SIM CARD that works in BOTH France AND Spain

[ELHS220]

Please excuse my ignorance, but here goes…..

Is there a “prepago” SIM card that will work in both France and Spain, or do I need to get one in each place?

I arrive in Madrid on May 5. On May 8, I have to be in SJPP where I will be a volunteer at the Pilgrim Office from May 9 to May 23. On May 24, I will start the CF and will be back in Spain until July 21.

I would “like” to be able to get a card in Madrid that would also work during my two-week volunteer stint in SJPP.

If no such thing exists, I will probably just get a second card for my time in France.

 

[Tincatinker]

Europe has spongy borders. Just tell your SIM retailer that you want service provider coverage for the very south of France as well as Spain. This will not be a problem

 

[JabbaPapa]

Get one in any EU country that is neither France nor Spain.

Silly "roaming" rules mean that calls elsewhere to the EU from the country where you obtained your sim card are paid calls, whereas calls from other EU countries are free.

 

[naplesdon]

I never had an issue using an Orange simcard purchased in France in both countries

 

[Tincatinker]

Get one in any EU country that is neither France nor Spain.

Silly "roaming" rules mean that calls elsewhere to the EU from the country where you obtained your sim card are paid calls, whereas calls from other EU countries are free.

European Union roaming regulations - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[ELHS220]

I never had an issue using an Orange simcard purchased in France in both countries

Thank you. Hopefully the reverse is also true.

 

[JabbaPapa]

European Union roaming regulations - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Insane, isn't it ...

 

[Tincatinker]

The converse is always true, that is the nature of reciprocity

 

[Annsan]

I'm going to buy my sim card in Sweden and I will be able to use it in any EU country so I'm thinking it will be the same if you buy one in Madrid.
How exciting that you will volunteer at the Pilgrims office. I will see you there on May 13th
All the best
Ann

 

[ELHS220]

I'm going to buy my sim card in Sweden and I will be able to use it in any EU country so I'm thinking it will be the same if you buy one in Madrid.
How exciting that you will volunteer at the Pilgrims office. I will see you there on May 13th
All the best
Ann

Great! Say “hello” if you see me!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Great! Say “hello” if you see me!

He's the one in blue.

 

[ELHS220]

He's the one in blue.

GAAAAAAAAAAASP!!!!!

 

[CWBuff]

Please excuse my ignorance, but here goes…..

Is there a “prepago” SIM card that will work in both France and Spain, or do I need to get one in each place?

I arrive in Madrid on May 5. On May 8, I have to be in SJPP where I will be a volunteer at the Pilgrim Office from May 9 to May 23. On May 24, I will start the CF and will be back in Spain until July 21.

I would “like” to be able to get a card in Madrid that would also work during my two-week volunteer stint in SJPP.

If no such thing exists, I will probably just get a second card for my time in France.

in 2019 I used Vodafone while traveling in Spain, France & Italy
my understanding that Orange (as already mentioned by other Esteem Members) is just as good

My Respects on your volunteering at SJPdP - Good Lord Willing, see you come May 20th!

 

[Gerard Hazelebach]

Please excuse my ignorance, but here goes…..

Is there a “prepago” SIM card that will work in both France and Spain, or do I need to get one in each place?

I arrive in Madrid on May 5. On May 8, I have to be in SJPP where I will be a volunteer at the Pilgrim Office from May 9 to May 23. On May 24, I will start the CF and will be back in Spain until July 21.

I would “like” to be able to get a card in Madrid that would also work during my two-week volunteer stint in SJPP.

If no such thing exists, I will probably just get a second card for my time in France.

Your Spanish card will work in France too. Anywhere within the E.C. for that matter.
Be sure to set Roaming on "ON"

Buen Camino

 

[Rick Heath]

Please excuse my ignorance, but here goes…..

Is there a “prepago” SIM card that will work in both France and Spain, or do I need to get one in each place?

I arrive in Madrid on May 5. On May 8, I have to be in SJPP where I will be a volunteer at the Pilgrim Office from May 9 to May 23. On May 24, I will start the CF and will be back in Spain until July 21.

I would “like” to be able to get a card in Madrid that would also work during my two-week volunteer stint in SJPP.

If no such thing exists, I will probably just get a second card for my time in France.

Hi, I had the same need. On arrival in Spain I bought a sim from one of the shops that sell all that gear. They sold be a Vodaphine sim and told me it would work all over Europe either I’d not know how to adjust the settings on my phone or it’s actually not true. I was recommended Orange but my Spanish is virtually nonexistent so I took what I was given.

Even though it didn’t work in France I was only without mobile reception for 2 days and the wifi in the auberge met my needs.

 

[cbacino]

Please excuse my ignorance, but here goes…..

Is there a “prepago” SIM card that will work in both France and Spain, or do I need to get one in each place?

I arrive in Madrid on May 5. On May 8, I have to be in SJPP where I will be a volunteer at the Pilgrim Office from May 9 to May 23. On May 24, I will start the CF and will be back in Spain until July 21.

I would “like” to be able to get a card in Madrid that would also work during my two-week volunteer stint in SJPP.

If no such thing exists, I will probably just get a second card for my time in France.

EU SIM cards work throughout the EU. Buy one in France and it will work in Spain and vice versa. You may have few GB of data though. Bon voyage.

