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German Pre-Paid SIM Cards - Which and how?

Posted by on

Due to overwhelmingly helpful response in my previous post here, I've another query which Google just serves to further confuse me about.
Me and my friend, the two of us will be in Germany, from the 14th till the 21st, after which we will at Amsterdam till 25th, all in November 2015 (this month). We will most definitely require a prepaid SIM card for the duration of our stay. My main questions are:
-i) Which is the best budget SIM card, for extensive data usage? (I've heard about flatrates, but didn't quite understand them)
-ii) Can I use the same SIM card in Amsterdam too? If not, which is a good, cheap SIM card to obtain in Amsterdam?
I've seen that we can order SIM cards to our hotel of residence so that they're ready for us on arrival; that's a preferable option. Also, FYI, we both use nano-SIM cards.

Any alternative suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Posted by
544 posts

The best budget sim card is to sign up for T-Mobile's simple choice plan here in the USA. It includes unlimited 3G data in Germany and the Netherlands. Calls are a dollar a minute when you're in Europe and texting is unlimited. Perfect for emergencies and then you can Skype, etc, if you need to call when you're on wifi.

Sign up for 2 lines, each on the 1gb plan. It'll cost $50 for each line. Just cancel when you get home.

That said, here's a pretty thorough article on the SIM options in Germany: http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Germany

Posted by
7 posts

@Nordheim Contrary to your nonchalant assumption that I reside in the US, I'm actually based out of Dubai, UAE. Hence, the prospect of using an American SIM is totally void. I'd like to know more about the SIMs available within Europe, in fact.

Posted by
32353 posts

mac,

Regarding your questions.....

  • I'm not sure which cell network in Germany provides the best rates. I suspect they will all be comparable as each network has to remain competitive. The fact that you require "extensive data usage" will likely increase the costs beyond the "budget" category. Hopefully one of the forum members from Germany will have some suggestions to offer.
  • Yes, you can use the same SIM in Amsterdam, however the minutes will deplete faster as you'll be "roaming". The cost difference won't be much though, as the E.U. regulates how much the various networks can charge for roaming. When you buy a SIM in Germany, be sure you're clear on the method for topping it up in other countries.

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