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Another vote for the SIM card! One thing to add Assuming you are still based in Vancouver then Spain is a nine hour time diff so when you are walking mid afternoon, folks at home are just waking, so It can be nice to message at that time! For you and them. I am 10 times zones ahead of my friends at mo and it really changes dynamics of messaging!!I'm still trying to decide if I need to get a sim card and data plan while walking the CF, or if I can rely on wifi.
- I don't need a phone. Any communication I do will be via email or whatsapp or imessage
- I need daily internet access to book accommodation
- I want daily internet access to post a message and some photos on facebook for family
- I would enjoy daily internet access to read a bit about the next day's walk and to check weather forecast
Questions:
- how common is wifi in albergues? Both municipal and private. Most have it? 50/50? Less?
- how common is wifi at cafes along the way?
My preference is to rely on wifi, and I understand that means I won't be connected while I'm actually walking, but that's ok. But if wifi access is frequently not an option then I may relent and get a Spanish sim card.
Thanks for the feedback from pilgrims that have walked the CF recently.
What would that plan be and what would it cost? I can’t imagine it’d be that much less than 15€ , which is what I paid Vodafone for 4 weeks for 100 GB data, unlimited national calls, and 800 minutes of international calls.I vote for WIFI plus a prepaid basic-service-level SIM without a data plan.
being an old dinosaur, I grew up and became middle-aged before the era of mobile phones and data plans and the modern need (?) for continuous connectivity.
An interesting approach. I can see this working if one doesn't want to use IP telephony or other internet services while walking.I vote for WIFI plus a prepaid basic-service-level SIM without a data plan.
I rely on the free WIFI provided by the vast majority of the lodging places I use. Almost always it is fast enough for my needs, bearing in mind that on Camino I have no urge to stream movies or YouTube videos after walking ~25 kilometres with pack.
In a small minority of lodging places where I have stayed, the WIFI was not secured by an access password or encryption, and I refuse to use such unsecured WIFI offerings for anything but reading the news, getting weather forecasts, etc., i.e. not for any financial transactions or banking whatsoever or for email because I do not want to risk compromising my account passwords.
In very rare cases, using the lodging place's free WIFI (secured or unsecured) necessitates me sitting on a chair near the door of my room.
One or two of the lodging places where I made reservations required me to provide them with my Spanish mobile phone number. Foreseeing this, upon arrival in Spain I had purchased a SIM card from the rather convenient automated SIM card dispenser inside the Orange[TM] store situated at Sol in the centre of Madrid. My Orange[TM] prepaid account included text messages and voice-mail but not any data.
Note: being an old dinosaur, I grew up and became middle-aged before the era of mobile phones and data plans and the modern need (?) for continuous connectivity. I live happily without a mobile data plan or smart-phone at home and therefore don't feel any need for them when travelling. I do, however, make extensive use of my WIFI-enabled no-phone tablet.
However, it’s possible to have no SIM and tens of thousands walk it every year without one. Download a mapping program that doesn’t require data (mapy.cz), a camino app, and whatsapp and you’ll have far more info then pilgrims had!
How & where did you find this incredible deal?I can’t imagine it’d be that much less than 15€ , which is what I paid Vodafone for 4 weeks for 100 GB data, unlimited national calls, and 800 minutes of international calls.
Get a Sim, Orange cost me €20…100GB for 28 days. Don’t rely on WIFi !!!
Get an Orange e SIM or regular SIM and the holiday plan. It’s a solid company throughout Europe and you can top up online anytime if you need to.I'm still trying to decide if I need to get a sim card and data plan while walking the CF, or if I can rely on wifi.
- I don't need a phone. Any communication I do will be via email or whatsapp or imessage
- I need daily internet access to book accommodation
- I want daily internet access to post a message and some photos on facebook for family
- I would enjoy daily internet access to read a bit about the next day's walk and to check weather forecast
Questions:
- how common is wifi in albergues? Both municipal and private. Most have it? 50/50? Less?
- how common is wifi at cafes along the way?
My preference is to rely on wifi, and I understand that means I won't be connected while I'm actually walking, but that's ok. But if wifi access is frequently not an option then I may relent and get a Spanish sim card.
Thanks for the feedback from pilgrims that have walked the CF recently.
The 20 minutes and $20 for a SIM card is well worth it. Wifi can be slow and non existent even at good hotels in Spain. It depends on how many are sharing it.I'm still trying to decide if I need to get a sim card and data plan while walking the CF, or if I can rely on wifi.
