Switching phone tariffs from UK to Spanish

Hi, I recently had to change my mobile network from 3 (regretably cos they were the best for 10yrs+) because of poor signal in my home(UK) and investigated all networks before changing to Tesco(works on BT network) but lot cheaper and allows inclusive abroad use from May to September only. 3 allows abroad use limited to 60days/yr on contract or Payg so if you're stuck on an EE contract, can you get a Payg 3 sim, even if its posted to you from UK or someone coming out to Spain.You have to do a 30day add on for £10 or £20 each month but if only there for a short time it was cheapest and you get 12gb data for month and loads of mins and txts for £20. EE didnt offer any abroad use,nor o2 or Bt or plusnet, and only other network is Vodafone which does allow abroad use(unlimited use all year) but it reduces the data Gbs abroad allowance compared to contract use in UK.Their signal was also poor for me at home or I,d have chosen them. In June things will change when roaming charges are abolished but noone knows yet how use will be affected ie. does  it mean abroad use will be covered by contract or abroad use charged at their standard rate and not as per contract?? I use Hits mobile for spanish mobiles as they have an excellent website in english where you can request a sim posted to you and do top ups, they are the cheapest to use, 5c/min, and I pay 2€yr to never lose my number or credit. 3 only allow calls to UK not Spanish phones in their "feel at home tariff" but Vodaphone covers any call regardless of Country. In conclusion if your contract with EE has time to end get a 3 Payg sim and do monthly top up, or if calls are not important but data use is, get a 3 data sim for a usb modem(tablet or pc use) or a Mifi for smartphone use and with using Whatsapp for calls this then runs cheaper than their phone sim and only runs out when all data used up(think you can buy 20gb). No Spanish network provider will change your EE tariff ,you have to find an alternative use along with your EE until it runs out.3 btw uses Movistar signal as its partner so check with neighbours if its a good signal for you and Hits uses Vodaphone nerwork. I hope Ive been helpful and please tick "helpful reply" button as I have given this info at least 10times and noone acknowledges this button yet replies with a thankyou.Good Luck.

Thanks for taking the trouble to give me such a detailed response. Fab!

I will be checking all this out for best options. 

Have you tried Teleast there is an office in Los Alcazares

Will check them out.

Thanks

Lorna

Hi, I have used 3 ( feel at home service ) for 4 years now. Although it is supposed to be for only 3 months per year it has never stopped working. Used to pay £30/M but when I enquired about deals they told me I could have the same deal for £ 9/M. This gives unlimited calls, unlimited texts and unlimited internet. Calls and text stay unlimited abroad but internet reduces to 12gb and you cannot use as wifi hotspot. You need UK address for billing and tell them if asked that you travel abroad regularly. Since roaming charges were stopped I have never paid more than the £9 for calling UK and Spain. I am fairly sure that you can call to all 3's feel at home countries also, all within the unlimited call deal. People calling you from the UK just dial your number with no Country code. Callers from Spain or other countries have to dial 0044 to reach you. Also there are no charges for people receiving your calls in the UK. I think you would struggle to find a better deal.

    Hope this helps.   Mike.