Spain and Portugal for Visitors

	The major mobile telephony operators in Spain are Telefónica and Vodafone.

Cellular coverage and service in Spain is, in a word, excellent. In Spain, as well as in most other countries in the world, the predominant cellular system is called GSM. The digital quality of the system permits cellular quality so good that it is very difficult to perceive if one is talking on a cell phone or a landline. Until very recently, if you needed cell phone service in Spain you would have to either roam with your current carrier or rent a cellular phone through one of the many cell phone rental companies. Both of these two solutions are still available yet they continue to be expensive and therefore, only those that had a real necessity for cellular service, or who have deep pockets, were willing to bear the expense. Luckily, there is now a solution that makes cell phone service in Spain affordable to anyone. This is good news since the necessity of staying in contact, especially while overseas, is only increasing.

The inexpensive solution for cell phone service in Spain is utilizing the same service as the Spaniards use. The majority of cell phone users in Spain utilize what is known as a prepaid SIM Card. A SIM card, rather than a card, is actually a little chip that inserts into an overseas GSM phone, giving you a local phone number plus all the conveniences of a cellphone such as call log, an address book and so forth and, of course, the possibility to make and receive calls. Since the chip is prepaid, you do not need to sign a contract nor have any long-term commitment - and plus you can control your expenditures. Prepaid Spain SIM cards come with an initial amount of call credit, that, when expires, can easily be added. Once you have the initial chip in your phone, you may purchase a "reload" voucher at magazine stands and convenience stores. These vouchers are available in different units, generally in 15, 30 and 50 Euro denominations. Think of it as filling up at the gas station. You can put $10 or $20 or more and the gas you receive will give you a certain amount of miles depending on how you drive. Recharge vouchers give you a certain amount of time depending on where you call. In any event, the rates are advantageous and fractions of the conventional methods such as renting a cell phone. Rates are approximately $0.50 per minute to call back to the US and as low as about $0.15 or less to call domestically. In addition, all incoming calls are free, regardless of the call's origin or time of day. Even if your card has run out of credit, since incoming calls are free anyway, you can still receive calls. Incidentally, this is one major reason why everyone in Spain, even pre-teenagers, has a cell phone. You too could theoretically have someone from the United States or Canada or anywhere else call you back and you will not incur a penny of charges.

While this method of obtaining cellular service in Spain is little known, it is certain to become the predominant way of overseas communication.

In order to obtain this service you must rent or purchase a GSM mobile handset and purchase the SIM card. If you purchase the phone, bear in mind that not only will you be able to use it in Spain but in every other country in the world excluding Japan. If it is a tri-band phone you can also use it in North America provided your domestic carrier is AT&T, T-Mobile or Cingular. Once you have the phone, in order to use it in another country, all you need to do is swap out the SIM chip, which is easy to do, and put in a SIM chip for that country. It is finally possible to travel the world (except for Japan) with one phone without paying an arm and a leg in order to do so.

For more information or to purchase or rent a cell phone for Spain, visit Cellular Abroad.