I will be moving to Barcelona in 5 days, and found some very very useful information on this site… thank you for everyone that has contributed!
I do however have a couple more questions, mainly technology wise.. would be greatly appreciated if anyone could answerer them.. or try 😛
Due to my profession, one of the most important issues will be, that I need a local phone, and internet connection. The only things I have sorted out so far is a apartment, and a bank account - nothing else.
I found a offer on the vodafone.es website - but since most parts are not translated into english, I did not understand all of it. The ideal package would be something as follows: the 12mbit internet line, a mobile phone, and the mobile usb internet stick for laptops. My questions are as follows: how long are the contract terms at vodafone, or for example telefonica? I would only be staying for max. a year….. What do I need to get the internet? Just go to a store with my passport, or will I first need to apply for the NIE number? Would be great if someone could broadly explain this process to me.. what I need, and what I will need to do. As I have understood, getting a NIE number takes a couple of weeks, and getting the modem also takes a couple of weeks…. :(
Another question would be: what are the best solutions to be able to get international, e.g. British or German TV channels?
Well NIE and other bureaucracy is normally slow. Last time i updated my NIE it took at least 1 month.
For fixed line and dsl with telefonica it’s quite fast, less than 10 days, and the 3g usb sticks the same day activated (go to a shop and 1/2h later you’ll exit with the usb 3g modem running).
And the minimum lenght normally is 18 months for mobile and usb 3g, 12 months for phone line with dsl.
3g usb sticks the same day activated (go to a shop and 1/2h later you?ll exit with the usb 3g modem running). you will need passport and at later date you need to up date you nie No are you be disconnected
jurdy
Thanks for all the answers..!
Due to my business, I will need a broadband connection… so a 1mb or 6mb will need to be enough.
So I guess my first step will be to get the N.I.E number.. and in a few weeks then go to the telefonica store. The 3g stick would be a good “bridge” until I receive the broadband.. but not really a choice, since the contract term is quite long, and it also requires a N.I.E number.
I will be moving to Barcelona in 5 days, and found some very very useful information on this site… thank you for everyone that has contributed!
Another question would be: what are the best solutions to be able to get international, e.g. British or German TV channels?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
John
On the TV, you could buy a simple small 80CM dish and receiver from Carrefour or Leroy Merlin cost about 150?, set it up on Hotbird at 13.0E and you will be swamped with German channels, There are also a few engish speaking channels available, including a BBC world service channel and some UK Radio channels. If you want UK TV, this will depend on the dish size you put in shooting at Astra at 28.2E, I am not sure for Barcelona, but I think a 1.3M offset dish works well up there getting all the prime UK channels such as BBC and ITV etc. again you can use a cheaper Satellite receiver such as a Technomate. You may not get some of the SKY tied channels but there will still be plenty available,
Just my 2 cents from my previous post, for landline/dsl you can do it with passport number, for mobile stuff you need NIE (But noted you can do it with passport but need more documentation and at the shop they have to submit these documents and wait for authorization). The contract length with fixed line/dsl depends on the promotion can be without minimum or 12 months, and for mobile, if you get the line with a phone or device its 18 or 24 months, if you make a contract without a mobile device there is no minimum length.
I was able to get hold of a mobile phone (albeit pay as you go) just by showing my passport - this could be a useful stop-gap whilst waiting for your NIE number to come through and before you setup a contract phone. In my experience, Vodafone pay as you go on the Vitamina 60x1 tariff is pretty good value as it allows you to make 60 mins of calls to landlines and Vodafone phones in Spain for the cost of 1 minute. Stings you on cross-network calls though.
carmenes passport can be show up two nov befor cut off date for nie , unless the phone have change there own rules , any get moblie phone need a NIE no and fast , Movistar have started to text all there costmer in last few days , info: la ley 25/2007 obliga a que , como cliente de tarjeta , nos faclite sus datos personales en tiendas movistar para no desactivar su linea en nov09 in english , info: law 25/2007 forces that, like card client, us faclite its personal data in stores to movistar not to deactivate its line in nov09 ....
carmenes yes in one way but it all down to the bombing in madrid , It?s part of legislation passed in October 2007 under which unidentified mobile phone users will be cut off, as operators will be legally obliged to deactivate the cards which remain unidentified. The legislation was passed as a consequence of the terrorist attacks on the trains in Madrid on March 11 2004, when such pre-paid phones were used to activate the bombs . it also stop lot off internet scams aswell
there 20 million mobile phone users with prepaid cards here in spain and if this works it be rolled out over the EU , this happen in the Usa , you need you irs ( usa tax number ) to get phones bank accounts and so on
if you do not live in spain more than 180 days you should have an NIE number , living , holidays and Pensioners
Now I’m in Spain I am having a hard time finding insertable phone cards for public phones. What happened to these cheap, easy efficient technological marvels?!! My old French telecarte still worked but it was out of minutes after the first call from El Prat. If they still exist does anyone know where to get one?! I notice because of the cell phone mania and the huge shortcomings of cell phones “locutorios” have popped up everywhere enabling people to make calls. What was wrong with simple efficient public phones?!
Second question, if insertable phone cards are no longer available what is the best prepaid phone? In the US they have the Net10 company where you can get 750 minutes and a decent samsung for $35. Please no I do not want internet services on my phone. I just need something simple.
Movistar, Orange, Vodafone etc will be only to happy to sell you a cheap PAYG phone which will be tied to their own specific network. If you wish to use it outside of Spain you will be working via the issuing companies partners in those countries and liable to roaming charges. PAYG phones are available from around 50? or maybe less. Be advised that roaming charges are very high… You will need proof of address and your passport when buying… Topping up can be done online via ATM machines or garages supermarkets etc.
