Advice & Tips on using your phone abroad Traveling
Traveling in Germany Tips for mobile Internet access.
I went to Germany for 50 days, blogging and using social media to share with my readers some of the coolest hotspots of youth across the country.
Key part of my trip was the access to the mobile internet so I can share the journey in real time.
Internet roaming packages offered by the networks of UK were quite poor at the time, with the exception of three Mobile and I have had my share of huge bills in the past when using my phone abroad.
Also trying to get my unlocked iPhone is pretty expensive and a bit of a logistical nightmare.
Anyway, I think I found some good solutions for you.
I gave you the lowdown mobile Internet options I discovered during my research I hope I help you when planning your trip to Germany in the future PS Here's the link to my page resources on how to benefit from Germany on a budget.
1 If your phone is unlocked- buy a prepaid SIM card with flat Internet data plans.
To purchase a SIM from a German mobile operator card requires you to be a German citizen.
My advice I would give the name of a German friend and their date of birth and address their permission.
Or give the address of the hostel and your passport with you-it worked for me at O2.
Options for prepaid SIM cards with flat Internet data plans.
There is a ton of great value prepaid SIM packs there, even Aldi sell these SIM cards so be sure to shop around comes around recommended to other travelers, so I've summarized their packages below.
Offer the following flat Internet data packets.
Flat Internet data packets lasts 30 days UMTS HSDPA will be used up to a specified limit data, after reaching this limit each time you pass EDGE GPRS.
You can order your sim card in advance and get sent to where you are staying in Germany deliver only to German addresses.
Starter packs containing a full size SIM card can be purchased from major retailers high street in Germany, e g the supermarket chain Kaufland or shops E Plus.
To order your sim card in advance and live in the UK, you can try.
I used them when traveling in India, which is a nightmare to buy a sim card and they were fantastic and ordered online within 48 hours, the simcard was delivered and I was ready to plug my old horse battle-iPhone 3G.
Ritesim can offer O2 simcard with unlimited 1 GB data at 3G speeds, 2G switches after 30 days to 32, so if you have little time and a short drive, this might be a better solution.
If your phone is locked Buy MiFi mobile Internet device.
If like me, your phone is locked, the alternative you have is to purchase a MiFi mobile Internet device.
These appliances last 6 hours and can connect up to 10 devices Internet, download speeds up to 150 Mbps and upload speed up to 50 Mbps if you get a 4G SIM card.
You can buy them on eBay for very little, but I suggest going for a decent quality option.
It is a steep but paid investment on subsequent trips abroad when you can plug in a SIM card local internet data and you leave.
I recommend this MiFi Huawei has been great for me, compatible with 4G SIM cards and currently costs 79 99 on the Amazon store it lasts up to 6 hours on a full charge and you can connect 3 devices to the unit.
Once you got the Internet device, all you have to do is find a prepaid SIM card with a flat internet data plan and pop into the device as shown in the picture above.
You can choose or go for O2 like me who to date has been quite reliable.
There are a ton of O2 stores across Germany where you can buy your internet SIM prepaid card.
The activation takes about 5 minutes to an hour maximum so it is great.
As with this data packet lasts 30 days, after which you can go into an O2 store and up again.
Or hotpsots find free wifi hotspots using the youth application.
Another option is obviously to put your phone in flight mode and access the Internet on the free WiFi hotspots.
It is easier with the new youth Hotspots application German National Tourist Office have developed.
Download Android Apple Retail Store app you can discover and 1300 Free Wi-Fi networks throughout Germany.
Please share it with your friends on Facebook and leave your comments, useful tips in the comments section below Danke schon.
A big thank you to the National Office of the German tourism partners for Hotspots Jugendherberge Youth Hostelling countryside German Youth Association and Deutsche Bahn to sponsor my tour in Germany Wanderlust.
I'm on tour in Germany as part of an effort to highlight and explore emerging Hotspots youth of the country.
To learn more about these hotspots to their websit e feel free to add your own and also do free application download their hot youth issues that is now available on the Apple Store Android Store.
Please note While my trip was sponsored, views and thoughts represented in this article are my own.
Just back from Munich Found buy sim for my mobile hotspot much trickier than expected, I speak German, but even if it was a challenge Some sims seemed perfect for purpose of reading the blurb on further investigation you to find they could not be used as a modem MiFi hotspot and others I have not allowed VOIP therefore found a bit of a minefield Nothing suitable was available for less than 20 euro I I had paid for 200MB limit my search a little because of time pressure pine request came on my MiFi and guys in the store jumped SiM card into the phone to clear the problem and now a question s' Please everyone knows the value lump sim for my MiFi data for use in Austria soon Very grateful for any advice offered Thanks again for the article most useful John.
Hi, I want to ask you something that I'll do a roadtrip German-Italy-France-Netherlands-Belgium in June How do I get Internet in these countries with a card any idea I would use a MiFi device in the car more device I want your help, I await your response thank you.
It's a difficult Giannis there are some global SIM cards that exist, but the data offered is expensive Your best bet is to use your existing SIM card provider and see if they have a good offer for the use of your plan data Europe Vodafone for example, I think the load 3 to use your plan in Europe daily.
The alternative would be to buy a SIM card in each country, but it becomes an expensive exercise.
Hi I found your message in an online search that was very useful to start I'm in Frankfurt next week, and convenience and because I know the pedestrial Zeil stretch too much, I'll buy a router the ubiquitous chain SATURN and pick up prepaid Internet from Vodafone because I need a reliable access away from major cities in the land Thank you.
Hi I found your message in an online search that was very useful to start I'm in Frankfurt next week, and convenience and because I know that the pedestrian section Zeil too well, I'll buy a router the ubiquitous chain SATURN and pick up prepaid Internet from Vodafone because I need a reliable access away from major cities in the land Thank you.
Great to hear you Long time no There is a problem with O2 when you are in the German countryside Tell me how it goes with Vodafone and what you are dealing with.
Thank you for your message as I am in India now will order my Uniconnect SIM card for my trip to Germany next month I hope Lebara has good data connectivity far from big cities Does someone has experience recently with Lebara I am a big consumer of data and look at their day 3GB Plans Allnet 30 24 99EUR.
Lebara opportunity a few times Vinay Germany and Netherlands -They were fabulous Thanks for the tip on the Uniconnect-great service.
Hi I'm traveling to germsny next week in Bangalore, India here I get carfs sim before my departure, I have 2 options stayconnect and matrix Please say I prefer that I have both and Fata installation of international call.
Sorry Rani not clued up on these companies If your phone is unlocked, on arrival, you can get a SIM card I have mentioned.
BudgetTraveller, as many have mentioned German nationality is not necessary to purchase SIM cards I've bought a lot over the years and no one ever asked if I was German My experience using the telephone service mobile both professionally and personally that and Tmobile offer the best O2 service has too many dead spots, even in the cities, there are many sims offbrand available in small shops, but do you really want to play with your communications Enjoy the info on the MiFi I think to take one to provide Internet connectivity to a wireless office lines or telephone installed.
Yes, I visited Germany since and has not been asked to show my passport and prove that I am German Also I have used other less known brands like Lycamobile and found them much time Maybe I review the article.
Traveling in Germany Tips for mobile Internet access, Travel, Germany, advice, get.