Simyo Spain €5/month data (upto 500MB)
 

I'm not too sure if this was posted before, but this will be useful for some travellers to Spain. Up until recently I have been very happy with Yoigo but for small amounts of everyday internet useage Simyo's capped rate of €5/month for upto 500MB useage is much better value.

Also, on the same tarriff they have a €0,99/day cap provided you do not got over 100MB per day. Additional MB's are charged at 9c, and data is calculated in 256kb chunks.

The good news is there is no minimum monthly spend.

Yoigo has become a bit unpopular with travellers because of the €6/month minimum spend and they have disabled Tarrifa 2 for new customers.

For all details on Simyo check: Tarifa Diaria

Hi there. How do you go about buying one of these? Do you have to buy their modem at €69 and register your bank details with them for payment? Is the modem the usual plug in USB? I live in England but have an apartment in Spain which I visit regularly, so this would be quite handy to use with my laptop.

Hi jrs526

I have been researching this also as I also go to Spain regularly and am off there on Monday 8 June for 3 weeks, I'd like a Simyo SIM for my business purposes. In the past I have used a UK T-Mobile dongle (PAYG) in Spain which cost me around £30 for a week's usage a couple of times a day - which is way too much.

My understanding after researching, is that if you can get hold of any unlocked data USB modem (any brand), a Spanish SIM will work in it. So that just leaves us with the question of the payment processes.

paykow says there is no minimum spend so can't see that they would they need bank account details. If the PAYG top-ups can be bought at a supermarket and converted online (assuming I can understand the website instructions :rolleyes: ) then this looks like a good deal if I just knew where to buy it!

I guess it also depends on where one is going as the newer service providers have a more scant coverage. I know Yoigo covers the Alicante - Valancia coastal areas quite well, but don't know about Simyo.

It would be great is someone came up with the perfect answer and info before I leave on Monday! If you hear anything, post quick!

Looks like you buy the simyo sim online
 

According to this page, you buy the simyo sim online.

http://www.simyo.es/preguntas_frecue...ml#comohacerse

- "How do you join simyo?"
- "You can join simyo online at simyo.es"

¿Cómo hacerse de simyo? Para hacerte de simyo tan sólo tienes que entrar en simyo.es


I think you will need to ask someone in Spain to buy the sim for you, otherwise you´ll never receive it by Monday.

- "How long does the purchase take?"
- "It normally takes between 2 and 4 days to receive the sim (within Spain). The sim will be sent to the address you give us during the (online) purchase process, using recorded/certified mail."


¿Cómo llega mi pedido?

El envío de los pedidos suele tardar entre 2 y 4 días. Te llegará mediante correo certificado a la dirección que nos indiques durante el proceso de compra.

can i buy simyo sim card in press shops for example? I will be on el prat in barcelona at 20.06 and i want to buy this card asap for voice calls and internet.

Can they not be bought in supermarkets and other public places? I can't get the SIM delivered to the place I'm staying as I have no key to the private box for mail.

I found this on another site but nothing else yet. It would be nice to hear from petkow as he appears to have a simyo data sim up and running.

"Simyo is an operator that uses Orange 3G and GSM network. It has very good prices. You can buy a sim via Internet at simyo.es, but you can't get it outside Spain (by law). There is no way to buy it in a shop.

A voice + data price overview can be found here. National calls to any dest: sms / 1 minute:0,1044 eur. - call start: 0.174 eur.

Data: it's very good for internet access. You can access with hspda, 3g or gprs almost over the entire country (not all for hspda but 97% with 3g)

First 100mb: 1.1484 €
Less than 10mb: 0.1044 €"

One of the problems with Simyo is that it appears you can only get it online. I was meaning to buy one of their SIMs for quite a while, but was a bit tied up and ended up ordering it online about a week ago, but had to leave the country unaexpectantly before they could deliver it. I did get an email from them saying they tried to deliver but I was not there. I'll only be back next week.

So the bottom line is you can only buy it online, and need to have a Spanish NIE and a Spanish address to do so. They deliver it by courier and it takes around 2 working days. It needs to be delivered to the account holder who needs to sign for it and sign the agreement with simyo. It can therefore not be sent to a friend or to a PO box.

You can chose whether to go postpaid or prepaid but the rates are exactly the same. The only difference is with postpaid you get a monthly bill, and have to specify a Spanish bank account at the time of order. I went with prepaid, which cost me 1 euro plus 3.95 postage. The SIM comes with 5 euros credit, and you get a further 5 euros if you buy through someone who recommends you ... such as me ;) You also get another 5after your first topup of 10 euros. Not a bad deal really. Basically, it comes down to for 14.95 you get 25 euros of credit.

Though I do not have my SIM yet, I have used my friends plenty of times. He has it in his 3G phone hooked up to his laptop via a cable. He only uses it for data and has had it 2 months and not paid more than 5 euros a month. Not bad really!

It is a MVNO that piggybacks on Orange, whose coverage is not bad in most places, though Yoigo (with Movistar coverage) is much better, and they have more 3.5G coverage.

