# Mobile phone, best option?



## StevieB (Dec 27, 2014)

Hello all, it's me again. Still gearing up for our move to Spain and now in earnest. Lots of big issues to sort but also lots of niggly things, for example mobile phones. I have my own mobile here in UK but was wondering what you guys thought. I was going to pay up my contract here, get the phone unlocked and then buy a pay as you go sim in uk and in Spain. Is this a good way or does anyone know a better way. Also what do you guys do about a home phone ? do you bother with one or just stick with a mobile. As always as much info as possible would be appreciated.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

StevieB said:


> Hello all, it's me again. Still gearing up for our move to Spain and now in earnest. Lots of big issues to sort but also lots of niggly things, for example mobile phones. I have my own mobile here in UK but was wondering what you guys thought. I was going to pay up my contract here, get the phone unlocked and then buy a pay as you go sim in uk and in Spain. Is this a good way or does anyone know a better way. Also what do you guys do about a home phone ? do you bother with one or just stick with a mobile. As always as much info as possible would be appreciated.


 Hi StevieB. Good to hear you're still moving forward with your plans to come to Spain. 

I brought my phone from Canada unlocked and started out with a pay as you go until I decided on the company I wanted to go with. Now I'm with Orange. Since I have my own phone, I don't have to do a long-term contract with them, and can cancel at any time, which is really nice. This way, I also saved myself the expense of buying a phone. The problem with pay as you go is that you have to hope that the number gets transferred if you're going to change companies. So if you give out your number to city hall, your doctor, your friends, etc, then your # changes, it can be a real mess to clean up. Luckily my # transferred.

I just found out that a land line is included in my Internet fee to my landlord. There's a splitter - one for the Internet and one for a phone. So I just bought a phone last week to get hooked up. I would recommend it because all land lines are unlimited talking when you call from a landline. So that's all numbers that start with 9 (except special numbers that start with 90, so 91-99). But I can't tell you how much it costs, since, like I said, my landlord set it up. But my cost is probably reflective of what he's paying, which is 50 euros a month for unlimited Internet plus the phone. 

So that's my limited experience. See what others will advise you. I hope that helps you out. Happy planning to you!


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Oh, I forgot another good reason I found for keeping my phone - familiarity. There is so much new around me, but my phone is exactly the same. So that's something I don't have to familiarise myself with. I'd rather spend my time and energy learning about other more exciting and fulfilling aspects of Spain.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I wouldn't go PAYG (tarjeta) unless you really aren't going to use it much. The charges per minute/message are much higher and you will be forever topping it up. You can get a contract (contrato) for about 8 euros a month which will cover all your calls and texts (unless you go mad), and some internet access if you need it. 

For example, the Orange Ardilla SIM-only is currently €7 a month - just order online and stick the SIM in your unlocked phone. (You will need your passport number and an address in Spain for them to deliver it to.)

I have a landline, even though I hardly ever use it, but I need ADSL internet access. I download a lot of files and couldn't make do with just a mobile. But lots of my friends just use their mobile for their emails etc, for about €20-€30 a month.


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

StevieB said:


> Hello all, it's me again. Still gearing up for our move to Spain and now in earnest. Lots of big issues to sort but also lots of niggly things, for example mobile phones. I have my own mobile here in UK but was wondering what you guys thought. I was going to pay up my contract here, get the phone unlocked and then buy a pay as you go sim in uk and in Spain. Is this a good way or does anyone know a better way. Also what do you guys do about a home phone ? do you bother with one or just stick with a mobile. As always as much info as possible would be appreciated.


My tactic for getting the best rate Spanish mobile - is the same as what you would
do in England. *Basically you wait for a promotion.* No doubt you will still have
some months to go on your UK mobile contract. So let it run - of course you will be
WIFI'ing as much as you can, to avoid the roaming charges ( in Spain ) on your
UK mobile. So what's the hurry in getting a Spanish mobile ( none at all, when you
come to think about it )

Also if your coming over here to stay for sometime - you will be looking for a mobile, 
with all the trimmings ( namely telephone, cable TV and high speed broadband internet
access )
Obviously you can increase your choice of providers immensely, if you find a
house or apartment, with Cable TV running to your door.

