Where to buy a cell phone in Spain?

Posted by Priscilla (California 🦋) on 09/18/15 08:08 PM

I will be traveling to Spain in less than 2 weeks time and considered taking my old cell phone (not smart phone) with me,
but would rather buy a cheap phone there. I'm trying to find out if my phone will work abroad, & if so, will unlock it & just purchase a
sim card instead.

I only need a phone so I can communicate with the hotels & to call home 1-2 times/week.

I've always used public pay phones in the past (with prepaid card) but they are not as ubiquitous as they once were.

I know, I know... It's time to upgrade my phone... I will but not this late before my trip.
Besides, the iPhone 5s will be going doing in price once the iPhone 6s is released at the end of the month.

We will be landing in Madrid then heading straight to Córdoba, so would like to buy the phone or sim card at the airport or Atocha train station.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Priscilla

Posted by H J

LaGrange, Ga, USA

09/18/15 08:45 PM

1178 posts

Many phone stores there...almost on every corner in some areas it seems. Cortes Ingles, the major department store has them. I purchased my Orange phone at the store on Puerta del Sol..near the Cortes store. Good service, good phone...and it was cheap with free minutes even.

Posted by Priscilla OP

California 🦋

09/18/15 09:38 PM

5293 posts

HJ,
Thanks for the information!

I should add to my post the fact that we will be heading to Córdoba upon our arrival,
so would prefer to purchase the phone at the airport or at Atocha train station.

I suppose I can also wait to buy it in Córdoba...

Do you recall how much you paid for your phone?
I assume your "Orange Phone" is a prepaid phone, correct?

Posted by H J

LaGrange, Ga, USA

09/18/15 11:13 PM

1178 posts

Think it was less than 30 euros, with about 20 euros of minutes...a good buy. Purchase minutes and use them...i.e. prepaid...still have it and renew the minutes each year to keep the number...but can get a new number if I do not renew. I just use it in Spain..think you can get for more countries and not just one country, but I travel only in Spain. Sure there are shops in both Atocha and Barajas.

Posted by Priscilla OP

California 🦋

09/19/15 03:11 AM

5293 posts

Thanks HJ!

Posted by Enric

Barcelona (Catalonia)

09/19/15 08:42 AM

3071 posts

Hi Priscilla...

So looking to jump from a dumbphone (as opposite to smartphone!) to an iPhone 5, huh?.... like changing from riding a bike to driving a Porsche, are you sure you'll be able to handle that?... hahaha!

Some of the brands you might want to be looking for are Movistar, Orange, Vodafone (the 'majors') and Tuenti, FNAC, Yoigo (low cost). For a short stay I'd particularly look for Tuenti, they have very good deals. Anyhow, as you can see in this map, the closest shop to Atocha is the Phone House, a stone throw away in fact. These shops carry several of the companies and are, in general, a good place to shop. They also sell phones... you could simply get a cheap smartphone for your trip. They usually have "last units" offers and sometimes you can get a simple smartphone for as little as $50.

Enjoy!

For info, as it happens with many other smaller brands, Tuenti is the low cost brand of Movistar, initially aimed to "youngsters" --hence the name, "tuenti" is an hispanized version of "twenty", as is 20-something = young and with limited resources!-- but these days popular among all sorts of clients, not just 20-something!

Posted by Priscilla OP

California 🦋

09/19/15 05:19 PM

5293 posts

Hi Enric,

You're almost right!
Switching from a dumb-phone to an iPhone 5 will be like switching from riding a tricycle to driving a Ferrari!

It may take me a while but I'm sure I can handle it!

Besides, I have 3 young adult children who will help me set up all the apps I will need, etc...

Anyway, thanks for all the information!