German prepaid simcard for data and calls

[adgeee]

Hi,
I'm moving to Berlin arriving on July 21st and am looking for a prepaid Sim with data and voice for 1-2 months before I can sign up for a plan. Can anyone recommend a prepaid plan that is great value with lots included. I wont want to call o/s it will mostly be for data and calls within Europe.
Your help would be great!

 

[an*g-bne]

It's a little hard to advise, without knowing the scale of "lots", and whether you need more calls or data or both. However, I'll tell you what we have ourselves, being frequent visitors to Germany.

The Mrs, who has friends and relatives there, needs more calls and texts, and hardly any data. She's on the Vodafone CallYa plan, letting it sit on the no monthly fee no expiry option when here in Australia, then switching to the €19.99/month plan when she's there which gives free calls to other Vodafone numbers, 100 minutes to other German networks, 3000 SMSs, 200MB of HSDPA (7.2mbps) data, unlimited capped 64kbps data. The main reason she uses Vodafone is because she can top it up using local Australian Vodafone recharge vouchers before going, and switch the plan online and not have to deal with it there, and the quite reasonable rates for European roaming (incoming and outgoing).

I am a much heavier data user, with almost no need for voice minutes, so I use Blau.De. No included calls/SMS (9c a minute / 9c per SMS), but I get a €14.90 3G / 30 days data pack whenever I'm there. European roaming rates are also reasonable, and European data packs are available, though I usually just swap SIMs if I'm roaming.

 

[drewbles]

You're probably better off asking in here
Communication & Internet
As that's where all the talk of roaming data and voice is

 

[Kaldemir]

Hi,
I have an o2 SIM with a plan called o2o (o2 o - Handytarife ohne Grundgebühr und ohne Vertragslaufzeit). I know it's not prepaid but with a minimum spend of €0.00/ month and calls&texts are capped at €50.00/ month it's even better I think - you need a German address though.
Data is capped at €3.50/ day but internet packs can be added for 5, 10, 20 or 30 Euros/month (30MB, 300MB, 1GB, 5GB respectively).
It does the job for me. Have a phone with local rates whenever I'm there, don't pay anything when I don't use it and unlike prepaid SIMs my number doesn't expire.
Hope this helps.

 

[scheps]

Sorry to resurrect but what would be available in frankfurt airport ? With help to activate the sim before heading off on the romantic road? Just need data really

 

[Kaldemir]

Sorry to resurrect but what would be available in frankfurt airport ? With help to activate the sim before heading off on the romantic road? Just need data really

Hi, I just checked the FRA Airport App and according to it there's an Base/e-plus store in T1 on level 0 and an O2-Shop in T1 on Level 1.
Not sure where you're arriving but even if it's T2 it is very easy to get from one terminal to the other using the sky train

 

[scheps]

Thanks m8, I hope to score a Blauworld sim there and hopefully not too much! Will be T2 unfortunately but will cut across, i assume its all land side. Also assuming german carriers dont restrict hotspotting for any particular reason.

 

[Kaldemir]

Thanks m8, I hope to score a Blauworld sim there and hopefully not too much! Will be T2 unfortunately but will cut across, i assume its all land side. Also assuming german carriers dont restrict hotspotting for any particular reason.

It's all landside. The o2o contract I have has no restrictions on hotspotting.

 

[scheps]

Nice which one did you get? Was it quick to activate etc? O2 better than blauworld by the looks of it

 

[Kaldemir]

Nice which one did you get? Was it quick to activate etc? O2 better than blauworld by the looks of it

never heard of Blauworld, they must be a virtual operator. tmobile and vodafone are 1 and 2 - better coverage and speed (and more expensive). They don't have shops at FRA I think. I like the fact that you can get a postpaid plan with o2 which is free when you don't use it. And when you do, it has a cap.. My mum lives in Germany, so it's ideal, I keep my number and only have to pay for it when I actually use it. I think you need a German address to get a post paid plan though. I bought the SIM online and had it sent to my mother's address.

Try looking at the o2 and Eplus websites and see which suits you best. Just checked their website, Blauworld uses the eplus network and are sold at eplus stores so you may as well get that at FRA.

 

[marki]

As an aside I have used T-Mobile and have used pre paid. The Internet then worked out 2 Euros a day! High speeds until u hit a cap then you still get Internet but a little slower.

never heard of Blauworld, they must be a virtual operator. tmobile and vodafone are 1 and 2 - better coverage and speed (and more expensive). They don't have shops at FRA I think. I like the fact that you can get a postpaid plan with o2 which is free when you don't use it. And when you do, it has a cap.. My mum lives in Germany, so it's ideal, I keep my number and only have to pay for it when I actually use it. I think you need a German address to get a post paid plan though. I bought the SIM online and had it sent to my mother's address.

Try looking at the o2 and Eplus websites and see which suits you best. Just checked their website, Blauworld uses the eplus network and are sold at eplus stores so you may as well get that at FRA.

 

[scheps]

never heard of Blauworld, they must be a virtual operator. tmobile and vodafone are 1 and 2 - better coverage and speed (and more expensive). They don't have shops at FRA I think. I like the fact that you can get a postpaid plan with o2 which is free when you don't use it. And when you do, it has a cap.. My mum lives in Germany, so it's ideal, I keep my number and only have to pay for it when I actually use it. I think you need a German address to get a post paid plan though. I bought the SIM online and had it sent to my mother's address.

Try looking at the o2 and Eplus websites and see which suits you best. Just checked their website, Blauworld uses the eplus network and are sold at eplus stores so you may as well get that at FRA.

Thanks mate, I think i will follow your advice. One last question, what is the speed like? coz 3g in say, california, is pretty shabby. e.g. i wouldnt try hotspot with it.

 

[scheps]

As an aside I have used T-Mobile and have used pre paid. The Internet then worked out 2 Euros a day! High speeds until u hit a cap then you still get Internet but a little slower.

Yep, i tried to read their website, similar to us structure. I suppose minimum credit recharge is 10 euros?

I wish i could read or speak german, then i probably be able to go with T mobile.

 

[marki]

Yep, i tried to read their website, similar to us structure. I suppose minimum credit recharge is 10 euros?

I wish i could read or speak german, then i probably be able to go with T mobile.

I used "google chrome"* and it translates everything for me how did you think I managed! Even got a home loan this way!!!! (In Germany)Get into a T-Mobile shop and somebody will speak your language! I was able to download all documents to my smart phone and forward them by email to the bank.

Oh very impressed with T mobile coverage. I spoke on Skype in hands free mode while driving from Berlin to Poland (Szczecin) not even a hiccup. Even worked in Poland when close to the boarder.

* A web browser although internet explorer does a good job with the right plug in!

The other thing I noted is there are no iPad plans i.e. just data plans very strange..... Pre- paid but post paid there is.

 

[scheps]

Thanks Marki,

I did try google translate with chrome and it keeps on "hanging"... says attempting to translate (or somewhere along that line)... So I gave up.

I had a look at the T Mobile map and it covers the areas i am looking to go very well, along the autobahn!

I just need to find a shop and hope they speak english!