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thank you for the info, we got vodaphone SIM cards @ Porto airport. so far, so good... we've began our 1st ever Camino today, because of time & our love for the beach, we decided on the Camino Portuguese, Coastal route... we are loving the culure, the people & the Country... 2.5 years in the planning & all worth it! Rob & Marcy Downing~A SIM card bought in Portugal will work in Spain. EU roaming rules mean that you pay the same rates - set by the Portuguese company - in both countries. You will be able to download data of any type. The cost of doing so is set by the phone company. You can shop around for a tariff that gives you the balance of calls, SMS messages and data that you need.
If you have a mobile phone; you have a SIM card. The SIM is your phone’s identity to the mobile networks. It (not your phone) has your ‘phone number’; for example.If I get a SIM card in Portugal, will it also work in Spain? I should add I have never used a SIM card and the whole idea of messing with my phone makes me nervous. In the past I have used my Verizon international plan, but I want to be both economical about usage costs and safe while traveling alone.
Also, will I be able to download maps, use internet, text, etc with a SIM card? (apologies for my lack of knowledge!!)
Thanks for you help!
Lynne
Good idea but do this at home too before you go. Go to a store that sells SIMs for the network that you use, tell them what you will be doing and ask them if they could show you the same things that a network provider in Europe would do.I’d strongly suggest going to a physical network providers shop with real people who can help you in the first big town you come to.
Got a 10 gig sim card in Porto on May 2 for 20€ have posted pics and used for googlemmaps and research like I was at home in the states .. it was only good for 30 days and to date I've used just over 3.5 gig... Have completed the Camino in SdC and now traveling across Spain... Fear not, you'll be fine..If I get a SIM card in Portugal, will it also work in Spain? I should add I have never used a SIM card and the whole idea of messing with my phone makes me nervous. In the past I have used my Verizon international plan, but I want to be both economical about usage costs and safe while traveling alone.
Also, will I be able to download maps, use internet, text, etc with a SIM card? (apologies for my lack of knowledge!!)
Thanks for you help!
Lynne
US international plans are a total rip-off. Buy a SIM card and plan in Portugal or Spain or elsewhere in the EU. You will have service throughout the EU. Your roaming data limits will be lower than in the country where you bought the SIM/plan. Example: my Italian plan gives me 60 GB of data in Italy but only 6 GB roaming throughout the EU. I pay 10 euro per month. Forget Verizon.If I get a SIM card in Portugal, will it also work in Spain? I should add I have never used a SIM card and the whole idea of messing with my phone makes me nervous. In the past I have used my Verizon international plan, but I want to be both economical about usage costs and safe while traveling alone.
Also, will I be able to download maps, use internet, text, etc with a SIM card? (apologies for my lack of knowledge!!)
Thanks for you help!
Lynne
I got a SIM card in France, but it worked only for a limited time. I then got one in Spain. I didn’t have any problems. I would get one in Spain, it will be the safer bet.A SIM card bought in Portugal will work in Spain. EU roaming rules mean that you pay the same rates - set by the Portuguese company - in both countries. You will be able to download data of any type. The cost of doing so is set by the phone company. You can shop around for a tariff that gives you the balance of calls, SMS messages and data that you need.
Edit: I've just read a recent post from someone saying that a Portuguese SIM they bought did not allow roaming in Spain. Worked for me but others seem to find otherwise. It is worth checking specifically with the Portuguese seller that the SIM and tariff do include international roaming.
Correction 2G speedsI just use my normal T-Mobile account with no international plan. I get free data (at 2.5g speed), free texting and .25 a minute calling. I use Wi-Fi when available for larger downloads and WhatsApp for us calls. The rate is for local calls, not international to home, etc. T-Mobile is part of Deutsch Telecom i believe. Another option is to get a local SIM card. I have 2 sims in my phone, an Apple XR. 1 is an electronic sim and the second is physical. I use the second for Verizon in the rural areas of the states. You can turn off or on either line. When I did the Camino there was Wi-Fi everywhere it seemed. I’ve been in the EU for 5 weeks and bumped my charges by $10. Hope this is helpful.
We travel on business alot and using an international from our provider works well we can call and recieve calls from anywhere in the world and have access to the internet while walking. It is worth the $45 per month.US international plans are a total rip-off. Buy a SIM card and plan in Portugal or Spain or elsewhere in the EU. You will have service throughout the EU. Your roaming data limits will be lower than in the country where you bought the SIM/plan. Example: my Italian plan gives me 60 GB of data in Italy but only 6 GB roaming throughout the EU. I pay 10 euro per month. Forget Verizon.
Did you happen to find a store at the airport? Or in the city?Got a 10 gig sim card in Porto on May 2 for 20€ have posted pics and used for googlemmaps and research like I was at home in the states .. it was only good for 30 days and to date I've used just over 3.5 gig... Have completed the Camino in SdC and now traveling across Spain... Fear not, you'll be fine..
