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What’s the deal with the iPhone in Spain? Well, I’ll tell you. Today is July 11, 2008, the international iPhone 3G launch date. And there are no iPhones in the stores in Spain. The local Telefonica outlet in my little town has no information whatsoever about the iPhone. Telefonica is the telephone monopoly in Spain, very much the equivalent of AT&T. Their mobile phone branch of business is called Movistar, which is a bizarre Spanglish play on words, since móvil is Spanish for "mobile".
Continuing my research, I went to iphone.movistar.es and found their "Where to buy" list. There are three stores in Bilbao, and two in Santander, the two large cities closest to me. But when I called those stores to verify that they would have iPhones on the launch date and maybe reserve one, all the shopkeeper knew was that she, too, had heard that it was supposed to be launching on July 11, but that she had heard nothing at all from further up the chain at Telefonica. Great. That’s Spain for you.
What about pricing? How much will it cost once they eventually get their acts together and ship some units? Well, here’s the simplified and translated pricing table (pdf): (all contracts are for two years)
| Minimum talk fee | 9€ | 20€ | 40€ | 60€ | 90€ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obligatory iPhone Fee | Normal: 15€ / month | Plus: 25€ / month | ||||
| iPhone 8GB | Change contact | 259€ | 149€ | 49€ | 0€ | 0€ |
| iPhone 8GB | Initiate contract | 259€ | 149€ | 49€ | 0€ | 0€ |
| iPhone 8GB | # from other company | 259€ | 129€ | 39€ | 0€ | 0€ |
| iPhone 16GB | Change contact | 359€ | 209€ | 109€ | 59€ | 0€ |
| iPhone 16GB | Initiate contact | 359€ | 209€ | 109€ | 59€ | 0€ |
| iPhone 16GB | # from other company | 359€ | 189€ | 99€ | 59€ | 0€ |
Now what’s the difference between the "Normal" and "Plus" plans, besides 10€/month? With both plans, you get an unlimited data connection. This is absolutely essential for the iPhone, because so many of its applications use the internet. But, with the Normal plan, you only get up to 200 MB of data at high speed each month, and then the connection gets throttled back to 128 Kbps (16 kilobytes/second) for downloads and 64 Kbps (8 kilobytes/second) upload. With Plus, you get up to 1 GB of data each month before getting throttled. That’s the difference.
I’m probably going to go for the 359€ option. My current mobile contract has a 9€ minimum talk fee, and I almost never use it all. When I buy technical gadgets, I tend to be of the "pay a little more up front to get the absolute top model so that it lasts a little longer before becoming obsolete" philosophy. I don’t know how much data I will be using each month, but 200 MB sounds awfully small. I would love to pay the 25€/month rate instead of the 15€/month, but there’s no way I’m getting the 60€ minimum talk fee. That’s way too much.
Let’s bite the bullet and perform the forbidden calculation of total cost.
Total Cost = 359€ + 24 * (9€ + 15€) = 935€ + tax
So, with tax, it costs about 1000€ to have a 16 GB iPhone 3G in Spain for two years. Count me in!
Now let’s see when they actually become available…
Update! I bought one three days later.
And the rosquillas look delicious.
Update! This just in!
I spoke to the nice and patient (with me) woman at the local Telefonica store and she said that yes, there were a few iPhones being sold in a few shops today in Madrid, and maybe Barcelona, but that it would be months before any arrived here. Nice that they’ve done the absolute minimum of effort to comply with the statement, “iPhones will be sold in Spain on July 11″. Good job, Telefonica. Why don’t you lie down and take a siesta.
Walking back home, I stopped for bread at the local shop, and the clerk said, “Got an iPhone yet?” Apparently I’ve been talking about it a little. When I explained what the Telefonica woman had told me, he said, in accented English, “Welcome to Spain, my friend!”
Jes, guelcom.
I feel for you. I know how much you’ve been looking forward to it. Magda is relieved that neither Slovenia nor Bulgaria are anywhere on the iPhone radar yet.
Then you will be able to buy Apps at the Apps Store.
ITS A SHAME that Apple even does business with these criminals…!!!
they have NO CLUE whatsoever about customer service!!!
they tend to hang up the phone when you ask a question that they don\’t understand
and about the iPhone arrival…still nobody at the phone service knows anything on where to buy it!!!
SHAME ON THE SPANISH AND EUROPEAN LAWS
that they still are letting company’s like telefonica rule a country!!!!
I bought an iphone about a month ago and two weeks later got it stolen from my pocket on the metro. I had taken out insurance and was assured no problem, when you get your insurance money just come in and get another phone. Today, I went in to the telephonica shop to get another phone and was told that I would have to take out another contract as it was not possible to get the iphone without a contract. I explained that I already had a contract, the phone was stolen and the insurance covered the cost etc. but we just went round in circles. I was told the only way was to try and buy an unlocked iphone somewhere else but telephonica couldn’t sell me one. Can anyone suggest a solution?
Wow, that sucks, Jacci. Stupid Telefonica! Shouldn’t they have a mechanism for non-iPhones for replacing stolen SIM cards??
I’ve heard of black markets for iPhones, but I have no idea how to contact such a market. Good luck, and please share whatever solution you find.
Interesting bit about iphone.I am just about to try and get one. I think the pricing stucture has change a little since you wrote??
Anyway how did you get on with it.Any info would be helpfull
Thanks
David, you missed the update link at the bottom of the post. Click here for how I ended up getting my iPhone. I have no idea how the pricing is now.
Story is the same for the 3GS…I cannot buy one…my movistar store in Benissa has no idea when they will arrive,
I contacted apple here…and they say…you have to speak to movistar.
I emailed movistar…and no reply.
How the heck do you buy an iphone in spain?????????????
Hi Erik! I too am an American freshly relocated to Spain. I’m actually living in Palma, but will be spending a good deal of time in Barcelona. My plan to get an iPhone when i got here was quickly dashed when both Barcelona and Palma Movistar headquarters told me they have no idea when they’ll see more iPhones. Do you know if there’s any way to sign up for the phone and service online over here? It seems that unlike AT&T in the US, you actually have to buy the phone through a store. No?
Nice to find your blog!!
As far as I know, you have to buy it in the store. But I don’t know anyone else who has one, so I only have my own experience to go on.
Thanks for stopping by, Amanda.
Cannot buy in Spain…maybe December 2009
hello. It from Ukraine. I want to purchase itself IPHONE 3G, however him it is officially impossible to purchase for us. for me a mother works in spain. is it possible there for you somewhere to purchase deblocked IPHONE of 3G?
it is in Vmadrid.
will be beholden for any answer.
Sorry, I don’t know of any way to buy an unlocked iPhone in Spain.