Updated Spain iphone/ipad data packages?
 

Hi,

Traveling to Spain in about a month, for ~12 days.
Will be using a 3GS iPhone and/or iPad2 (most likely the iPad, which requires a microsim).
Will be in the Barcelona/Costa Brava/Spanish Pyrenees area.
What are the most updated data packages applicable?
Are there any registration procedures?
How long until the SIM card will be activated?
Any recommended provider concerning 3G coverage?
Thanks.

I have almost the same timing and itinerary, and question (weird), so I'm replying to subscribe to this thread...

I used MásMovil in Spain, which is probably not the best choice from the tariffs point of view (they have a minimum charge of €1 each month, for example).
But I can tell you something about the registration procedure: it is strictly necessary (by law), although sim cards bought from unofficial vendors can be used for a limited time (I thought 1-2 days, correct me if I'm wrong) in which you are supposed to register your sim card by posting the registration form to MásMovil. I bought my card from an official MásMovil dealer and it was activated within 15 minutes. No need for an address/social security number in Spain.

In my research I've found Carrefour - they seem to offer a good deal for my and the OP's needs. Can you give any feedback on this?

Spain - carrefour - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access

Here is the plan that interests me:
"A 'bono 3GB' add on is also available:
29 Euro for 30 days, 3GB at full 3G speed, thereafter speed is reduced to 128k
Make sure that you have enough balance on your SIM card (at least 35 Euro).
Enable the plan by sending SMS to 22864 with the text ALTA BONO 3GB
Check the amount of data you have used by sending BONO 3GB to 22864 (5 free SMS per month)"

Nothing? :(

The bono 3G plan seems useful, especially since I'll have my iPad 2, which gobbles up data.

But still I'd love to see a comparison chart, as in the Greece, Italy and France forums.

Seems like that's not going to happen. I've posted on about 5 forums and gotten literally zero information.

We are arriving in Spain on the 24th. When are you arriving? My email is cameronjpu at hotmail - I will certainly update you if we are there before you with what we found, will you do the same?

I've spent the last few hours browsing the various providers' web sites, trying to make some sense of the various plans.

I'm preparing an excel chart with the info.

We'll be there only next month (July 20th), arriving Barcelona airport and immediately traveling north (we'll stay in Barcelona only at the end).

So for me it's critical to locate stores on the way, where I'd be able to purchase the microsim card.

I expect that at the airport there would be a Vodafone or Orange shop, but they don't seem to be the best options, according to various posts I've read today.

I plan to complete the chart within the next few days, and I'll certainly share (that's the purpose of this site, after all, and I've received lots of help here in my previous trips).

cameronjpu, pls check your hotmail.

Ah darn, so it looks like you'll be benefiting from my experience, not the other way around ;) Oh well! It's too bad Barcelona is at the beginning of our trip rather than the end, otherwise I could leave you my SIM! You're coming from Israel, not the USA, right?

I'll be interested in seeing your spreadsheet. Unfortunately what I have found is a lot of conflicting, out of date, bad information mixed in with the rest, so you never know until you are in Spain, how it will actually work out.

I didnt get anything to my hotmail account though. Let me check my spam... Ah there it is. Thanks! I'll read when I can later today.

Maybe our best bet is to somehow track down travelers going to spain before us (before you, at least) who can tell us their experiences. People who have already finished a trip spend a lot less time on forums talking about it ;)