Cell Phones In Barcelona

Can experienced travelers to Spain recommend ideas for cell companies in Barcelona. I use a plan that is not available in Spain.

I want to use data for google maps for stores and other places.

Has anyone used a gps like Magellan?

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

If you just want the cell phone for GPS/directions, you only need a data plan.

If you explore using a GPS receiver (Magellan, Garmin, Tom-Tom) remember you will likely need to buy the European maps on top of the cost of the GPS (unless you already own the GPS-R and European maps)

I have bought a sim sticker from a company called KnowRoaming for use in Europe. It will cover all the countries I am visiting. You prepay $25 and unlimited data is $7.99 per day (it auto refills if desired).

If you have multiple days, this might work for you also.

If you just want GPS mapping and if you use Google Maps, you can download and store the needed maps in your phone and won't need active data.

Vodafone has tourist plans. Same for Orange. Google store locations close to where you'll be; you'll need passport to setup service. 4G service in most of Spain is very good. I had Tuenti/Movistar service

For GPS offline usage (no data) check out iGo app that uses off line maps. Check on GPSpower forum.

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Thank you all for your replies. I own a Magellan GPS. I did't know that you could use google maps without going online. I will explore the info that you have given. Open to other replies.

I have Verizon Wireless cell service and I signed up for $5 a day to have full access to my cell and data plan that I have now. So I am in Barcelona for 3 days so $15 for full access. Not bad.

My daughter had AT&T cell and she paid $30 for the month to have full access to her plan.

So check your cell company first.

I have a mobile router (4G) and bought a pre paid data SIM card from Orange for 20 Euros. If I am not wrong, it was for 2 GB data, valid for 1 month. Used it for Google Maps and some Facebook and Whatsapp messaging and there was no need to top up the stored value. No problems with it.

If you just want GPS mapping and if you use Google Maps, you can download and store the needed maps in your phone and won't need active data.

You can, but without data Google Maps can be very slow to pinpoint your location, particularly in cities.

You also have no navigation, public transport details, or any of the other information Google Maps provides.

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IGo uses HERE (file extension fbl) maps and not Google. Points of interest (poi) are loaded separately. It's quite fast and completely offline.

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It's far better to simply get a local SIM. It's inexpensive and you enjoy all the benefits without having to deal with your home company.

As you know, comparing offers is sometimes difficult because one often has to compare pears and apples since each company tailors the product differently. But being such an extremely competitive market over here, I'd say that any of the companies would do -differences for an on-the-go card for a few days are minor. If anything, as expected, the bigger the actor, the more expensive (or less features included).

See some examples here:

https://www.vodafone.es/c/particulares/es/tienda/movil/tourist-in-spain-vf/

http://www.simyo.es/ ---choose TARIFAS

What I always advise to visitors is to wait until you reach the city, head to any Phone House shop -a multibrand store offering products from a variety of telecomms- and check with the staff the current flavour of the week -because with this ongoing war among companies, there are always 'specials', 'offers', etc. If you go to one of the stores in the centre, you're bound to find staff with a good command of English to answer your questions.

If you want to check online the current "cheapest" ones.... http://www.moviles.com/tarifas/prepago

Note you want a "SIM de prepagament" (in Catalan, the local language) or "prepago" (in Spanish) which are the cards without a contract. You will need your original passport (no photocopies!) to purchase any telecomms related service. As in other countries, there's an anti-terrorist legislation on this issue that prohibits anonymous purchases of phones or phone-related services. Also, make sure your phone is unlocked, otherwise you can't use a SIM card from another company. Unlocking the phone is done by your telecomm provider over the phone, just call them up and ask them to "unlock your phone". Some companies (ie. Roger's) charge a fee for that.

Enjoy!

You can, but without data Google Maps can be very slow to pinpoint your location, particularly in cities.

 

You also have no navigation, public transport details, or any of the other information Google Maps provides.

 

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Sorry, but that is not my experience. I just got back from a trip to Scotland where there is very poor cell reception in the Highlands. I downloaded the area I needed on Google Maps to my phone and it worked perfectly. I used it for navigation while driving and it included public transportation options. It also showed information such as restaurants. Not slow at all and all information available. You didn't even know you were not connected to cell data/wifi.

You do have to have the location/GPS turned on but that does not require a data connection. Could you have been in a location or building where the GPS coverage was poor?

Could you have been in a location or building where the GPS coverage was poor?

Exactly.

Scotland - Wide open spaces, so you wouldn't have any problems with getting a GPS fix.

Barcelona - Big city, tall buildings, in and out of underground areas. Good luck with getting a swift fix without data.

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Exactly.

 

Scotland - Wide open spaces, so you wouldn't have any problems with getting a GPS fix.

 

Barcelona - Big city, tall buildings, in and out of underground areas. Good luck with getting a swift fix without data.

 

 

 

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Well, I just happened to pick Scotland because I was there recently. But I have also used downloaded Google Maps in the last 6 months in London, Vienna, Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Copenhagen, Tallinn, Budapest, and Panama City - all of which are big cities, tall buildings, and underground areas - with no problem.

I choose Knowroaming. It worked the first two days (only the phone service , I couldn't get the text or prepaid data to work). Had I known that there was a department store in las ramblas, I might have gone to them for a local sim cards. Thanks for the info. CC is great.

Just get T-Mobile (in the states) and your phone will work everywhere in Europe (no extra charge for date...and only 20 cents/min for phone). Verizon also offers an add-on that gives you cell coverage in Europe.

Hank

Does anyone know about sprint usage?

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Just get T-Mobile (in the states) and your phone will work everywhere in Europe (no extra charge for date...and only 20 cents/min for phone). Verizon also offers an add-on that gives you cell coverage in Europe.

 

Hank

T-Mobile service from the USA worked great in France. Can't imagine Spain would be much different..... also any WiFi connection you can get to allow you to access Facebook allows you to make Facebook phone calls at no charge. Same with just regular WiFi calls....no charge.

Does anyone know about sprint usage?

 

 

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You need to contact Sprint. Unlike T-Mobile, which simply works darn near everywhere, Sprint does not, in many cases, without modification to your individual plan. And then there is an old issue where both Sprint and Verizon used many phones that only worked on CDMA. CDMA is totally useless outside North America because it is not compatible with the international GSM standard. Most, but not all, of the newer phones will work on GSM...but ones need to check.

Hank

I have Verizon Wireless cell service and I signed up for $5 a day to have full access to my cell and data plan that I have now. So I am in Barcelona for 3 days so $15 for full access. Not bad.

 

My daughter had AT&T cell and she paid $30 for the month to have full access to her plan.

 

So check your cell company first.

I though Verizon charged $10 for this?

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