Talk:Network compatibility of devices/@comment-172.6.34.78-20150704062927/@comment-24682153-20150704070747

A lot of questions. I try answer them one by one:

1.) Your phones need to support the German 4G/LTE frequencies for LTE: Vodafone is on 800 and 2600 MHz, other providers on 1800 MHz too. These bands are totally different from those used in the US. A Vodafone SIM card will be compatible with any unlocked GSM device as long as it has the same frequencies covered. (3G/UMTS is on 2100 MHz on all carriers).

The A1428 model iPhone 5 is the Canadian and US AT&T network GSM iPhone, including support for UMTS/HSPA+DC-HSDPA (frequencies 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (frequencies 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), and LTE bands 4 and 17.

Your iPhone 5 phone will work on 2G and 3G up to DC-HSDPA speed in Germany, but not on 4G/LTE. Same is true to your iPhone 4, as it don't has 4G/LTE included at all.

2.) Tethering is allowed with most providers and plans in Germany, on Vodafone too.

3.) VoIP is only blocked on the network of Telekom. Other networks may ban it in their T&Cs but with no further consequences and can be used on Vodafone and Eplus/O2 networks.

4.) Data-only SIM cards are rare in Germany. Most of them have voice and text too. But if you find one, you can use it for tethering data for sure.

5.) Stay away from Lycamobile for tethering and from Telekom network and all of their MVNOs for VoIP.

6.) Sure. But if you bring your MiFi from the US, beware of the required frequency bands.