- I don't need a phone. Any communication I do will be via email or whatsapp or imessage
- I need daily internet access to book accommodation
- I want daily internet access to post a message and some photos on facebook for family
- I would enjoy daily internet access to read a bit about the next day's walk and to check weather forecast
Questions:
- how common is wifi in albergues? Both municipal and private. Most have it? 50/50? Less?
- how common is wifi at cafes along the way?
My preference is to rely on wifi, and I understand that means I won't be connected while I'm actually walking, but that's ok. But if wifi access is frequently not an option then I may relent and get a Spanish sim card.
Thanks for the feedback from pilgrims that have walked the CF recently.
That sounds like a good deal @peregrina2000, please let me know which company you used.Third voice chiming in for a SIM card. I just got a vodaphone pre-paid card for 15 euros for 28 days — 100 GB of data, unlimited national calls, and 800 minutes of international calls.
It seems to me that the cost/benefit weighs heavily in favor of that small expense. For one thing, having data and phone service as a backup if you don’t have access to wifi is a comfort. And as someone pointed out to me, having all that data means you don’t have to worry about using it up and can have a safer connection than the wifi.
Indeed. I have walked without a data plan, some time ago. I know it can be done, but I'm not contemplating doing it again.I find it very telling that everyone who says that you can just use wifi then adds that they actually didn’t, instead opting for a SIM data plan.
@Sue 127 it was Vodaphone. Here is a link to their prepaid plans.I just got a vodaphone pre-paid card for 15 euros for 28 days — 100 GB of data, unlimited national calls, and 800 minutes of international calls.
Absolutely! I walked my first Camino with no mobile phone and no internet access. Not through choice - they just didn't exist at the time. Of course it can be done but that's not one of the ways my pedestrian fundamentalism expresses itself!Indeed. I have walked without a data plan, some time ago. I know it can be done, but I'm not contemplating doing it again.
Data plan and sim is the way to go. Most, but not all, albergues and bars have wifi. Many small villages have nothing open until after 0900. Wifi might not be turned on until you ask for it face to face. Many albergues will not answer email and messages in a timely manner if they answer them at all, so if you want to make same-day reservations, and Booking.com does not show anything available, you need to call directly. I prefer to call anyway, because most of the albergues will hold you reservation without a credit card---and also they will not incur Booking.com fees. In the rare event I do want to make a reservation, it is usually in the afternoon and at the time I plan for my destination for that day. Phone call is best in these cases.I'm still trying to decide if I need to get a sim card and data plan while walking the CF, or if I can rely on wifi.
- I don't need a phone. Any communication I do will be via email or whatsapp or imessage
- I need daily internet access to book accommodation
- I want daily internet access to post a message and some photos on facebook for family
- I would enjoy daily internet access to read a bit about the next day's walk and to check weather forecast
Questions:
- how common is wifi in albergues? Both municipal and private. Most have it? 50/50? Less?
- how common is wifi at cafes along the way?
My preference is to rely on wifi, and I understand that means I won't be connected while I'm actually walking, but that's ok. But if wifi access is frequently not an option then I may relent and get a Spanish sim card.
Thanks for the feedback from pilgrims that have walked the CF recently.
This is not safe. Better to use a VPN, they are easy to use these days and you can buy for (say) two months to enable you to get happy with it at home and then use it throughout your travels. Looks like a lot of them now offer a free 30 day trial as well.In a small minority of lodging places where I have stayed, the WIFI was not secured by an access password or encryption, and I refuse to use such unsecured WIFI offerings for anything but reading the news, getting weather forecasts, etc., i.e. not for any financial transactions or banking whatsoever or for email because I do not want to risk compromising my account passwords.
That is probably a good idea and I will look into VPNs before my next trip. Thanks for your comment.This is not safe. Better to use a VPN, they are easy to use these days and you can buy for (say) two months to enable you to get happy with it at home and then use it throughout your travels. Looks like a lot of them now offer a free 30 day trial as well.
I used viber (free) and had almost no difficulty phoning home to Australia 3 x each dayHi JustJack:
Most places have WiFi and most of the time it works well. As mentioned in the previous reply it can sometimes be quite slow or just doesn't work. I always like to get a SIM card just in case of emergency, need directions or have to make a phone call and can't find WiFi. I think the last time I bought one it was $20 or so and included more than enough data & minutes, and it was good for 30 days.
