Gran Canaria Internet Access: What to Do if Your Apartment Has No Wi-Fi

Having Gran Canaria Internet problems? Have you arrived on the island, only to find that your hotel or apartment has no Internet connection or that it isn’t as good as it should be? Don't panic. Before June 2017, all you had to do, is go out and buy a Spanish SIM card. But after that date, roaming charges across Europe were dropped, so making and receiving phonecalls costs you the same, as in your own country. Remember to check the data cap, and other conditions, because not all mobile phone operators offer the same plans.

Yoigo: Recommended Gran Canaria Internet Mobile Operator

We have researched the mobile operators in Spain and found Yoigo quite reasonable. Yoigo is the fourth mobile operator in Spain.

The nearest Yoigo shop (if you’re staying Playa del Ingles or Maspalomas (in the south of Gran Canaria) is located inside the Bellavista Shopping Centre of San Fernando de Maspalomas. It is open from 9.30 to 21.30 Mondays to Saturdays.

We phoned them to ask about rates for tourists, and they were really helpful, and also speak English.

Opening hours: 9.30 to 21.30 Monday through Saturday

You will also find a quiosk on the top floor of the Atlantico Shopping Centre in Vecindario, and also you can purchase in the "Phone House" shop in the same centre. They will need your passport, as all the SIM cards have to be registered with the government.

Phoning and browsing on your mobile

(UPDATED NOVEMBER 2015)

There are two prepaid options available for Gran Canaria Internet:

1st option: “La del UNO 650Mb” 4G

Total cost: 7.07€ / month

What you get:
- A SIM card with a Spanish phone number
- Unlimited internet on your mobile phone/smartphone. After you finish the 650Mb, the speed drops from 4G to  64 kbps
- Phonecalls to any number in Spain at 0.088€ per minute plus 0.1769 cents connection charge

2nd option: “Tarifa del UNO 1Gb”

Total cost: 8.84€

Same as above, but phonecalls cost 0.088 for phonecalls to any Spanish number, plus 0.1769 cents connection charge. This rate applies after you have finished the first 20 minutes, which are free.

For more information, click here to go to the Yoigo page

Vodafone's 4G offer

Vodafone is also offering reasonable pre-paid rates for 4G high speed internet access as well as phonecalls. If you are a Vodafone customer, you can check whether your data plan is valid for outside your country. If so, you will save a lot of money. There are is a Vodafone shop in Playa del Ingles, but even small shops sell their SIM cards. There are three options: 

• 1Gb + 20 minutes talk time: 8.84€
• 1.5Gb + 50 minutes talk time: 13.26€
• 2Gb + 100 minutes talk time: 17.68€

Speed: up to 300Mbps

For more information about Vodafone's rates, click here

Masmovil Data Plans

Masmovil is a virtual mobile operator. In other words, it uses another operator's (Orange) network. At the time of writing this, it is still supplying 3G coverage, but will soon upgrade to 4G. The rates are unbeatable, but again, the transfer speed is slower. There are quite a few shops in Gran Canaria who distribute their SIM cards and where they will gladly help you set up your device. Bare in mind that some of these shops might charge you slightly higher rates than those advertised in the website. Click here to go to their page

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