# Should I get a Spanish telephone number?



## smint1234 (Mar 30, 2016)

Hello. I live in Norway, but I bought a apartment in Alicante city. I am planning on staying there 3 months each year. 

My current telephone provider gives me same conditions in Spain as in Norway, free calls, free sms, free mms and 3gb data each month.

I am going to buy internet, but I am wondering if I should go for phone included. Is there any reason for me to get a spanish telephone number?


----------



## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hola 

I think you are under a misapprehension - you provider will charge you more to phone a Spanish number - as will Spanish providers charge more to ring your Norwegian telephone number 

Davexf


----------



## smint1234 (Mar 30, 2016)

davexf said:


> Hola
> 
> I think you are under a misapprehension - you provider will charge you more to phone a Spanish number - as will Spanish providers charge more to ring your Norwegian telephone number
> 
> Davexf


No. Norwegian providers gives me free calls to Spanish numbers also.


----------



## DonMarco (Nov 20, 2016)

No need to get a Spanish phone number. I got one 18 month ago (pay as you go) and used it three times. I don't speak Spanish but thought it would be good to have a Spanish number. As you've got all inclusive it makes even less sense in your case.


----------



## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Since Norway is an EEA/EFTA member, it may well be that the roaming requirements apply. If that is the case, then I believe the OP would have no need for a fixed phone number as he/she could be easily contact via mobile.


----------



## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

When we first arrived we had a few issues until we got a Spanish number. If you ever order anything online for example you have to give your phone number and seeing as delivery companies feel the need to call you as a delivery attempt they simply wont ring a foreign number.
There can also be issues with the number not being recognised in computer systems because it is not in the Spanish format.

Even had orders rejected because of it. It was only a transition period but still annoying.
I guess it all depends on how much you are planning on doing here really but I would say it could be in your best interest to get one.


----------



## smint1234 (Mar 30, 2016)

Pazcat said:


> When we first arrived we had a few issues until we got a Spanish number. If you ever order anything online for example you have to give your phone number and seeing as delivery companies feel the need to call you as a delivery attempt they simply wont ring a foreign number.
> There can also be issues with the number not being recognised in computer systems because it is not in the Spanish format.
> 
> Even had orders rejected because of it. It was only a transition period but still annoying.
> I guess it all depends on how much you are planning on doing here really but I would say it could be in your best interest to get one.


Yeah thats exactly what I am thinking about. I want a Spanish number for ease of use and I could get a phone with dual sim.


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

smint1234 said:


> Yeah thats exactly what I am thinking about. I want a Spanish number for ease of use and I could get a phone with dual sim.


Is it still the case that you can't get a mobile contract if you're not a resident? So it would have to be PAYG.

If you're only in the country for three months of a year, check the terms - some companies will close the account and reallocate the number if you don't use it for a while, and you will lose the balance.


----------



## smint1234 (Mar 30, 2016)

Alcalaina said:


> Is it still the case that you can't get a mobile contract if you're not a resident? So it would have to be PAYG.
> 
> If you're only in the country for three months of a year, check the terms - some companies will close the account and reallocate the number if you don't use it for a while, and you will lose the balance.


Will definitly check the terms. Thanks.


----------



## BGD (May 2, 2012)

No need to get a Spanish number nowadays. 
But if you really really want to, just buy a PAYG SIM card from any Spanish airtime provider, and top up every now and then with a few euros....Get a cheapo basic secondhand phone to use it in, or get a dual SIM phone which would take both your SIM's and operated both or either as you decide for each call.


----------



## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

Alcalaina said:


> Is it still the case that you can't get a mobile contract if you're not a resident? So it would have to be PAYG.
> 
> If you're only in the country for three months of a year, check the terms - some companies will close the account and reallocate the number if you don't use it for a while, and you will lose the balance.


You don't have to be a resident at all but you do have to provide some information.
Technically a passport is all that is required but more commonly an NIE is what is asked for but each company has their own set up.

We ended up being stuck with Orange as none of the other companies could put a passport number into their computer and have it accepted but Orange would accept it.

I know Hits Movil are often recommended, their deals seem quite good and you can order it all online using just your passport and they will ship the card to your door.


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Alcalaina said:


> Is it still the case that you can't get a mobile contract if you're not a resident? So it would have to be PAYG.
> 
> If you're only in the country for three months of a year, check the terms - some companies will close the account and reallocate the number if you don't use it for a while, and you will lose the balance.