I also use Viber. I can make free calls to other Viber users, but more importantly, I can buy Viber credits and make calls for only 2 cents a minute to landlines or phones that don't have Viber.I used viber (free) and had almost no difficulty phoning home to Australia 3 x each day
We use WhatsApp for calls and texts to each other and to people on Spain, but teaching my elderly parents in the US to use it was difficult so we just use our US based plan. They can reach me and don't need to learn a new number. Texting is hit and miss with them anyway. My dad and stepmother don't text. My mom does, but step-dad needs a stylus to reply.I also use Viber. I can make free calls to other Viber users, but more importantly, I can buy Viber credits and make calls for only 2 cents a minute to landlines or phones that don't have Viber.
I used viber (free)
Thanks for information. I had never heard of Viber. In Spain, post COVID, many places, Albergues and other places to stay are using WhatsApp which makes it easy to communicate.I also use Viber. I can make free calls to other Viber users,
I've used Viber when I've had to call my bank at home and my travel insurance provider among others.Thanks for information. I had never heard of Viber. In Spain, post COVID, many places, Albergues and other places to stay are using WhatsApp which makes it easy to communicate.
I, too, have AT&T from US. The 20-Euro SIM I bought in Spain was far better for me than what AT&T offers: $10 a day for any day the phone is used outside USA. The Spanish SIM gave me so much data I could use my phone all the time, for a whole month. Well worth the expense!We never get a Sim card, but do extend our service plan from the US. Depending on your service provider it can be expensive or cost nothing extra at all. When we had T-Mobile there was no extra cost. Now we have ATT and it is expensive.
Yes, agree, it is expensive, but a SIM card does change my phone number which is a problem for my elderly parents. Loved TMobile when we lived in a place in the US with good coverage.I, too, have AT&T from US. The 20-Euro SIM I bought in Spain was far better for me than what AT&T offers: $10 a day for any day the phone is used outside USA. The Spanish SIM gave me so much data I could use my phone all the time, for a whole month. Well worth the expense!
¡Buen Camino!
You could move your AT&T SIM to a cheap flip phone and buy a Spanish SIM for your smartphone. In the long run it could pay off.Yes, agree, it is expensive, but a SIM card does change my phone number which is a problem for my elderly parents.
It may be possible to solve this by adjusting WhatsApp for them. My phone rings when I a get a WhatsApp call in the same way that it rings for a usual phone call.SIM card does change my phone number which is a problem for my elderly parents.
The problem could be when the parents need to call @J Willhaus - they may not understand that they need to choose the app to make the call.It may be possible to solve this by adjusting WhatsApp for them. My phone rings when I a get a WhatsApp call in the same way that it rings for a usual phone call.
With a little creativity & reinforcement it may be done. My 97 yo Mom is able to call me, granted the time difference makes it always a treatThe problem could be when the parents need to call @J Willhaus - they may not understand that they need to choose the app to make the call.
Sigh, if it were only so easy...and they always forget the time difference...my brother tried to show them a few years ago, but they just use my phone number...too many illnesses and injuries in recent years for me to risk not being available.With a little creativity & reinforcement it may be done. My 97 yo Mom is able to call me, granted the time difference makes it always a treat, but I digress.
To simplify things put the WhatsApp tile on the first screen or make it the only app on the screen or whatever works.
So good that they are able to reach you!Sigh, if it were only so easy...and they always forget the time difference...my brother tried to show them a few years ago, but they just use my phone number...too many illnesses and injuries in recent years for me to risk not being available.
Such a fantastic idea!!! Thanks for the info. I know several people who could use a clock like that.For do-it-yourselfers with elderly parents making calls at inappropriate times make a "do not call" clock with a 24 hour clock mechanism. With one of these battery operated clocks the hour hand makes one revolution in 24 hours instead of 12 hours. Do not use the minute and second hands. Make the face simple, no numbers, just partitioned with a white part labeled OK and a black one for night labeled NO. Have the change from white to black occur at the top of the clock (midnight or noon position on a 12 hour clock). The transition from black to white is up to you.
To partition the face first determine the time not to call. Lets say 9:30 PM to 8:00 AM. Move the hour hand straight up and then 10 and a half hours later mark where the hour hand is pointing. The area swept by the hour hand in that time is the black area.
To set the clock, when it is 9:30 PM in Spain (or Portugal, which is in a different time zone) point the hand at the start of the black zone. Next deliver the clock and place it next to the phone.
You want a battery operated clock in case an electrical power failure stops the hand for a bit. If the hand does get messed up it would have to be reset. Have that done by having the hand pointed straight up at the same time (parents' time) as the time in Spain or Portugal when you don't want calls (9:30 PM in my example).
Here is one place they sell the clock mechanism.
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