I don't think they'll get suspicious... They don't care. Moreover, kiosks (periptera) sell prepaid SIMs and some vendors in downtown Athens (especially in Chinese and Pak-Indian stores) will sell you the same packs for even as low as 1 Euro!

I have read this news:
WIND HELLAS

I have a prepaid sim. Do you think this is good? How can I activate this offer?

It's been a while since you wrote this very helpful guide, so I wondered what the current situation is.

I'm taking my boat back to Greece soon, and I'll need mobile broadband for a week or two at a time until October each year. Good coverage on the islands, rather than the mainland, is important.

With my current contract (T-Mobile in Croatia) I get 512MB per month for about €15. I use about 100MB per week, so a busy month gets to about 250MB.

Ideally I'd like a Pay As You Go (PAYG) service like Vodafone Top Up and Go but a reasonable monthly charge (say €15) would be acceptable, especially if it could be put into "sleep" mode when I'm not there.

I've got an unlocked E220 USB modem.

What would your suggestions be?

I just found this: Vodafone Mobile Broadband Tariff Plans which has a prepaid option.

I think this is new - I haven't seen it before, anyway - but it's not clear to me how it works. It looks as if you pay 43€ and get "43 € of free usage volume" but whether you can then use that to subscribe to one of the VMC package, and whether that's automatically renewed - it doesn't say. Does anyone know how it works?

What I want is to subscribe to the 5Gb package for the periods that I'm in Greece and then to unsubscribe when I return home.

The Voda prices are the same as Cosmote Internet on the Go - but that is (I think) only available as an add-on to a contract (eg the zero monthly contract).

Dave
s/y Vigdis

I checked. You pay €43, then get €43 worth of usage, but at €4,3 per MB this is just 10MB :eek:

I'm going to go with their €15 a month contract, if you don't get a subsidised modem, you can cancel at any time after 2 months.

To apply for this, you need [my comments]:

1) Your Tax number [UK number OK] or Greek Tax registration number

2) Your ID card or your Passport.

3) Also you must declare your resident address here in Greece, in which you will be receiving an itemized bill with the account's details every month. [This address can be temporary, as you can download the bills online]

4) Payment should be made by Credit Card or Cash. (In case of Cash payment you must deposit a 300 Euros warranty).

5) Minimum time of a contractual connection is 2 months. If you buy only the connection sim card you have no extra payment at the end of your contract 2 months later. If you buy the sim card with a USB stick modem you have to pay (100% of the Value of the mobile device) at the end of your 2 months contract. The price of the USB stick is 189 Euros (VAT incl) at the present time.

In that case what does Charges for use in excess of the free usage volume mean? It appears under the prepaid deal - see my link.

It means that after reaching the 43 Euro limit (10MB) you will pay those rates per KB!

Which means you really have to keep an eye on your usage! :rolleyes:

Are you both sure that the bundles (250Mb, 5Gb) are not available with prepaid? If it is €4.3/Mb while you use up the €43 and €4.2/Mb (?) afterwards then that could have been expressed much more clearly!

Oh well - so still no sensible prepaid internet access in Greece?

Dave

Back in Greece, so I activated Wind Non-stop, since I had the SIM and some credit. I find that I cannot access some sites – e.g. my webmail at webmail.1and1.co.uk, or the mobile gmail site. Neither will resolve. And if I enter an IP address for 1and1 I still cannot access the site. Other sites – windfinder, poseidon weather, work OK.

This seems to be a new restriction compared with last year.

You should also remember that the new Wind plus non-stop only offers 40MB/month for surfing outside the Wind plus portal! From there on you get charged!

I bought a Cosmokarte. No indication of free 15 days MyView as mentioned earlier by caliston. SMS 'WAP' to 1333 failed - "the activation of your function not immediately possible...ring customer services". CS (1313 then key 9 and wait) subscribed me to WAP & MyView (I think) but she said she could not subscribe me to My View 'n' Web - only I could do it though the cosmotemyview.gr website - which she admitted is only in Greek. She said I should go into "my account" and select monthly payment. I tried - but it just wiped out the 10euro on the card (I had added 9 so that I could pay for MyView 'n' Web).

I want to try again in an internet cafe. Can anyone give me instructions on setting up MyView 'n' Web using the website in Greek? I don't have an account: do I have to create a login and link the phone number to it?