When we first arrived and once we had residency Movistar refused me a contract as I had no formal ID. 

Showed ID card....... computer says no
Showed Passport.......computer says no
Driving license.......... computer says no


My friends son, came with me and set me up a contract on his account

I've since cancelled and am now with Movistar phones TV internet.... computer says yes!

The girls who dealt with our new contract was amazed that the other shop refused me a contract.... her words..... some people just don't know anything beyond their own noses! We had to cancel the old original contract.... BUT. my friends son is now in the Navy..... he was supposed to go to the shop to CX the contract.... however nice girl in shop went on line.... I had all his info... and requested it on line for me so all sorted.


Nothing to do with OP  but cautionary tale.... not everything is as it seems 

Back to OP. Personally I find having a Spanish number more convenient for everyday life, deliveries, companies etc find it more acceptable 

:tea:


----------



## Michael Kelly (May 30, 2017)

Is there a PAYG company which does not require at least one top up per month? lycamobile do (and their service is unreliable also)


----------



## DonMarco (Nov 20, 2016)

I'm with Orange and I think it needs a top up every 6 months.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Just from my point of view....I have friends who spend chunks of time in Spain but keep their UK etc. mobiles. It pisses me off when I need to ring them, paying for foreign calls to someone who lives five minutes drive away.
Get a Spanish PAYGO. I used to have a phone that took two SIMs when I lived in Prague and made weekly UK trips, ditto when I moved to Spain. I bought a £10 card when I got to Heathrow or wherever.


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> Just from my point of view....I have friends who spend chunks of time in Spain but keep their UK etc. mobiles. It pisses me off when I need to ring them, paying for foreign calls to someone who lives five minutes drive away.
> .


You don't have to pay higher rates to and from UK phones any more, all mobile charges are the same across the EU. As from April 2017 I think.


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Alcalaina said:


> You don't have to pay higher rates to and from UK phones any more, all mobile charges are the same across the EU. As from April 2017 I think.


Didn't know that...Does that mean a call to the UK is the same as an internal call. Surely not...


----------



## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> You don't have to pay higher rates to and from UK phones any more, all mobile charges are the same across the EU. As from April 2017 I think.


Hola 

Unless it has changed, calls to your own country are the same from any EU country whereas calls to a different country attract a higher rate 

Davexf


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

mrypg9 said:


> Didn't know that...Does that mean a call to the UK is the same as an internal call. Surely not...


Yes, from 15 June it costs the same to ring any other EU country. Beware of Gibraltar and international ferries though ...

EU mobile roaming charges scrapped - BBC News


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

If I have to call a UK number, either fixed or mobile I have to pay for an international call. This is the same if you are using a mobile phone belonging to one country to call another country, i.e. a UK mobile to call a Spanish number, the difference is you don't also have a roaming charge on top if you not in UK.

If people can't be bothered to get a Spanish number (either fixed or mobile) to save themselves money,* I'm d*mned if I am going to spend extra for an international call to save them money.*

Before the usual culprits start going on about "No roaming" charges - I'm not roaming I'm where my phone is registered. The problem is most of you don't know what "roaming" is and why you were charged for it (not now)


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

baldilocks said:


> If I have to call a UK number, either fixed or mobile I have to pay for an international call. This is the same if you are using a mobile phone belonging to one country to call another country, i.e. a UK mobile to call a Spanish number, the difference is you don't also have a roaming charge on top if you not in UK.
> 
> If people can't be bothered to get a Spanish number (either fixed or mobile) to save themselves money,* I'm d*mned if I am going to spend extra for an international call to save them money.*
> 
> Before the usual culprits start going on about "No roaming" charges - I'm not roaming I'm where my phone is registered. The problem is most of you don't know what "roaming" is and why you were charged for it (not now)


Perhaps you should change your supplier then. Because with mine (Yoigo, now Orange) it costs exactly the same to call a UK number as it does to call a Spanish number - 8 cents a minute, 26 cents connection charge. Same rate when I use my Spanish phone in the UK to ring home.


----------



## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> Perhaps you should change your supplier then. Because with mine (Yoigo, now Orange) it costs exactly the same to call a UK number as it does to call a Spanish number - 8 cents a minute, 26 cents connection charge. Same rate when I use my Spanish phone in the UK to ring home.


