11:52 2013-07-17 / Ivan Kushch / Country guide
The “Be Mobile” Internet project is launching a series of publications about roaming, cellular communications and the Internet in various countries around the world. In them we will tell you in detail how to prepare for a trip to a particular country, how to make your stay as comfortable as possible in terms of communications and the Internet. Our instructions will help you save money and get maximum freedom and mobility when traveling abroad. The first article will focus on Spain.
At the end of 2012, Spain took fourth place in popularity among Russian tourists. This data is provided by Rostourism. In the summer, this country attracts a huge number of our fellow citizens. All of them use mobile communications and many use the mobile Internet. At the same time, a clear opinion has taken hold in society that using a mobile phone and tablet when traveling abroad is simply ruinous. We are ready to argue with this statement. All travelers need to do is follow our instructions.
The first option for using mobile communications in Spain that we will consider is international roaming with your Russian operator.
Mobile communications in Spain: briefly about the main thing
Mobile communications in Spain began in 1976, when Telefonica began selling radio telephones. For a long time, this company had a monopoly on the cellular communications market - until 1995, it was the only telecommunications company in Spain.
Today, there are dozens of infrastructure and virtual operators in the country, and up to 99% of the Spanish territory is covered by cellular communications. One of the main issues of interest to CIS citizens concerns local tariffs for mobile communication services.
In Spain there are two types of tariffs:
- contract or Contrato - concluded for a period of 12 to 18 months with monthly payment through the bank. The subscription fee is automatically debited from the client's bank account. This form is more suitable for Spanish residents as a NIE (National Identification Number) and a Spanish bank account are required to enter into a contract;
- card or Tarjeta. This option is more preferable for tourists and other categories of foreigners temporarily staying in the country. This is a prepaid tariff, when money is transferred to the card through electronic payments or making payments at special points.
In Spain, they often sell new movil phones that are already programmed for a specific operator to work in the corresponding network, so they will not “see” a competitor’s SIM card. As a rule, such gadgets are sold on credit in a package with a contract rate.
Prepayment and contract
Spanish operators have tariff lines similar to Russian ones. In general, they should be divided into two groups: prepaid and contractual. Russian tourists are well familiar with the first system. Its essence is to top up your account using terminals, electronic payment systems, scratch and bank cards.
The second option involves signing an agreement for a period of 12 or 18 months. To conclude it, the client must bring information on the bank account from which the operator will independently debit the subscriber’s fee based on the current tariff.
Important! Only native residents of Spain or those who have a residence permit can sign a contract with the company. For others, prepaid plans are suitable.
Main mobile operators in Spain: who to choose
Many Russian citizens often have difficulty choosing a cellular operator in Spain: there are many companies, a large number of offers, so it can be difficult to understand the advantages or disadvantages of each.
The network of mobile operators in Spain is represented by:
- four leading operators - large infrastructure companies that own their own communication lines. This , , ;
- more than 40 virtual operators who rent equipment from one of four large companies and provide services under their own brand: , , , .
Purchasing a phone under a contract
All major Spanish mobile operators offer a mobile contract along with your mobile phone. When concluding such a contract, the client has the opportunity to choose a mobile phone at a reduced cost, sometimes even for 0 euros. According to the terms of the contract, funds for communication and for the phone itself will be debited from the account on a monthly basis. Thus, in essence, the phone is sold in installments for 1-1.5 years. The amount of the monthly contribution is determined by the phone and the selected tariff.
Roaming in Spain: offers from domestic operators
International roaming in the Russian Federation in 2021 has become much more accessible and cheaper compared to previous years. In addition, in the fight for a client, almost every mobile operator is ready to offer roaming connections on preferential terms. The only exception is the Russian company MTS, which does not provide any additional options for saving.
Among the interesting offers from other Russian companies are the following:
"Beeline"
| Options | "The most profitable roaming" | “Per-minute charging in international roaming” | “All for 1800 + roaming” |
| Connect Beeline roaming | — | — | — |
| Subscription fee | — | — | 1800 rub./month |
| Package “20 minutes a day” | 200 rub. | — | — |
| Every minute beyond the package | 10 rub. | — | — |
| Outgoing SMS | 20 rub. for 1 | — | — |
| Incoming or outgoing call | — | 30 rub./min. | 50 rub./min |
"Megaphone"
The MegaFon company offers non-option tariffs in roaming - for incoming and outgoing calls in Spain and the Russian Federation - 79 rubles per minute, to other countries - 129 rubles. In addition, there are a number of benefit packages.
