INTERNATIONAL CALLING

Prepaid phone cards:

In contrast to the contract option, it is more convenient and easier to obtain a mobile phone with a prepaid card because you do not have to provide a bank account or any other type of security. You only have to buy a Spanish SIM card (SIM = Subscriber Identity Module), providing you a local Spanish mobile number and then pay money into your mobile-account. Once used up the credit you paid you have to recharge it. You can either do it in one of your provider's phone shops or you can buy a recharge voucher (called "cupón de recarga") in many convenience stores, supermarkets, department stores, gas stations, post offices or "Tabacos" shops where cigarettes and stamps are sold. If you have a Spanish bank account you can also charge your prepaid mobile online or at a cash dispenser. There is also the possibility to buy your Spanish SIM card at an online shop before coming to Spain so that you already know your Spanish mobile number to use it at arriving in Spain.

If you are buying such a prepaid phone it is bound to a certain provider and its tariffs so that you should compare the differences between the several providers, paying attention to purchase prices, minute rates and coverage as they can be very different. But all incoming SMS and incoming calls from anywhere in the world are free so that you can still receive calls even if your card has run out of credit.

Certainly you can also use the mobile phone you use in your home country with its original SIM card but then you should be aware of high Roaming costs and expensive minute rates. You should check the Roaming costs that will be charged by your provider of your home country as well as by the host provider in Spain before using your mobile phone in Spain.

If you want to stay in touch with your family and your friends at home you should use an international prepaid calling card to get cheaper rates from fixed line public or private phones as well as from your mobile phone to call all around Europe and also to other continents. With such a calling card you can save up to 90? of the cost of a normal call. If you use your mobile phone you should consider that your provider will normally charge you the costs for a normal local call so that it is more expensive than using a fixed telephone network.

To choose the prepaid international calling card that best suits your needs is difficult. There are many cards available and to understand the differences in tariffs and conditions may be really complicated. The best thing to do would be to try different products to figure out what card is best for you. Even if you use the wrong card you will probably save up to 50% of your normal costs.

If you are buying Spanish property to live in Spain for longer periods you should consider contracting a conventional telephone network to be able to receive calls and call your friends from your new Spanish home. The Spanish telephone service is mainly controlled by Telefónica (87% of the telephone market in Spain) but there are also other companies providing services in the telecommunication sector so that you should compare services, instalment fees and monthly rates. There are different types of telephone connection to choose from but at any rate you should expect a fee of about 150? to be charged for the instalment of your telephone connection. As the prices can be changed from time to time and depend on the provider you choose you should inform yourself of the current prices and rates.

If there is already an existing telephone connection of a former owner of your Spanish property you can also get this old account transferred to your name, which would be a cheaper alternative and would cost you about 40?.

If you want to have a telephone installed or reconnected, you must visit your local Telefónica office. They will ask you for your passport or residence card (residencia), proof of your address and a copy of your property deed (escritura) or rental contract. In case that you are renting a Spanish property without having a residence permit (residencia) you will have to pay a deposit of around 200 Euros.

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