Off to Spain shortly to study and need to find the best deal sim-only to use while there in my iphone4 unlocked. PAYG sims cost c 30c/txt on Movistar which is bloody awful compared with UK texting at 12p. (Am aware of texting via Viber -the web-based method with other smartphone users) Can anyone suggest a cheaper route for a heavy texter?

PAYG is not cheap for calls Data and texts , if you got Vodafhone in uk get “passport asnd cost the same as uk texting in spain , here a thread with all the GSM companys in spain , why we dont put up there tarifes is thay change wek two week , http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/forum/viewthread/4115/

but here the list again
1   Movistar   GSM
2   Vodafone   GSM
3   Orange   GSM   France T?l?com
4   Yoigo     TeliaSonera
5   Simyo   GSM   KPN
6   Euskaltel     Euskaltel
and look here aswell

1   Movistar   GSM
UMTS, HSDPA   24.123 [80] (September 2010)    Telef?nica
2   Vodafone   GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+    16.745 [81] (Mar 2010)    Vodafone
3   Orange   GSM
UMTS, HSDPA   11.552 [82] (March 2010)    France T?l?com (81.6%)
4   Yoigo   UMTS, HSDPA (Roaming on Movistar where it’s network doesn’t reach)    2.283 (Dec 2010)[83]    TeliaSonera (76.6%)
Mobile Virtual Network Operators
5   Simyo (via Orange)    GSM
UMTS   not available   KPN
6   Euskaltel (via Vodafone)    GSM
UMTS   0.2 (December 2009)    Euskaltel
7   Lebara Mobile
(using Vodafone)    GSM   ...    Lebara Group
8   Digi.Mobil
(using Movistar)    GSM
UMTS   ...    RCS&RDS;
9   Pepephone
(using Vodafone)    GSM   0.1 (May 2010)    Globalia group
10   Carrefour Mobile
(using Orange)    GSM   N/A   Carrefour
11   BT Mobile
(using Vodafone)    GSM
UMTS   N/A   BT Group
12   ONO M?vil
(using Movistar)    GSM
UMTS   N/A   ONO (Spain)
13   m?bilR
(using Vodafone)    GSM
UMTS, HSDPA   0.08   R Cable y Telecomunicaciones
14   Telecor
(using Movistar)    GSM
UMTS   N/A   El Corte Ingl?s
15   M?Smovil
(Using Orange)    GSM
UMTS
HSDPA   N/A   M?s M?vil Telecom
16   TeleCable[84]
(using Vodafone)    GSM
UMTS, HSDPA   03.07   TeleCable

if your bill pay it cheapper then topup

From Andalucia-first post here—I have used SIMYO on PAYG for two years now text data and calls are cheap. .
Telefonica screwed my commsworld and finances up so I had their equipment taken out and after checking lots of Forums - gave Simyo a try. I rate it very good and as cheap as anything else within reason.
I use a zoom unlocked USB dongle ( ebuyer in the uk) and also have had occasion to take the sim out and put it in my unlocked blackberry for texting and phoning. Price- I go on the net every day whilst in spain ( Guadix/benalua)for 5 months per year and average cost is less than 20 Euro/month. The price /mb or txts is up front on the simyo.es website as is the coverage maps. I bought mine over the net with a spanish debit card - search other expat forums for pros & cons .
I monitor and top up online. Only prob I had was when I didnt top up for 6 months and got blocked until I used the local free Guadalinfo to get online & top up.
For tourist- Simyo are quite specific in saying that if you dont like them you can talk with your feet - and that includes their contract rates - leave anytme .
My chum in Gorafe has excellent Vodaphone (unlimited) on Contract at about 40 Euro/month- Simyo also do a good contract price.
For dongle newbies- I found all the dongles I have used in the UK and spain have had self- extracting software that worked perfectly - only prob I have had was when I unlocked a friends uk supplied three dongle to use with simyo and had to download generic software to run it.( forgotton what it was now). Hope I havent transgressed any forum protocols by including extra info under this specific topic.

My mum just signed up for service with 2020tel who provide messaging app on their phones with Unlimited messages as part of package for 14 Euros - but 18 month contract so dont know if will suit. She got HTC Wildfire Smarthphone for 49 euros i think it was which is pretty good

I SMS from Skype cheaper than my orange phone….........(unless of course using free comp-comp Skype)

hi. Weve been here 2 and half years and we kept a UK sim card as its a damn sight cheaper than a spanish mobile to text the UK with a UK mobile, even with roaming charges.

Lebara are usually one of the cheapest, as has been mentioned earlier in the thread. Also I swear by “Hits” which is part of a T.V/Internet/Phone Company, they are based in Moraira further north from Benidorm there website is:-

telitec.com WEBSITE EDITED DUE TWO RULES > JURDY
Hope this helps!

Sorry about the link, I am new here and in no way affiliated with the aforementioned company