Sim card due to phone troubles

[Wandalina]

Hey lads arrived in Spain today from Ireland. Absolutely no phone service! No network can't fix it. Really need phone as im travelling alone.

Considering buying Spanish sim card if that would work? Is it easy enough to do? Can i keep my existing number while using it? How much do they cost generally? Any help would be appreciated as im a bit stuck

 

[C clearly]

I have no idea why your current phone has no network. But getting a Spanish Sim card should give you service.

No, you cannot keep your existing number while using it. (Unless you get an e-SIm, which I doubt you want to get into, at this point, unless you have more technical knowledge than I or you have technical help.) They typically cost from €5-25 for a month, mainly depending on how much data you want. Go into an outlet of Vodafone, Movistar, Orange, etc., or into a phone shop or kiosk that has a sign advertising those products. They will install the card for you, but be sure to test it with a call and connecting to the internet before you leave the shop. At the end of your trip you will need to remove the Spanish Sim card and put your own back in.

 

[Bradypus]

Hey lads arrived in Spain today from Ireland. Absolutely no phone service! No network can't fix it. Really need phone as im travelling alone.

Considering buying Spanish sim card if that would work? Is it easy enough to do? Can i keep my existing number while using it? How much do they cost generally? Any help would be appreciated as im a bit stuck

Sorry to ask the obvious questions but are you sure that you have (a) enabled roaming in your phone settings and (b) confirmed that your home network has enabled roaming for your account?

Buying a Spanish SIM takes a few minutes in a phone shop. Needs to be registered so be sure to have your passport with you. Your phone number is tied to the SIM card and is also country-specific so you will have a different number. €10 to €20 should get you a month long service with a fairly generous data and calls package. I used Orange in January and February and found the coverage was excellent.

 

[Wandalina]

Sorry to ask the obvious questions but are you sure that you have (a) enabled roaming in your phone settings and (b) confirmed that your home network has enabled roaming for your account?

Buying a Spanish SIM takes a few minutes in a phone shop. Needs to be registered so be sure to have your passport with you. Your phone number is tied to the SIM card and is also country-specific so you will have a different number. €10 to €20 should get you a month long service with a fairly generous data and calls package. I used Orange in January and February and found the coverage was excellent.

Yes have tried it all. Everything that should be switched on is. Ive reset the network settings, updated apn, taken out sim, reinstalled it. apparently company are having issues with roaming at the moment

Will see what i can find in san sebastian tomorrow evening

 

[trecile]

Will see what i can find in san sebastian tomorrow evening

Good luck!

 

[donalomahony]

Hey lads arrived in Spain today from Ireland. Absolutely no phone service! No network can't fix it. Really need phone as im travelling alone.

Considering buying Spanish sim card if that would work? Is it easy enough to do? Can i keep my existing number while using it? How much do they cost generally? Any help would be appreciated as im a bit stuck

Is your phone locked into a particular network in Ireland?

If yes, a Spanish SIM Card, will in my experience won't work, unless you get a phone-shop in Spain to "unlock" it.

I'm sure you have noticed this service in most Irish towns, similar in Spain, but as in Ireland and Spain, at your own risk!

Good luck!

 

[Sheesh]

If you get a new SIM card, it will not impact any existing WhatsApp account that you may have already set up. You can still use the WhatsApp registered with your old number.

 

[dougfitz]

Probably now too late, but if you want to keep your own number, one way to do that is use WhatsApp, and register with your preferred number. If you then change the SIM, provided you have data, WhatsApp will find your handset, and others will be able to find you using your preferred number. I have done this regularly. There are other IP phone apps, but WhatsApp seems to be well established as a provider of choice in Spain and Portugal.

 

[lt56ny]

As others have said buying a sim card is easy. Just have government issued ID. I first used Orange and they were very good. I switched to Vodafone as their recharging (I walk more than a month) was easier. I just googled vodafone to see their prices for the fall. I saw a few stories that as of now Movistar and Vodafone have the best coverage in Spain. Movistar has some really excellent prices for prepaid plans.

 

[RussB]

Hey lads arrived in Spain today from Ireland. Absolutely no phone service! No network can't fix it. Really need phone as im travelling alone.

Considering buying Spanish sim card if that would work? Is it easy enough to do? Can i keep my existing number while using it? How much do they cost generally? Any help would be appreciated as im a bit stuck

What network are you on?

 

[trose]

What network are you on?

I was using Orange via my eSIM on the Camino Portugues and when I entered Spain my cell reception was horrible. After 2 days I found a cell phone store and got a physical SIM card for 7 euro. Easy and I kept my existing US cell #

 

[BBLEN]

I had the same problem in the summer with my Irish Eir mobile. I was only doing a week on Camino so I just managed on WiFi in hostels but I did miss Google maps when I was looking for my hostel. Thankfully I met really lovely people who made sure I found my hostel

 

[dick bird]

Another advantage of having a Spanish SIM is that Spanish people will answer your call. When a foreign number comes up they tend to do what I do - assume it is spam and ignore it. With Whatsapp you can still use your own number (and for god's sake don't lose your Irish SIM!). Good luck.