The main problem with internet access in Spain is that it usually takes at least a month to get a telephone line connected and the speed of the broadband is not great. Mobile Internet in Spain Both Vodafone and Orange offer mobile internet through their network. You need to purchase a USB mini router which plugs into your computer and service is available as soon as your contract is activated. Obviously the quality of the line is dependent on the reception in your area, but it’s possible to check this before you purchase and most areas in Barcelona are covered. You can sign a contract or pay-as-you-go: Cheap International Phone Calls Rather than using coins in the public phones it’s often easier to buy a phone card (una tarjeta para llamar por teléfono) for either €6 or €12 from one of the Tabac shops or from most newspaper stands. Another cheap way to phone, nationally and abroad (although much less convenient), is by using one of the many private telephone booth shops or Locutorios (internet cafés often offer this service too). You make your phone call and pay cash when you’re finished. However, using an over-ride provider is even cheaper. Use an over-ride provider Most recommended way to save money on dialling overseas or nationally is to use an over-ride telephone provider such asLocalphone or Dial Abroad. Use Local phone to make calls to landlines and mobiles overseas for less than half the price that Telefonica or Vodafone would charge for the same call. Calls from my landline and mobile phone using Local phone to a fixed line in the UK cost me about €0.01 per minute. You can of course use a VoIP provider such as Skype, but sometimes the call quality is not great, and these days many people don’t actually have a fixed line only a mobile phone, and mobile calls over Skype are not so cheap. Also, many service providers, such as Vodafone, don’t allow VoIP to landline calls, only VoIP to VoIP calls such as Skype video calling. Of course many people don’t obey this rule, but it has been known for Vodafone to make charges for using VoIP from your mobile to call fixed lines and other mobiles. It’s difficult to beat Local phone on their service and prices, but another option if you have a Movistar landline is Dial Abroad. With Dial Abroad you don’t even have to prepay and you don’t need a credit card. Call from anywhere in Spain by simply dialing an access number before the number you needs to call. You’re then transferred to the Dial Abroad cheaper network and the cost of your call is included in your Movistar bill. Movistar charge you a small connection fee, but you can make follow-up calls without a connection fee by pressing the hash key twice, rather than hanging up, and then dialling the next number you want to call. Dial Abroad are not as cheap as Localphone but you can still save money by using them rather than Telefonica. Internet cafés There are many internet cafés, especially in the ce

1. The Tyler Group
connects
telephone and
internet access in
Barcelona

2. The main problem with internet access in Spain is that it usually
takes at least a month to get a telephone line connected and the
speed of the broadband is not great.
Mobile Internet in Spain
Both Vodafone and Orange offer mobile internet through their
network. You need to purchase a USB mini router which plugs into
your computer and service is available as soon as your contract is
activated. Obviously the quality of the line is dependent on the
reception in your area, but it’s possible to check this before you
purchase and most areas in Barcelona are covered.

3. You can sign a contract or pay-as-you-go:
Cheap International Phone Calls
Rather than using coins in the public phones it’s often easier to buy
a phone card (una tarjeta para llamar por teléfono) for either €6 or
€12 from one of the Tabac shops or from most newspaper stands.
Another cheap way to phone, nationally and abroad (although much
less convenient), is by using one of the many private telephone
booth shops or Locutorios (internet cafés often offer this service
too). You make your phone call and pay cash when you’re finished.
However, using an over-ride provider is even cheaper.

4. Use an over-ride provider
Most recommended way to save money on dialling overseas or
nationally is to use an over-ride telephone provider such asLocalphone
or Dial Abroad. Use Local phone to make calls to landlines and mobiles
overseas for less than half the price that Telefonica or Vodafone would
charge for the same call. Calls from my landline and mobile phone using
Local phone to a fixed line in the UK cost me about €0.01 per minute.
You can of course use a VoIP provider such as Skype, but sometimes
the call quality is not great, and these days many people don’t actually
have a fixed line only a mobile phone, and mobile calls over Skype are
not so cheap. Also, many service providers, such as Vodafone, don’t
allow VoIP to landline calls, only VoIP to VoIP calls such as Skype video
calling. Of course many people don’t obey this rule, but it has been
known for Vodafone to make charges for using VoIP from your mobile to
call fixed lines and other mobiles.

5. It’s difficult to beat Local phone on their service and prices, but
another option if you have a Movistar landline is Dial Abroad. With
Dial Abroad you don’t even have to prepay and you don’t need a
credit card. Call from anywhere in Spain by simply dialing an access
number before the number you needs to call. You’re then
transferred to the Dial Abroad cheaper network and the cost of your
call is included in your Movistar bill. Movistar charge you a small
connection fee, but you can make follow-up calls without a
connection fee by pressing the hash key twice, rather than hanging
up, and then dialling the next number you want to call. Dial Abroad
are not as cheap as Localphone but you can still save money by
using them rather than Telefonica.

6. Internet cafés
There are many internet cafés, especially in the center of the city.
However, a lot of them don’t let you send or receive attachments. If
you just want to check your email and reply, they are fine. The main
Tourist Information Centre in Placa de Catalunya has a map listing
all the central internet cafés.
Free Wi-Fi internet access at libraries
A lot of the libraries in Barcelona provide free wireless internet
access to library members. It’s relatively easy to join your nearest
library, so it’s worth doing, even if it’s just a backup plan for when
your internet access at home goes down (it happens).

7. To join the library you need to show your passport and give your
name, address, phone number and email address. You will then be
issued with a library card. You just have to enter two numbers in
order to log on to their system; these are your passport number and
the number on your library card.
Once you have joined your local library you have access to all
libraries in Barcelona.