The CS lady also said that Cosmote SMS messages are not available in English.

In order to help you, I started to register my Cosmokarta with the my account system so I'm still waiting for the confirmation SMS and I'll give you the first steps here:
First you go to cosmote.gr and click on the my account icon on the top right side of the site. Then click the second radio button that says "COSMOKAPTA/WHAT'S UP" next to the greek gibberish.
Then, click the first option (it's selected by default) which means you'll sign up using your user password (a five digit password printed on the plastic folding of your sim card next to the greek text "ΚΩΔΙΚΟΣ ΧΡΗΣΤΗ" (KODIKOS XPHSTH, meaning "user code"). On the next page you have five textboxes, you fill them as follows: username, email address, 10-digit cosmote phone number and 5-digit user code, then click either e-mail or SMS to receive your password by email or SMS! (If you're not in Greece and can't receive sms on your cosmokarta, choose email).
After they validate your data they will send you your password by email or sms (depending on what you choose on this page)!

I'm still waiting for mine!

If you don't have the 5-digit user code, then you can't sign up for "My account" through the website...

I'll get back to you as soon as I get my password for the rest of the steps you need to take to sign up for WEB'n'MAIL...

Thanks. I have the user code - customer serviices always asks for it.

I sail south from Nidri (Lefkada) tomorrow - not sure where the next wifi will be. But I will be back on here when I can.

Dave
yachtvigdis.wordpress.com

After you login for the first time with the password you receive on your mobile or email, you get a screen that asks you to change the password, first box is for the old password (the one they sent you) and the next two boxes are for the new one you choose (accept or OK, is the second button, which should be selected by default), then you get another screen with just one button, click that and you're on the main "my account" page, You see your mobile phone number, click on it and you get the options.
Unfortunately, I don't seem to be able to find any option for Web'n'walk...
On the web interface, I found an option to activate Cosmote my View...
Probably you have to access their My View portal on your mobile, and from there access the "my account" section and ask for the Web'n'mail plan... It's nowhere to be found on the web interface...

Thanks for your help, gmmour. I have set up an account. But I cannot see a way of subscribing to My View 'n' Web on the cosmote internet website.

The option 'prices' (6th down on the left) says (google translate):

For more economical and navigation, you can choose the monthly pass «my view 'n' web», charge 4 € / month for 1 months to enjoy unlimited navigation COSMOTE my view and 40MV navigation in Internet and WAP sites selection your! The navigation to specific sites on the threshold of 40MV, will be charged with 0,0119 € / CG.
The activation of a monthly pass «my view 'n' web» can be done through COSMOTE my view or in the shops COSMOTE. If you activate the first pass at a shop COSMOTE, and you have xanaepiskeftei the COSMOTE my view or is within 15 days of acquaintance, you will have 50% discount.

I suspect this means that it can only be activated through the WAP service itself - not the internet website. (The helpdesk lady would have assumed that I was going to do it that way.)

I may have to try that, but before I do I would like your opinion. I've just put another 9EUR on the phone and I don't want to lose it again!

I could go into a shop - but they might expect me to use the WAP browser on the phone. I've never actually used WAP on the phone. In fact, although it's unlocked it's still branded T-mobile UK and if you start the phone browser it goes to their site. (That's probably what ate the last 9EUR.) I didn't mention before that the CS lady sent me the phone-configuration message, and gave me the PIN, and it didn't work - perhaps because the WAP settings are locked to T-mobile. So I must use my Nokia N810 tethered to the N70 phone - and that's not a WAP browser (it's Firefox or Fennec). So I may be unable to do anything that involves the Cosmote MyView WAP site. Complicated, isn't it ;-)

So, your guesses as to what to do next would be appreciated.

Dave
(Poros, Kefalonia)

I figured out how to get the WAP browser on my phone to go to Cosmote and not T-mobile. On first access to the WAP portal (wap.cosmotemyview.gr) I got a long welcome screen which tells me I have 15 days free access.

The portal has 2 tabs - Home and My Account. The latter has an option MyView Charges (xreoseis - sorry - I can't type Greek on this Nokia tablet) and within that there is an option which probably subscribes you to MyView'n'Web (Miniaio paso ...) once the 15 days free use is up.

