I am traveling to Spain in September and will be there for 45 days, starting in Madrid. I would like to know where to get a SIM card for my iPhoneXR and what company and plans might make sense for me. My carrier, T-Mobile, tells me my phone is already unlocked.
I especially want to be able to use the phone for navigation and translation. I will make very occasional voice calls. I assume that I can also make WhatsApp calls using my phone and computer, preferably with WiFi.
T-Mobile offers international roaming, so you could just use that in Spain. is there a reason you don't want to use it? I haven't had T-Mobile for years so I don't know the specifics of how it works anymore - I use my Dutch Vodafone SIM when I go back to Europe - but I am willing to use a cheap prepaid service in the US and fool with my SIM card in Europe to save a few hundred bucks a year by not paying for something like T-Mobile. If I were paying for T-Mobile, I'd expect to use the international roaming feature.
I think phone calls are not free with T-Mobile roaming - maybe a few cents a minute? If you want to call the US for free, sign up for Google Voice before you leave - then you can call US phones (even landlines) for free with the Google Voice app (using WiFi or mobile data). Use WhatsApp to call anyone else who already has it for free (using WiFi or mobile data). WhatsApp is extremely popular in Europe.
But if you really want to buy a Spanish SIM card, here's some more info on them:
There are three major phone carriers in Spain, Movistar, Vodafone, and... I don't remember the third. They all offer prepaid SIM at different levels, and the gig/$ is generally competitive between them. I'd make my pick of carriers based on who has a store (a company store, not an 'authorized retailer' closest to your hotel in Madrid. I know Vodafone's plans don't include outgoing text messages—ones that would be green on your iPhone. Mostly because no one in Europe uses SMS text anymore—it is all app-chat, especially WhatsApp.
Most pre-paid plans are only good for 30 days, meaning you'll have to re-up before your trip is done. (So don't buy so many gigs that will just expire.)
I believe the phone store will ask for your passport when you get the SIM—best to have it will you, in case that's still the case.
I echo what Andrew said above. I just got back from the UK last month. I have T-Mobile and an iPhone XR and everything worked just like it does here in the US: texting, e-mail, surfing, and navigation. There was no need for a local SIM card.
Andrew and Reederman are correct. We are in Luzern starting a RS tour today. Make sure that in your settings under cellular and network that automatic is on. Switzerland does not have TMOBILE but the phone automatically started using Swisscom. I think the providers share networks. Our phones work all over the world, except Antarctica, so far.
cpiechtravel, right, T-Mobile US does not have service at all in Europe - they have roaming partners, just like Verizon and AT&T do. Sometimes the roaming partner happens to be another T-Mobile in the country that is owned by the same parent company, but I would ignore the name and pretend they aren't even the same company - it's pretty much irrelevant.
The last timeI looked not all T mobile plans offered free international roaming. Best to check your plan’s details so that you can make an informed decision.
I was just in Europe and used Orange Holiday eSIM. I did that to avoid the $10 per day that Verizon charges for international plans. It was going to be $20 per day for my wife and I.
Check if your phone can accept an eSIM. Newish phones are set up to use them. They are much more convenient than using an actual SIM card. You can buy an eSIM while you are still in the States and activate it when you land in Spain. Their max standard plan is 30 days, but you can re-up it so it will last for your stay.