Special offers from MegaFon for calls in roaming
| Options | "Roaming, goodbye" | "The whole world" | "Around the world" | “Europe and the CIS” 25/50 min. | "World" 25/50 min. |
| Connection / rub. | — | — | 15 | 329 / 495 | 829 / 1429 |
| Subscription fee RUR/day | 299 | 99 | 9 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 |
| Inbox / rub. in 1 minute | 0 | 0 / first 40 min. 79 rub. - from 41 min. | 13 | 0 rub. first 25/50 min. 79 rub. — from 26/51 minutes | 0 rub. first 25/50 min. 79 rub. — from 26/51 minutes |
| Outgoing to Spain RUR/min. | 89 | 79 | 13 | 0 rub. first 25/50 min. 79 rub. — from 26/51 minutes | 0 rub. first 25/50 min. 79 rub. — from 26/51 minutes |
| Outgoing to the Russian Federation rub./min. | According to Russia tariffs | 79 | 13 | 0 rub. first 25/50 min. 79 rub. — from 26/51 minutes | 0 rub. first 25/50 min. 79 rub. — from 26/51 minutes |
| Outgoing to other countries rub./min. | — | 129 | 129 | 129 | 129 |
| Incoming SMS /rub. in one | According to Russia tariffs | — | — | — | — |
| Outgoing SMS /RUB in one | According to Russia tariffs | 25 | 11 | 25/25 | 25/25 |
Special offers from MegaFon for SMS in roaming
| Options | 50/100 SMS “Europe” | 50/100 SMS “The whole world” | "Roaming, goodbye" |
| Connection / rub. | 195 / 295 | 495 / 695 | — |
| Subscription fee | — | — | 299 / day |
| Incoming SMS | — | — | — |
| Outgoing SMS | 0 — first 50/100 SMS 25 rub. — from 51 / 101 messages | 0 — first 50/100 SMS 25 rub. — from 51 / 101 messages | Ross. rates |
Tele2
The company has divided foreign countries into three zones. Spain is classified as Zone 1. In Spain, the necessary network for communication is provided by Tele2's roaming partner, the Orange operator.
| Options | "Automatic roaming" | "Conversations Without Borders" | "Call-back roaming" |
| Connection / rub. | — | — | — |
| Monthly fee RUR/day | — | 5 | — |
| Included in the Russian Federation and Zone 1/ rub. in 1 minute | 15 | 5 | 12 |
| Outgoing to Zone 1 (Spain) rub./min. | 15 | 15 | 12 |
| Outgoing to the Russian Federation rub./min. | 15 | 15 | 12 |
| Incoming SMS /rub. in one | — | — | — |
| Outgoing SMS /RUB in one | 6 | 4,5 | 4,5 |
According to basic roaming tariffs, a call from Spain to Russia and vice versa will cost 60 rubles per minute, one outgoing SMS – 19 rubles. (incoming SMS is free).
All possibilities for calling between Spain and the Russian Federation are described in the article “How you can call Spain today.”
It should be noted that the picture is constantly changing, as operators make changes to tariffs. Today, against this background, offers from Tele2 look most preferable.
Operators for international communications
Some Spanish mobile operators are focused specifically on calls abroad. For the main operators (Yoygo, Orange, Movistar and Vodafone), the price of a call to the Russian Federation is from 30 to 50 eurocents per minute, the cost of a connection is 15 eurocents, while for some other operators a call to the Russian Federation costs only 5-8 eurocents, and the connection costs 15-40 euro cents.
The price of a call abroad may vary depending on whether the call is made to a mobile phone or to a landline phone - while a call to a landline phone costs less.
Purchasing a SIM card in Spain for tourists: pros and cons
There is a point of view according to which you can significantly reduce your mobile communications costs by purchasing a local SIM card. This is only partly true.
If we are talking about contract rates with a fixed monthly payment, then they are more profitable, but are available only to residents of Spain. Citizens of the Russian Federation who visit the kingdom for short visits should pay attention to prepaid tariffs - prepago.