So in summary:
- When you get your Cosmokarte, activate it by making a call anywhere and listening to the Greek message to the very end.
- Activate WAP by sending 'WAP' to 1333 (didn't work for me - don't know why) or ringing Customer Services (1313 then key 9 and wait)
- Configure the WAP browser on your phone as previous posts (that's what I did) or get CS to send a config message (my PIN was 1) or maybe the 'WAP' SMS does it automatically. (You just need to set the APN and WAP homepage.)
- Access WAP on the phone and note the expiry of the free period.
- You can then forget WAP and use the phone as a modem - after setting the APN & proxy server.
- When the free period expires I hope to subscribe to MyView'n'Web via the WAP PORTAL.

I now have 2 40Mb/month services - Wind & Cosmote (which use different HTTP proxies). The Cosmote internet access allows me to access my email and PPGSM - unlike Wind. Both work with Windfinder.

I've restricted the phone to GPRS - not 3G (not much 3G out in the islands anyway); I don't know if it's necessary - the CS lady said that 3G was activated automatically.

This post comes to you via Cosmote from a boat at anchor off Methoni at the end of the Peloponnese.

I may be there in late July, but would really like to stay connected for work. For the most part I'll be in Atheras (northwest part of the island). I believe Lixouri has 3G coverage now, but further out they only get GPRS, which I'm afraid may be way too slow.

I've sent messages out to both Wind and Vodafone and Wind has an interesting offer:

WIND HELLAS

see the bottom where you can get:

WIND exclusively……Unlimited Mobile Broadband for 2 weeks & USB modem Alcatel X020, at €99

Alcatel X020 &NS7
Only WIND offers the amazing Alcatel USB modem X020 and 2 weeks unlimited mobile browsing for just €99

The 99 EUR deal seems pretty sweet for two weeks of access, which is what I'd like to have to stay connected to work while I'm on the island. Apparently Lixouri has 3G coverage, but likely not in Atheras, which is where I'll be. Any have any experience with using the data USB modem outside of the 3G coverage in Kef? is it worthless? If I could get anything above 56K it'd be greate, but I'm fearing it's only 9-10K in the village.

anyone know anything about this deal?

Thanks!

Having used up the free period, I have now successfully subscribed to a 4€ monthly pass using the WAP portal.

1 Select 'My Account'
2 Scroll down and look for 'Monthly Pass' - 'Miniaio paso' (apologies to any Greek reading this.) Select that.
3 You get a page of details on charges. Look again for 'Monthly Pass' and select it.
4 You get a page telling you what you'll get and that it'll cost 4€. Select 'Activate' - 'Energopoiesi' (like 'energize'). The other button 'Akuro' is cancel.
5 You should get a 'successful activation' - 'epituxis ...' page and your credit should have been reduced by 4€. There is no confirming SMS.

I don't think that this renews automatically, or that I'll get a warning SMS when it expires, but I won't know for a month.

I know that some sailors like me read this site, so I've collected together the Cosmokarte and My View'n'Web stuff, and added some information about using it for sailing weather forecasts, here:

Greek Internet Weather Yacht Vigdis

(Corrections and comments welcome.)

Dave

Hi to you, all,

I was goint throw all this topic and I found some good advices, but some of them there are older than a year!!!! Some of them no more available on today! Maybe!!!

I am traveling soon in Greece (islands Mikonos, Rhodos, Santorini, Crete) on a short vacation!!! LOL, it is good when you have vacation!!! But, but I need still to be "ONLINE" for emails (some time even you are in vacation, you need to be connected with your work place).

I was looking for a 3G mobile SIM which I can put in my nokia mobile and connect my EeePC by cable to access Internet, Emails...etc.

I have also an Huawei 220 HSPA modem.

I am looking for something for 2 weeks and my trafic will be around 15MB daily.

Did anybody have some advice? Which option is the best (3G Mobile SIM or HSPA), which operator, which card, what is the cost and I can have coverage on all island?

Thank you
Nick

Hi again,

I found this CosmoKarta on ebay GREECE SIM Card COSMOTE + PHONE NUMBER+FREE INTERNET - eBay (item 260383607627 end time Jun-24-09 02:43:40 PDT)
Will this cover my needs. I am looking for free internet not WAP!!!!

Thank You

I suggest that you just study the posts dated 2009.

