Basics
There are now only three network operators left in Germany:
E-Plus was acquired by Telefónica Deutschland, owner of O2, in 2014 to join and become one single network. So far Telefónica merged both networks either by national roaming between them or by network integration of E-Plus into O2. Both networks are planned to be fully merged and all of E-Plus switched off or over in 2018.
All other offers mentioned below are MVNOs of one of the three network operators shown above. MVNOs are particularly popular for prepaid in Germany and are mostly cheaper than the MNOs. They now have a market share of more than 40% for prepaid, which is amongst the highest in the world.
All providers are sorted according to the network on which they operate. A list is provided at the bottom of this article. In 2017 all three network operators are neck and neck: Telefónica/O2 is market leader by customer numbers, Telekom is still ahead what sales figures are concerned, Vodafone is in between and leads in EBITDA. That's why this survey follows the historical order of the networks usually used in the country: first Telekom, to be followed by Vodafone and concluded by O2 (Telefónica). For the 3 different operators, this has been moved to seperate pages. In this article here a general survey and comparison are given which network to choose best.
Coverage and speed
2G and 3G: GSM up to EDGE speed is on 900 and 1800 MHz and 3G is on 2100 MHz like in most of Europe. Almost the entire country is covered by 2G, only few remote areas remain without any coverage at all. 3G/UMTS up to DC-HSDPA+ speed is available in most of the populated areas with blank patches left in the countryside.
4G/LTE: LTE has been rolled out on most common 4G frequencies in Europe on all operators: 800 MHz (band 20), 1800 MHz (band 3) and 2600 MHz (band 7). Band 8 on 900 MHz was added in 2017 and band 28 on 700 MHz will be added 2018 or later when digital TV has left this spectrum.
- Telekom coverage : LTE available on 92% of population
- Vodafone coverage : LTE available on 84% of population
- Combined O2 coverage with E-Plus integrated: LTE available on 80% of population (former E-plus customers can now use about 3/4 of O2's own LTE coverage).
Availability
The most convenient way to purchase a SIM card for a visitor is to go to one of the big supermarket, drugstore, service station, electronic market chains or an operator's store and look for one of the providers shown below. Remember that MVNOs tend to be generally cheaper than their MNOs:
Most SIM cards can be used for data as well as phone calls and SMS messages. Data-only SIMs are rather rare in Germany. The standard voice rate is around 9 cents per minute for a domestic call (to any mobile or landline) and about 9 cents for a domestic SMS.
Activation and registration
There is much confusion about how to register and activate a German SIM card and the laws have changed again in July 2017. That's why this following updated section deals with it in detail.
By law, all SIM cards in Germany need to be registered first on your name and an address to be activated. There are different options available where and how to register a SIM card. Some are swift and easy, others need some German knowledge or the help on an interpreter, and not all options are open for all brands
- in a branded store of an operator (Telekom, Vodafone, O2, etc.) by showing your passport or national ID document
- in some other stores like MediaMarkt, Saturn, [to be added] for the brands sold there with the same documents.
- online by a video identification on camera showing a valid ID document through a webcam or smartphone / tablet cam
- some other ways like 'Post Ident' in post offices or by emailing / faxing / mailing a copy of your documents to the provider
The last options (4.) all have the disadvantage of a long processing time until you get connected, while 1.-3.) all work rather swift within minutes and therefore shown here in detail.
For all options you now need:
- a valid ID document like passport, national ID card or any other internationally acknowledged ID document with your name and a photo on it
- a German street address consisting of street name, house number, postal code (called Postleitzahl or in short PLZ) and the name of the location. You can give any German address. Normally, it won't be verified in any way. But it should physically exist as some systems run a plausibility check. So you might use your accomodation address or that of a friend you know.
All prior activated SIM cards will not be verified for identification and keep on working like before. No need for action, even if you haven't properly accounted for them. The new law only applies to new subscriptions past July 2017.
1.) registration in provider stores
This option is only possible with operators that have branded stores like the network operators Telekom, Vodafone, O2 and a few more brands and SIM cards purchased here, no other brand or SIM can be registered here.
This option is the recommended way for rather unexperienced foreigners who don't speak any German as in most shops some English-speaking support is available. But in some stores you will be charged more for this service. This is not official, but more or less tolerated by the operators. They will tell you that you can only buy a package with a certain additional credit or airtime or charge a fee for registration.
As most starter packs in Germany are free or only for a few Euros (plus pre-loaded credit), the starting price for the SIM plus registration shouldn't exceed €10 (plus loaded plan or credit/airtime extra).
You may shop around a bit to get the best deal and some shops may try to overcharge you. So stay polite and explain, that you can't give a German address for online registration or are able to understand the German online procedure. For finding the usual stores you should go to a shopping center or a downtown high street from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays or at airports a much smaller choice is available, if at all.
