Hi, this is my first post so I apologise if its been asked a hundred times before!!
We’re (me, wife and 2 kids) moving out to the Costa calida next year and will both need a mobile phone. Is it better to wait and buy a contract when we are out there or is it possible to port your existing number onto a Spanish Network.
Hola, I think you are best to go totally Spanish - options are pay as you go, easily recharged thru bank cashpoint machines or take out a contract. This can get a bit more involved and you may need residencia (start with pay as you go and migrate later?) Everybody says their system is best - current there are 3 - Telefonicas (BT equiv) Movistar system - generally said to have the most coverage, Amena (shortly to rebranded Orange) and Vodaphone. Currently they are in a price war as phones have reached satutation point so they are poaching each others clients! Personally I have Amena (business contract) and get a new free phone every year, my partner has Movistar and just discovered they are charging her to send advertising texts from them to her! Unless you are going to use 1,000s of calls is probably fairly equal!
We actually cover almost everything you’ve asked about on our page about mobile phones in Spain.
Beyond that, I’d agree with ROBI. Personally I use Vodafone however, as they offer some of the better rates for international use, and if you travel to, say, Italy, you can buy recharge cards that work for your Spanish mobile (at a premium of course 😉).
Hope that helps and let us know if the mobile phone page leaves you with any other questions!
