Getting a SIM Card and Phone Number in Spain
So, you’re interested in getting a Spanish SIM card and phone number? Maybe you’re moving to Spain, or maybe you’ll just be traveling for a while. If you’re like me, you want to hear about the experience of buying a SIM card in Spain from someone who has bought one before.
The very day I arrived in the town where I would be living for the next eight months (Fuengirola, Malaga), I decided to purchase a Spanish phone plan. It was important to me to buy my Spanish SIM card as quickly as possible, because my cell provider from the USA charged ten dollars each day I used data internationally. After traveling for 48 hours, all I wanted was to sleep, but first I decided to get a Spanish SIM card. I definitely made some mistakes when selecting a mobile service provider and paying for my new Spanish phone number, so I’m sharing my experience so that you don’t make the same mistakes I did!
1. Unlock your phone so that you can change the SIM card.
If you want to keep your phone number and service plan from back home, you’ll need to make sure your provider unlocks your phone so that you can insert a Spanish SIM card. Call your current provider from your home country and ask them to unlock your phone so that you can use a new SIM card in Spain. Make sure you do this before you go to Spain, because there may be delays.
When I arrived in Fuengirola, I had no clue that I needed to unlock my iPhone until I tried to insert the new SIM card I purchased. My phone refused the new SIM card with a message that said my phone remained locked. The Vodafone employee kindly explained that I needed to contact my cell service provider from the United States and ask them to unlock the phone. Luckily, Verizon was able to do this for me within minutes. Still, it was stressful! I definitely recommend that you sort this out before you arrive in Spain.
2. Ask locals which cell service providers have the best coverage in your area of Spain.
Luckily, when I arrived in my new town, I had friends who also needed to get Spanish phone numbers, so we all researched cell phone companies in Spain. Local Facebook groups and subreddits are excellent resources for these sorts of questions. In Fuengirola and Malaga (Andalusia), Vodafone and Orange were the mobile service providers most often recommended to us. After comparing the pricing available at the time, we decided to get Vodafone SIM cards and cell phone plans.
3. Decide if you want a prepaid/pay-as-you-go plan or a contract.
Prepaid (or pay-as-you-go) plans allow you to pay up front for the amount of data you plan to use over the next period of time, whereas contract plans involve monthly payments that you agree to pay for a more extended period of time. There isn’t a good rule of thumb for which is cheaper. It all depends on the company, the offers available, the amount of data you plan to use, and the time period you’ll need it for. Of course, cell service companies generally charge you to cancel the contract early, so make sure you ask about those costs if you’re thinking of choosing a contract option.
In Fuengirola, I chose a prepaid plan through Vodafone. At the time, they had a deal going on where fifteen euros per month gave me 100 GB of data, unlimited national minutes, 800 international minutes, and roaming in the EU, UK, and USA. (Normally, I think they offer this same deal with 50 GBs of data per month.) I’ve been loving this deal, because the amount of data gives me so much wiggle room. So far, I haven’t even used 30 GB of data per month, and I’ve even been streaming and using my hotspot often.
4. Write down your Spanish cell phone number and pin number.
When you get your new SIM card and Spanish phone number, you should also receive a pin number. Once you insert the new SIM card, you’ll need that pin number to unlock your phone every time you restart it. It’s best to keep a record of your pin number in multiple places, because you won’t be able to get into your phone without it!
5. Top up your plan at a Tobaco (for prepaid/pay-as-you-go plans).
When it came time to top up (renew) my prepaid Vodafone plan, I received a link from Vodafone that mentioned buying more GB online. I assumed this meant I could renew my prepaid plan, but unfortunately I was wrong. All I did was purchase more GB for the current month, which was completely useless as I did not need any more GB that month. After realizing my mistake, I returned to the physical Vodafone store to ask for help.
The employee directed me to:
Turn off my cellular data (in settings).
Go to the nearest Tobaco (tobacco store).
Ask the Tobaco clerk for a 15 euro top up on my Vodafone plan.
Tell the clerk my Spanish phone number and pay 15 euros.
Wait for a message from Vodafone that the prepaid plan for the next month had been purchased. If a message did not come through, she said I should call 22132 and respond to the prompts that I need to renew my plan (renovar mi tarifa).
Luckily, that ended up working! Next time, I will be sure to top up my prepaid Vodafone plan at a Tobaco so that I don’t waste any more money!
I hope you found my post useful for learning how to get a Spanish SIM card and cell phone number. And I hope you are able to learn from my experience and avoid the mistakes I made. Good luck!
