Skiing in Andorra? Be aware of possible high roaming charges
Although roaming in the European Union disappeared in 2017, there are destinations as usual at this time as Andorra where using the mobile can be a very bulky bill. A trip to the mountains to ski can end a great dislike, especially if we consider that without a proper roaming plan, a GB can reach 15,000 euros. Studying the different alternatives to stay connected when traveling to the Principality is still essential today. andorra roaming charges
Andorra has one of the most expensive cell phone services in Europe. Being a small principality means they are unable to take advantage of large telco deals. SIM cards from both France and Spain do operate in Andorra, but you will pick up slow distant signals that extend from those countries rather than through radio masts positioned in Andorra.
Andorra’s one and only operator is the state-owned Andorra Telecom, running the Mobiland SIM. You can get 2G, 3G and 4G prepaid packages if you have an unblocked GSM phone. Once you are in a good coverage area, you will be able to pick up a strong signal.
There are few rules and regulations for buying SIM cards in Andorra. The only thing you will need is your photo ID for proof of purchase. Your passport or national ID card is the best option for this.
You can purchase credit from official stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, petrol stations, tobacconists and at Andorra–La Seu d’Urgell Airport.
December usually marks the start of the snow season and there are many Spaniards who come to Andorra to enjoy their tracks for skiing or snowboarding. But traveling to Andorra does not only imply the cost of travel or accommodation: calls or internet connections from the mobile phone can cost even more than the trip itself.
Andorra, like Switzerland, is not a country associated with the European Union, so operators are not required to offer free roaming and obviously do not. The specialized portal in telecommunications services RatesDe has analyzed roaming costs in Andorra, showing the important differences between them: while the cheapest option can offer 1 GB for three euros, the most expensive rises to 15,000 euros.
A WhatsApp video: €30
The price of a single mega, are above 10 euros in many cases, so a simple one-minute video sent by WhatsApp could mean a disbursement of 30 euros. Now, the three main operators have special bonds for Andorra, which allow us to reduce the invoice to be paid for the use of roaming data in the Principality.
Their prepaid product is called Mobiland Clic! A SIM card normally costs a whopping 30 € including the same credit that stays valid for 5 months. There is currently a promotion where the kit only costs 15 € including the same credit valid for 2 months.
The best savings bonds for data are offered by the second operators of the large companies operating in Spain. We can find some 3 GB bonuses of daily consumption for 9 euros , an amount of data that in other alternatives can reach 30,000 euros.
The bonds of these ‘low cost’ operators work in such a way that they are activated from the moment in which a mobile of their customers consumes data connected to the Andorra telephone network, avoiding scares, although paying 9 euros for each day of connection, be the consumption of a single mega or 1 GB. If they consume more than 3 GB on the same day, a new 3 GB bonus is activated.
Pick up the phone can be very expensive
Not only do you have to find the best option to connect to the internet from Andorra, you also have to do the same with calls. Making a call from the Principality can have a cost of almost 2 euros per minute made to Spain, also for every minute of the call received, so picking up the phone while in Andorra can be more than a dislike.
Traveling to Andorra without being warned about the price of roaming there can be a big scare, as an invoice of thousands of euros waiting for the return. That is why the recommendation is to consult in the first instance the roaming prices for each operator , to know if it is a good option or with triggered prices.
If the current operator does not have savings bonds, it would be convenient to study the purchase of a SIM for the trip or just use the many open WiFi networks that can be found in Andorra. For those who want to disconnect, or simply save a disgust or a very high bill, it is essential to disable mobile data before entering the Principality, since smartphones connect to the Internet alone, without the user having to take any action, and would cause Undesirable consumption of megabytes.
If you are traveling abroad and need sim cards choose between daily, monthly or data packages without expiration or if prefer instant connectivity, get eSIM. Each Android Smartphone Can Be Upgraded To ESIM With ESIM.Me