Excellent to know this. Thanks. When and how do you get your SIM card back into your phone at the end?When I land in Porto or Madrid I go into a store at the airport, ask for a SIM card for how long I’m staying, hand them my phone and let them put in the new SIM card. Put my Canadian SIM in a safe place, pay and I’m off. 5 minutes tops, 4 Camino’s and has worked every time.
Heading to Portugal soon to walk the coastal route. Do you remember where in porto you purchased your sim. Is there a particular brand name for your sim ...safe travelsGot a 10 gig sim card in Porto on May 2 for 20€ have posted pics and used for googlemmaps and research like I was at home in the states .. it was only good for 30 days and to date I've used just over 3.5 gig... Have completed the Camino in SdC and now traveling across Spain... Fear not, you'll be fine..
We just got back from a month in Europe. We, like you, understand that it was EU strict rules that a card in one country allows roaming everywhere. That was, in fact, the case during our travel in previous years. Not this time. I urge you and others to deal only with the providers. There are other companies that offer cheap cards that have very limited use. Be sure you know what you are getting and have them not only install the SIM, but also register it (this can be complicated) and then test it to your satisfaction.A SIM card bought in Portugal will work in Spain. EU roaming rules mean that you pay the same rates - set by the Portuguese company - in both countries. You will be able to download data of any type. The cost of doing so is set by the phone company. You can shop around for a tariff that gives you the balance of calls, SMS messages and data that you need.
Edit: I've just read a recent post from someone saying that a Portuguese SIM they bought did not allow roaming in Spain. Worked for me but others seem to find otherwise. It is worth checking specifically with the Portuguese seller that the SIM and tariff do include international roaming.
Vodafone is one of the biggest players in Portugal. Have used one of their "pay as you go" phones for years now. Great service and their stores are everywhere, including the airportsDid you happen to find a store at the airport? Or in the city?
Thanks for your advice!!
It would be very unusual for an airport not to have at least one mobile phone shop and in the bigger airports there are multiple phone shops.Did you happen to find a store at the airport? Or in the city?
Thanks for your advice!!
Either you or someone else puts your original SIM card back in the phone for you.Excellent to know this. Thanks. When and how do you get your SIM card back into your phone at the end?
Be especially careful if your phone takes a nano-SIM (most recent models do). It is vaguely similar in size and shape to a micro-SD memory card which may also be fitted in the same carrier frame. The sockets in the carrier frame have different shapes which should make it very hard to replace the cards in the wrong positions. But my wife once managed to fry a SIM card by mixing up the SIM and memory cards then forcing the carrier back into the phone!Either you or someone else puts your original SIM card back in the phone for you.
One of the things the long article says is that expats, and other foreigners, like Vodafone in Spain just *because* it is in so many other European countries, including Portugal and the UK, and thus it's relatively easy to move its account from country to country. It seems it's not the biggest player in Spain, but the biggest player among English-speakers.Someone mentioned Vodafone in Portugal. I use Vodafone in ANZ and Spain. While these companies share a name they are separate.
One of the things that I like about Vodafone (and it may apply to other large companies) is that:
1 I can top up my phone over the Internet using my credit card. This is very convenient for me.
2 In Spain, as you would expect, the Vodafone website is in Spanish. However, they have an option to switch to English for most things that are commonly needed.
I purchased a Portuguese SIM card at the airport and asked them to put it in my phone I think it was a 30 day plan and had enough data to do everything I needed from looking up accommodation to using my GPS pretty much every day.If I get a SIM card in Portugal, will it also work in Spain? I should add I have never used a SIM card and the whole idea of messing with my phone makes me nervous. In the past I have used my Verizon international plan, but I want to be both economical about usage costs and safe while traveling alone.
Also, will I be able to download maps, use internet, text, etc with a SIM card? (apologies for my lack of knowledge!!)
Thanks for you help!
Lynne
Is it far less expensive and easy to get a SIM for Spain? I
Agreed.Save your original SIM card somewhere safe because you will need it again when you return home.
As a good friend tells me almost weekly you (or more precisely, his wife) can get the key fob of a 3-series BMW into the dashboard slot in a Porsche Cayenne if you use your foot to literally kick it in ‘because it’s a big tight’.Be especially careful if your phone takes a nano-SIM (most recent models do). It is vaguely similar in size and shape to a micro-SD memory card which may also be fitted in the same carrier frame. The sockets in the carrier frame have different shapes which should make it very hard to replace the cards in the wrong positions. But my wife once managed to fry a SIM card by mixing up the SIM and memory cards then forcing the carrier back into the phone!
Feel uncomfortable? When at home purchase the cheapest Simm card you can find, less than $20. Practice. This will also confirm that you phone is unlocked.If I get a SIM card in Portugal, will it also work in Spain? I should add I have never used a SIM card and the whole idea of messing with my phone makes me nervous. In the past I have used my Verizon international plan, but I want to be both economical about usage costs and safe while traveling alone.
Also, will I be able to download maps, use internet, text, etc with a SIM card? (apologies for my lack of knowledge!!)
Thanks for you help!