Hola 

Interesting; mine (Vodafone) is free to ring - unlimited use, and free to text - again unlimited use. I also have 35Gb of data each month. 

I will have a look at my bills next month and see if anything has changed; but I suspect not, Baldilocks I think is right for all main suppliers 

Davexf


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

davexf said:


> Hola
> 
> Interesting; mine (Vodafone) is free to ring - unlimited use, and free to text - again unlimited use. I also have 35Gb of data each month.
> 
> ...


But my contract is only €6 a month! I mainly use Whatsapp, which is free worldwide for messages and calls. I rarely use the mobile network for internet access, though even if I do it's only once exceeded that limit.


----------



## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> But my contract is only €6 a month! I mainly use Whatsapp, which is free worldwide for messages and calls. I rarely use the mobile network for internet access, though even if I do it's only once exceeded that limit.


Hola 

So what do you get included in your contract? Calls, texts, data?

Davexf


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

davexf said:


> Hola
> 
> So what do you get included in your contract? Calls, texts, data?
> 
> Davexf


Yes, but I've had it for years and it's no longer available for new clients. This is the equivalent.

https://www.yoigo.com/tarifas-moviles/tarifa-movil-barata


----------



## AlexNYC (Aug 2, 2017)

I bought a chip from a company called Tuenti, which is part of movistar and for $10 a month, I have a Spanish phone number, data and text/ international calling is also included.

I find it very useful because I installed their app on my smartphone and when I am on the US I receive calls from Spain; i.e. real estate brokers, whereas if I give an American number they would never call. check it out tuenti.es

I also use that app to call other countries from the US; it's free.... Unbelievable that here we pay AT&T $65 for less coverage.

I can't wait to move!


----------



## Keral (Sep 16, 2017)

Alcalaina said:


> I mainly use Whatsapp, which is free worldwide for messages and calls..


Whatsapp is not free - you still have to have data included in your service. Unless you are on free wifi in Burger King, a bar, or other place offering wifi as a public service for consumption.


----------



## ss-suffolk (Apr 3, 2017)

Pazcat said:


> When we first arrived we had a few issues until we got a Spanish number. If you ever order anything online for example you have to give your phone number and seeing as delivery companies feel the need to call you as a delivery attempt they simply wont ring a foreign number.
> There can also be issues with the number not being recognised in computer systems because it is not in the Spanish format.
> 
> Even had orders rejected because of it. It was only a transition period but still annoying.
> I guess it all depends on how much you are planning on doing here really but I would say it could be in your best interest to get one.


I agree Paxcat. We had problems with Amazon deliveries as we live away from the village and delivery drivers would not come. Amazon are excellent but the delivery infrastucture has yet to get modern. For example none of the drivers or companies use satellite coordinates yet. The drivers have only simple phones. We got a pay as you go Spanish number and now drivers phone us, ask where we are and deliver (some reluctantly as it's out of the way), but all deliver and know where to deliver. Also Endesa Electricity insisted we have a Spanish number. Can't remember where else, but it's definately an advantage. We have had many calls in but not had any need to spend any of our €10 credit. I think we have to keeo it activated by making a call or text every 3 months. Hope this helps.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Keral said:


> Whatsapp is not free - you still have to have data included in your service. Unless you are on free wifi in Burger King, a bar, or other place offering wifi as a public service for consumption.


Pretty much every bar here has free wifi, & for some reason they hardly ever change their passwords!

I can walk around here & my phone is almost always connected to wifi, & I might have only visited a bar once for a coffee a long time ago


----------



## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

I have Vodafone Uk which is brilliant for here in Spain as I have all the free roaming but if I call Spain from the UK I get charge international rate. I have a Movistar sim as part of my internet tv package which I wanted as said above for people to contact me from Spain as in Endesa or other companies also anyone resident who doesn't use what's app. Also I have the benefit of free roaming on my Spanish mobile when in the UK so I can call Spain or Ireland for nada.


----------



## skip o (Aug 1, 2011)

AlexNYC said:


> I bought a chip from a company called Tuenti, which is part of movistar and for $10 a month, I have a Spanish phone number, data and text/ international calling is also included.


Is it possible to only use the Tuenti app for incoming and outgoing calls, if I don't want a Spanish sim? I would like an app that supplies a dedicated Spanish number for incoming and outgoing calls, but I am not sure that exists. 

I have to keep my US sim in my phone at all times, and wish I could just use an app for my Spanish incoming/outgoing calls.


