Getting a Spanish Mobile Phone and Internet: Best Providers for Expats

The Spanish Telecoms Market: Overview

Spain has a competitive telecommunications market with excellent infrastructure, particularly in urban and coastal areas. Fibre broadband coverage is among the best in Europe, with over 80% of Spanish households having access to fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) connections — far ahead of the UK's patchy fibre rollout.

For mobile coverage, Spain's 4G network covers over 99% of the population, and 5G is expanding rapidly in cities and major towns along the coast. The Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, and the Balearic and Canary Islands all have excellent mobile coverage.

Prices are generally lower than the UK, especially for mobile data. You can get a perfectly good mobile plan with unlimited calls and 20-50 GB of data for €10-€20 per month, and fibre broadband for €30-€40 per month. Combined packages (known as convergentes) offering mobile, fibre, and sometimes TV are the most cost-effective option.

Major Operators: The Big Four

Movistar (Telefonica)

The incumbent and largest operator, Movistar is the Spanish equivalent of BT. They own the main fibre network that many other providers resell. Coverage is excellent everywhere, including rural areas. Customer service is available in Spanish (English is limited). Movistar is generally the most expensive option but also the most reliable.

• Fibre broadband: from €35/month for 300 Mbps to €55/month for 1 Gbps
• Mobile only: from €20/month for 15 GB to €35/month for unlimited data
• Convergent packages (fibre + mobile): from €45/month
• Best for: Reliability, widest coverage in rural areas, premium TV content (they carry La Liga football)

Vodafone Spain

The second-largest operator with its own fibre and mobile network. Vodafone Spain offers competitive pricing and reasonable English-language support. Their fibre network is extensive in urban areas but patchy in rural locations where they use the Movistar wholesale network.

• Fibre broadband: from €30/month for 300 Mbps to €50/month for 1 Gbps
• Mobile only: from €15/month for 10 GB to €30/month for unlimited data
• Convergent packages: from €40/month
• Best for: Expats who want a recognisable brand with some English support

Orange Spain

The third major player, Orange has invested heavily in its own fibre network and offers competitive pricing. They frequently have promotional offers for new customers. Orange also owns the budget brand Simyo and the Jazztel brand.

• Fibre broadband: from €28/month for 300 Mbps to €45/month for 1 Gbps
• Mobile only: from €12/month for 10 GB to €25/month for 100 GB
• Convergent packages: from €35/month
• Best for: Good balance of price and quality, strong fibre network in coastal areas

MasMovil Group (Yoigo)

MasMovil has grown aggressively through acquisitions and now owns Yoigo, Pepephone, and LlamaYa. They offer competitive pricing and have access to both their own network and wholesale agreements with the other operators. The Yoigo brand is their main consumer offering.

• Fibre broadband: from €25/month for 300 Mbps to €40/month for 1 Gbps
• Mobile only: from €10/month for 10 GB to €25/month for unlimited data
• Convergent packages: from €30/month
• Best for: Budget-conscious consumers who still want decent quality

Budget MVNOs: Best Value Options

Spain has a thriving MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) market with operators that use the big four's networks but offer much lower prices. These are worth considering if you want to keep costs down.

Digi

A Romanian-owned operator that has taken the Spanish market by storm with extremely low prices. Digi uses the Movistar network for its fibre and has its own mobile network supplemented by Movistar roaming. Plans are astonishingly cheap — €3/month for basic mobile, €15/month for 100 GB data, and fibre broadband from €20/month for 300 Mbps.

The catch: customer service is limited and mostly in Spanish or Romanian. Installation can take longer. Coverage in very rural areas may be weaker. But for sheer value, Digi is hard to beat.

Simyo (owned by Orange)

Online-only MVNO using the Orange network. Plans from €5/month for 5 GB to €15/month for 50 GB. Simple, transparent pricing with no contracts. Everything is managed through their app. Good option for a straightforward mobile SIM without the complexity of convergent packages.

Lowi (owned by Vodafone)

Vodafone's budget brand offering fibre and mobile packages. Fibre from €25/month, mobile from €7/month. Uses the Vodafone network so coverage is good. No physical shops — everything online or by phone.

Pepephone (owned by MasMovil)

Popular budget MVNO known for transparent pricing and good customer service (rated best in Spain by the OCU consumer organisation multiple years running). Mobile from €7/month for 10 GB. They also offer fibre broadband packages. Excellent reputation for honesty and no hidden charges.

