You do not need to purchase a new iPhone 5 or 6 from T-Mobile. You can make monthly payments (2 years at no interest) and they will buy out you current Verizon contract.

RE Spanish SIM cards.

As you are over here for a short while I personally would not worry about what plan you have. All you need is a prepago (prepaid) SIM.
Like this one from Yoigo (also uses Movistar's coverage).
https://tienda.yoigo.com/selforder/s...no-sim#prepaid
or this one from Movistar.
http://www.movistar.es/particulares/...rjeta-movistar
Do not purchase on line wait until you are here.
What will happen; if you do not top it up before the end of 6 months you loose the number and any money left on the SIM.
You have to have your passport with you when purchasing a SIM:

Robert, they would buy back my current iPhone with a rip roaring $30! But paying a monthly payment or buying it outright at full price still means one pays a full rate for the phone. It still think it's an interesting plan, but it does have some limitations.

Ribeiasacra, thank you. I'm inclined to get the SIM card. I think it is cheaper for the short period of time we'll be travelling.

Elizabeth,
Thank you! I was getting really confused about the conflicting points about Verizon & the iPhjone, and am glad you clarified that it is a GSM card.

Robrrt, I just reread your last comment. Does that mean that I could keep the phone which I received through Verizon if I switched to T-mobile? I

I will call them eventually to see what the options are.

Thanks for giving me much food for thought.

Paule

If the iPhone belongs to you, then you shouldn't have any problem switching to T-Mobile. I believe some of the iPone 5s were dual mode, GSM and CDMA.

For a Verizon phone to switch to T Mobile, you must have a Verizon SIM card in your current phone. You can check on TMobile site which phones will work on their network.

http://www.t-mobile.com/bring-your-own-phone.html

Thanks, Robert and DebitNM,

That's very helpful. I'll look into this a little more and may yet consider switching.

Paule