It should be noted that in Spain, connection fees for calls are charged separately - from 15 cents for domestic calls, to 50 for international calls.
| Operator/package | Orange / Mundo 1GB | Yoigo / Tarjeta SIM Prepago 2 GB | Hits Mobile /Bono 100 min. + 3 GB |
| Calls within the country (EUR/RUB at the rate of 72.72 per 1 EUR per minute) | 0 - within 7 days, after - 0.01 / 0.73 | 0–50 min. within 30 days. After expiration - 0.03 / 0.22 | 0 - within 100 minutes, after - 0.06/4.36 |
| Connection (euro/ruble at the rate of 72.72 for 1 euro) | 0,30/21,78 | 0,20/14,52 | 0 — incoming, 0.42/30.49 for outgoing to the Russian Federation |
| Calls to the Russian Federation (euro/ruble at the rate of 72.72 per 1 euro per minute) | 0.29/21.05 - to a mobile number; 0.07/5.08 – to a landline number | — | 0.06/4.36 - to a mobile number; 0 - 5 minutes, 0.04/2.90 - to a landline number |
| Package cost (euro/ruble at the rate of 72.72 per 1 euro) | 7/508,18 | 10/727,20 | 9,90/718,71 |
| Outgoing SMS to the Russian Federation (euro/ruble at the rate of 72.72 per 1 message) | 1,21/87,84 | 12,10/878,43 | 0.35/25.41; 0.96/69.69 – to Spanish numbers |
| Validity | Unlimited - when replenishing the balance by 5 euros. If the balance is less than 1.21 euros - 5 months, more than 1.21 - 11 months. If the balance is not topped up, the SIM card is deactivated and the money is lost | 30 days | 30 days |
It is best to buy SIM cards in specialized customer service centers of operators. Such centers are located in large shopping centers, in the central areas of cities - they are easy to identify by signs with the logos of operating companies. You can also purchase SIM cards directly from operators’ websites in online stores.
If the choice has not yet been made, it makes sense to visit one of the network stores to purchase a SIM card. Here you can compare tariffs and package offers - bono - from the largest companies in the cellular communications sector in Spain, and buy a SIM card with the Internet.
To purchase a SIM card, a Russian citizen will need a passport and residential address (for example, the hotel where he is staying).
You can purchase and activate a SIM card from some operators even before your trip, while in Russia. To do this, you should go, for example, to the Russian-language website of the virtual operator. You can also buy a Spanish SIM card on the website, but prices here will be 10-15% higher.
Where to buy a SIM card
Cellular communications in the country operate successfully thanks to the activities of large companies competing with each other. They have a network of their own centers for serving citizens, selling services and mobile devices. These points are located in almost every major shopping center or on the streets in small stores. Each has a sign with the company logo.
You can also purchase a SIM card online on the cellular company's website. You can pay by electronic wallet, bank card or cash upon delivery by courier.
Another place where you can buy a SIM card is Locutorio. These are communication points where access to the online world and mobile communications services are provided. Please note that not every location has the cards of the desired operator.
Top up your mobile phone account in Spain
The method for topping up your mobile phone in Spain depends on which operator you purchased your package from. The procedure itself is simple. You can top up your balance in cash or using a bank card:
- in branded showrooms and centers of operators whose services the client uses;
- in The Phone House chain stores;
- through an ATM;
- at checkouts in supermarkets (for example, Erosky), tobacco kiosks - tabacos, locutories (Internet cafes);
- auto-replenishment: using a phone call or SMS, a request is sent to the service center, after which the required amount will be withdrawn from a pre-registered bank card.
Top up your account online
The most profitable way will be to top up your balance through the websites of mobile operators (Lebara, Vodafone and others).
For example, in order to top up your account with the Orange operator, you need to go to and open the “Mi Orange” menu
In the tab that opens, indicate your number and password (if you already have your own account). If there is no account yet, select a new user – “nuevo usuario”.
Then you should act according to the instructions: enter your number, request a password, etc.
After creating a personal page, here you can top up your balance, change tariffs, connect new services, check your account status, and view call statistics. This will help save money, since the service of checking your account on your phone is paid (you will need to pay for the so-called service SMS), but on the website you can do this for free.
, which is not tied to a specific mobile operator and is ready to work immediately upon entering another country.
How to manage services?
Service management is carried out exactly the same as in Russia. On the official websites of Spanish mobile operators there is access to subscribers’ personal accounts. It provides information about the current account status, as well as subscriber statistics - the number and duration of calls. Here you can connect additional services, such as a mobile Internet subscription or a voice answering machine.
In addition, each subscriber can become a participant in the bonus program. When a certain number of points are collected, which are credited when replenishing the phone balance, the subscriber can exchange these points, for example, for a new phone. Some operators give free SMS messages when replenishing your balance.
