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Thanks Wayfarer. My phone is unlocked, so a local SIM is a definite possibility. I'm not very tech savvy, but I assume changing the SIM would mean changing the phone number too? Do you know, or can anyone else tell me, whether an app like Viber would do everything a SIM would do, but free (to Viber members & assuming free wifi hotspots available) and keeping the same phone number? Also, am I right to assume that a Spanish SIM card will mean cheap local calls, but expensive calls home? I would plan on using SMS or email to home, except in emergencies, so I assume that would be cheaper than a voice call on a Spanish SIM. Sorry to ask so many questions. I find this all a bit of a maze. Many thanks for the guidebook suggestion.Welcome Linda, if you can get your phone unlocked you could use a Spanish sim, there are a few with good call, text and data plans out there, other than that use viber, whatsapp or facebook to communicate with home. As far as guides are concerned I liked the Walking Guide to Santiago. Its available for the Kindle app. Others can give you more information on other guides.
Have a great Camino.
Buen Camino.
This is also a very good resource for the Frances to download then put the PDF on your phone or even print out and carry and its up to date.Thanks KinkyOne (great name by the way!)
We will be on the France's. I think I will try going without a SIM to start with as we intend to go with the flow for accommodation. I can always get a SIM later if I find I need one or if we find beds are becoming a problem. Thanks for your help and if i havé misunderstood anything it will be my fault, not yours
This is also a very good resource for the Frances to download then put the PDF on your phone or even print out and carry and its up to date.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/“all”-albergues-on-the-camino-frances-in-one-pdf.10/
I am leaving for my first Camino on 1 May and running out of time to finalise how I can best stay in touch with home (essential I can be contacted) and how to minimise weight by keeping electronics and books to a minimum. I have an iPhone 6S that I plan to use for both local and international communication, as my camera, and hoped also to have an electronic guidebook on it to save carrying a paper book. I am coming from Australia and one possibility is to use my existing service provider in Spain, Telstra BigPond, but I believe that will cost an arm and leg I can't spare. What is best? Buy a Spanish SIM and prepay? Use a service like Viber? Other better options? Which is the best guide to use electronically - ie that is readable on an iPhone? I do understand that many of you feel that all electronic equipment should be left at home, but that really is not an option for me. I would greatly appreciate replies from anyone who has successfully resolved these questions and found a solution that is not too expensive. Many thanks, Linda
Download it and open it on your iPhone, and when it prompts you, save it to your iBooks, eliminating the need to print and carry it. In iBooks, it's searchable and you can bookmark pages of interest. I work part time as an Apple trainer so feel free to pick my brain about using your iPhone/iPad etc.Wow, fantastic! Thanks again, Wayfarer. Downloaded but not printed yet. What a great resource!
I am leaving for my first Camino on 1 May and running out of time to finalise how I can best stay in touch with home (essential I can be contacted) and how to minimise weight by keeping electronics and books to a minimum. I have an iPhone 6S that I plan to use for both local and international communication, as my camera, and hoped also to have an electronic guidebook on it to save carrying a paper book. I am coming from Australia and one possibility is to use my existing service provider in Spain, Telstra BigPond, but I believe that will cost an arm and leg I can't spare. What is best? Buy a Spanish SIM and prepay? Use a service like Viber? Other better options? Which is the best guide to use electronically - ie that is readable on an iPhone? I do understand that many of you feel that all electronic equipment should be left at home, but that really is not an option for me. I would greatly appreciate replies from anyone who has successfully resolved these questions and found a solution that is not too expensive. Many thanks, Linda
Download it and open it on your iPhone, and when it prompts you, save it to your iBooks, eliminating the need to print and carry it. In iBooks, it's searchable and you can bookmark pages of interest. I work part time as an Apple trainer so feel free to pick my brain about using your iPhone/iPad etc.
BTW- I'm going to get a Spanish SIM (keeping my Canadian SIM in a SAFE, well marked envelope for when I return. The advice about turning on Airplane mode, to save data usage is a good one, or turn off/on Cellular Data in Settings to limit the amount of data use on a prepaid SIM Card. Check out the various deals on prepaid cards at your airport of arrival or many locations along "The Way."
Vodafone ES has a Tourist SIM for €15 that includes 1.5gb of data and 60min of international calling back to AUS. After 30 days it automatically renews provided you add another €15 credit before the 30 days is up, also with Spanish SIM cards is you get free incoming calls and SMS (have everyone from Aus call you) even if there is no credit on the SIM card. As long as you are fine with a local Spanish number a prepaid Spanish SIM card is the cheapest way to go and it allows you to use your iPhone 6s without fear of an astronomical roaming voice and data bill from Telstra.
I would also add another €10-15 credit to cover local calls and international SMS.
I tape my home SIM card and SIM removal tool (paper clip) to the back of an ID card for safekeeping.
http://www.vodafone.es/particulares/es/tienda/movil/tourist-in-spain/
Here is a link to other prepaid Spanish SIM cards.
http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Spain
Once you have a prepaid Spanish SIM card installed, no need to place it in airplane mode, just use it like you would at home, as long as you don't stream and/or upload large audio, video photo files, your data limit will last the whole month, use wifi to upload all your photos and backup all your photos to iCloud or other photo cloud services like dropbox.
