Travelling or moving to a new country can feel overwhelming getting to know the local brands we need for our day-to-day needs. Fortunately, most of the mobile phone network operators or phone providers in Spain are well-known brands in many countries so getting a new SIM card in Spain is easy.
There are 4 major mobile phone providers with antennas and radio spectrum in Spain:
But as in other European countries, many other specialised brands use major operatorsā networks. In Spain, they are called Operador Movil Virtual (OMV) which translates to Virtual Network Operator. Some specialise in people who donāt speak Spanish but speak English. More about them in this article.
OMVs are sometimes independent or sometimes second brands from other bigger operators. The virtual operators usually specialise in different clientsā needs such as low cost, topnotch customer service or English-speaking customers.
Some OMVs in Spain are:
- Lobster.es (5ā¬ discount) for English-Speaking Customers
- Pepephone.com for topnotch customer service plus electricity and fibre optic bills
- o2online.es is the second Movistar brand for mobile and fibre services that
- Symio is Orangeās low-cost brand
- Lebara is the second brand in Masmovil (previously Vodafone) for international customers with links to other countries
- etcā¦
As in many other countries, there is not a big difference in prices and coverage between networks. Any network will provide 4G+ or 5G technology in any major city, like Alicante. But not all OMVs have 5G yet (but just 4G+).
If your stay in Spain is short and you have a European SIM card you can use your phone as if you were in your home country thanks to the European free-roaming. But if your stay is longer or needs a lot of data you should probably get a Spanish SIM card.
Be sure you check with your network operator if travelling from the UK. Many big brands have removed the free-roaming to European countries! So your Instagram scrolling on one of Alicanteās beaches might end up being expensive if you donāt check.
How to Buy a SIM Card in Alicante and Spain
In Spain, when buying either a prepaid or contract SIM card you must show a type of photo ID that will be registered.
Valid proofs of identity are:
- your passport,
- the driving license,
- a national ID,
- the Spanish NIE if you are a resident.
Even if you get the local Spanish SIM card delivered the postperson will require you to show your ID proof.
Generally, the best (cheaper) deals are on the small OMV but most donāt have fiscal stores where to buy the SIM card and everything is ordered and done online.
For example, you can have a Lobster SIM card for 12ā¬ that gives you 20GB of data and free-roaming to the EU and the UK at the time of updating this article. If online is an issue, buying a SIM card in any physical store of the major brands should do the trick. Some network stores will have available their second brands SIM cards to purchase.
There are 4 mobile network operators with a radio spectrum: Vodafone, Movistar, Masmovil/Yoigo and Orange. There are many MVNOs (OMV in Spanish) such as PepePhone, Lebara, Lobster, Symio, O2 and many others.
After all this information if you might still have a question. Or maybe you have some experience with network operators in Spain. If so, please, leave a comment!
8 comments
I have been with digi (digimobil.es) for 2 years. English website, English customer care. Sim cards available in supermarkets or online. Brilliant service, ā¬20 per month for 100gb and 2000 mins of euro and international calls. It was so good we also took an unlimited contract for ā¬25 per month and put the sim into a router, itās now our main Internet and can go with us when we travel. Its truly unlimited and good enough to stream netflix, amazon etc. Donāt know why digi never seems to get a mention.
Good point Orson! I mentioned DigiMobile in the article focused at people who doesnāt speak Spanish that well and prefer having a provider with English websites and customer support at competitive prices: https://alicanteabout.com/networkoperators/sim-card-in-spain-for-english-speakers/
Cheers,
Victor
Iāll be flying into Alicante tomorrow night from Spain through Madridā¦ Would it be possible for me to buy a SIM card without leaving the airport? Which airport has the widest variety of telecom operators and what would be the best data only SIM card for 10 days?
Hello! I would imagine Madrid airport will have more variety of SIM cards, actually, I never looked at the SIM cards options in Alicante Airport, so I would buy it in Madrid if you find them.
For short stays, prepaid SIMs might look more logical at first sight. In reality, pay- monthly (no contract) SIMs I think will give you more data for a better price amd you can just cancel any payment after your 10 days stay. Maybe lebara or such brands would be best for Thai purpose if you find them.
Alternatively, I would buy a prepaid card if you need to buy from Orange, Vodafone or Movistar.
Let me know if I can help more!
So how exactly would I purchase a SIM card as a pay monthly option but without a contract? I have a DNI, if that helps. Also, as a Ukrainian, are there any operators giving out free SIM cards or reduced price or free internet bundles?
So, for example, Digi has English support and selling points in Alicante. Also, all their tarifes can be pay as you go. You can check stores with their Sims here: https://www.digimobil.es/en/points-sale
I donāt know of operators offering free service to Ukrainians but most have either free or discounted prices for calling and texting Ukrainian numbers. Digi has a discounted tariff for pay as you go clients.
Hope this help and no doubt on asking more questions if needed!
But would it be possible for me to land in Madrid and purchase a SIM card without leaving the airport, and at 3-4 in the morning? If not, after arriving at about 8 in Alicante, would the phone stores in the airport be open or do they open later? Thanks so much for the prompt replies!
In Madrid airport you can buy SIMsā¦ If the shops are open. I wouldnāt count on it at 3-4 am but I donāt know for sure.
Alicante airport have a very few shops in arrivals so I am unsure they will have SIMs and a search in Spanish didnāt clarify it. I would check when in the airport but I wouldnāt count on it.
If I were in your situation I would download the Google maps cache for Alicante city, write down the addresses for a couple of shops selling SIM cards -like the ones for digimobile- and be sure you know that the C6 bus will take you from the airport to Alicante center (https://alicanteabout.com/transport/from-alicante-airport-to-alicante-city-centre-by-bus/).
Alicante airport has WiFi and I bet Madrid airport has WiFi too.