Sim card

[Sagiberg]

Hello all, in a few days we'll start from Irun and are sooo excited. Can you recommand which sim card to buy? Is there a difference in cell reception/service quality between the companies?
And is it possible to buy the Sim card at Barcelona airport?
Thank you

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Hello all, in a few days we'll start from Irun and are sooo excited. Can you recommand which sim card to buy? Is there a difference in cell reception/service quality between the companies?
And is it possible to buy the Sim card at Barcelona airport?
Thank you

I think that there are three communication network companies in Spain. Movistar theoretically has the best coverage over all of Spain but I use Vodafone as they seem to have good coverage along the popular Caminos and have some good deals and have the option of accessing their website in English which makes it easy to renew my account each month.

I don't know Barcelona airport but I would be very surprised if you can't buy a SIM somewhere within the airport.

I buy a standard service pre-pay SIM in Europe and I would expect to pay around €20-€30 per month for multi Gigabytes of Data, 200+ minutes of calls within Europe and possibly minutes of International talk time plus unlimited SMS text messages that is renewable monthly.

I steer clear of deals aimed at short stay tourists because sometimes they can't be renewed and particularly within Portugal sometimes these tourist deals don't allow roaming and that can be a problem if you are walking the Frances and so need to go into France.

If the deal does allow roaming then there is no extra charges for roaming within the EU.

 

[Sagiberg]

I think that there are three communication network companies in Spain. Movistar theoretically has the best coverage over all of Spain but I use Vodafone as they seem to have good coverage along the popular Caminos and have some good deals and have the option of accessing their website in English which makes it easy to renew my account each month.

I don't know Barcelona airport but I would be very surprised if you can't buy a SIM somewhere within the airport.

I buy a standard service pre-pay SIM in Europe and I would expect to pay around €20-€30 per month for multi Gigabytes of Data, 200+ minutes of calls within Europe and possibly minutes of International talk time plus unlimited SMS text messages that is renewable monthly.

I steer clear of deals aimed at short stay tourists because sometimes they can't be renewed and particularly within Portugal sometimes these tourist deals don't allow roaming and that can be a problem if you are walking the Frances and so need to go into France.

If the deal does allow roaming then there is no extra charges for roaming within the EU.

Thank you so much for your reply.
I

I think that there are three communication network companies in Spain. Movistar theoretically has the best coverage over all of Spain but I use Vodafone as they seem to have good coverage along the popular Caminos and have some good deals and have the option of accessing their website in English which makes it easy to renew my account each month.

I don't know Barcelona airport but I would be very surprised if you can't buy a SIM somewhere within the airport.

I buy a standard service pre-pay SIM in Europe and I would expect to pay around €20-€30 per month for multi Gigabytes of Data, 200+ minutes of calls within Europe and possibly minutes of International talk time plus unlimited SMS text messages that is renewable monthly.

I steer clear of deals aimed at short stay tourists because sometimes they can't be renewed and particularly within Portugal sometimes these tourist deals don't allow roaming and that can be a problem if you are walking the Frances and so need to go into France.

If the deal does allow roaming then there is no extra charges for roaming within the EU.

I think that there are three communication network companies in Spain. Movistar theoretically has the best coverage over all of Spain but I use Vodafone as they seem to have good coverage along the popular Caminos and have some good deals and have the option of accessing their website in English which makes it easy to renew my account each month.

I don't know Barcelona airport but I would be very surprised if you can't buy a SIM somewhere within the airport.

I buy a standard service pre-pay SIM in Europe and I would expect to pay around €20-€30 per month for multi Gigabytes of Data, 200+ minutes of calls within Europe and possibly minutes of International talk time plus unlimited SMS text messages that is renewable monthly.

I steer clear of deals aimed at short stay tourists because sometimes they can't be renewed and particularly within Portugal sometimes these tourist deals don't allow roaming and that can be a problem if you are walking the Frances and so need to go into France.

If the deal does allow roaming then there is no extra charges for roaming within the EU.

Thank you so much for your help. I will search for Vodafone

 

[naplesdon]

Check out the numerous thread on this Forum for options and oppsing views on all types of service alternatives.

 

[Sagiberg]

Check out the numerous thread on this Forum for options and oppsing views on all types of service alternatives.

Thank you ,I will

 

[A Crackpot Abroad]

I have used Yoigo in 2017 was not very good coverage then. No internet connection once you left a city. I've used Vodaphone since and amazed at internet connection almost everywhere along Via de Plata, Norte and LeVante.

My response from prior Sim threads:

May 7, 2022
I'm lazy. From another thread below is my answer. I'm in Spain now. I have the 15 euro Vodafone 50GB internet, 800 minutes of calling to the U.S.,and unlimited calls in Spain. Weird 28 day pre-pay plan. No contract.. no commitments. When you're r done with Spain, stop renewing.. I believe you get some minutes and GB in other EU countries.