Hope this helps! Just ask here if you have any more questions.

Passport can substitute NIE document
 

Simyo will accept a passport number as an alternative to the spanish NIE number.

https://www.simyo.es/simyo/portal/st.../customer-info

Well spotted. Yes, that is often the case out here! You just have to make sure you can show that passport when your SIM is delivered.

Do you know about Yoigo prepaid? It is possible to buy on air port (el prat) or on other places in barcelona?

Internet access is very needed for me in my stay in Barcelona.

Maybe someone can buy for me this card (yoigo or simyo) and can send to Poland ASAP? I will be in spain in 20.06 - 25.06

Yes you can buy Yoigo in a few shops in Barcelona and elsewhere in Spain including The Phone House

i can buy only simcard without modem? im correct?

Sure you can. Both for Simyo and Yoigo. After all most people are still using these for voice and not data. I mentioned the price of the Simyo SIM above, and the Yoigo SIM costs 20 euros and includes 20 euros of credit.

but Simyo i cannot buy onlilne - they dont ship aboard and you meintoined that there is no shops distributors of simyo :( the only option for me is Yoigo i think.

Almost right but Simyo you can ONLY buy online! (as far as I know at least). However, yes you are right with the rest. They will not send it abroad etc.

Yoigo maybe a good option for you. It is only 1.20 per day for internet access. The days you do not need it (e.g. if you have wifi in your hotel/appartment) you do not need to pay!

im in barcelona now :)

i bounght succesfully Yoigo SIM and is UP and RUNNING but was going to yoigo website and internet rules changed if i understood correctly:

Yoigo - Internet para llevar. Accede a internet en un ordenador desde donde quieras.

now 3eur/day/100mb of data... 1,20 eur/day gone ;(

i understand correctly?

Yes, the new price is € 3 per day and bandwidth will be reduced to 64 KBit/s after exceeding 100MB of volume.

Is it goodbye to Yoigo for Data?
 

:eek:That seems like a lot of dough! :chair:
I use Yoigo when in Spain, but as I was never impressed with their 3G speeds, :nono: my phone is set to GSM only, (also easier on battery, I think) I don't carry a laptop/netbook.

Has someone tried this, using full internet on phone set to GSM only, not Yoigo portal, and seeing what their daily charge is.

My daily data would be small, especially with Operamini, Google Reader, Gmail, and a Java app that send SMS home over the 'net. Thats about it. If it's €3 a day for that then it's goodbye Yoigo for data. See if I can get a MÁS Movil SIM.

hi can somene check in regulations if this 100mb of data is from 00:00 or 24h round? I have very sloow connection this morning. I was using yoigo yesterday and was fine.

Yes, the billing period starts at 0:00 h and ends at 23:59 h.

source: Yoigo - Ayuda sobre los productos y los servicios de Yoigo.

Looks like the day runs from 00.00 to 24.00, (on the mainland, on the Canaries it runs from 23.00 to 23.00, ios how I translate that) So starting at 23.00 it's €3 for the hour to 24.00

Right this new tariff came in on 6th May 09 and as I was in Spain in June, seems like this €3 is for newer cards, as I didn't pay this daily. :clap: In Ireland as far as I know these Data cards don't allow Voice,
but it seems this Yoigo one does.:confused:

Strange... i have billed for internet only 1,2o eur for first connection after that nothing. But connection speed is VEEEEERRRRYYYY SLLLOWWWW (64kbit)

I was trying to call yoigo support but i dont know spanish. One of consultants told me that english speaking peoples will be avaiable on monday after 9am.

Maybe i have wrong tariff activated or so?

Maybe someone in spain can read the rules or other infos - maybe i need to activate something?

Card is brand new - buyed yesterday at phonehouse in barcelona - send data 2,94mb recieved data 22,87mb from yesterday.

Its very annoying. I need to send on the evening few reports to my company (abount 10mbytes) check mails and so on :(

Yesterday at 9pm was working good.

Offtopis: strange - when im calling to poland my friend see +32622.... not spanish country +34....

Yes, this is a new rate, but the old one still applies too! I think there is some major confusion going on here and I will try to clarify.

Yoigo's rates are still €1.20 per day as has always been the case! If you look at Navegar con tu movil you will see that normal browsing through a mobile (which also works if the mobile is connected to a PC or you are using a plug in Modem) is still €1.20 per day, BUT this form of access is throttled to 384kbps even if you are in a 3.5G area (as is my case). On that tarrif there is no mention that your speed will be further throttled if you exceed 100MB/day, but in my experience (and in the experience of several others), your speed does get severely throttled but even after around 50MB of usage. (I do not know to what speed). Incidentally a "day" is a physical day, and a new day always starts at midnight. If you go online at 23:00 and come off at 1AM, you are likely to get charged €2.40.

