Mobile phone options

Hi Rob

I use my UK Tesco mobile for use here and thankfully still has its Home to Home service in use after Brexit. We usually stay 3months except last year much longer due to ferry cancellations and they never once stopped me using it, so try your own UK provider and see if they too sti offer free roaming first. 10, yrs ago before free roaming I purchased a Hits sim in Spain (website is excellent and you can if needed top up online) and still use it as we have a house alarm with a Hits sim in too so if necessary the alarm phones my mobile sim if alerted. See if there's a Hits agent in Torrevieja (website) and purchase there or I have seen Lobster also recommended. Hits uses Vodaphone so check area signal strength in area you are going to be but should think Torrevieja will have ample signal. 

Regards 

Pauline 

Hi Rob - we use the same as Pauline, UK Tesco as a lot of ID is tied to the number plus Lobster locally for SIP etc, not had any roaming charges. We tend to use on-net WhatsApp a lot for fam. No questions being asked at the UK end and have been here a year.

Hope this helps.

Dave 'n Jules

I have kept my UK number but moved to Lebara to keep all my ID things.  I also have a Lobster sim for my spanish number.  Good thing about Lobster is you can park your number when you are back in the UK and not have to pay for it.  

One thing to think about is that some of the UK mobile companies are going to start charging for data roaming from January 2022.

Thanks to Dave & Jules, Pauline, JanetW67 and others ....

Wow!  That is a great reply. More helpful than you know.

Lobster does look like a good option

I use Virgin Mobile which piggy-backs on 02.  But a Tesco sym, PAYG may be an option also.

Very helpful. Thanks.

Hi

I’ve used my 3 mobile since moving to live in France in 2012, I’ve benefited from a tariff where I pay as I go, but it’s been collected in arrears by direct debit.

Unfortunately they’ve now caught up with me as I am breaching their fair usage policy of not using the phone abroad for more than two months at a time, and my service will be discontinued on the 17th of this month.  I believe this is a policy shared by all UK providers, and that post Brexit all those of us using UK phones will be affected.

Having researched, it seems that an orange payg sim is the most economical way forward.  My husband has had one of these since coming to Spain in 2018, he puts 10€ credit on about every six months.  Most of our phone usage is on the home WiFi and I suspect this is now true for the majority of people, so a contract which has a monthly charge is unnecessary.

I also have an Orange PAYG for about 10 years now, and only need to buy 5€ of credit every 6 months to keep my number. As you say, you can use your phone through the home wifi for free.

For info,

I bought my new sim today.  My husband needs only 5€ as does Mellor7, and that just gives calls and sms, and needs renewing every six months.  Orange notified him that the six months was up.

For myself I’ve bought a sim which also allows roaming and internet at a cost of minimum 10€/month, which seems to compare well with the other operators.  It’s useful to have the internet option for when the family calls when we’re out and about.  
The sim can also be used in UK for about two months.

On the news today 3 is joining EE and vodafone in introducing £2 daily roaming charges, despite earlier assurances they had no plans to do this.

I too have been told by 3 that my service will end on 19th due to "unfair usage". I wonder if they will "unfairly charge" me until the date my contract would have ended?

I use Labara and for €20 per 28 days, I also get 20Gb of data (my home wifi is only 10Gb). Anything I do not use is rolled over to the following month. Recemption is very good (I live out in the sticks)

Thank you @Ampstar - that is helpful and I shall investigate