2.) registration in other stores
Some other IT stores have built up registration points for SIM cards like the electronic markets of MediaMarkt and Saturn [to be added]. But they will only register SIM cards sold in their store and no others. You might even find small webcafés or kiosks selling ethno brands like Lebara or Lycamobile giving you the opportunity to register at the point of purchase. They essentially providing only hardware and service for 3.). So don't leave these places, before your SIM is activated and works in your device.
3.) video-identification
This latest state of the art technology is about to become the standard way for registration of new SIM cards in Germany. It can be used for all brands and operators. Here you need your pre-purchased SIM from any sales point (supermarket, kiosk, gas/service station, newspaper stand, postal agency, etc....) and do the ID check through a video connection.
For this you need to have your SIM card with its numbers, your ID and an address ready. Furthermore you need a rather fast and stable internet connection and a cam. This can be done through your smartphone, tablet or laptop or in any internet café like you do a video Skype or WhatsApp call. Of course, this high speed internet connection may pose a problem as you don't have a connection yet. But more and more WiFi hotspots are opening up in the country (locally rather called WLAN). For instance all McDonald's restaurants give you 1 hour of free internet and the same is true to many hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, transport systems and airports already.
This registration scheme called "video-ident" remains the only swift way to activate all brands as most resellers don't do it at the point of purchase. This applies to all supermarket brands or SIM cards that you buy off the shelf. You can't be sure to get an English-speaking agent available all the time, but most Germans speak at least basic English. To find the right online address for your video-ident session look for the words 'registrieren' or 'freischalten' on the website of the provider.
This section will be updated when more experience with this new registration scheme becomes available. Theoretically, you can do the video-ident from abroad too e.g. at home before your journey with a SIM card that you have pre-purchased online. Ebay.de and Amazon.de are usual marketplaces for German SIM cards and online distribution remains legal as they shouldn't be activated yet.
4.) other ways to register
There are some other ways proposed or offered by some providers. They let you send a fax or an email or a regular letter with a scan or copy of your ID documents. These procedures are normally very time-consuming and therefore inconvenient for the traveller and not shown in detail. But they might still be an option, if you don't need to have connection instantly like on pre-purchased SIM cards doing the registration from your home before your journey.
Tethering / Mobile hotspot use and VoIP
Tethering is usually allowed with all the shown offers below, except on the free ad-sponsored SIM of Netzclub and Lycamobile. Some providers don't supply a profile for the iPhone, but don't block it otherwise. VoIP calls are officially allowed only by O2 and some of its MVNOs. Other operators like Vodafone still officially ban them in their T&Cs without any real consequences. Only Telekom (and its MVNOs) has actively blocked and scrambled VoIP in the past, but opened all new tariffs for it now.
Topping up
German SIM cards can be topped up in many ways, but only few of them are suitable for visitors as some of them require German payment systems.
- when you are in Germany only:
- Buy top-up vouchers called Ladebons in many stores with a PIN to enter. The vouchers of the network operators are most widely available. You can use Telekom vouchers for Congstar and ja!/Penny mobil, Vodafone vouchers for Otelo, Fyve, Edeka and new LIDL Connect; E-Plus vouchers for Aldi, ortel, Whatsapp, ay yildiz, Blau(world), NettoKOM and Norma Mobil and O2 vouchers for O2/Loop and Netzclub. For Fonic, Lycamobile and Lebara, you need special vouchers which are less widely distributed. Note that the billing systems of E-Plus and O2 haven't merged fully yet and you can't use one voucher for the other brand.
- Go to one of the three major drugstore chains (Rossmann, Müller, dm) or to large retailers like real, Kaufland etc. to top-up most brands and pay at the cash register with internatl. MasterCard, VISA and sometimes even AmEx.
- Newspaper kiosks, postal agencies, some service/gas stations, some supermarkets or even ticket machines of some public transport companies are further top-up points. Look for the logo of the provider, but acceptance varies according to provider.
- When you are in or out of Germany (trying to keep an existing SIM card alive, topping up before arrival from abroad or while on roaming abroad):
- some SIM cards can be topped-up with international credit cards (VISA, MasterCard) and sometimes PayPal on the websites of the provider. But some foreign credit cards have been rejected in the past and a few providers may add a small surcharge.
- other SIM cards still don't allow online top-up by credit cards or have disabled that. Here you will need to use 3rd party agencies instead.
- The website/app prelado.de does most recharges without fees. Again, it might be picky about some credit cards from out of the country, but accepts PayPal, if you have a positive balance on your account. An alternative for a small transaction fee is aufladen.de.
- As a last resort international top-up agencies can do the transaction for a variable surcharge of up to 10%.
Top-ups of most major brands have a minimum of €15 which can be inconvenient because of the remaining credit. Lycamobile and Lebara let you recharge from €10 and Lidl Connect, AldiTalk (only at their Lidl/Aldi stores) and Vodafone (on its own website only) for as low as €5,
Managing your SIM card
German providers give you several ways to manage your SIM card e.g. to check credit, top-up, check remaining allowances or change plans, renew packages or add-ons for more data.
