(A) DLS, Internet and telephone in Spain.
Fast broadband connexions for the Internet are now readily available in Spain. Companies utilizing the Internet already use more DSL connexions than simple dial-up connexions. Here in Spain it is ADSL and not DSL, but they are the same product. Also, the number of the private households with fast connexion is increasing faster than the growth of the older dial-up methods.
But, of course, the first step is a hard-wired telephone. Without a land-line telephone connexion you cannot have ADSL.
In order to surf in the Internet, one needs first at a normal telephone connexion from the Spanish company Telefonica. If one requests the service over the Internet (www.telefonicaonline.com), the registration is free. However it still takes some time for the connexion to be installed. If one is in a hurry, probably the better way is to go to the offices of the Telefonica. Beware, for the basic charges for the telephone are often augmented with many different auxiliary tariffs are offered, for example maintenance (mantenimiento). If one does not need these the basic connexion is clearly cheaper.
Who offers ADSL?
Beside Telefonica there are many other offerers of ADSL. About their offers and quality we can offer general information. The sites are in Spanish, but one can get along relatively easy even if your Spanish is a bit rusty. For example “Date de Alta” is the point to register.
You will find many interesting offers such as ADSL 24 h (Flat rate) for 9,95 euros + I.V.A. (16% value added tax) per month. However, when you enter your telephone number the disillusionment sets in. The message usually says that for our region, with imperfect lines, the ADSL will cost you more.
In most real cases ADSL will costs approximately 40 Euro per month inclusive of the value added tax. The offerers however mostly tie auxiliary offers into the package, and therefore a careful study of the Websites is essential. The important questions, here, are the same: What do I want? What do I need and what I do not need? To that extent we can not make a specific recommendation since everyone’s needs are different.
Often there is an option to bundle phone calls within Spain for a flat rate of about 40 Euro per month. This can be a valuable feature if you often call friends in another province of Spain. If your more expensive calls are back to your homeland then this feature is not useful. A review of your past phone bills will tell you if the feature will help you.
Once you decide on a vendor, forms on its Internet site must be filled out. This exercise is not too difficult, but requires patience. A problem is often the N.I.E (identification number for foreigners). On the personal documents this is indicated with dashed [-] between letters and numbers, but the sign-up form should not have any spaces or dashes. If you do not have an N.I.E., then some offerers will accept the number of your identity card or passport.
If the registration is successful, the next step is to wait for the delivery of the router and instructions for installing the ADSL. If only a simple router (without Wi-Fi) is requested, is this generally free. Waiting for the package can take up to two to three weeks. Often one must be present to receive the router, since it may come via a parcel service and not by post office.
The installation is relatively simple for technically skilled persons, but you should expect that there will be a glitch that will take time to resolve. If you cannot make the router work most companies offer a telephone Hotline, and this service usually works quite well, and is available in many languages. The latter approach can be used if you cannot successfully complete the registration on line. Over the telephone one can find a patient person who can help sell you an ADSL connexion.
Alternatives:
A critical point is the contract term of the ADSL connexion. Nearly all expect a one year commitment. If one spends only a few months on the Costa Brava one should consider keeping the older/slower dial-up service. If one wants to download large files such as videos or music from the Internet, the dial-up modem connexion is not going to be acceptable. If you only need to use your eMail, and occasionally surf the web then the dial-up service will work well enough. Here, too, you will find many options from free, to day or night service to 24 hour service. Telefonica, as an example may serve the connexion of ya.com (http://acceso.ya.com/gratuitos/yacomfree/). The registration does not cost anything and the installation of the Internet connexion by modem is simple. From 18 to 8 o'clock and on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays, all day over, the Internet costs 0.009 Euro per minute and during the week from 8 to 18 o'clock 0.024 Euro per minute. If you are not ready for ADSL this “free” service is a good way to start. Since this “free” service does not include any discounts for calls, we recommend an added service such as call-by-call. If one telephones abroad, our experience is that the call-by-call tariff is in Spain the most favourable possibility. Registration is free, one has no any obligations and the calls cost only a fraction of the fees which the Telefonica charges. Also the calls from the land phone to cell phones are clearly more favourable, all the same whether within Spain or abroad. Since call-by-call has its company headquarters on the Canarias islands, for private users the value added tax of 16% is not required. The latter applies naturally also, if you use an ADSL connexion and telephone abroad.
Finally, if you want to avoid on-line forms or phoning the company you may want to use www.gonuts4free which will mail a CD to you for installation. This is a Spanish company but their CD is in many languages for free connexion and for ADSL. The ADSL seems relatively expensive, both for the registration and router.
We hope that we informed you more than confused or discouraged you. Good luck.
CapCreus online. Newspaper for the Costa Brava: www.cbrava.com