Lynne
In the past I have used my Verizon international plan,
The OP uses Verizon at home and Verizon uses the CDMA protocol (it likely also supports the GSM protocol or else the phone wouldn't work well or at all in the EU). Both AT&T and T-mobile use the GSM protocol that is in use in the EU. I suggest that a trial SIM swap be done by buying a T-mobile SIM. If it works then the phone must be unlocked because it can use different networks and we know for sure it supports GSM.Feel uncomfortable? When at home purchase the cheapest Simm card you can find, less than $20. Practice. This will also confirm that you phone is unlocked.
Irrelevant.iPhone - Supported 5G and LTE networks
See the countries and regions that have certified 5G and LTE networks on iPhone including the U.S., Canada, Japan, Germany, China mainland and more.www.apple.com
Possibly, but the first paragraph of that site states:Irrelevant.
Still irrelevant. The OP does not want to buy the newest fanciest iPhone. She wants to buy a second SIM card in Portugal or Spain for the phone she already owns.Possibly, but the first paragraph of that site states:
"Find the iPhone that’s right for your country or region."
It is up to you to decide.I hope you don't mind me jumping into your thread with a question — I wasn't concerned about getting a SIM card before reading this thread, but now I'm not sure. Is getting a SIM card in Spain worth the trouble if your carrier offers SMS, voice and data for an additional $10 US/day with a max of $100 US/month? Is it far less expensive and easy to get a SIM for Spain? I'm almost positive my phone is locked and it wouldn't be as easy as just popping in a new SIM card like in the "old days."
Thank you! Knowing the pricing for a SIM card and service in Spain is very helpful!It is up to you to decide.
Last time I was in Europe I stayed for 11 weeks and so on your US option that would have cost me US$300 versus the €45 that I paid for a Spanish SIM. I always buy an unlocked phone and so I have no issues with unlocking it.
That price was for 3 monthsThank you! Knowing the pricing for a SIM card and service in Spain is very helpful!
Am on the Camino Portuguese.. NOT WORTH IT..If I get a SIM card in Portugal, will it also work in Spain? I should add I have never used a SIM card and the whole idea of messing with my phone makes me nervous. In the past I have used my Verizon international plan, but I want to be both economical about usage costs and safe while traveling alone.
Also, will I be able to download maps, use internet, text, etc with a SIM card? (apologies for my lack of knowledge!!)
Thanks for you help!
Lynne
Everyone will reach their own conclusion about which is better. But I disagree that it’s a hassle. So long as your phone is unlocked, getting a prepaid SIM card is very easy, and no plan that I know of is limited to 2 GB of data. If you buy it at a company store, the staff will insert the card and help you get your bearings. I always tape my US sim card to the inside of the back cover of my passport to make sure it arrives with me when I return home.Am on the Camino Portuguese.. NOT WORTH IT..
Stick with your own provider… big hassle getting a SIM and then 2 GB data … which gets gobbled up as soon as you start finding the tracks / Albergues/ WhatsApp etc
Very Best Wishes
Capt Bonnie
I even used Vodafone when I was working in the Middle East. It's everywhere! Like you said, one big company, but each country is a separate entity.Someone mentioned Vodafone in Portugal. I use Vodafone in ANZ and Spain. While these companies share a name they are separate.
One of the things that I like about Vodafone (and it may apply to other large companies) is that:
1 I can top up my phone over the Internet using my credit card. This is very convenient for me.
2 In Spain, as you would expect, the Vodafone website is in Spanish. However, they have an option to switch to English for most things that are commonly needed.
If I get a SIM card in Portugal, will it also work in Spain? I should add I have never used a SIM card and the whole idea of messing with my phone makes me nervous. In the past I have used my Verizon international plan, but I want to be both economical about usage costs and safe while traveling alone.
Also, will I be able to download maps, use internet, text, etc with a SIM card? (apologies for my lack of knowledge!!)
Thanks for you help!
Lynne
We travel on business alot and using an international from our provider works well we can call and recieve calls from anywhere in the world and have access to the internet while walking. It is worth the $45 per month.
Avoid Orange France. You cannot recharge with a credit card issued outside of France. Expensive rubbish!!?If I get a SIM card in Portugal, will it also work in Spain? I should add I have never used a SIM card and the whole idea of messing with my phone makes me nervous. In the past I have used my Verizon international plan, but I want to be both economical about usage costs and safe while traveling alone.
Also, will I be able to download maps, use internet, text, etc with a SIM card? (apologies for my lack of knowledge!!)
Thanks for you help!
Lynne
Is that 10 uero for a month or 12 month term? Also where did you purchase this? Thanks in advanceUS international plans are a total rip-off. Buy a SIM card and plan in Portugal or Spain or elsewhere in the EU. You will have service throughout the EU. Your roaming data limits will be lower than in the country where you bought the SIM/plan. Example: my Italian plan gives me 60 GB of data in Italy but only 6 GB roaming throughout the EU. I pay 10 euro per month. Forget Verizon.
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