Travelling to Spain, need cell phone advice

[grohl]

Will be in Spain for a week in April. I don't travel internationally very often. Seems to be a few options here:

1) Use current (ATT) phone and add international coverage

2) Rent phone here to use there

3) Buy phone in Spain

4) Use unlocked GSM phone and purchase SIM card in Spain

Seems like cost goes down from 1 through 4. Don't have an unlocked phone so leaning toward #3. FYI I am a cheap-ass.

 

[ss284]

Call ATT and ask them for the unlock code. Buy SIM in Spain. DON'T FLY IBERIA.

 

[dr150]

If you have a phone that has wi-fi, the use VOIP software on your phone with a calling card and an American fast food place (easily found) that carries FREE wi-fi like Mcdonalds, KFC, Starbucks, etc. They leave their wi-fi signal on all night so if you stand outside their window after hours, you should be able to surf the net or make calls with VOIP for CHEAP!

Cheap, RELIABLE Calling card that works with VOIP:
http://www.yupeephone.com/voip_features/how_to_use.htm

The above company will set you up perfectly. Free software that they recommend for your phone and 1 cent calls back to the US.

I've never had a problem using this exact system all over Europe.
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The other option is purchasing a SIM card for your unlocked phone at a tobacco shop. This will serve for making local calls. I use Hotel Concierge for my local calls which largely are dinner reservations/shows.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Cheapest solution is to simply unlock your current GSM phone, assuming it is quad- or proper tri-band. Go to Spain, buy pre-paid SIM card+account for say 15 €, and just pay as you go.

Be sure to find a safe place for your AT&T SIM while you're gone.

 

[Bryf50]

My sister recently went to Spain for a month. She used this service http://www.rangeroamer.com/default.aspx with an unlocked Nokia quad-band.
The benefit of using them vs. a carrier is Spain is that they give you both a European and U.S. phone number. So someone in the U.S. directly call the phone and not be charged extra.

When in Spain:
Receiving calls from anywhere on your international phone number
FREE
per minute
Receiving calls from anywhere on your US number
$0.69
per minute
Calling locally/nationally in Spain
$0.79
per minute
Calling from Spain back to the USA
$0.79
per minute

Whats also impressive is the free incoming calls on the European number. This way someone in the States can buy a cheap phone card and call all they want.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Call ATT and ask them for the unlock code. Buy SIM in Spain. DON'T FLY IBERIA.

This is important.

 

[ZXT]

Really depends if you are going to receive calls a lot or you just going to call out most of the time.

Check out Onesuite long distance services, they got phone card and VoIP you can use in Spain. Free to receive calls (US number) and calling out to US is just 2.5c for VoIP and 18c as a phone card.