I used the caminoguide.net in PDF saved to my iPhone and it showed things not shown in the Brierley guide, only €4 for the downloadable guide.
Thanks to all you knowledgeable techies above for the info. I kept my Iphone on airplane mode last time, with data turned off, and used Viber to upload all pics back to my family as well as talk to them. Worked great. I'm hopefully heading back in Sept so will review all this then. Thanks, Cherry
Hi Bajaracer, thanks so much for your informative post. My question is, if I purchase a Spanish SIM such as the Vodafone Tourist SIM on line, when does the month commence? I gather it only starts once you install it into your phone? Is that correct?Vodafone ES has a Tourist SIM for €15 that includes 1.5gb of data and 60min of international calling back to AUS. After 30 days it automatically renews provided you add another €15 credit before the 30 days is up, also with Spanish SIM cards is you get free incoming calls and SMS (have everyone from Aus call you) even if there is no credit on the SIM card.
Hi Bajaracer, thanks so much for your informative post. My question is, if I purchase a Spanish SIM such as the Vodafone Tourist SIM on line, when does the month commence? I gather it only starts once you install it into your phone? Is that correct?
Don't buy it online, wait till you get to Spain and buy one, It may be nice to have once you land, but I wouldn't order online, not for double the price.
The data and calling cycle starts once you install the SIM card and is good for 30 days.
When you install a Spanish SIM card the Maps app GPS will work in Spain. If you get lost just hit the "where am I? "arrow icon. The Maps app is also useful once reaching a town to provide walking directions to a hostel if you have the address. As others have noted, turn off cellular data when you are not using it. My GPS function worked with cellular data off.
When you install a Spanish SIM card the Maps app GPS will work in Spain. If you get lost just hit the "where am I? "arrow icon. The Maps app is also useful once reaching a town to provide walking directions to a hostel if you have the address. As others have noted, turn off cellular data when you are not using it. My GPS function worked with cellular data off.
When I bought a SIM card I didn't have a data plan so I left it off and just used wifiWhy would you need to turn off cellular data with a prepaid Spanish SIM card when you are already in Spain? You don't turn off your cellular data on your device when you are at home with your home carrier.
As long as you are not uploading large video, photos, streaming audio, and video you won't use up all your data limit.
Why would you need to turn off cellular data with a prepaid Spanish SIM card when you are already in Spain? You don't turn off your cellular data on your device when you are at home with your home carrier.
As long as you are not uploading large video, photos, streaming audio, and video you won't use up all your data limit.
Some may want to limit their data use, but you're correct, with 1.5 GB for a €15, it would be unlikely you'd use up your quota, especially since wifi is readily available at stopping points.
Hi Rod, I plan to use Runkeeper to track my walk each day. I know I don't need to, but it's something I enjoy doing and sharing the info with my friends and family back home - my track and finishing position at the end of each day. I'm not sure how much data the app uses, but it will be running for 5-6 hours or for however long I'm out for the day, so intend to turn off cellular data - the app operates without it. I have been advised that by turning off cellular data will also help conserve the battery power of my phone? Is this correct? I have an iPhone 6s.
Also just wondering about the wifi readily available at stopping points - does one need to get a password and sign into each of these free wifi points or will my phone automatically pick it up?
Hi Ellen, I had exactly this problem once in the Caribbean trying to email home to Aus, wouldn't even send emails from BigPond Webmail although I was receiving emails from home. Never happened before or since and never found out why, but it is one of the reasons I started this post to find out if Viber is a reliable way of texting home for free. I have a hotmail account set up sometime ago - no idea of the password now of course!Hi LindaH, Just something to explore, but I am with BigPond and could receive e mails but in Spain my BigPond account would not let me send e mails which was my way of connecting with family back home in Australia. I ended up getting a hot mail account. This was only on Spain. No problem in France!!!!
. Hi KerrieG, Runkeeper sounds interesting! Is that from the App Store or is that the name of the app already on the 6S with the red heart on the button? I discovered by accident that the red heart one records steps, kilometres, stairs (hills) climbed, etc every day and also gives graphs of them and weekly etc graphs and stats. If this one is not Runkeeper, will it also run the battery down fast, and can it be turned off?!? Mine is running all the time without me turning it on.Hi Rod, I plan to use Runkeeper to track my walk each day. I know I don't need to, but it's something I enjoy doing and sharing the info with my friends and family back home - my track and finishing position at the end of each day. I'm not sure how much data the app uses, but it will be running for 5-6 hours or for however long I'm out for the day, so intend to turn off cellular data - the app operates without it. I have been advised that by turning off cellular data will also help conserve the battery power of my phone? Is this correct? I have an iPhone 6s.
Also just wondering about the wifi readily available at stopping points - does one need to get a password and sign into each of these free wifi points or will my phone automatically pick it up?
Hi Rod and Bajaracer, if either of you are still following this thread perhaps you would be kind enough to help with yet another question? Or anyone else who knows?
