Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

With regard to Fibre, again it's "Location, location, location". Around here a private company has it pretty much sewn up. Movistar don't get a look in.

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

Fair enough, didn't know that there are areas where smaller companies have dealt with the fibre infrastructure on their own. Where I'm at it seems that Movistar does all the hard work and everyone else is just a reseller - so even if you order via the latter then at the end of the day a Movistar subcontractor comes around to lay the cables. :)

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

Have you seen this bit of news?

https://spainenglish.us18.list-manag...c&e=dfa660816c

Rosemary

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

Yes, and it doesn't surprise me. Vodafone and Movistar who provide the networks face unfair competition from the low-cost operators who don't have the same overheads. Vodafone are losing money hand-over-fist in Spain. But as a long-term customer they treat me well.

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

How are Vodafone losing money here? Seems like every other person I've met is signed up with them.

On a side note I just learned the hard way that prepaid tariffs don't actually include SMS. Fair enough when you send a SMS abroad (even though 1.90 EUR sure looks like a rip-off!), but for some reason I took for granted that domestic SMS would be free. WRONG.

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

From Internet:The large ‘telecos’ lose 2,000 million in revenue and 1.2 million customers due to the push of the ‘low cost’

Know more

The company has called on the unions to start the consultation period at the end of September with a view to closing the file in October.

The company attributes the job cuts to the circumstances of the Spanish market, marked by strong competition and a trend towards ‘low cost’, which resulted in losses of 432 million euros in 2020 for the Spanish subsidiary of the European operator.

The teleco has its own low-cost brand, Lowi, which added 236,000 clients during the year to reach 1.2 million users through very aggressive offers.

“The decision to initiate this procedure is justified for economic, productive and organizational reasons, and it is encouraged by the market trend in the telecommunications sector and by the need to improve its operational performance by accelerating its digital transformation strategy,”

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

My son has been installing fibre around here for the last few years yet he doesn't work for MoviStar. It seems many smaller companies now have their own infrastructure.

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

But that's only very local and they don't have to pay for the maintenance of the national networks or the upgrade to 5G. Neither do Google or Facebook, who are totally dependent on those networks. That's why shares in the tech companies have gone through the roof whilst the shares in teleco companies have fallen through the floor.
This is as explained to me by a Telefónica employee.

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

I think even Movistar just subcontracts all the job work, but effectively they still own the network (at least in some places for x amount of years)?

Overall I live in a place with patchy mobile coverage and the networks in general seem to be a bit behind the times, like not having SMS included even though you get lots of calls as part of your package. Speed and coverage are decent but not at the level that I've experienced in recent years in Singapore, Australia or Poland, where the networks seem to be much more advanced with phenomenal transfer speeds and a dense network of BTS to keep you covered. In fact the last time I was severely underimpressed with telcos was the UK so I guess I really shouldn't complain...

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

Getting really fed up with Orange for two reasons:

- as I manage 4 prepaid numbers for the entire family I have to log in separately to check each one's balance. With Vodfone you can see everything on one page as you log in as a person and not as a single phone number. Does anyone know how this looks with Lycamobile or Lebara?

- topping up by card. Seems that Orange only accepts local cards which is a pain. There is some int'l option but it redirects you to some weird global site, wants you to register separately therre, etc. Do any of the providers let you topup via vouchers bought in shops that aren't their own branded stores?

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

Just a quick question - anyone use Lycamobile?

Any issues with them from problems with billing/topping-up or slow internet speeds?

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

You can top up most providers in most supermarkets at the till and at cash machines.

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

Thanks, is this just a voucher (at supermarkets) or do I need to give them the phone number of each top-up (considering I need to do 4 at a time this might stall the line)?

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

The second way, there's no voucher involved, you tell them what phone number, how much, and pay for it... x 4.

More info about the different ways of topping up here.

Maybe they'll accept foreign debit cards using the usual ways of topping up instead of you having to use the special website for foreign credit cards?

Re: Looking for a recommendation on mobile network provider in Spain, prices/opt
 

No, they own the fixed line infrastructure. My sons company has it's own network of fibres and cables - nothing is from Movistar. Yes, they are small (not national) but have 10's of thousands of customers.