additional information:

- All existing customers can keep their old tariffs.

- Users with the surf-flat tariff have to topup their card before the end of the month with at least 5 euro to keep the 200 MB included traffic.

- all existing customers also call and SMS for 9 ct now instead of 11ct

- the 100 minutes tariff can add the 300 MB data flat for 5 euro, which makes this a very interesting tariff combo: 100 min + 300 MB = 5 Euro :-) (now i bite myself that i didnt order the 100 minute card last week as i actually planned but forgot it...grrr).

Chris

Do you know if you need to top up with at least 5 EUR NOW or it's enough if you did it already some time ago and you have a balance of over 5 EUR now (and in fact had for most of the time)?

You have to recharge between June 15th and July 30th in order to keep your unthrottled data allowance of 200MB. Earlier top ups are not considered.

netzclub top ups
 

You can make a netzclub top up with any amount that you wish to retain the old 200MB tariff. Read the answer to the question: "Wie lade ich per Überweisung Guthaben auf?" in the netzclub FAQ list for more details about how to make bank payments.

https://www.netzclub.net/faq.5.html

Approximately one week after a bank payment (Überweisung) has been made, Netclub will automatically send a top up confirmation SMS with the new credit balance.

How long would the SIM stay alive for low use, visiting maybe 3 or 4 times a year? Would it help to switch it on abroad from time to time and read the adverts via a wi-fi connection?

Maintaining a netzclub account
 

Credit remains available for an unlimited period, according to the FAQ answer to the question: "Wie lange ist das aufgeladene Guthaben für die Nutzung verfügbar?" - How long does the top up credit last?

https://www.netzclub.net/faq.5.html

To keep your free data allowance active, you need to check and react to the netzclub SMS adverts. You will receive these free, wherever you are in the world. You can also check for the SMS adverts online by looking at your netzclub account history (here you can see a complete list of sent adverts and have the last one resent to your mobile phone).

While you can generally recharge any amount by bank transfer, you have to top up at least € 5 to keep the old tariff. That's at least what they've repeatedly stated on their Facebook page (see attached screenshot).

As some of you may consider recharging their netzclub SIM by international bank transfer here are their bank details:

recipient: Netzclub
IBAN: DE52700202700654754055
bank: HypoVereinsbank München
reference: [just your netzclub phone number, e.g. 017612345678]

Successful top ups
 

How many of their customers are going to read their facebook page? In the end, I guess they will honour the text of their original upgrade offer:

Einmaliges Angebot für dich: Sichere dir weiterhin deine kostenfreie Handy-Internet-Flat1 (200 MB)

Wie geht das? Lade bis zum 31.07.2011 einmalig Guthaben auf und du kannst weiterhin Monat für Monat kostenfrei deine Handy-Internet-Flat nutzen. Das Guthaben kannst du selbstverständlich wie gewohnt z. B. zum Telefonieren und Simsen nutzen.

Deine Vorteile im Überblick:

* 9 Cent Min/SMS telefonieren
* Kostenfreie 200 MB Handy-Internet-Flat
* Bei Guthabenaufladung bis 31.07.2011

Minimum top-up required to retain old data tariff
 

Inquisitor was correct: Netzclub are sending their customers an SMS message confirming that a top-up of at least 5 Euro is required to retain the old data tariff.