Talk:Germany/@comment-86.142.174.93-20170521070408/@comment-24682153-20170523140018

This policy is similar to the UK too. When you are on a prepaid plan with a monthly allowance and this plan expires after 28 or 30 days, because you haven't topped up and your balance isn't sufficient for the package price, you will be on the default or standard PAYG rate of the provider by MB/SMS or min.

This works as long as you have a standing balance on your account. If this falls to zero, your SIM will be switched to passive mode. You can't place calls or texts, but you can still be texted, no data either. But your SIM can be revived anytime within at least a year by a recharge.

So this is a way to stop auto-renewal of monthly plans too. The other way to discontinue your monthly plan is to change to a standard plan without a monthly debit and allowance.

But PAYG in the UK is not so different to this....