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

skip o said:


> Is it possible to only use the Tuenti app for incoming and outgoing calls, if I don't want a Spanish sim? I would like an app that supplies a dedicated Spanish number for incoming and outgoing calls, but I am not sure that exists.
> 
> I have to keep my US sim in my phone at all times, and wish I could just use an app for my Spanish incoming/outgoing calls.


Is Whatsapp not an option?


----------



## Michael Kelly (May 30, 2017)

baldilocks said:


> Is Whatsapp not an option?


Yes, if you put a spanish sim into the phone, set up whatsapp, then put your US SIM back in, it should be possible to receive and make whatsapp calls with the spanish sim number


----------



## skip o (Aug 1, 2011)

I hadn't thought about doing that with whatsapp. My concern is that at some random point in time whatsapp requires me to re-verify my number for the Spanish sim I no longer have. My wife had whatsapp on her ipad for awhile and then whatsapp did an update that made it impossible to use anymore.

I have a US google voice number that I will never need to verify (since it was created without a sim to begin with) I can use on any device, I can get incoming calls and texts, and was free to set up and 100% of my calls to the US over wifi are free. I wish there was a way to do that with a Spanish number.


----------



## Michael Kelly (May 30, 2017)

skip o said:


> I hadn't thought about doing that with whatsapp. My concern is that at some random point in time whatsapp requires me to re-verify my number for the Spanish sim I no longer have.


Just hang on to the SIM. I recommend trying this with a SIM from Orange. Get the number set up and keep the SIM safe just in case you need it in future.

Google Voice is only available in the US but Google Hangouts could be an alternative.

Whatsapp is really very popular in Spain so I would try that first.


----------



## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

Get a phone that takes 2 SIMs


----------



## Exxtol (Jan 15, 2013)

Alcalaina said:


> Is it still the case that you can't get a mobile contract if you're not a resident? So it would have to be PAYG.
> 
> If you're only in the country for three months of a year, check the terms - some companies will close the account and reallocate the number if you don't use it for a while, and you will lose the balance.


Question about this. Is PAYG significantly more expensive that getting a mobile contract? For international calls I use skype. I mostly need the phone for texting, checking email/surfing internet and Whatsapp, as that's big w/my generation. I rarely ever called people in the states except for my aunts and uncles. Let me know thanks!


----------



## skip o (Aug 1, 2011)

EverHopeful said:


> Get a phone that takes 2 SIMs


I only like iPhones, which don't have a 2 sim option. I had an Android phone for awhile and I hated it.


----------



## 95995 (May 16, 2010)

skip o said:


> I only like iPhones, which don't have a 2 sim option. I had an Android phone for awhile and I hated it.


LOL, I have an iPhone at the moment - but I'm seriously considering going back to an Android (there is so much choice now and the technology has improved vastly, even if you don't get Facetime with it). I'm a bit over Apple.


----------



## AlexNYC (Aug 2, 2017)

*Get a Spanish SIM*

I tried this in July. I forwarded my cellphone number to my Google Voice number. I put the Tuenti sim with the spanish number, to make and receive calls in Spain from that number and the incoming or outgoing calls to the US i made them from Google Hangouts. And I received all the calls made to my cellphone in NY on the Hangouts APP. That way you get the best of both worlds.

for 10 Euros at Tuenti.es I get the same level I get in the US for $65. Check it out Tuenti.ES

If you want to try it for free I can refer you.


----------



## Michael Kelly (May 30, 2017)

AlexNYC said:


> I tried this in July. I forwarded my cellphone number to my Google Voice number. I put the Tuenti sim with the spanish number, to make and receive calls in Spain from that number and the incoming or outgoing calls to the US i made them from Google Hangouts. And I received all the calls made to my cellphone in NY on the Hangouts APP. That way you get the best of both worlds.
> 
> for 10 Euros at Tuenti.es I get the same level I get in the US for $65. Check it out Tuenti.ES
> 
> If you want to try it for free I can refer you.


Is that 10 euro per month for Tuenti? Could you not have done the same thing with any other Spanish SIM?


----------



## skip o (Aug 1, 2011)

I forgot to ask... in order for me to receive calls on whatsapp, does the caller need to have whatsapp? It is important to me that I have an actual Spanish number that any person or office can call.

Basically I want to do the opposite of AlexNYC. I want to keep my US sim in my phone while having an app that gives me a Spanish phone number.


----------

