Best Movistar Prepaid SIM for 60-90 days with High Data Limit

[Robo]

I've decided to get a Movistar SIM this next trip.

But it seems they are only available at Movistar stores, not airports, stations etc.
I'm looking for an actual SIM card, not an eSIM.
My research is indicating that the eSIM is data only.

For those who have used Movistar SIMs.....


The prepaid SIMs don't give any indication of contract length / SIM Expiry.

I need one I can use for a minimum 60 days, ideally 90 days.
With lots of data that can easily be topped up.
What's a lot? I'll go through 300-500 GB of data.

The infinite contract seems a good option, but there is no mention of validity period or minimum contract length.
Maybe some who has used these could advise?

I'll hunt out a Movistar store in Sevilla when I get there.
I presume they won't mail a SIM Overseas?

 

[Canuck]

Hi,
Could this be an option for you? Delivers anywhere in the world, good for 6 months, replenishing made easy...

Movistar prepaid sim-cards - 4GSIM.ES

Movistar Spain prepaid single SIM card. Buy SIM cards without queuing in stores.

4gsim.es

Bon voyage.

 

[Molly Cassidy]

Even if you find a movistar store they won't necessarily have prepay sims available. I went to 2 shops and neither had any.
Also, I get 25GB for €10 with Vodafone which looks like a better deal to me.

 

[peregrina2000]

Robo, you’ve got the contract prices, not the prepaid SIM card prices. Here’s a screenshot from their website showing the different prepaid plans. I had something similar from Vodfone last year. All the companies in Spain sell prepaid cards for 4 weeks with renewals possible and easy.

Last year when I bought my Vodafone SIM card in Salamanca, both stores were all out in the morning but got a delivery in the afternoon. So what happened to @Molly Cassidy can happen in any store. I have used Vodafone on the Vdlp several times, and its coverage was fine. I think the Movistar advantage in coverage comes in really remote places - on the Olvidado, near Vegarienza there was no Vodafone but Movistar. But I think they are pretty comparable. I would go for Movistar, but if cards are not available, head to Vodafone.

I learned that for emergency calling (112), the call will be sent through any available cell company line. So in an emergency, it wouldn’t matter whether you had Vodafone or Movistar.

You can see that there is a Movistar no-phone-call option for unlimited data, but no calls available. I’ve attached Vodafone’s current offerings so you can compare.

 

[lisagb]

I've decided to get a Movistar SIM this next trip.

But it seems they are only available at Movistar stores, not airports, stations etc.
I'm looking for an actual SIM card, not an eSIM.
My research is indicating that the eSIM is data only.

For those who have used Movistar SIMs.....


The prepaid SIMs don't give any indication of contract length / SIM Expiry.

I need one I can use for a minimum 60 days, ideally 90 days.
With lots of data that can easily be topped up.
What's a lot? I'll go through 300-500 GB of data.

The infinite contract seems a good option, but there is no mention of validity period or minimum contract length.
Maybe some who has used these could advise?

I'll hunt out a Movistar store in Sevilla when I get there.
I presume they won't mail a SIM Overseas?

View attachment 139183

I got an Orange ESim and it was calling and data all over Europe.

 

[Rita Flower]

I got an Orange ESim and it was calling and data all over Europe.

Don’t want to side track the thread but ….
I used a few different esim providers through UK and Europe this year - a journey of discovery. Some plans give local calls and others do not so still a bit confusing. The cheapest was Aurolo with data only so I used Skype for local phone calls. A physical sim is still cheaper and love that I can get one shipped to me before I leave home.

 

[Robo]

Thanks for all the tips.
Have ordered a Movistar and a Vodafone SIM, to be delivered to home.
From here........ https://4gsim.es/product-category/prepaid-sim-cards-pay-as-you-go/

Let's see which one works best.
My previous 3 vodafone SIMs had problems, but that was a while ago.

 

[C clearly]

Have ordered a Movistar and a Vodafone SIM, to be delivered to home.

This looks like good, and nice to get done in advance. I have never ordered a SIM online, as I have been a little nervous about doing it from this sort of site.

I find phone contracts to be confusing enough in my own country and language, so doing it in Spain is always even more of a puzzle. In fact, I find the contracts/plans to be almost more confusing than the phones themselves.

There are a couple of points I don't understand (referring to the 40 GB option). I am not really expecting you to be able to answer, but will ask anyway, in case you or someone else can help. Feel free to just tell me to use their "Contact us" button!

1. What expires after 28 days, and what expires after 6 months.
2. By paying 21€ at the start, do you get the 200 minutes and 6 GB to use over the 6 months, or do you need to recharge after 28 days? If you need to recharge, why do they say "If in 6 months you do not recharge, the balance expires" ???

(I suspect that the explanation might be something along the lines that the minutes and/or GB accumulate as long as you keep paying 10€ every 28 days. If you stop paying for up to 6 months, you can still get those unused minutes back, upon paying. But then, what would the renewal cost be for phone minutes?)

 

[PL0P]

Hi,
Could this be an option for you? Delivers anywhere in the world, good for 6 months, replenishing made easy...

Movistar prepaid sim-cards - 4GSIM.ES

Movistar Spain prepaid single SIM card. Buy SIM cards without queuing in stores.

4gsim.es

Bon voyage.

https://www.phonetravelwiz.com/best-esims-for-spain-guide/ article giving you e-sim options up to 90 days (I'm taking the 60 day offer, for $84, UNLIMITED Data, no roaming fees).