I have downloaded an electronic guidebook and also the Camino Places app by Ivar (of this forum) to my iPhone 6S. Will I need to have data on for either/both of these to work? Many thanks, Linda
Jayree, are you talking about the Maps app that comes on the iPhone or do I need to buy a different app?When you install a Spanish SIM card the Maps app GPS will work in Spain. If you get lost just hit the "where am I? "arrow icon. The Maps app is also useful once reaching a town to provide walking directions to a hostel if you have the address. As others have noted, turn off cellular data when you are not using it. My GPS function worked with cellular data off.
The Maps app that comes installed with the iOS on the iPhone worked for me on the Camino del Norte in 2013.Jayree, are you talking about the Maps app that comes on the iPhone or do I need to buy a different app?
Hi Rod, I plan to use Runkeeper to track my walk each day. I know I don't need to, but it's something I enjoy doing and sharing the info with my friends and family back home - my track and finishing position at the end of each day. I'm not sure how much data the app uses, but it will be running for 5-6 hours or for however long I'm out for the day, so intend to turn off cellular data - the app operates without it. I have been advised that by turning off cellular data will also help conserve the battery power of my phone? Is this correct? I have an iPhone 6s.
Also just wondering about the wifi readily available at stopping points - does one need to get a password and sign into each of these free wifi points or will my phone automatically pick it up?
Hi Rod, I plan to use Runkeeper to track my walk each day. I know I don't need to, but it's something I enjoy doing and sharing the info with my friends and family back home - my track and finishing position at the end of each day. I'm not sure how much data the app uses, but it will be running for 5-6 hours or for however long I'm out for the day, so intend to turn off cellular data - the app operates without it. I have been advised that by turning off cellular data will also help conserve the battery power of my phone? Is this correct? I have an iPhone 6s.
Also just wondering about the wifi readily available at stopping points - does one need to get a password and sign into each of these free wifi points or will my phone automatically pick it up?
I've never seen open wifi along the Camino, they all have passwords, just have to ask for the password.
The GPS will suck down the battery quickly regardless whether data is on or not, a portable rechargeable battery pack would be nice if to have if the GPS uses a lot of battery.
. Hi KerrieG, Runkeeper sounds interesting! Is that from the App Store or is that the name of the app already on the 6S with the red heart on the button? I discovered by accident that the red heart one records steps, kilometres, stairs (hills) climbed, etc every day and also gives graphs of them and weekly etc graphs and stats. If this one is not Runkeeper, will it also run the battery down fast, and can it be turned off?!? Mine is running all the time without me turning it on.
Does runkeeper work when the data is turned off? I didn't think it would!
Maybe to save your battery? At least that's what I'm doing while walking. I surely don't need any uploads when walking.Why would you need to turn off cellular data with a prepaid Spanish SIM card when you are already in Spain? You don't turn off your cellular data on your device when you are at home with your home carrier.
As long as you are not uploading large video, photos, streaming audio, and video you won't use up all your data limit.
You are tracked all the time. Hi KerrieG, Runkeeper sounds interesting! Is that from the App Store or is that the name of the app already on the 6S with the red heart on the button? I discovered by accident that the red heart one records steps, kilometres, stairs (hills) climbed, etc every day and also gives graphs of them and weekly etc graphs and stats. If this one is not Runkeeper, will it also run the battery down fast, and can it be turned off?!? Mine is running all the time without me turning it on.
Hi Rod and Bajaracer, if either of you are still following this thread perhaps you would be kind enough to help with yet another question? Or anyone else who knows?
I have downloaded an electronic guidebook and also the Camino Places app by Ivar (of this forum) to my iPhone 6S. Will I need to have data on for either/both of these to work? Many thanks, Linda
I have an android phone (Samsung 5) will it work the same?
...
Buen Camino
Thanks,
Carmen
I use Samsung also and had no problem using a Spanish SIM. Like any phone, you just need to make sure your phone is unlocked. If your phone was provided by your Oz provider (Telstra etc) as part of your contract it might be 'locked' to them. You can test by trying a friend's SIM in yours..If locked, You might be able to ask them to unlock it, some phone repair shops do it, you can find codes online etc. Also make sure your phone contacts aren't stored only on your Oz SIM card, but on your Samsung account (you can choose that via Contacts), so that you can download them with your Spanish SIM. For sure get data with your Spanish plan so if you need to you can use Maps and other useful stuff while in Spain This stuff sounds complex but any phone shop/teenager should be able to sort it for you if you're not confident.I have an android phone (Samsung 5) will it work the same? Planning to get a Spanish SIM card, for access to email and all the links to reservations, family etc. I also have a whatsapp account (USA) , did i understand correctly that it will work in EU since it is link to devise not carrier?
eI bought an Orange SIM card in Pamplona. Now I can't find a place to buy a data top up. I'm on the Meseta right now. The woman who sold me the SIM said I could buy topups at most grocery stores or tobacco shops. Anyone have any suggestions?
Can anyone translate for me?
I want a top up for my Orange SIM card that includes data. At least one gigabyte.
I can't seem to explain that at the stores. They don't know what I mean when I say gigabyte or data. Or even Internet. All they seem to sell phone minutes. Argh.
e
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