Speaking personally my tactic was to scan the the local Cable TV website or any
other mobile provider, with the 3 essentials ( TV, telephone & broadband internet )
for a Promotion - if there's nothing there - go and pester the assistant's in the
Cable TV or mobile phone shop, whenever you pass by shopping.

*Result number 1:*

Within the first two months of arriving in Spain - I secured my first promotion.
Namely Cable TV, telephone and broadband internet access, for a whole calendar
year for 25 Euro's ( exc the IVA - Spanish VAT )

What a result - ok it doesn't include a Spanish mobile ( but as I said before, what's
the hurry, my UK mobile contract had over a year to run anyway, so let it run )
Internet access gives you Wifi access - so all I need do is sign up to Skype or
any other cheap rate internet call provider ( I'd done so - long ago in the UK before
moving to Spain ) To do all my mobile calls over Wifi through Skype, etc for next
to nothing.

*Result number 2:*

Also StevieB - another thing worth bearing in mind with Spanish promotions, like
the one I had is - if you move house or change apartments, even if its to another
town or locality - the promotion moves with you - and so long as your new place
has the same Cable TV and Internet Service provider, then the clock is reset back
to the first day of your Promotion.

Which is exactly what happened in my case, where I found that after the first
6 months stay at my first apartment, the landlord was going to put the rent up.
Naturally I was looking around for somewhere better ( and more cost effective )
and found another place for 1 years rental at a fixed rate, saving me more
rent money, into the bargain.

So yes, I moved into my new apartment, where the Cable TV package continues
for another 12 months after the first 6 months.
But at the end of the day - all good things must come to an end and therefore
after spending a year in my new apartment, the promotion ended ( a sad day 
indeed ) as by default the Cable TV package ( Cable TV, telephone and broadband 
internet access ) reverted to the full price of 67.16 Euros a month ( inc IVA )

I know - I was aghast at the price myself - but don't despair readers - I still had
my 'Ace of Spades' to play, namely ( I had cunningly refused all offers to sign
up for a mobile phone contract in Spain ) 
Therefore safe in the knowledge that 'fresh new Expats, newly arrived on Spanish
shores' are a much sought after commodity, in the mobile phone sales business.

Once again I hit the mobile phone and Cable TV websites, as soon as my promotion
ended - pestering assistants in Shops for special offers, including the Cable TV
company, with whom I already enjoyed, One year ( extended to 18 months ) promotion
but to no avail - the best I could get was a free mobile, with all the trimmings for
40 Euro's a month ( inc the IVA ) but this time the promotion only last 9 months.
No this wouldn't do at all - even Beardie Branson at Virgin Media, would give
me better than that - in the UK.

*Result number 3:*

Fortunately my saviour came in the form of an email from work - Promotion it said.
The local Cable TV company is offering a promotion to all our employee's who
sign up within a month.
Namely if your an existing customer of the aforementioned Cable TV company
and already enjoying their Cable TV, phone and internet broadband service
( which I am - thank you very much )
Then you might be interested in having a free Smart Phone on a one year contract
for 25 Euro's a month ( inc IVA ) with the rest of their services, provided free of charge
( except the land line calls of course ) for the entire year.
Yes - that will do me  

Well what can you say - what a result - Happy days are here again !!! :juggle:


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

We had PAYG from Movistar - 15€ for two phones with 10€ credit on each. I still have mine which doesn't get used much. We have Orange on our home phone and they came up with an offer that included a smart phone with free calls (movil y fijo). Previously with Telefonia, our fijo contract meant we had to pay for calls to mobiles, so I found it rather galling to have to pay extra to call those selfish people who only had a mobile to save paying the fixed line costs - Why should *I* pay to save *them* money.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

baldilocks said:


> ...so I found it rather galling to have to pay extra to call those selfish people who only had a mobile to save paying the fixed line costs - Why should *I* pay to save *them* money.


 You shouldn't! Damn them all to hell! I'll give you my landline number.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

For the record.... I wrote that price down wrong... It's 30 euros per month for unlimited Internet and land line (not 50 euros).


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

Orange Mundo PAYG. One cent a min to call the UK. 6 Euros a month for 500mb of Internet and 1gb for 9 Euros.


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