Cell phones in Germany
 

I am looking for the lowest price cell phone service to use for 3 months this summer while in Weimar and Munich. I am willing to buy something on arrival. This will be used only for the briefest calls and emergencies. Calls will be to places in Germany and to US. Ideally, I would like to buy something on arrival in Munich, not necessarily at the airport, though. Any information would be very helpful.

You have different opportunties.

The German mobile market is serverd by different mobile operators (T-Mobile, EPLUS, O2, Vodafone D2).

The mobile operators sell their own prepaid packages (mobile + sim card). These operators have shops in most German cities.

Alternative the same or similar package is offered by specialized resellers (Talkline, Debitel, mobilcom, base).

The newest development is to buy only a SIM-card (you need to bring your own mobile). The SIM-card is sold via Internet or in different shops. Even supermarkets (Wal-Mart) and coffee shops (Tchibo) sell SIM cards. The mobile operators also sell SIM-cards via Internet. They use a different name for marketing porposes (names are "blau.de" , "debitel-light" , "easymobile" , "simply" , "simyo" .

You have to look into the different price tables, if you want to know price for international phone calls.

Last not least: International phone call rates are via the fixed network much cheaper than mobile phone calls.

Look into the mobal world phone; mobal.com/bt. It runs about $49.00, and you are only billed for the calls you make. You get the phone and the number before you leave for your trip. I posted a question about the phone about a month ago and it got good reviews.

If you currently have a mobile phone where you live now, talk to your phone carrier. I was in Germany a few months ago & found that my current phone in the US worked in Germany and neighboring companies. At the time, my carrier AT&T wireless was merging with Cingular, I visited local shops for both & picked up a little card, about the size of a credit card you can put in your pocket or wallet, they had that showed how to dial overseas (it was the same instructions at both, but due to the merger I wanted to be sure). The rates with the local mobile carrier company for overseas usage was posted on their website. It was really hassle free.

My son was recently studying in Germany. My husband got him a cell phone here before leaving, which we can reactive any time during a one yr period to use again internationally - which works for us b/c of future plans. I'm sur ethey have other plan options. We were very pleased with the service, we used the phone while we were first in Switzerland for several weeks and then left the phone with my son for a month.

Calls w/in Europe and to the US were easy and clear.

I can't seem to find the paper w/ the info, but do have the number I called when I needed to recharge his account -it was through Cellular Abroad, www.cellularabroad.com - I can't attest to pricing, b/c when we divided up travel duties, this was the one husband got - but we were pleased w/ service.

>Any information would be very helpful.
At his moment, Tchibo sell their SIM card for 5€ including 10€ of calling credit. Price is 25ct/min to German landlines, 0800 numbers and mobiles. 5ct to other Tchibo mobiles. In summer, prices will have fallen. On ebay, 10!!! used (working) eplus SIM cards sell for 5€.

Can you rent a mobile phone from the airport? Someone in Italy told me this is what most tourists do.

Rentals will be far more expensive than buying a phone plus SIM card. Both together sell at 19.90€ including 5-10€ of calling credit. If you don't need the phone anymore at home, throw it away!

Where can I buy the phone and sim card for 19.99?

Department stores
Karstadt
Kaufhof

Saturn
Media Markt...

Once you're downtown Munich goto Kaufhof at Marienplatz. The 19.90 phones usually are Sagem my-x1, Motorola C... You won't have a problem finding one! T-Moblile would be best (coverage wise), O2 offers the fanciest cheapos :-). You'll need to show some ID.

I really have to know - Who are all you guys talking to on these damn cell phones? I bought one, rarely used it and have never felt the need to get another one. I love electronic stuff but the cell phone is the dumbest invention ever...


((6))

Personal Phone Use Experience ---I was travelling 3 weeks in Europe without spouse or children. I had to have some way to stay in touch with them. Plus, 2 of the weeks were driving around Europe. It came in real handy when we found roadblocks on the way to hotels or had bad hotel directions. We called at least 4 hotels from the car to get alternate routes.

Thanks to all for the great information. May go for the cheapest phone at telestial.com to get started.

Peteren: Thanks for that link, always looking for a better deal ! Have fun this summer -

Is there a phone you can buy cheap in Amsterdam and use it in Belgium and Germany too? Sorry to sound so dumb but I don't use a cell phone at home!

I have my own cell phone & want to buy a sim card. Where would I buy one in the Frankfurt area? And how much should it cost? I want the least expensive and I will only be using it for a week. I am looking for the information I ask for so please don't second guess me; it just isn't helpful. Tom22 seemed to say there was a Walmart in Germany?? Is there? Thanks.

