Affordable mobile Internet access in Spain

by Volker Weber

Ken asked me last week:

my folks are traveling to spain later this year and are asking me to recommend a good way of efficiently (read cheap) accessing the web from a portable mobile device... either pda or netbook connected to a wireless carrier. do you have any suggestions?

I could tell you for Germany (30 € for the stick + 25 € for a month), but not for Spain. Since Mobile World Congress is coming up, what would you suggest?

Comments

There is some useful information here.

I can confirm the remark made in the post about only wanting to sell you a card if you are a resident. We wanted to buy an Orange prepaid 3G dongle last time we were there and had a similar experience - we were asked for our NIE, which at that time we didn't have (a non-resident's ID number which identifies you for tax purposes). Luckily for us, as we found out later Yoigo, mentioned in the post, would probably be a better bet - cheaper anyway.

John Keys, 2010-01-29

Masmovil worked good for me last year. They charge 3cent/MB in 512K blocks.
Phone cost is also quite low.
I had the card sent to a colleague's spanish address but it's also available in shops in spain. You can recharge with paypal.
www.masmovil.es.

Thomas Gamradt, 2010-01-29

Es geht auch ohne NIE nur mit Pass oder Perso bei:
http://tiendamovil.orange.es/internet-everywhere-Pack-Prepago-Modem-Huawei-E160.htm#comprar
Vorausbezahlt mit 3,90€ p.T. für 250MB (danach die übliche Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung). Orange Shops gibt es in nahezu jeder spanischen Stadt.

Claus Bäumler, 2010-01-29

@Claus: this as very close to what I am looking for (Prepaid like Fonic, Flatrate per day, no monthly subscription). Many thanks for the hint.

Who knows whether you need to upcharge the SIM regularly or if the remaining amount survives a longer period of no usage? As well it is important to know whether the SIM will be disabled after a period of no usage - we will need this for vacation, maybe rotating in the family, however the time between usage can be quite long.

@John: I have also seen the offer from Yoigo, but also read that coverage may be quite spotty. At least their coverage map as of today is not promising for the area where we ususally go...

Armin Auth, 2010-01-29

Preparation for MWC, good point. Since I'm staying with friends, so I won't have a NIE problem. Thanks for the links.

Stefan Opitz, 2010-01-29

This is a useful site for such stuff. Not exactly a wiki but user generated content on worldwide mobile data access.

chris lindley, 2010-01-29

Proper Link Too early in the morning.

chris lindley, 2010-01-29

Thanks everyone for the input! Will get back to you if we have more questions. Really appreciate the help!

Ken Bisconti, 2010-01-29

Volker,

FYI, Cisco will announce new insight about the Mobile Internet market opportunity (including details from the latest VNI market study) at an upcoming webcast

David Deans, 2010-01-29

Cool, David. And how is that going to give us affordable Internet access in Spain?

Volker Weber, 2010-01-29

MASmovil: Cheaper mobile broadband Internet access in Spain

Compare these prices and you know why MASmovil the right choice! MAS Internet in Spain with an unbeatable fee of 0.03 € / MB if you decide to charge MASmovil your SIM card will automatically be carried out. Classical prepaid system for the lowest 0,05 € / MB possible - this is still the best price for mobile internet access in Spain!

You can use your mobile phone, cell phone and smart phone with your phone card for cheap MASmovil Spain or connect it to your computer or laptop either by cable or wirelessly via Bluetooth. Use your laptop, notebook or netbook and get, if you do not have UMTS Stick, small and ungelockten, free UMTS HSDPA USB flash drive with embedded MAS MASinternet Mobile SIM card and surf the Internet at speeds off right away up to 7.2 Mbit / s.
MAS internet with unlocked 3G USB Modem Stick
Unlocked SIM 3.5G HSDPA USB Modem. High-speed Internet access at speeds of up to 7.2 Mbit / s, thanks to the service - MÁSinternet of MÁSmovil. Can you comfortably from anywhere (the supply of 3G or GPRS) requires at a price of 3 cents, the MB with the Treaty MASlibre. The package comes with a SIM lock deactivated USM-stick) modem auto installer and a simple and intuitive management software (in Spanish, that we can connect to the Internet in just two steps

MASmovil: Günstiger, mobiler Breitband Internetzugang in Spanien

Vergleichen Sie diese Preise und Sie wissen, warum MASmovil die richtige Wahl ist! MAS Internet in Spanien mit unschlagbaren Gebühren von 0,03 € / MB, wenn Sie sich entscheiden, die Aufladung Ihrer MASmovil SIM-Karte automatisch durchzuführen. Klassische Prepaid-Variante für günstige 0,05 € / MB möglich – das ist immer noch der günstigste Preis für mobilen Internet-Zugang in Spanien!

Sie können Ihr Mobiltelefon, Handy und Smartphone mit Ihrem günstigen MASmovil Handy-Karte für Spanien benutzen oder verbinden Sie es mit Ihrem Computer oder Laptop entweder per Kabel oder drahtlos per Bluetooth. Benutzen Sie Ihr Laptop, Notebook oder Netbook und nutzen Sie, falls Sie keinen UMTS-Stick besitzen, den kleinen und ungelockten, freien UMTS-HSDPA-USB-Stick MASinternet mit eingelegter MAS Mobil SIM-Karte und surfen Sie im Internet sofort los mit Geschwindigkeiten bis zu 7,2 MBit/s.
MAS Internet mit entriegelt 3G USB Modem Stick
Unlocked SIM HSDPA USB Modem 3.5G. High-Speed-Internetzugang mit Geschwindigkeiten von bis zu 7,2 Mbit / s dank der Service – MÁSinternet von MÁSmovil. Können Sie sich bequem von überall aus (erfordert die Versorgung mit 3G oder GPRS) zu einem Preis von 3 Cent der MB mit dem Vertrag MASlibre. Das Paket kommt mit einem SIM-Lock deaktiviert USM-Stick-Modem Autoinstaller und eine einfache und intuitive Management-Software (auf Spanisch), dass wir Sie eine Verbindung zum Internet in nur zwei Schritten...

Dirk Helling, 2010-02-23

i tried tripneter
it's a portable wifi/ mobile router which you can take everywhere in spain, you'll have a flat rate wifi connection where you can connect up to 5 smartphones/pc/tablets.

they send it to your designed spanish address (hotel, your friend's place...) and you have to turn it on, and voila!, there's internet! before you fly back, send it back.

i really recommend it, click here

Migue Diez, 2011-10-26

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