- on your online account you can register and log in to perform all the necessary tasks
- by entering certain USSD codes
- by calling customer support
- by using the app of the provider
Provider apps are a good tool to do all necessary tasks for tablets and smartphones. The major problem with German providers is, that most of them are offered only in the local Play Store for Android or App Store for Apple. Coming from a different country, they won't be displayed to be installed even if you are using a SIM card of the very same provider. How this obstacle can be bypassed, is written in detail in this manual. As apps can't be easily transfered to a translator tool, you should be cautious when don't understand basic German as some of them may hide payable 3rd party services to be activated by a few clicks.
EU and Swiss roaming
Given the high domestic data prices in Germany, generally all providers give out "Roam like at home" all over the EU/EEA without major limitations. Telekom and Vodafone don't even specify any FUPs. So you can expect to use any prepaid data volume abroad at domestic rates without restrictions.
This gives quite good roaming offers from the rather high priced country. For instance AldiTalk (see O2 section) sells 5 GB 4G/LTE data that can be fully used for EU roaming at 15 €.
Beware that outside (domestic) data packages some providers still sell high roaming rates based on an excessive domestic standard rate of up to 0.23 € per MB in the country.
Roaming in Switzerland is now mostly excluded from the "roam like home" zone of German providers and billed very high on most plans (Vodafone charges 500 times as much compared to the EU!). If you are looking for a cheap roaming option for Switzerland too, you can only choose:
- Deutsche Telekom: Magenta Mobile Start or Data Start with data in Switzerland at EU = domestic Geman rates taken from the package, but not for calls or SMS.
- AldiTalk, NettoKom, Norma Mobil, K-Classic Mobil (see O2): These brands still offer 500 MB add-ons for 7 days valid in Switzerland too at 4.99 €.
All other providers now charge excessively for roaming in Switzerland. So better buy a new SIM card in Switzerland when you plan to stay there for longer.
SUMMARY - Which network (and operator) to choose:
Vodafone: They have a pretty good coverage throughout the country, almost on par with Telekom given out at slightly lower prices. Like its competitor 4G/LTE is only given out on its own brand. All resellers stay on speeds up to 3G for now.
O2 (with E-Plus): The newly consolidated o2 network has a good coverage and 2G/3G speeds and coverage. It's 4G/LTE can't match overall coverage in the countryside for now. In contrast to its competitors 4G/LTE is open on O2's own brand and on most of its resellers too. This makes it the cheapest offer with LTE in the country right now. It's the only network that covers the Berliner U-Bahn (= metro, underground, subway) in full length by both 3G and 4G/LTE.
UPDATE 2017: Currently Telefónica is merging networks: This leads to switch on and off of base stations and networks with occasional overcrowding and service outages. For instance the old E-Plus LTE network has been switched off in 2016 and all 4G traffic is now routed through O2's own LTE network leading to congestion and slow speeds even below 3G rates in certain city hotspots and fast speeds in other places. Because of the issues any hotline support is hardly obtainable. While their 4G/LTE can be still patchy and erratic, their 3G network remains solid.
So choose:
- Telekom for the best available coverage and speeds at the highest prices
- Vodafone for a slightly weaker network at lower prices
- O2 (+ E-Plus) for the cheapest rates on LTE and using Berlin public transport
To obtain a good deal, data packages must be booked on the SIM card after activation. As weekly rates are hard to find, there is basically the choice of:
- daily packages for short-time heavy users (available from 500 MB to 1 GB per day)
- monthly packages for other users (available from 100 MB to 20 GB for 28-30 days)
Take care, that the default rate is often charged very high at around 20-30 ct per MB while data in packages are between 0.2-2 ct/MB. So buy packages right from the start, shut off data before the purchase and enable only when this has been confirmed (see here).
More information
The following list shows the most important players on the German prepaid market which can be bought in shops all over the country. Many other providers compete for special segments and audiences or online only. The German prepaid WIKI has an updated extended survey (in German only, use Google Translate): www.prepaid-wiki.de.
Operators
The German article is now split into 3 further sub-articles according to network provider: Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, O2 (incl. E-Plus) and their resellers.
Click on the pic to choose network and relevant sub-page:
For resellers (A-Z) go to:
- Aldi Talk -> o2
- ay yildiz -> o2
- Blau -> o2
- blauworld -> o2
- congstar -> Telekom
- EDEKA mobil -> Vodafone
- e-plus -> o2
- Fonic -> o2
- Fonic mobile -> o2
- fyve -> Vodafone
- ja!mobil -> Telekom
- K-Classic mobil -> o2
- Lebara mobile -> Telekom
- Lidl Connect -> Vodafone
- Lycamobile -> Vodafone
- Loop -> o2
- MediaMarkt - > o2
- NettoKOM -> o2
- Netzclub -> o2
- Norma mobil -> o2
- ortel mobile -> o2
- otelo -> Vodafone
- Penny mobil -> Telekom
- Rossmann mobil -> Vodafone
- Saturn -> o2
- Tchibo mobil -> o2
- WhatsApp SIM -> o2
- yourfone -> o2