<b>www.smobil.de</b>

SIMs with 10&euro; airtime on them are 2 for 14.99&euro; until 1/12/08. Talking with other Smobil customers is 1&cent;/min for the first 30 days. There may be a Schlecker outlet at MUC - they seem to be on every street corner.

At the time Tom posted 21mo ago there were WalMart stores in Germany. Not any more. The WalMart business model didn't work in Germany and they sold out about a year ago.

Just what I wanted to know -thanks. I'll know what to look for.

Mobile video telephony included at 1ct/min.
&quot;Just look where I am, honey&quot; :D

&quot;Look into the mobal world phone; mobal.com/bt. It runs about $49.00, and you are only billed for the calls you make. You get the phone and the number before you leave for your trip.&quot;

I used this phone on a trip to Germany in July 2007 and then Egypt in November 2007. It works great!

You buy the phone for $49.00 (or $99 for one that covers the world). No more monthly rentals or cards that expire. You then just pay for the calls you make. They are billed to your credit card.

It is great for checking voice mails and an occassional call. I would highly recommend it for the flexibility. It now sits in my closet waiting for the next trip...with no fees. And when something better comes along....throw it away. I got my $49 worth already.

Traveldawg, that sounds interesting. How much are the calls - local (in whatever county you're in) to another cell and from Europe to the US? I realize that there will be differences in different countries but just a ballpark idea would be good. What country is the SIM card from.

O.K. Everybody who's interested:
www.solomo.de
- German mobile number, easy! to reach
- Calls to German landlines 8ct/min
- Western Europe landlines and USA 9ct/min
- Incoming 5 to 15ct in many places of the planet (5ct in Japan)
- 20&euro; for card containing 10&euro; credit
- Auto recharge via credit card possible.

Direct dial in Germany, callback elsewhere.

Logos, thanks for that link. But can you explain how the callback thing works?

Our Daughter will be studying in Trier from March to July in 2008.

She has a mobal phone from a prior trip, but I was talking to her yesterday about taking my unlocked at&amp;t phone with her, and then getting a sim card.

Thanks!
H

&gt;callback thing works?
Quite simple, you dial
*123* followed by the number in international format followed by #

The phone will display a message, after a few seconds it will ring and connect you to the number you wanted.
i.e.
to reach 222-222-2222 in the US, you dial *123*0012222222222#, (001 is the interational access code for the US from Germany and elswhere).

You then wait a few sec. and pick up the phone, when it rings.
Callback is only needed, when outside of Germany.

If you have a family member living abroad (and you both have access to a high-speed internet line), you owe it to yourself to subscribe to a <i>free</i> VoIP service like skype.com or voice.yahoo.com

Talk forever without paying a cent. Notice that the 1&cent; advertised on their sites is from a PC phone to a US landline. PC-to-PC connections are always free.

In Germany, if you have DSL, Voip works &quot;out of the box&quot;, no need for a PC phone. Almost all &quot;DSL modems&quot; &quot;sold&quot; over the last 5 years support Voip through your standard phone and come included with the contract at no extra cost. I'd prefer &quot;free world dialup&quot;, since they have many access number in the US. http://www.freeworlddialup.com/

You dial a US local number and get connected to your friends standard phone in Germany. Works nicely.

But that's another story.

As always the &quot;problem&quot; is setting up the box properly.

Great site logos...but one small tiny problem....can't seem to locate the English flag for the English version hmm..

feel so hopeless...or as the German conductor on the ICE train said to me last summer when he said something to me in German and I replied I can't speak German, he didn't miss a beat said to me why and I said it was too difficult a language for me then he said how can that be...3 year old children have no problem learning and speaking German....guess I'm just dumb.

You need an online translation. ;-)
Try google or babelfish :D

&quot;...then he said how can that be...3 year old children have no problem learning and speaking German...&quot;

I wonder if he knew that 3-year olds also have no difficulty acquiring Mandarin, Urdu, or Farsi, either.

I was told on &quot;BBC learning&quot; that Farsi and Urdu are related to English, so why should they have a problem :D.

Mandarin seems to be for more different for a child to learn.

Even EASIER..bring your OWN phone and use IT..espefcially if it really IS for those "briefest of calls" or get SKYPE or actually do something NEW: go 24 hours without ANY phone contacts..the sun WILL definitely keep rising and setting