Contract vs Prepaid SIM

When you first arrive in Spain, getting a prepaid (prepago) SIM is the easiest option. You can walk into any phone shop, supermarket, or even a tobacco shop and buy a SIM for €10-€20 including some credit. You will need to show your passport or NIE for registration (Spanish law requires identity verification for all SIM purchases).

Popular prepaid options include:

• Vodafone prepaid: €10 for 4 GB and unlimited Spanish calls for 28 days
• Orange Go prepaid: €10 for 5 GB and unlimited calls for 28 days
• Digi prepaid: €10 for 20 GB and unlimited calls for 28 days

For a contract (contrato), you typically need your NIE or TIE card, a Spanish bank account for direct debit payments, and proof of address. Some operators accept foreign passports and non-Spanish bank accounts, but this varies. Contracts usually run month-to-month with no long-term commitment (the days of 18-month contracts with expensive handsets are largely over in Spain), though some promotional prices require a minimum 3 or 12-month commitment.

Fibre Broadband: What to Expect

If you are in an urban area or a developed coastal town, you will almost certainly have access to fibre broadband with speeds of 300 Mbps to 1 Gbps. This is genuine fibre-to-the-home (FTTH), not the part-fibre, part-copper connections common in the UK.

Installation typically takes 1-2 weeks from signing up. A technician will come to install the fibre terminal in your property (if one is not already present) and set up the router. Installation is usually free or included in the first month's charge.

Choosing Your Speed

• 100-300 Mbps: Perfectly adequate for a couple streaming Netflix, browsing, and working from home. The cheapest option at €20-€30/month
• 500 Mbps: Good for families with multiple devices, gaming, and 4K streaming. Mid-range at €30-€40/month
• 1 Gbps: Overkill for most households but nice to have. Premium at €35-€55/month

In practice, most expats find that 300 Mbps is more than sufficient. The difference between 300 Mbps and 1 Gbps is negligible for everyday use.

Rural and Inland Connectivity

If your property is in a rural area, a finca in the countryside, or a small inland village, fibre broadband may not be available. In these cases, your options are:

• 4G/5G home broadband: Several operators offer mobile broadband routers for home use. Speeds of 30-100 Mbps are typical. Cost: €25-€40/month for 100-300 GB. This is the most popular alternative to fibre in rural Spain
• Satellite broadband: Starlink is available in Spain and offers 50-200 Mbps speeds anywhere with a view of the sky. Cost: approximately €40/month plus €349 for the dish. This is the best option for truly remote properties
• WiMAX/fixed wireless: Local wireless internet providers operate in some rural areas, offering 10-50 Mbps. Quality varies greatly — ask neighbours for recommendations

Keeping Your UK Number

Many expats want to keep their UK mobile number for banking, two-factor authentication, and family contacts. Here are your options:

Dual SIM Phone

Most modern smartphones support dual SIM (either two physical SIMs or one physical and one eSIM). Keep your UK SIM in the second slot on a minimal UK plan (giffgaff at £6/month or Smarty at £4/month are popular choices). Use it for receiving UK calls and texts. Use your Spanish SIM as your primary line for daily use and data.

WiFi Calling

If your UK operator supports WiFi calling (most do now, including EE, Vodafone UK, Three, and O2), you can make and receive calls on your UK number over WiFi even when in Spain. This does not use roaming and is treated as a UK call. Keep your UK SIM in a dual-SIM phone or an old phone connected to WiFi.

Port Your UK Number to a VoIP Service

For a more permanent solution, you can port your UK number to a VoIP service like Andrews & Arnold or use an app-based service. This means your UK number lives in the cloud and you can receive calls and texts through an app on your phone. You no longer need a physical UK SIM at all.

Practical Tips for Expats

• Do not sign up immediately: Use a prepaid SIM for your first month while you research the best deals and check which provider has the strongest signal at your specific property
• Check coverage at your address: All operators have coverage maps on their websites. Also ask your neighbours which provider they use and whether they are happy with the service
• Negotiate: Spanish telecoms pricing is more flexible than you might expect. If you threaten to leave, the retention department often offers significant discounts. Promotional prices for new customers are usually valid for 12 months, after which the price increases — call to renegotiate or switch provider
• Watch for price increases: All operators reserve the right to increase prices with 30 days notice. If they do, you have the right to cancel without penalty, even if you are in a promotional period
• Get everything in writing: Whatever deal you are offered by phone, ask them to email you confirmation of the exact terms and pricing before you agree

Overall, the Spanish telecoms market offers excellent value and quality compared to the UK. Fibre broadband is faster and cheaper, mobile data is more generous, and the range of budget operators means there is an option for every budget. Getting connected in Spain is one of the easier parts of the expat transition.