There is also a recent update on this blog:
Mobile Internet for Visitors in Greece 2009

I have found the Cosmote 3G is widely available in the Aegean Islands. I've also found that when the 3G connection is poor (on Naxos it dropped every 10 minutes) a GPRS connection was more reliable.

I've stopped using Wind so I don't know about its coverage here.

Back in May I read on the excellent Living In Greece blog about proposals to require owners of Greek pre-paid SIMs to register them: Prepaid cell phone cards in Greece lose anonymity starting July

I've been waiting for details to emerge, but so far none have, and as I'm off back to Leros this week I thought I'd post this. If anyone has further info, please post it here. I don't look forward to going into a Cosmote shop with a handful of SIMs to register - I suspect it'll be simpler to throw them away and buy new ones.

The deadline for registering is not until June 30th 2010 but I suppose it's possible that new procedures may apply to buyers of new SIMs now or soon. But my guess is that nobody in the phone shops will have a clue and that nothing will happen until the last minute.

DaveRo, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't her article in the first paragraph say that registration of SIMs hasn't begun because of political bickering?

Sounds like she updates her articles quite regularly to reflect current news.

The law with the specific details has not been voted on the Parliament yet.

If you are going to Leros or anywhere in Greece at the moment, you can still buy prepaid SIMs in any store or kiosk without the need of registration.

Since I'm in Greece at the moment, here are some updates on the prepaid mobile internet:

Prepaid data plans 30-100 MB/month

1. COSMOTE

- Data plan "MyView'n'Web", WAP (with proxy), 4€/month, 40MB volume included, 0.0119€/ΚΒ afterwards.

All the details are covered on the excellent guide of DaveRo here:
Greek Internet Weather Yacht Vigdis or in Greek here: COSMOTE: /COSMOTE my view/???????? (??????????)

Update: The introductory offer of 40MB for the first 15 days was cancelled few days ago.


2. VODAFONE

- Data plan "Surf & Email 30", Internet (no proxy), 3.5€/month, 30MB volume included, 0.0009€/ΚΒ afterwards.

The first month is free. All the details (in English) here:
Vodafone.gr - Pricing & Bundles

- Data Plan "Unlimited Music & Internet", Internet (no proxy), 5€/month (until end of August, after 7.99€/month), 100MB volume included.

This plan works only for certain mobile phones. You can find more info here:
Vodafone.gr - Music

Update: It's now possible to register only for the 100MB/mo Internet (no music) in case you don't have one of the phones listed on the above link.


3. WIND

- Data Plan "Wind Plus", WAP (with proxy), 3.99€/month, 40MB volume included, 0.0119€/ΚΒ afterwards.

Activation by sending the word "PLUS" to 19349.

Update: As of 14 August, the plan is renewed automatically every month. If you don't want that call CC at 1260. Also, as of 14 August, it is possible to check your used volume and expiration date, but texting the word "CHECK" to 19349.

Info (only in Greek) here: WIND PLUS

=========================================

Prepaid data plan 1GB/day

WIND

- Data Plan "prepaid ADSM Non-Stop", Internet (no proxy), 14€/7-days, 7GB volume included (or 7€/2-days, 2GB volume included)

Remarks: The two plans called NS2 (for 2 days) and NS7 (for 7 days) of (almost) unlimited data. The good thing is that they actually give you 3 and 8 days respectively. For example, if you activate the NS2 on Monday morning, it expires at 12 midnight of Wednesday.

To activate text the message NS 2 or NS 7 to 19595. Info in English here:
WIND HELLAS

Thanks for that clarification.

So both Cosmote My View'n'Web and Wind Plus Non-stop renew automatically.

I was in a bay on Kalimnos where I got a reasonable Cosmote GPRS signal but I couldn't get a data connection, so I'm using Wind NS as well.

Dave

(from Pserimos - excellent 3G signal from KOS)

Yes, with the updated Wind Plus Non-stop, you've got the additional advantage of being informed with a text message about your data usage in real time.

Also the Wind Plus NS, connects with 3G wherever there is a 3G coverage, while the Cosmote MyView'n'Web connects always with GPRS even if there is 3G coverage (this needs confirmation but I've heard it from various people).

In general, Cosmote has far greater 3G coverage than Wind and Vodafone, but due to its network congestion, Vodafone and Wind have far better speeds than Cosmote. With Vodafone and Wind I've never experienced 3G speeds less than 1Mbps (of course I use the Wind ADSM plan with 1GB/day on those cases. The 40MB plans are quite "risky" on 3G).

edit (to add more updates).

