Exploring spanish 'prepaygo' mobile internet - Page 2

9eor9 · 16-07-2009, 13:02

There is a monthly minimum spend of €2,00 on these blau.es SIMs.
But, my question:

Is the BimGo an option of any blau.es SIM or are there different SIMs?
As I can only guess what's written in Spanish, could some body please explain how to book the BimGo service, and please add the APN settings for my USB modem stick?
Is there an expiry date also if the monthly fee/minimum spend can be settled from the balance?

Thanks a lot!

petkow · 16-07-2009, 13:42

I will try find out. I actually had similar questions but the info on the site is quite limited. I think it will be best to call them.

I presume apn is gprs-service.com username and password are blank. BIM is definately issued as a different sim as data rates are different and also voice and sms services are disabled as far as I know.

One big issue that others flag up is that on BIM, even though it is called unlimited, after 1GB, speeds are throttled to a ridiculous and practically unusable 32kbps!!!

Billbo · 16-07-2009, 14:14

I really am so grateful for this info Petkow. I've done some more research and the data rate on the regular Blau sim is only 0.19 Euro a megabyte, which compares well to the £1.50 I'd pay with T-mobile (UK) on roaming.

As I only need data in Spain while on holiday for checking email away from the hotel, I think I will get a regular blau sim for 5 Euros, which will equal 80mb of data. This should be enough for occasional web browsing and email for a week on my mobile.

Because you get 15 Euros credit when buying the 5 Euro sim, I might try and get three sims, so will have two spare for future holidays or if I use up the credit on the first. Is it likely to be a problem buying three sims, or will they limit it to 1 sim per customer do you think?

Edit: I've done some more translating and realised you don't get 15 euros credit automatically, only 5. Then you get an extra 5 if you register on the blau.es website and another 5 if you credit 20 euros twice. So maybe not so good after all.

petkow · 16-07-2009, 18:01

As pointed out above the 2 euro per month min spend is a bit of a show stopper for occasional use. Unless of course you just pick up a new SIM everytime you come and let the old one die. They are easy enough to buy. I think you can actually "disactivate" them online. You can with Simyo at least and I notice that all the KPN MVNOs run the same website "engine".

Yoigo need to catch up. I am sure they are losing a lot of customers lately. They shouldn't have stopped tariffa 2 which didn't have the monthly minimum spend.

petkow · 17-07-2009, 09:01

Small update on BIMGo. I still haven't been able to call them yet, but from what I understand from Blau lanza BIMgo, su tarifa plana de Internet móvil it really is a type of prepaid monthly internet plan. If you want to keep using it after a months useage, you just need to make sure you have the 21,50 in your prepaid account on the first day of the following month for them to debit. If it is not there, it will not work. Simple as that.

I'm still no wiser how you set one of these up. I presume any normal Blau SIM can be 'converted' to this tariff by calling customer services. Since it is prepaid, you just need to keep it topped up.

Also, in reply to the question above about APN: See: blau - Preguntas frecuentes

Billbo · 19-07-2009, 17:05

Will it be illegal for a spanish resident to buy a simyo sim and post it on? I was going to ask someone to do this but don't want them or me to be doing anything illegal.

a-mac · 19-07-2009, 17:54

This was my question to petkow on page 1 of this thread.

< Why does the SIMYO SIM have to be tied specifically to me anyway? Surely as a prepaid option, there is no financial risk to the providers so why this Spanish domicile thing, and ID, etc? >

This was the reply:

< This is the same with any Spanish prepaid SIM now. It is not a case of financial risk to the company. It is a government stipulation. Quite a number of countries now require SIM cards to have a registered owner. One of the specific reasons here in Spain is its problems with terrorism. For example the bombs placed on backpacks on the Madrid trains were detonated via mobile phones and prepaid SIM cards. This is why it is generally also not a good idea to buy Spanish SIM cards in your name for other people, as you never know where those SIM cards might end up. A number of people here have asked me to do this in the past, and I do not want to offend anyone, but simply put it is contravening a Spanish anti-terrorism law. >

So you're probably not going to get any volunteers to get your SIM for you Billbo!

Billbo · 19-07-2009, 18:21

Ahh I see, that's fair enough. I guess I'll have to make do with a Yoigo or Blau sim. Or buy a house in Spain.

petkow · 22-07-2009, 14:08

I might have been wrong about something. As with SIM card in other parts of the world, it appears you can buy the Simyo SIM in somebodys name and then change these details later. I don´t know if that info helps anyone though! I suspect Billbo might be able to get his friend to buy one after all, as long as you change the details later.

Unfortunately I missed the 1 euro special though, as I was going to buy a few more. The current offer is 10 euros for 10 euros worth of credit, though this time with free postage.

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	(#11)
9eor9 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 223 Join Date: 10 Apr 2009 Country:	16-07-2009, 13:02 There is a monthly minimum spend of €2,00 on these blau.es SIMs. But, my question: Is the BimGo an option of any blau.es SIM or are there different SIMs? As I can only guess what's written in Spanish, could some body please explain how to book the BimGo service, and please add the APN settings for my USB modem stick? Is there an expiry date also if the monthly fee/minimum spend can be settled from the balance? Thanks a lot!