 

[CWBuff]

Your Spanish card will work in France too. Anywhere within the E.C. for that matter.
Be sure to set Roaming on "ON"

Buen Camino

Hi, I had the same need. On arrival in Spain I bought a sim from one of the shops that sell all that gear. They sold be a Vodaphine sim and told me it would work all over Europe either I’d not know how to adjust the settings on my phone or it’s actually not true. I was recommended Orange but my Spanish is virtually nonexistent so I took what I was given.

Even though it didn’t work in France I was only without mobile reception for 2 days and the wifi in the auberge met my needs.

@Rick Heath - as @Gerald Hazelebach said above - you need to set Roaming on ON (I fell victim to that once as well...and then you learn )
Good luck

 

[Harlan Sager]

Please excuse my ignorance, but here goes…..

Is there a “prepago” SIM card that will work in both France and Spain, or do I need to get one in each place?

I arrive in Madrid on May 5. On May 8, I have to be in SJPP where I will be a volunteer at the Pilgrim Office from May 9 to May 23. On May 24, I will start the CF and will be back in Spain until July 21.

I would “like” to be able to get a card in Madrid that would also work during my two-week volunteer stint in SJPP.

If no such thing exists, I will probably just get a second card for my time in France.

Save the time and effort by switching to Google FI cell service. It has worked for me seamlessly in over 30 countries including France, Spain, Dubai, Morocco, Israel, Jordan and more.

 

[Dianne Maclean]

Please excuse my ignorance, but here goes…..

Is there a “prepago” SIM card that will work in both France and Spain, or do I need to get one in each place?

I arrive in Madrid on May 5. On May 8, I have to be in SJPP where I will be a volunteer at the Pilgrim Office from May 9 to May 23. On May 24, I will start the CF and will be back in Spain until July 21.

I would “like” to be able to get a card in Madrid that would also work during my two-week volunteer stint in SJPP.

If no such thing exists, I will probably just get a second card for my time in France.

I'll look for you at SJPP Pilgrim Office on May 10 when I start Camino Frances...and will look at buying the Orange simcard too

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Save the time and effort by switching to Google FI cell service. It has worked for me seamlessly in over 30 countries including France, Spain, Dubai, Morocco, Israel, Jordan and more.

I'm a fan of Google FI, even overseas, but I feel that I must warn that its cellular data is expensive. Wifi is generally available though so you may not need it. If you get into airplane mode and then turn on wifi you can call overseas for cents per minute.

 

[Harlan Sager]

I'm a fan of Google FI, even overseas, but I feel that I must warn that its cellular data is expensive. Wifi is generally available though so you may not need it. If you get into airplane mode and then turn on wifi you can call overseas for cents per minute.

At $10 per gigabyte it is cheap. Verizon was $25 for 250 megabytes.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

At $10 per gigabyte it is cheap. Verizon was $25 for 250 megabytes.

Google FI is intended to be used in the US where its data is rather expensive in my opinion. FI is allowed to be used overseas for short periods of time and, with some exceptions, you can be cut off for extended use overseas. So you have to balance what may be your somewhat expensive use at home with your overseas savings.

On my last camino my phone had a dual SIM capability and so I bought an Orange plan to get cheap data doing the day and in the evening I used FI and wifi to get cheap calls home.

 

[Former member 92300]

Never had a problem using any SIM card in any part of Western Europe (mainland) or the Western Part of Eastern Europe.

 

[vwzoo]

Please excuse my ignorance, but here goes…..

Is there a “prepago” SIM card that will work in both France and Spain, or do I need to get one in each place?

I arrive in Madrid on May 5. On May 8, I have to be in SJPP where I will be a volunteer at the Pilgrim Office from May 9 to May 23. On May 24, I will start the CF and will be back in Spain until July 21.

I would “like” to be able to get a card in Madrid that would also work during my two-week volunteer stint in SJPP.

If no such thing exists, I will probably just get a second card for my time in France.

I have T-Mobile for my phone service in the states and it worked on the Camino in 2018. I didn't change my sim card. When landing in Madrid the phone got a message welcome to Spain. When landing in Biarritz a message appeared welcome to France. It would great all across Spain to Santiago de Compestella then to Muxia and Finnistere.

 

[ELHS220]

I never had an issue using an Orange simcard purchased in France in both countries

Thanks. I will check that out at an ORANGE locale in Madrid.

 

[ELHS220]

EU SIM cards work throughout the EU. Buy one in France and it will work in Spain and vice versa. You may have few GB of data though. Bon voyage.

Thank you.

 

[ELHS220]

I'll look for you at SJPP Pilgrim Office on May 10 when I start Camino Frances...and will look at buying the Orange simcard too

Cool! I am looking forward to greeting fellow forum members. I have no idea what our “on duty” hours will be.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I have T-Mobile for my phone service in the states

As I've stated before I'm a fan of Google FI. It's not so good for others. From my looking around for a provider in the US that is a good value overseas as well T-Mobile is my second choice.

 

[ELHS220]

in 2019 I used Vodafone while traveling in Spain, France & Italy
my understanding that Orange (as already mentioned by other Esteem Members) is just as good

My Respects on your volunteering at SJPdP - Good Lord Willing, see you come May 20th!

Looking forward to seeing people from the forum.

in 2019 I used Vodafone while traveling in Spain, France & Italy
my understanding that Orange (as already mentioned by other Esteem Members) is just as good

My Respects on your volunteering at SJPdP - Good Lord Willing, see you come May 20th!

Looking forward to seeing people from the forum.

 

[Mack]

Is it possible to buy an Orange SIM on arrival at CDG?