micro Sim. The Nano is really tiny. I've seen claims on the 'net of people cutting down a larger SIM to nano size, but I gather there is not much room for error. Cutting a larger SIM to micro size is a lot easier, and is done frequently in stores.

Karl

The iPhone 5 does take the"nano" SIM. It is not a problem to cut and I have done it many times. It is necessary to have the cutter however. They are available on the internet very cheaply and you could get one before you go and then discard it after use..

I still have a Nano SIM with 13 euro credit on it if anyone can use it (free). I posted this in another thread.
PM me if you can use it.

 

[Steve Z.]

The iPhone 5 does take the"nano" SIM. It is not a problem to cut and I have done it many times. It is necessary to have the cutter however. They are available on the internet very cheaply and you could get one before you go and then discard it after use..

I still have a Nano SIM with 13 euro credit on it if anyone can use it (free). I posted this in another thread.
PM me if you can use it.

OK, my mistake, in any case, I was able to get my I phone up and running using the nano sim issued at the moviestar store.

 

[grayland]

OK, my mistake, in any case, I was able to get my I phone up and running using the nano sim issued at the moviestar store.

I am sure that many of the Spanish phone stores would have the ability to cut the Sims to size.....but I have found in the past that it is hit and miss. There are more and more iPhone5 phones around so I am sure the need to have a SIM to fit them is more needed now.

 

[nreyn12]

Thanks everyone! I bought the Samsung Galaxy Trend, and the shopkeeper cut the SIM no problem, so now I know how it's done. I've always used an old fashioned phone on the Camino - the kind that doesn't even take photos (remember those?) - but I need to be able to keep up with business emails while on the trail now.