(and what is the best Spanish mobile package?)
We are not known for living on the cutting edge of technology in our house. I can send and receive text messages, check my email, use twitter and that’s about it.
One thing however is that when I do need my phone, I must be sure it’s going to work. Too many of the mobile phone companies here in Spain offer a standard of service that is just not good enough. We´ve found one courtesy of Media Markt in the La Zenia Boulevard which might be the answer to all of our problems.
So, I recently switched from Yoigo. These guys are cheap, I mean really cheap and the coverage is fine – Maybe I lose reception every now and then on the Cabo Roig to La Zenia beach walk but in general, it was fine except….. I didn’t get all of my text messages. Seriously I had clients text me and it appeared on their devices that the message had been sent yet I never got the message. When we tell all our Spanish property buyers how good our customer care is and I then totally ignore the message I´ve received, then this is not good. I complained to the company and then denied this was the case – why would I make it up? So, I had to switch and I went back the biggest phone company in Spain, Movistar. This was a disaster.
I signed up for a special offer with Wifi at home, Movistar TV (La Liga, movies etc) plus two mobile phones for my wife and I. After ten days, my mobile Internet service stopped working – It just stopped. When I called Movistar and waiting 20 minutes to speak to a “customer service” person, they told me I had used my 2 GB of Internet and therefore they cut me off. For a further 20 euro, paid in advance, they reconnect me. My wife had not used any of her data but I was not allowed to use this.
Next day, I tried calling a client in Ireland and the recorded voice told me that I was prohibited in making this call. Needless to say, this was a touch frustrating. All international text messages were next to go. After 6 calls to the company, averaging 20 minutes each, they said because I had ran up an extraordinary bill I had restricted access for the next 3 months!!!
My bill was standing at 87 euro by the way – hardly bank breaking stuff.
So, I went to Media Markt in La Zenia here and spoke to a very friendly girl, Desiree, who said she could switch me to Vodafone with no penalty for cancelling Movistar and it would be seamless. Well it was – This is week no 2 of my new provider and I´m impressed with the customer care – Vodafone called to see if everything was OK and I have my own personal customer care assistant.
My reception is fine, even though we now live in Cabo roig when traditionally the signal is not that strong. I´m paying 59 euro per month and in return I get:
8 GB internet. If I go over this, they charge me 2 euro per 200 MB.
4G navigation
25 GB of backup courtesy of Dropbox
Voicemail
A second Sim card.
1,000 min of roaming calls. (I love it)
1GB of roaming data.
100 mins of international calls.
And a little bonus 2 years free Napster subscription- No more Apple music for me!!!
So there you have it, it appears that VodaFone is the company to be with right now, at least they´ve been great to deal with so far.
You can find the details on www.vodafone.es and Desiree in the La Zenia Boulevard speaks perfect English if you want to do it in person.