When you go to Ireland and Croatia, get another pre-pay cell plan.

Here my answer from another phone thread:

April 27, 2022
"I'm very happy with Vodafone in Spain. 15 euro for 50GB internet, 800 minutes calling time to the United States, unlimited calls in Spain. You get some internet and calls while in France (not exactly sure of the exact details).

No contract. When you are done, stop prepaying. Weird 28 day billing cycle but I deal with it. Prepaying the next billing cycle is easy. Texts are extra few cents per text (weird by U.S. standards).

I had excellent coverage on Via de Plata, Norte, and Levante (I had Yoigo before. Didn't work very well in the hinterlands. I didn't have a phone while on Camino Frances.). Vodafone does all the technical stuff for you at their local stores. Just make sure you have an unlocked GSM (non Verizon) phone. Easy peasey."

 

[Laundoner]

Hello all, in a few days we'll start from Irun and are sooo excited. Can you recommand which sim card to buy? Is there a difference in cell reception/service quality between the companies?
And is it possible to buy the Sim card at Barcelona airport?
Thank you

I concur with the Vodafone suggestion. The SIM card will cost you 5€ in the Vodafone shop. If you had an address were to have it delivered in Barcelona, then you could save that by ordering online, but for 5€ it is not worth the trouble. Annoyingly, all pay-as-you-go or "prepago" in Spain is for 28 days exactly, so if you use the system for a year, you end up paying for 13 months! Anyway, I suggest that all you need is to charge the card with 10€, and recharge it before the 28th day. That will get you the current promotion of 25GB+25GB, i.e. 50GB a month. If there is no Vodafone shop at the airport, I would suggest you wait until you are either in the city of Barcelona, or any other urban location. You can search Google Maps for Vodafone shops.

Tarifa prepago S

Disfruta de 25GB + 25GB EXTRA + 20GB EXTRA en tu primera renovación, 300 minutos nacionales e internacionales y llamadas ilimitadas con prepago Vodafone por tan solo 10€/28 días.

www.vodafone.es

Unlike Movistar, who don't accept international cards, I was able to pay using my British debit card. I read somewhere that they don't, but while you are in Spain you should be able to recharge in a shop.

 

[A Crackpot Abroad]

Also, free wifi at the Barcelona airport and if you take the big blue "Aerobus" from the airport to downtown Barcelona (inexpensive and ends at Plaza Cataluna) they have free wifi on board.

Many Vodaphone shops in the city center. The Vodaphone staff in my experience were very nice and used to non-Spainish speakers. They did the setup and had my phone working in a few minutes.

I was able to easily recharge the phone using the Vodaphone app if your staying longer than 28 days.

 

[Sagiberg]

I have used Yoigo in 2017 was not very good coverage then. No internet connection once you left a city. I've used Vodaphone since and amazed at internet connection almost everywhere along Via de Plata, Norte and LeVante.

My response from prior Sim threads:

May 7, 2022
I'm lazy. From another thread below is my answer. I'm in Spain now. I have the 15 euro Vodafone 50GB internet, 800 minutes of calling to the U.S.,and unlimited calls in Spain. Weird 28 day pre-pay plan. No contract.. no commitments. When you're r done with Spain, stop renewing.. I believe you get some minutes and GB in other EU countries.

When you go to Ireland and Croatia, get another pre-pay cell plan.

Here my answer from another phone thread:

April 27, 2022
"I'm very happy with Vodafone in Spain. 15 euro for 50GB internet, 800 minutes calling time to the United States, unlimited calls in Spain. You get some internet and calls while in France (not exactly sure of the exact details).

No contract. When you are done, stop prepaying. Weird 28 day billing cycle but I deal with it. Prepaying the next billing cycle is easy. Texts are extra few cents per text (weird by U.S. standards).

I had excellent coverage on Via de Plata, Norte, and Levante (I had Yoigo before. Didn't work very well in the hinterlands. I didn't have a phone while on Camino Frances.). Vodafone does all the technical stuff for you at their local stores. Just make sure you have an unlocked GSM (non Verizon) phone. Easy peasey."

Thank you for this great information

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Orange has a big store near the Parallel Metro station. I mention this because after you are done there you can walk just a couple blocks to Sant Pau del Camp, a Romanesque monastery. A few euros will get you admittance and for a few more you can buy a credencial.

And if you are still in the area in the evening the Barcelona tapas street is Carrer Blai, a short walk away.

 

[Lexicos]

I’ve been using Vidafone for almost three months across 5 European countries Sagiberb and I’ve not had any problems at all, anywhere. I top up when my data runs low or runs out (about 20 euro per month) and getting my SIM card in Greece was quick and simple. Most airports now sell SIM cards, especially the big busy airports.