SIM Card question

[zimmecp]

I feel a bit silly asking this...but technology moves faster than I can keep up...

My phone is unlocked...so I had just planned to get a Spanish sim card when I arrive (Want to have a phone for emergencies!). Does anyone know if just taking my SIM card out of my ATT phone will appear to ATT like my phone if just off? Or will I have to deal with ATT...

Thanks!

PS...I'd also be open to suggestions about favorite Spanish mobile providers...I am thinking Vodaphone...but only because I have used them in the past...

 

[C clearly]

No, ATT will not notice or care as long as you are paying whatever you owe them.

Don't fuss too much about which provider. Get what is convenient.

 

[poogeyejr]

There are some good deals on Data only Sims. Make sure you have an app you can use as a phone on your device before you leave, then you can take advantage of this option. The most well known, but not the cheapest is Skype (each call is a few cents so you have to purchase some Skype credit on your Skype account)

There are others too. DM me if you want more suggestions.

 

[jgpryde]

I went to a Vodafone store in Pamplona to get a SIM card for my IPhone7. They installed it and tested it out before I left. I later stopped in a Vodafone store in Leon to top it up. Coverage on the Frances has been good most of the time.
Most if not all of the alburgues have a wifi router but their data plans often crap out when more than a few people try to use it so I end up switching to cellular just to get by.

I'm using a significant amount of cellular data to post to my blog and journal and with Google maps during times when there is no usable WiFi handy. Your mileage may vary.

ATT still bills me my regular monthly rate for mobile access back home.

International texts are not included in my Spanish plan. I just use email instead.
(Vodafone has no problem sending me texts with special offers, all in Spanish ;^)

Hope this helps,


-jgp

 

[SYates]

For data only I can recommend lebara.es 6GB/month for 19 Euro - so far happy with it, Buen Camino, SY

 

[hugogonzz]

I went to a Vodafone store in Pamplona to get a SIM card for my IPhone7.

I did the same 2 days ago and bought the mega user sim card that in normal conditions provides 3.5 GB in data but, for summer special I got 7GB for 20 euros.

 

[Bajaracer]

The most current deals on Vodafone ES are the Tourist SIM for €15 and the Megayuser for €20.
Tourist SIM includes 4GB of data and 50min in calls to the US for €15.
https://www.vodafone.es/c/particulares/es/tienda/movil/tourist-in-spain-vf/

Megayuser SIM includes 7GB of data and 60min in calls to the US for €20.

https://www.vodafone.es/c/particulares/es/tienda/movil/tarifas-prepago-y-recargas/tarifas-prepago/

 

[HedaP]

Not tech savy and don't have a blog but started walking beginning April with unexpectedly few pilgrims who were doing, unlike me, mostly Brierley stages. So used the internet far more than expected. At times I did think it might be my only friend.
Bought a 15€ vodaphone sim in Pamplona on way to SJPdP. Fantastic service. It came with a bonus of 3 GB data plus 100 hours of local and international calls.
Every 28 days it expired and not sure if this was just lucky but my unused data was transferred to the next month's 1 GB of data. In my experience to renew was simple. Just go to a supermarket checkout and the renewal will be done with speed and kindness.
PS I did try to renew online and by phone but turns out not possible without a Spanish credit/debit card. After multiple tries I rang Vodaphone and was transferred to their yay!! foreign language service and was informed of the supermarket option.

 

[Marcus-UK]

I feel a bit silly asking this...but technology moves faster than I can keep up...

My phone is unlocked...so I had just planned to get a Spanish sim card when I arrive (Want to have a phone for emergencies!). Does anyone know if just taking my SIM card out of my ATT phone will appear to ATT like my phone if just off? Or will I have to deal with ATT...

Thanks!

PS...I'd also be open to suggestions about favorite Spanish mobile providers...I am thinking Vodaphone...but only because I have used them in the past...

The new SIM card will be specific to the local Telecoms carrier in Europe. You will not need to deal with AT&T if your phone has been unlocked before you travel. However the normal unlock process from your existing carrier needs to take place while it is tsill connected to the AT&T network so make sure that it is definitely unlocked before you travel.

BTW I retired from AT&T lats year after 21 years of service with them. However I never had a cell phone with them since I worked Internationally and AT&T do not have an International Cell Phone service in Europe!

 

[Marcus-UK]

I feel a bit silly asking this...but technology moves faster than I can keep up...

My phone is unlocked...so I had just planned to get a Spanish sim card when I arrive (Want to have a phone for emergencies!). Does anyone know if just taking my SIM card out of my ATT phone will appear to ATT like my phone if just off? Or will I have to deal with ATT...

Thanks!

PS...I'd also be open to suggestions about favorite Spanish mobile providers...I am thinking Vodaphone...but only because I have used them in the past...

Just thought of something that you may need to double check before you travel. US domestic cell phones use different radio frequencies to Europe.

This is especially so for GSM/UMTS which is the common fallback for most Cellular services in Europe where 4G/LTE signals are too weak or just not rolled out yet.

US uses 850, 1700, 1900 MHz Europe and MOW 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz. If you have a US specific phone you may be affected. If you have a more modern International Phone then you should not be affected since they cover all frequencies. Check before you fly otherwise you may be disappointed.

 

[t2andreo]

I use t-Mobile as my cellular provider in the US. t-Mobile is originally a German firm. They are a very big mobile / cellular provider throughout Europe.

As a result they have robust roaming agreements with most all EU providers. In my experience, t-Mobile roams on Mobistar, Orange, Proximus and Vodaphone networks.

I mention this because t-Mobile permits me to use my 5 gb monthly US data plan allotment, as well as free unlimited messaging, in 140 countries. This includes ALL of the EU.

PLUS, as unused monthly data "snowballs" into a separate 'data stash,' when I travel to Santiago each summer to work a a volunteer for a month, I have plenty of accumulated data to stream music, video, make face time calls, or to open my phone as a Wi-Fi router for friends. This is a very good feature.

There are NO ROAMING FEES connected with using my US data allotment in any of those 140 countries. Voice calls are billed at .20 cents USD per minute. Ordinarily that is expensive, but if you keep outgoing calls very short, and screen all incoming calls you can limit the voice charges.

I hope this helps.

 

[zimmecp]

Thanks everybody! Sounds like I should check out the deals that are on when I arrive!