There are many different ways to connect to the internet these days, you have a huge
choice, even in Gran Alacant!. Which option is right for you depends on several things.
Firstly, how often do you use the internet? Once a week, every day, all day? It also
depends on what you are going to use the internet for. Are you going to be watching
TV over the internet, or downloading movies? If you are, then you need a fast unlimited
internet connection. It also of course depends on your budget. So let’s discuss some
of the different options available.
OCCASIONAL USE - LOW COST
If you only use the internet to check your emails once a week, or to book the odd
flight ticket, then you probably really don’t need a broadband internet package.
There are a couple of options to look at here. If you already have a Movistar phone
line (and a lot of patience) you can use dial-up internet over your telephone line.
Virtually all laptops have a built-in modem, which will allow you to connect the
computer to the phone line, so it shouldn’t cost you any money to get going. You
simply plug the computer into the phone line, dial up from the computer, and you
are connected to the internet. You just pay for each call, so it’s a relatively cheap
way to get on the internet. It is very slow, it does tie-up your phone line while
you are using it, but for occasional use it is a cheap and simple way to access the
internet. It is how we used to access the internet in the olden days. If you want
to use dial up internet, give me a call and I will be happy to set it up for you.
The other option for occasional use is 3G broadband (pay-as-you-go). Now, we all
know what Gran Alacant is like for mobile phone signals (ie highly dodgy), and this
method does use the mobile phone network to connect to the internet. So, if you cannot
get a good mobile phone signal in your house, then 3G internet probably isn’t going
to work very well for you. If you can get a strong signal on your mobile, then you
should be ok. All the major mobile phone providers in Spain offer pay-as-you-go 3G
internet access. The prices vary depending on which company you choose. You either
use a 3G ‘dongle’ which you plug into your computer, or, if you already have an unlocked
3G mobile phone, put a sim card into your mobile phone and connect your mobile to
your computer. Sim cards cost next to nothing to buy, a 3G dongle costs quite a bit
more. I will talk about two 3G internet providers. MasMovil and Yoigo both offer
cheap 3G pay-as-you-go packages. Further information on Spanish 3G providers can
be found here. Remember, we are talking about occasional use here, not 6 hours every
day! With MasMovil you pay 3 cents per megabyte, and with Yoigo you pay a flat-fee
of €3.00 per day of use. It’s importantly much faster than dialup internet too. Ideal
if you don’t have a telephone line and only want to use the internet now and again.
Also great for use when you are on holiday in Gran Alacant.
REGULAR USE - MONTHLY CONTRACT
If you live full-time in Gran Alacant, and use the internet regularly, then the best
choice for you will probably be some form of pay-monthly unlimited broadband internet
access. Once again, you have a large choice of providers, although the prices here
in Spain are higher than in the UK. If you have a Movistar phone line, then you should
be able to get ADSL high speed broadband. The speed available to you depends on where
your house is, but you should be able to get at least 3 Mb. Movistar, Orange, Vodafone,
BT and many other companies all offer broadband over your existing phone line. Movistar
are without doubt the best and most reliable internet service provider in Spain,
and they have recently announced 30 Mb broadband for €29.90 a month (and €13.97 phone
line, plus IVA). Whether it is available yet in Gran Alacant is of course another
matter. Most areas in Gran Alacant should be able to get 10 Mb from Movistar, although
certain areas may be limited to 6 or 3 Mb. The latest offers and packages change
every 5 minutes, so you will need to check which is the best one for you at the time.
Currently you can get 10Mb internet, phone line with free local and national calls,
plus an allowance to call Spanish mobile phones for free, for €40.32 per month including
IVA. Movistar also provide a broadband-only package (no phone line) called Movistar
ADSL Libre 3Mb for €32.90 a month, plus IVA. You do not need to pay an extra €13.97
a month for a phone line. It is under the ‘Otras modalidades Movistar ADSL’ section
on the Movistar web site.
If you don’t have a phone line, then don’t despair, you can still get high speed
broadband, just a different sort. We discussed 3G broadband earlier. You can get
pay-monthly 3G internet access if you can get a decent signal. However, be very aware
that you will have a monthly limit, it’s not unlimited access. It is based on how
much data you use. Now for normal daily internet use, checking your emails and Facebook,
looking at internet pages etc, the monthly limit should be absolutely fine. If you
want to download movies and stuff, then you will probably very quickly go over your
monthly limit and it will cost you a lot!
The other option is to go for a locally based microwave system. This will allow you
to have high speed (unlimited) internet access, and you don’t need to be able to
get a good mobile phone signal or have a Movistar phone line. Now, there are some
initial setup costs involved with this type of system, it’s normal. There is usually
some sort of installation cost to pay, but, the monthly costs can be lower when compared
to broadband from Movistar etc. Depending on which company you go with, you may also
be able to get a cheap land line phone service with cheaper phone calls. Movistar
now have much more competitive pricing and can normally offer a much faster broadband
service, so the potential cost savings of these systems have been greatly reduced.
It should be noted (and I am speaking from personal experience) that these microwave
services can be unreliable, slow and troublesome from time to time. If it is important
that your internet service is fast and reliable, you have good telephone call quality,
and it’s available 24 hours a day, then I would suggest you do not go for this type
of system, and use Movistar.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me for further information or advice on internet
access options. The choices available really do seem to change all the time. One
this is certain though, there will be an internet access option available for you,
which will fit your budget.
