Using travel SIM card on camino

[WazoSmurph]

Hi there,
I am here in Australia. It has been suggested that I use the Travel SIM card for my phone when traveling on Camino and then Ireland. Has anyone had experience in using this SIM card while on the camino both for calls and data? I will be using an IPhone 4.

Many thanks for advice on this SIM card query. I have been hearing all sorts on the SIM cards and not sure which way to go with it.

 

[ffp13]

If you want data 3G/4G then a local sim is the only economical option, there is no cheap roaming option for data, in Spain I plan to use http://www.mobipassport.com.au/ about $25 for 1Gb month. And free 5 min calls to Aust landlines.

 

[Dave.Martinez]

I'm planning to forego the SIM card and set the phone (iPhone 4) to not receive a cellular signal during my camino. I've downloaded the SKYPE app and will use that to make calls (if needed) and check email (if I cannot resist) when a WIFI connection is available. Other than that, I hope to use the GPS tracking capability to monitor my walk, listen to music, and take pictures.

Dave

 

[julie]

It depends on the purpose for taking a phone. I use a Travelsim because it works out cheaper than a local SIM to ring home. I rarely make local calls when I'm away but, having very elderly parents, need to keep in contact with family.

You don't lose your Travelsim credit if you use the SIM card within each 6 month period. That's as easy as ringing your own phone and hanging up before it answers.

The downside is the initial $49.95 cost which works out expensive for a one-off use. However, mine is shortly to go on its third overseas holiday and has saved me far more than its purchase cost.

 

[NicoZ]

http://www.vodafone.es/particulares/es/ ... rnacional/

Hope that works. EU companies often have special deals for calling abroad. That looks like 2.5cents a minute to fixed lines in Australia and 10 for mobiles. Plus it looks like €1.25 a week for the offer.

I'm sure other Spanish companies have similar offers.

 

[djq]

I would avoid Vodafone like the plague . When I bought my service in Pamplona, they were very clear in the Vodafone store that calls to the US were five Euro cents per minute after a twenty or thirty Euro cents set up fee. When my thirty Euros of credit were gone after one short call, I called Vodafone and was told calls to the US were more than a Euro a minute and that the cheapest rate they offered on any plan was eighteen Euro cents per minute and only during certain hours of the day. I was told I obviously misunderstood what I was told in the store--which plainly was not the case as the sales person spoke very good English and expressly confirmed that calls to the US were less than local calls. Because of Vodafone's bait and switch tactics, I was left with seriously limited communications options when I desperately needed them.

 

[NicoZ]

Did you sign up for the plan? The link I posted is a plan that costs a fee every week. If you don't sign up for something similar you'll pay the normal rate.

 

[piogaw]

hello,

this depends on what you will be using the smartphone for. i am until now for the last 2 years have been using a payg spanish orange sim card. i have only used this phone to call my family in dublin every night to let them know i am still alive and also talked to my friends in spain. i have no experience with data or roaming charges.i spent roughly less than 35 euros on the whole camino of 31 days plus 4 extra days in sdc. obviously you will be contacting australia, this will probably cost more.
also there is orange card that you can buy in the orange shop for 5 euros that gives you quite a few units to use. i don't know what is it called, it was bought by a spanish friend in the shop for me. anyone has any info on this card, please elaborate. the orange sim card works very well on the camino frances, but not on the vdlp.

 

[Elaine12]

Try the Woolies Roaming SIM http://www.woolworthsglobalroaming.com.au They have really good rates in Europe and the UK. I never travel overseas without it!

 

[Anniesantiago]

I love Vodaphone. I bought a sim for my old unlocked iPhone 3. It works great. I don't make calls to the us but I do Skype. No problems last year or this.