Mobile Internet in Spain: tariffs and opportunities
Mobile Internet has become widespread in Spain - all the main players in the cellular communications market are actively involved in providing their customers with high-speed Internet. Among the advantages of Spain are:
- active implementation of 3g and 4g standards;
- operator pricing policy that is favorable to customers. For example, ALTA MUNDO internet packages for 2, 4 and 6 GB from Orange cost 7, 10 and 15 euros per month, respectively. The cost of traffic for small virtual operators may be lower, but in large companies there are no restrictions on speed, traffic transmission, etc.
- availability. The entire country has good coverage, and mobile Internet in Barcelona or Madrid will be the same as in small provincial towns.
Digi Mobil
Operator Digi Mobil. To purchase a starter package, you only need your international passport. The seller rewrites your data and you can become the owner of a Spanish SIM card. The starter package costs 10 €. Don't be scared! These 10 € will be in your account. You can also ask the seller to help you activate the SIM card and set up the Internet. Just remember to switch your phone's language to Spanish first. Accordingly, the seller will ask which tariff you should activate. As I already said, after purchasing the starter package, you will have 10 € in your account. Now we will decide which package you will need to order.
Alternatives to mobile Internet in Spain: Internet cafes and Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi access points can be a good alternative to mobile Internet. Free Internet in Spain is easy to find if you want. Access points can be found:
- in many hotels;
- at the airport, at railway stations - the first 15 minutes will be free, after which you will need to enter your flight number and personal data; further use becomes paid;
- in libraries;
- in sports centers;
- in government agencies.
Some restaurants and bars also offer free Wi-Fi. You can learn more about access points or hot spots at. The leading places in the number of hot spots in Spain are confidently occupied by Madrid and Barcelona.
You can also access the Internet at the Internet cafe – Locutorio. For an hour of work at the locutorio, you will have to pay no more than one euro for traffic.
Internet
All mobile operators in Spain provide 3G mobile Internet services. Subjectively, 3G shows the best speeds on the Orange and Yoygo networks (about 1.5 Mbit/s). However, Movistar and Vodafone's 3G coverage (about 900 Kbps) is significantly better. To use mobile Internet on a tablet or via a USB modem, it is more advisable to connect to a special Internet tariff or purchase an optional 3G subscription.
For example, for a prepaid tariff, the Yoigo operator offers a subscription (Bono) for 9 euros per month, including 1 GB of traffic using the high-speed HSPA+ protocol.
| Operator | Movistar | Vodafone | Orange | Yoygo |
| Name | Internet 3 | Semanal | Internet Móvil 1 GB | Bono 1GB |
| Type | Plastic bag | Plastic bag | unlimited | unlimited |
| Subscription fee | RUB 162.34/week | RUB 775.91/month | 487.02 rub./month. | 487.02 rub./month. |
| Traffic block | 100 MB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Speed over block | — | — | 64 Kbps | 128 Kbps |
| Peculiarities | The package is valid for 7 days | The package is valid for 7 days | P2P connections and IP telephony are blocked | P2P connections and IP telephony are blocked |
The tariffs themselves look very convenient and affordable. For this reason, we would not recommend Russian citizens traveling to Spain to use the mobile Internet of Russian operators. Tariffs of Russian operators are much more expensive. See table above.
As an alternative to 3G mobile Internet, we can recommend paid and free Wi-Fi points. There are a huge number of them in Spain.
Hotels almost always have free Wi-Fi, less often in bars, cafes and restaurants, and almost never in rented apartments. At McDonald's it's paid :)
The place for public Internet use is called Locutorio, where you can also make inexpensive calls to international destinations. You go into the booth (after warning), call, pay the bill. There, one hour of Internet usually costs 1 euro.
As for free Wi-Fi at airports and train stations, in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia you can use a 15-minute block of free Internet. Then you will have to pay. To access you will be asked to enter your contact information and your flight number.
Stationary Internet: high quality and expensive
Home Internet in Spain is most often tied to a landline telephone line (ADSL connection). Providers (for example, Ono) offer modems and service packages to their customers, including benefits for calling from a landline phone.
The quality of the connection and high data transfer speed are guaranteed, but it is not cheap - from 50 euros monthly. In order to connect to the network, the client must be a resident of Spain - have a residence permit or provide an NIE, so landline Internet is not available for Russian citizens making a short visit to Spain.
Let's sum it up
Spain has high quality mobile communications. Cellular communications in this country are available to all foreign tourists, incl. from Russia. To do this, just use roaming or purchase a SIM card from one of the Spanish operators.
Among the disadvantages are high prices for cellular communication services and landline Internet, as well as the unavailability of long-term contracts for non-residents of Spain.
Among the advantages are high-speed 3g and 4g standards, bonus programs from operators and providers, including unlimited Internet at an affordable price.