 

[Canuck]

https://www.phonetravelwiz.com/best-esims-for-spain-guide/ article giving you e-sim options up to 90 days (I'm taking the 60 day offer, for $84, UNLIMITED Data, no roaming fees).

Good. Thanks.
But in this case the op didn't want e-sim.

 

[Robo]

This looks like good, and nice to get done in advance. I have never ordered a SIM online, as I have been a little nervous about doing it from this sort of site.

I find phone contracts to be confusing enough in my own country and language, so doing it in Spain is always even more of a puzzle. In fact, I find the contracts/plans to be almost more confusing than the phones themselves.

There are a couple of points I don't understand (referring to the 40 GB option). I am not really expecting you to be able to answer, but will ask anyway, in case you or someone else can help. Feel free to just tell me to use their "Contact us" button!

1. What expires after 28 days, and what expires after 6 months.
2. By paying 21€ at the start, do you get the 200 minutes and 6 GB to use over the 6 months, or do you need to recharge after 28 days? If you need to recharge, why do they say "If in 6 months you do not recharge, the balance expires" ???

(I suspect that the explanation might be something along the lines that the minutes and/or GB accumulate as long as you keep paying 10€ every 28 days. If you stop paying for up to 6 months, you can still get those unused minutes back, upon paying. But then, what would the renewal cost be for phone minutes?)

I take it as meaning, that you can 'top up' to extend beyond 28 days, but the SIM has an overall 'life' of 6 months.

We shall see

I too find buying these an over complicated process!

 

[C clearly]

but the SIM has an overall 'life' of 6 months.

But the SIM can go beyond 6 months! I always discuss these things in person in Spain, and usually don't understand any better, but I buy it and it works for my purpose (but I usually manage to squeak in at 28 days by holding off a day or 2 at the start).

 

[peregrina2000]

What expires after 28 days, and what expires after 6 months.

Your plan expires after 28 days and your cell phone number disappears after 6 months if you don’t keep recharging.

By paying 21€ at the start, do you get the 200 minutes and 6 GB to use over the 6 months, or do you need to recharge after 28 days? If you need to recharge, why do they say "If in 6 months you do not recharge, the balance expires" ???

I am pretty sure that when you recharge, your outstanding unused balance rolls over. If you don’t recharge, you lose the balance. So in some ways you do have 6 months to use the balance but only if you keep adding 21€ to the account every 4 weeks. I am not sure if everything rolls over, it may be just the data, but I can’t remember.

 

[PL0P]

Here is the offer from Holafly: $84, for 60 days, Unlimited Data (uses What'sApp to talk to all your contacts (phone & SMS)), and you can get free WIFI in the big cities (Bilbao, Santander, etc.) & NO ROAMING FEES!

eSIM Spain for travelers - Unlimited Data Plans - Holafly

Shop at Holafly for the best prepaid eSIM cards for travel to Spain, Unlimited Data and Local Calls are included so you can use your cellphone worry-free.

esim.holafly.com

 

[El Cascayal]

Thanks for all the tips.
Have ordered a Movistar and a Vodafone SIM, to be delivered to home.
From here........ https://4gsim.es/product-category/prepaid-sim-cards-pay-as-you-go/

Let's see which one works best.
My previous 3 vodafone SIMs had problems, but that was a while ago.

This pay as you go is a great deal and the charge for shipping to US 7-14 business days is € 7.50.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Your plan expires after 28 days and your cell phone number disappears after 6 months if you don’t keep recharging.

Agree. That's what I was going to write.

 

[El Cascayal]

Agree. That's what I was going to write.

Question for @Peregrina2000 and @Rick of Rick and Peg: I just read the Movistar offer again, the prepaid pay as you go posted by PLOP this one gives you 40 GB, 200 Minutes of calls valid for 6 mos that renews every 28d for €10. Seems like a good deal?

 

[Robo]

Thanks for all the tips.
Have ordered a Movistar and a Vodafone SIM, to be delivered to home.
From here........ https://4gsim.es/product-category/prepaid-sim-cards-pay-as-you-go/

Let's see which one works best.
My previous 3 vodafone SIMs had problems, but that was a while ago.

Just an update.
Nothing has arrived.
And the website seems to no longer work.
i.e. cannot login to check on orders.

Caveat Emptor

Guess I'll just buy a SIM when I get there....

Trying http://www.simcardspain.com/en/
See if I have any better luck with them. I've used them before.

Note: A month later........they have arrived.

 

[Robo]

Here is the offer from Holafly: $84, for 60 days, Unlimited Data (uses What'sApp to talk to all your contacts (phone & SMS)), and you can get free WIFI in the big cities (Bilbao, Santander, etc.) & NO ROAMING FEES!

eSIM Spain for travelers - Unlimited Data Plans - Holafly

Shop at Holafly for the best prepaid eSIM cards for travel to Spain, Unlimited Data and Local Calls are included so you can use your cellphone worry-free.

esim.holafly.com

Looks good. But I see on the website it's a 3G network.
I wonder if that is still widely used in Spain?
Might only be in country areas?
And I couldn't see what carrier they use.
Oh, I see in the fine print it's Movistar.

 

[Robo]

Just an update.
Nothing has arrived.
And the website seems to no longer work.
i.e. cannot login to check on orders.

Caveat Emptor

Guess I'll just buy a SIM when I get there....

Trying http://www.simcardspain.com/en/
See if I have any better luck with them. I've used them before.

Note: A month later........they have arrived.

They just arrived.........

To go off on a tangent...........re the recent debate over providing personal details when checking into accommodation.

To activate these SIMs........ I have to email a copy of my passport.