Talk:Germany/@comment-194.65.37.71-20160531100908/@comment-24682153-20160531112307

Hello. You can do the purchase of the SIM card via your relatives who are going to forward you the letter.

1.) No. The AldiTalk SIM needs still to be registered online to be activated. Your relatives can do it as soon as they have the SIM or you even from abroad. Go to "freischalten" on the AldiTalk webpage and enter your name and e.g. the address of your relatives in Germany. Note that this procedure is about to change in Germany later this year. From that moment on you have to show your ID card in the store during purchase. But for now, you need to do it online with AldiTalk.

2.) You can't top up AldiTalk directly by credit card. You need to use prelado.de (not .se), but they are picky about foreign credit cards. My advice: let your relatives buy you a "Ladebon" of 5€ or 15€ at the moment they purchase the starter pack. It's a top up voucher with a long PIN that you can add before arrival. In Germany you can easily buy top-up cards later.

3.) You can activate your data package prior to arrival. But German apps are often in geo-restricted stores of Apple or Google. So you might not get it on your phone. Then, you need to use a different way for activation (by your account or by command code). You can do it on roaming too, but don't use their data abroad. Better use a WiFi or your home internet.

A good alternative is Vodafone CallYa see Euro7. With them, your relatives can order a "Freikarte" = free SIM to be delivered to their postal address. It comes already pre-activated and is easier to top up with foreign credit cards on their site. Note, that this procedure is likely to be changed later this year too, but no date has been fixed.