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Guide for Expats in Spain    Before Moving to Spain    Housing in Spain    Jobs in Spain    Banking in Spain    Health Care in Spain    Communications in Spain    Legal Issues in Spain    Learning the Language in Spain   Guide for traveling in Spain    Accommodation in Spain    Transportation in Spain    Safety in Spain    Health Care for Tourists in Spain    Emergency Numbers in Spain    Other Useful Info    Where to Buy Spanish Products    Books on Spain   More on Communications    Home Phone    International Calls    Internet    Mail      See also: Madrid Restaurant Menus	Setting up cell phone service in Spain Calling rates in Spain are not cheap. You may find yourself spending a lot more on your monthly phone calls and texting than you did back home. Choose a plan that gives you better rates for the calls you’ll make most often (e.g., international, Spanish land lines, your best friend in Spain, etc.).   The main mobile phone providers in Spain are: Euskaltel (Basque Country)   Movistar (Telefónica)   Orange (formerly Amena)   Vodafone   Yoigo   You can buy a new cell phone at provider-specific stores, El Corte Inglés (the largest Spanish department store), or electronics stores. Many second-hand stores offer used cell phones.   If you have a mobile phone from home that is GPRS compatible, you should be able to use it in Spain (most phones from the UK, for example, will work in Spain). You’ll just need to get a Spanish SIM card. In some cases, you may need to get your phone unblocked. This usually costs €10 to €20 at small electronics stores, second-hand stores, or even “Todo a Cien” stores (similar to dollar stores). Just look for a sign saying “liberar tu móvil” or something similar.   NOTE: Considering the costs and hassle of buying a Spanish SIM card and unblocking your mobile phone from home, it may be better to get a new phone in Spain if you plan to get a mobile phone contract. Most network providers offer great deals on the latest and greatest phones when you sign up for a contract. You may pay anywhere from €0 to €50 for a new phone.     Generally speaking, you can choose to get a monthly plan (contrato) or a pay-as-you-go plan (tarjeta/prepago). However, you must have a NIE to get a contract – so if you are not living and working legally in Spain, you have no choice but pay-as-you-go service.   With a contract, you pay a set monthly fee (usually taken out of your bank account at the beginning of each month) for a certain number of minutes. Any minutes over the allotted amount, or extras such as Internet usage, are added on at the end of each month.   With pre-pay phones, you have to recharge (recargar) to put more credit (saldo) on your phone. You can usually purchase credit at El Corte Inglés, provider-owned stores, Chinese stores (i.e., Todo a Cien or Alimentación stores; colloquially called “chinos” because they are predominantly owned by Chinese immigrants), tobacco shops, grocery stores, cash stations/ATMS, online, or over the phone.   Below is a quick sketch of some of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of calling plan:     Advantages Disadvantages Contract Costs per call or text tend to be lower. You always have credit, so you can always make calls and receive messages. You don't have to worry about putting more credit on. It's easy to lose track of how much you're calling/texting. If you go over your allotted minutes, it can be quite pricey. You have to pay each month, even if you're not in Spain (e.g., if you go home for the summer). Pre-Pay No fixed monthly bill, so you can spend less in some months. It may be easier to control costs, since you can only use the minutes you have already paid for. If you leave the country for several weeks or several months, you don't pay for a service you're not using. The costs per call or SMS tend to be higher. It's sometimes difficult to add credit, particularly if you are away from Spain. You can't receive voicemails if you have no credit.     Other things to consider when choosing a cell phone in Spain All phone providers offer different tarifas (rates) for different times of the day or week, or for calling certain people. Most have a standard rate that is applied automatically to your plan. If, for example, your boyfriend or girlfriend in Spain has the same service provider as you, it may be worth getting a special plan that allows you to call each other free. If you use your phone primarily for a work, you may want a plan with better daytime rates. Keep in mind, however, that the rates for calling other phones or talking and different times of the day will be much higher, and some special rates come with a one-time set-up fee or a monthly charge. In Spain, you are not charged to receive calls or text messages – as long as you are in Spain. If you take your Spanish cell phone to another country, you can still make and receive calls and SMS messages. However, if you receive a call while visiting France, for example, you are responsible for the charges from Spain to France. In other words, the person calling you is charged for the call to Spain, and the international portion is charged to your account. If you make calls or send texts from outside Spain, you are charged international rates and possibly roaming fees.   Things to consider about making calls in Spain You can easily identify mobile phone and fixed line numbers in Spain. Any number beginning with 6 is a cell phone number (e.g., 655111222). A number beginning with 9 is a fixed line (e.g., 911222333) EXCEPT numbers beginning with 900 (toll-free), 901 (charged as a local call from anywhere in Spain), 902 (more expensive than a local call, usually for customer service), and 906 (very expensive – used for calls to psychic hotlines, erotic lines, etc.). When telling someone your phone number, it’s normal to say the first three digits individually and then work in groups of two. For example, the number 655.11.12.22 could be “seis cinco cinco, uno uno, uno dos, dos dos” or “seis cinco cinco, once, doce, veintidós”. You can also give the first three digits as a single digit followed by a double-digit number, such as “seis cincuenta y cinco”. Some businesses eliminate the first one or two digits of their phone number in advertisements. For example, 91 is a prefix for fixed lines in Madrid, so you may see a number in Madrid listed as 822.22.22 that is in fact 918.22.22.22.   Add to del.icio.us | Digg this   home phone -- international calls -- internet -- mail
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