It is the higher speed HSDPA access which they call "Internat para llevar" which is charged at €3 per day on a prepaid card. See: Yoigo - Internet para llevar.. To be on this tarriff, I think you need to request something. I do not know though, as I am definately still on the base 384kbps tariff, even though I have recently used it to connect through my laptop. (with Phone acting as Modem connected via Bluetooth)

Also note that on all Yoigo tariffs, if they detect P2P or VOIP traffic, your speed will get automatically throttled to something painfully slow. They simply do not allow this and they just love giving out punishments for offenders. :)

All said... this is why I am in the transition to Simyo which so far I am very happy with!

thanks for your reply. The speed is 64kbits all the time. Can you call yoigo support if i need to change tariff and what do it? Im very confused. I dont use p2p and voip either.

update: after midnight speed back to 38kbytes/sec :) now downloaded about 50mb of data in two sessions and looks ok. We will see...

People keep saying you can only buy the Simyo card online but here:

https://www.fring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14489

Someone mentions:

"Check Telefonía móvil sin ataduras, tarifas bajas, móviles libres e internet móvil, they use the Orange Network and have great phone and internet rates. You can order a SIM or buy it in one of the authorised stores (not many). You will find a list with google-maps links on their site"

And indeed on their website there appears to be a link to a map of retailers:

Liberadores simyoC/ La Moraña 7 - Google Maps

That is good news. Not many shops but not too few either. Does this solve the problem guy from Germany who had asked someone here to help him out in buying a SIM. Hope so!

Just to follow up on this thread. I have been using Simyo for about 10 days now, and the cap at €5.80 (including IVA) does kick in. Also you can conveniently check how much data you are using on their website, though you need to copy and paste into excel to work out the total.

Someone I know has a contract with Simyo and he mentioned that the billing does not mention the data useage, and bills beyond €5.80, but this is then adjusted on the last day of the month with a credit. I think the prepaid option is better in any case.

sorry but your information is NOT true. these are only shops who are experts in unlock handys!! they do not sell any simyo prepaid cards for sure. so my problem is not solved:(

i confirm what is saying hoechsterbomber - i was in two shops from this page (near espanya metro and metro glories ) they dont have simyo cards :(

Yoigo works very very very bad! Today i have the same problem as few days ago! Speed is about 3kbytes/sec! That was on 0.30 and its now (12.30) - im trying to call yoigo support but they said that dont speak english and connect me to proper department and im waiting about 45 minutes and nobody answered... i tryide again - wait 55 minutes... no answer too! im very dissapointed.

Maybe someone who is speaking Spanish and have Yoigo can call for me to yoigo support and ask what is the prboblem? Im in Barcelona now. The yoigo number is 622 312236. Please help me if you can!

The problem surely is network congestion and even if you reached an English-speaking customer care agent, they wouldn't be able of changing anything. Also I think they are quite aware of that problem, as network operators have automatic monitoring tools for network load.
Are you using 3G or GSM right now? If you are using 3G you could try switching to GSM by changing the network mode in your phone. That helps sometimes at least here in Germany on the congested eplus network, as the GSM network is often less used for data than 3G.

sure I could call but I think you need to get onto the highspeed tariff. You should be able to do this at any brawnch of "the phone house". You may need to get a new Sim.

Looks like you are in Barcelona for a while. Can you not get a Simyo delivered to your hotel? They normally deliver these on the next day.

just to reiterate... I am fairly certain Yoigo are severely throttling speed on the 1.20 tarriff to encourage people to move to the newer 3 rate

petkow: please try call and ask them what i need to do? Im in barcelona till friday so the ordering simyo dont have a sense. I didnt knew if they deliver to the hotel ;( please ask on the customer care about tarrife change - if it is possible i can go to phone house ...

inquisitor: i was trying: Yoigo (3G), Yoigo GSM - not able to make GPRS connection, Movistar (3G) and Movistar (GSM) all the same results it looks like throttling bandwidth... now its less than 3kbytes... im so worried about.

If they really throttle to 24 KBit/s to encourage people changing tariffs, they're idiots. Who the hell will realize that low speed comes from throttling? Most people will blame network quality for that low speed and rather switch providers.

Perhaps... But they have been known to do some weird stuff like the speed restriction that comes on after they decide you are somehow abusing the system. Bottom line is I have never got anything remotely close to the stated speeds anyhow

@seal. I am sure there is something on their website about how to get onto new data tarrif. I cannot browse that very well right now as I am on my mobile. I will try check later or give them a call when I get a chance. I do not have my Yoigo Sim with me right now. I only suggested phone house as they are official resellers of yoigo. I am sure they can help. Also consider checking some other Yoigo blogs or forums and using google translate if they are in spanish. As inquisitor pointed out above calling them to complain about speed will be little use.

i catched up englis speaking agent after many many calls. And he told me that tarif with 1,2eur/day is only for mobile use not computers. If they suspect they throttle bandwidth. For computer is new tarif 3eur/day/100m. Very disapointing! He didnt know if i change tarif. Advised me to buy new sim with proper tarif. :/