Best SIM card
 

What is the best local SIM card to use in Spain for calls in Spain?

many thanks

Re: Best SIM card
 

yoigo.com is worth considering, shop located in Calle Hermano Amparo, Ayamonte

Re: Best SIM card
 

I believe the SIM that I use is NOT the best for you but I'll mention anyway that I use Lebara for cheaper calls back to the UK. I think it's not so cheap for calls within Spain compared to other PAYG SIMs.

Re: Best SIM card
 

FYI. The EU will be implementing a no roaming charge within the EU. So same price calls in the EU wherever you are .....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24056369. Will happen in 2 phases 2014 for incoming and 2016 for all

Jon

Re: Best SIM card
 

'3' have already ditched roaming where they have partners in Europe. Sadly not France and Spain. Others are expected to follow soon. In the meantime www.europasim.com has some tie up with Vodafone can be used in most of Europe. 3euros per day only charged on days used for 500mb data if you go over it just slows down. I guess it will be more expensive than a local sim but transportable around Europe might be of use to some people.

Re: Best SIM card
 

Blimey, they want 39 euros just for the SIM card before any charges. Doesn't look a cheap option. Probably only useful for people that really spend a lot of time travelling to many countries.

Re: Best SIM card
 

The Lebara sim might be free but it isn't cheap to use. Lebara charge 45p per MB against 500 MB for 3euros which includes 25mins each way calling and more than enough texts for me. Soon saves the cost of the sim which does come with 5euros credit so 34 euros. We travel around a fair bit. Its the best I can find for us.

Re: Best SIM card
 

Researching this whole subject deeply, I am totally convinced there is no one best SIM deal for all uses. I never said I get a good deal on Internet with my Lebara. In my opinion, it is only good for cheap calls back to the UK from Spain, both landline and mobile.

I'm sure your expensive Europasim suggestion is great for people truly roaming all over Europe but I doubt it is a viable option for most other applications.

Just to clarify, it is a Spanish Lebara SIM I have, not a UK one.

Re: Best SIM card
 

What do you pay for a call to the UK with Spanish Lebara sim?

Re: Best SIM card
 

From Spain to the UK, it is 0,15€/min to Mobile and 0,05€/min to Landline but there is a 0,30€ connection Charge

However, for some time now, Lebara have been running a 100% free topup deal if you load your card with a minimum of 10€ online. This effectively halves these prices. I guess there is no guarantee that Lebara will keep this promotion going but I suspect they will for some time.

One point to be aware, Lebara will cancel the SIM if you don't topup every 6 months as I found to my cost. They will block it after 4 months and then cancel 2 months after that. I have set myself a reminder to topup every 4 months. Google calendar is great for that :D

Re: Best SIM card
 

Another for you to keep an eye on if you mainly use for calls might be www.togglemobile.co.uk. I think they use O2 network.
The 500 MB per day data for 3euros is more than worthwhile for me with europasim whilst we are out and about in Europe.

Re: Best SIM card
 

That's an interesting find... Seems to be run by Lycamobile and also sold by Carphonewarehouse. What is attractive that it appears to provide a Spanish number whilst in Spain. Definitely one to consider. Thanks,

Re: Best SIM card
 

That's interesting. I don't use 500Mb per month, let alone in one day. Does anyone use 500Mb per day?

Re: Best SIM card
 

I believe if you download music, listen to radio, stream video etc. you would soon use that. I have been told 2 hours Skype call with video on would use that much.

Re: Best SIM card
 

I also have a Carrefour Internet dongle which gives 100MB per day for 1€ +IVA.

I have it inserted into a mifi (mobile sim card wifi router device) and had it connected to 2 phones, an Ipad and a Nexus, as well as 2 kindles all by wifi. We found that with all the background activity that goes on, it would bust the 100MB limit within 2-3 hours. We were shocked at how much data is required to access some web pages. :ohmy: So I can easily see how 500MB could be consumed on 1 device in only a month.

Sorry to the OP, we seem to have wandered well off topic. :o

Re: Best SIM card
 

I don't use Skype on the mobile for just that reason. Besides the quality makes it rather useless anyway. And I have another way to make very cheap international calls from my mobile without using Skype. It's more complicated because I have to dial a local number and then enter the international number I want to call.

But yes, I can understand how some people might use that much data especially kids - you'd have to be pretty glued to your phone day-in and day-out.

Re: Best SIM card
 

This is a followup to the togglemobile suggestion from Olivia.

I purchased a SIM (£10 from Carphonewarehouse with £10 credit so effectively free) and roadtested it in Ayamonte last week. I am VERY impressed. It uses the Vodafone ES network. For me, its key feature is cheap mobile communication between Spain and the UK.
It costs 3p per minute to call between Spain and the UK for both landlines and mobiles in both directions. There is no connection charge which was racking up the costs on my Lebara option.

To get this cheap rate, you need to register a local Spanish number online which is free and will last up to 30 days. A £5 cost will keep the Spanish number going for one year.

The SIM then effectively has 2 numbers. It means that someone in the UK can call the UK mobile number and it will connect to the Spanish number automatically. If you have inclusive minutes on your UK mobile phone contract, by definition calls to your Spanish mobile will be included for free/included.

I've tested in all directions and it all seems to work as described. Calls within Spain are 3p per min. to a landline and 9p per min. to a Spanish mobile.

I am beginning to sound like a mobile phone salesman which I am most definitely not but I am very pleased with this option for what I want it to do which is make cheap mobile contact between the UK and Spain.

Only downside for folk in the Ayamonte region is that you do not get these great rates in Portugal. Also, no decent mobile internet deals for Spain.

Re: Best SIM card
 

Many thanks for helpful replies.
I have now bought a Togglecard as
it seems to fit my needs best

Re: Best SIM card
 

has anyone in costa esuri tried this - how is the reception/signal?

Re: Best SIM card
 

Don't quite know what you mean by "this" but mobile reception on CE is very variable. The main Spanish provider is probably the best but not available down by "Jags" and on other parts of Marina Esuri.
The best signal all over appears to be TMN or Vodaphone from Portugal and this causes cost problems with roaming charges if you do not lock your phone to a Spanish providor if you have a Spanish sim.
Originally we used a Portuguese Vodaphone sim in a dongle plugged into a Miffi for internet but it was not cheap so you are careful with the megabytes.

Re: Best SIM card
 

we currently have an annual contract with yogi which is 11 euros a month, but don't make uk calls from this (use internet). I was interested to hear if anyone had brought the car phone warehouse suggestion and was able to use it is CE.

Re: Best SIM card
 

I can only confirm that Isla Canela and Ayamonte works well. The Toggle Mobile option from Carphonewarehouse uses the Vodafone Network.

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Our current Spanish sim in a dual sim phone is a Yogi pay as you go one. Works well but you must a min of €6 a month or they charge you that anyway. Odd but sometimes that is hard to do!

Re: Best SIM card
 

It probably picks up either the Portugal or Spain networks since it is designed to be used outside UK it matters not. That gives best of both worlds so should work all along the river and with the Spanish network most of the rest of Spain.

Re: Best SIM card
 

brilliant - thanks very much!

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did you purchase it in carphone warehouse in UK or spain?

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In the UK. I'm not sure if you can get it in the Carphonewarehouse equivalent in Spain. I would doubt it. I think there is a Phonewarehouse next to Mercadona so you could ask there.

Re: Best SIM card
 

thanks - i'll get one in UK. It would probably cost double in Spain! cheers!