When I arrived to Spain a neighbor helped me to purchase a SIM card for my old Blackberry 8100. It just so happens that her brother owned a mobile phone shop! Now since my phone wasn’t unlocked her charged 10€ for that process. Then we decided on what company to use for the new sim card ( I only need to buy a SIM card since I already had the phone). I explained to him that I would only be using the phone to call and SMS text in Spain. And I didn’t need a “datos” plan for internet since my phone is kinda old 🙁

We decided on using pay as you go (prepago in Spanish) with a company called DIGI mobile. For  5€ the plan offered 200 minutes for talk time and 50 SMS text messages. And for 10€ the plan offered 400 minutes for talk time and 100 SMS text messages. What they failed to tell me (or mention in the fine print) was that the SMS could only be used with DIGI customers. That would be fine if many people used this company.

So fast forward to 2 months later after purchasing the SIM and then having to move to a new city I was faced with a BIG problem. 

NO ONE IN THE NEW TOWN recharged (Recarga) DIGI cards. So I couldn’t make phone calls or text, only receive calls.

Now I currently use JAZZTEL for internet and they had a deal to receive “internet, home phone AND a SIM card for your mobile.

Problem number 2, I wanted to keep the same number from my DIGI SIM card but Jazztel doesn’t work with this company. So they were not able to switch over the number. However the customer service representative suggested changing over to Orange, Vodaphone or Movistar then they could perform the switch from the “new SIM card”.

* I should add the Jazztel’s customer service is horrendous! They claim that they have representatives that can speak other languages (I asked for English) but that is a lie. I had to have one of the teachers at my school help with this change. AND there were tons of problems with lead to the process taking 8 days.  Orange on the other hand has awesome customer service (on the phone the shop attendants in this town were quite rude…to me anyway…and I spoke in Spanish) and English speaking representatives if you need to call in with a problem!*

Now I will show you the exact process I used to order my pre pay SIM card online with Orange. For my plan I chose the cheapest one, Ardilla 1, since I was changing over to Jazztel in the end.

*click on the pictures to make them bigger for more details!

Step 1: Go to the spanish website

Step 2: Click on “Particulares”

Step 3: Click on movil then “tariffs”

Step 4: Click on tarjeta (Click  the pictures for more instructions)

Step 5: Select a plan

( I selected the cheapest plan with Adrilla, choose based on your needs)

Step 6: Once you select the plan this screen will pop up. Click on the picture for more details!

Step 7: Select “other operator” under “Soy de tarjeta” since we don’t want a contract, just the SIM card.

Step 8: The prepay plans will show up again in more detail.

Step 9: Select the picture with the SIM card if you only want the SIM and already have a phone!

 

Step 10: The total for the SIM (actually the SIM is free but you will get a card with 10 euros to top-up your SIM)

Step 11: 

Step 11a: Opted to pick up the card in the nearest store. This cost an extra 2 euros.

Step 12: Don’t understand everything? Use Google translate!

Step 13: The next screen will allow you fill out your “datos” or personal information for the order and to choose your city.

***fyi:  The United States or Los Estados Unidos is listed as EEUN

Then: Choose the store location (if you opt to pick it up in store). 

 

 

And “yasta”! <—–finished! I skipped some pictures because it was repetitive and I didn’t want to overwhelm anyone! But the process is fairly simple. 

If you have any questions leave them in the comments below!

UPDATE: Switching my phone to Jazztel was the worst decision ever! Don’t do it if you use a Blackberry!!!!