	(#12)
petkow (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 696 Join Date: 01 Aug 2006 Location: Madrid Country:	16-07-2009, 13:42 I will try find out. I actually had similar questions but the info on the site is quite limited. I think it will be best to call them. I presume apn is gprs-service.com username and password are blank. BIM is definately issued as a different sim as data rates are different and also voice and sms services are disabled as far as I know. One big issue that others flag up is that on BIM, even though it is called unlimited, after 1GB, speeds are throttled to a ridiculous and practically unusable 32kbps!!!

	(#13)
Billbo (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 12 Join Date: 18 Jun 2009 Country:	16-07-2009, 14:14 I really am so grateful for this info Petkow. I've done some more research and the data rate on the regular Blau sim is only 0.19 Euro a megabyte, which compares well to the £1.50 I'd pay with T-mobile (UK) on roaming. As I only need data in Spain while on holiday for checking email away from the hotel, I think I will get a regular blau sim for 5 Euros, which will equal 80mb of data. This should be enough for occasional web browsing and email for a week on my mobile. Because you get 15 Euros credit when buying the 5 Euro sim, I might try and get three sims, so will have two spare for future holidays or if I use up the credit on the first. Is it likely to be a problem buying three sims, or will they limit it to 1 sim per customer do you think? Edit: I've done some more translating and realised you don't get 15 euros credit automatically, only 5. Then you get an extra 5 if you register on the blau.es website and another 5 if you credit 20 euros twice. So maybe not so good after all.

	(#14)
petkow (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 696 Join Date: 01 Aug 2006 Location: Madrid Country:	16-07-2009, 18:01 As pointed out above the 2 euro per month min spend is a bit of a show stopper for occasional use. Unless of course you just pick up a new SIM everytime you come and let the old one die. They are easy enough to buy. I think you can actually "disactivate" them online. You can with Simyo at least and I notice that all the KPN MVNOs run the same website "engine". Yoigo need to catch up. I am sure they are losing a lot of customers lately. They shouldn't have stopped tariffa 2 which didn't have the monthly minimum spend.

	(#15)
petkow (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 696 Join Date: 01 Aug 2006 Location: Madrid Country:	17-07-2009, 09:01 Small update on BIMGo. I still haven't been able to call them yet, but from what I understand from Blau lanza BIMgo, su tarifa plana de Internet móvil it really is a type of prepaid monthly internet plan. If you want to keep using it after a months useage, you just need to make sure you have the 21,50 in your prepaid account on the first day of the following month for them to debit. If it is not there, it will not work. Simple as that. I'm still no wiser how you set one of these up. I presume any normal Blau SIM can be 'converted' to this tariff by calling customer services. Since it is prepaid, you just need to keep it topped up. Also, in reply to the question above about APN: See: blau - Preguntas frecuentes

	(#16)
Billbo (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 12 Join Date: 18 Jun 2009 Country:	19-07-2009, 17:05 Will it be illegal for a spanish resident to buy a simyo sim and post it on? I was going to ask someone to do this but don't want them or me to be doing anything illegal.

	(#17)
a-mac (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 14 Join Date: 03 Jun 2009 Country:	19-07-2009, 17:54 This was my question to petkow on page 1 of this thread. < Why does the SIMYO SIM have to be tied specifically to me anyway? Surely as a prepaid option, there is no financial risk to the providers so why this Spanish domicile thing, and ID, etc? > This was the reply: < This is the same with any Spanish prepaid SIM now. It is not a case of financial risk to the company. It is a government stipulation. Quite a number of countries now require SIM cards to have a registered owner. One of the specific reasons here in Spain is its problems with terrorism. For example the bombs placed on backpacks on the Madrid trains were detonated via mobile phones and prepaid SIM cards. This is why it is generally also not a good idea to buy Spanish SIM cards in your name for other people, as you never know where those SIM cards might end up. A number of people here have asked me to do this in the past, and I do not want to offend anyone, but simply put it is contravening a Spanish anti-terrorism law. > So you're probably not going to get any volunteers to get your SIM for you Billbo!

	(#18)
Billbo (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 12 Join Date: 18 Jun 2009 Country:	19-07-2009, 18:21 Ahh I see, that's fair enough. I guess I'll have to make do with a Yoigo or Blau sim. Or buy a house in Spain.

	(#19)
petkow (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 696 Join Date: 01 Aug 2006 Location: Madrid Country:	22-07-2009, 14:08 I might have been wrong about something. As with SIM card in other parts of the world, it appears you can buy the Simyo SIM in somebodys name and then change these details later. I don´t know if that info helps anyone though! I suspect Billbo might be able to get his friend to buy one after all, as long as you change the details later. Unfortunately I missed the 1 euro special though, as I was going to buy a few more. The current offer is 10 euros for 10 euros worth of credit, though this time with free postage.