German 3G operator - internet

[Marcin]

I need advice about german phone operators. I need cheap as possible internet access from 3G network. Most important thing is long validity of account (like said to internet access). Maybe GPRS pack ? No need to be huge let's say min 50MB. Good solution would be sms to call this service for example 1 day or.

I will use it at max two days per month (over a dozen of google searches per month).

[Mearas]

It depends where you're going, because we have four main provider: telekom/t-mobile, vodafone, o2 and e-plus/Base. The last is cheap, but not everywhere usable (country side for example). Good enough and cheap is o2, it hat good offers like contracts with "pay only what you're using", no monthly fees and so on.

A lot of reseller like Fonic, Aldi Talk, LidlKom and so one are using the eplus-network and only in conurbations recommendable.

All broadband-offers are flatrates with a volume regulation. Up to XXX MBs you have LTE/3G and then only 64 or 128kbit.

Maybe a Prepaid-Card is an option, so you can take a internet-dayflat for 99 cent. Congstar/Telekom (same company) or Vodafone are good choices.

edit: some concrect offers which I recommend:

1: Congstar Prepaid (Top Up Card):
http://www.congstar.de/prepaid/karte/?pre=1&cng=13
+ 9 Cent/Minute
+ Internet-Dayflat for 99 Cent (200MB per Month, then only 64/16 kBit/s)
+ very good network (Telekom network)
- no service Points, Serice only online

2: o2 Loop
http://www.o2online.de/tarife/prepaid-tarife/o2-loop/freikarte/
+ 50 minutes for every top up of your card
+- 30 MB per day
Same conditions as Congstar, but the networks is not as good as congstar

Regards

[Marcin]

Signal range have nothing to do because I will be in main of cities.

"prepaid and internet-dayflat for 99 cent" is what I'm looking for. Which from these two operators have longest-cheapest valid account for outgoing calls (and internet browsing in same time) ?

[Mearas]

"Which from these two operators have longest-cheapest valid account for outgoing calls (and internet browsing in same time) ?"

I'm not sure what you mean...

So you have a top-up card and you pay 9 cent per minute for a call in germany. Roaming is much more expensive.
The cheapest card doesn't exist, because all of them have the same price:

* 9 Cent per Minute for a call
* 9 Cent for a SMS
* 99 Cent for internet/day (24h)

You can buy the cards in a lot of stores and gas station with a start-value of 10 € (for example). But you have to activate them, normaly with an id card.
Maybe the easiest way for you is to visit a o2 store, if your german skills are good enough? Their offer seems to be a good solution for your demands.

Do you have any friends/family in germany? Then everything should be much more easier.

[Marcin]

Thank you for detailed answers.

OK I will explain what I mean. Top up for example 5 EUR gives 1 week of calling (outgoing calls), 10 EUR - 30 days, 25 EUR - 150 days and so on.

Target is lowest top up with longest valid outgoing calls as possible.

[Mearas]

But you have to pay for every minute?! 5 € divided by 9 Cent...+- internet (99 Cent per day of usage)?!

So 9 € of topup means 900 minutes of calling time (without internet).
If you mean the bonus time @o2, thats a special offer from o2 and not a standard at the other provider.

So the cheapest way seems to be the o2 offer, because you get extra 50 minutes for a 10 € top up. That means you have 10 € for calling and/or internet and 50 minutes extra for calls. Congstar gives you some extras at the beginning, but later you have to pay the normal prive without any extras like free minutes.

Both of them doesn't have monthly charges.

Is this what you wanted to know?!

[Marcin]

Ok we misunderstood I do not need to have minutes to call but possibility to take a call - you know what is difference ? Maybe you german do not have time limits after top ups but we have it in Poland.

For example Today I will top up 5 EUR my prepaid but nearest outgoing call will be at December. Will it works ?

[Mearas]

Ah, I think I got it.
And no, we don't have so excessiv restrictions.
There was a time where you have to top up your card once a year to use your Sim-Card. After this time the card would be deaktivated. But as far as I know our courts prohibited this and you can use your card as long as you want.

So if you get tomorrow a card you can use it til 08/2014 and longer. Your value on the card doesnt dissappear and you can use it as long as you want.

regards

[Marcin]

We have these restrictions from beginning

Congstar Prepaid - can be ordered without registering personal informations ? If I will ask someone from Germany to order and then I will use it. It will be OK ?

Congstar Prepaid - Internet-Dayflat for 99 Cent - Can I order this by sms ? One time service for one day or this will start charging me everyday ?

Thanks again !

[Mearas]

As far as I know: every Prepaid in germany has to be personaliezed.
I don't know the limitations of the registration, but normaly there is no problem to buy and use it as a foreign guy. Only the way of buying and reg over the internet could be a problem.

The dayflat starts with using the IP-Service and ends at midnight 23:59 o'clock. It's starts and charge only again If you'Re still using IP-Services. This is only a problem when you can't control the IP-usage of your phone (like some Androids).
Important: if you order a congstar card you have to book the dayflat (as an option), otherwise you pay a high charge for every kb you're using/transfering. Other option is a flatrate for a month for 7,90 €. (more options are on the website, short translation Tage=Days, Nutzungstag=Day of usage)

If you have a german friend etc.. take a look at ebay.de. There are a lot of sellers wich give you some benefit to your card, like a Aral 15 € voucher. But a german bank account is necessary.

[Marcin]

[Mearas]

Yes..that's right.

I just chatted with the congstar service and asked for the registration. If you want to buy a german prepaid card you'll need a german adress for the registration, in any case. Without a german address you cant activate the SIM-Cards.
For a online-order at congstar a german bank account is also neccessary.

Kind regards

[Marcin]

That is all what I need to know. Thank you very much for support. I will leave that thread because I suspect I'm not only one who plan to visit germany and stay online

[Mearas]

You're welcome...