1. UPDATE the Wind PLUS Non-Stop: From now on, if you don't want the automatic renewal of the plan, send STOP to 19349

2. UPDATE for Cosmote MyView'n'Web: the introductory offer of 40MB free for the first 15 days, is again active. However, I don't know for how long, since many people found a hole in the system and took advantage of that offer to get free internet every 15 days.

No - I'm currently using Cosmote myView'n'Web over 3G here on Kos.

Yes - speeds on Cosmote can be very slow. It's best early in the morning - which is when I want waether forecasts ;-)

prepaid or contract?
 

Dear Sirs,

I thank you for this opportunity.

For my temporaneous permanence in Greece, I would use this offer:

WIND ADSM CLOCK
WIND HELLAS
100 hours = 30 euro

However I have not understood if I can use this offer with a prepaid card without contract, month for month, without to be compelled to acquire a netbook, usbkey or other product.

I would connect to Internet only through my mobile phone and notebooke.

mCould you help me to understand that?

Many thanks in advance,

Dario

Hi Dario, no this plan is only for postpaid customers with a contract, as you can see on the link you've posted.

The only possible prepaid plans of all 3 Greek mobile operators, are those written on my previous post, 3-4 posts before yours.

I'm back in the UK and have updated my page about using Cosmote My View’n'Web here:

Greek Internet Weather Yacht Vigdis

All comments and corrections welcome. Use the 'contact' email address on the blog or PM me here (or on YBW - same username).

I think that some people will be put off using this service because I do not describe how to use it under Windows, or with an HSPA modem - a 'dongle'. If anyone who has done so feels like writing and maintaining a page on how to tether and configure it with Windows (XP, Vista, 7) I'd be happy to refer to or include it - though personally I would hesitate to connect Windows to the internet on such a limited-data-volume service: it's hard to prevent programs updating over the internet.

Experiences with WIND prepay internet in summer 2009
 

Here are my experiences with WIND prepay internet in Greece during the summer of 2009.

Internet everywhere in Greece with a laptop

For those who will travel in Greece, Q-mobile offers 1GB of free data until end of March. You don't have to do anything to activate the offer as long as you've got a Q-mobile prepaid card.

The internet settings are:

Profile: Q Internet
APN: myq
(everything else leave it blank)

An update of my older post about the currently available data plans/offers in Greece and their new prices (recently the Greek value added tax was increased from 19 to 21%).


COSMOTE

1. Data plan "MyView'n'Web", WAP (with proxy), 4,07€/month, 40MB volume included, 0.0121€/ΚΒ afterwards.

All the details are covered on the excellent guide of DaveRo here: Greek Internet Weather Yacht Vigdis
or in Greek here: COSMOTE: /COSMOTE my view/???????? (??????????)

Note: After subscribing to the plan, you get 40MB free, valid for the first 15 days.

================================================


VODAFONE

1. Data plan "Surf & Email 30", Internet (no proxy), 3.5€/month, 30MB volume included, 0.0009€/ΚΒ afterwards.

Note: The first month is free.

Details (in English) here: Vodafone.gr - Pricing & Bundles

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Data Plan "Unlimited Music & Internet", Internet (no proxy), 7.99€/month, 100MB volume included.

More info (in English) here: Vodafone.gr - Music

Note: It is possible to register only for the 100MB/mo Internet (no music) in case you don't have one of the phones listed on the above link.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Data Plan "Vodafone on Demand", Internet (no proxy), 19€/10-days, 10GB volume included

Notes: The Starter Pack costs 49€ with USB Modem or 19€ without a modem. Both starter packs offer free access to the Internet for 10 days and 10GB. You can also buy sessions for 2, 8, 24 and 48 hours but the 10-day session is by far the cheapest.

More info (in English) here: Vodafone.gr - Vodafone Mobile Broadband on Demand

================================================


WIND

1. Data Plan "Wind Plus WAP", WAP (with proxy), 4.06€/month, 40MB volume included, 0.0121€/ΚΒ afterwards.

Activation by sending the word "PLUS" to 19349.

Notes: The plan is renewed automatically every month. If you don't want that send the word "STOP" to 19349. Also, to check your used volume and expiration date, send the word "CHECK" to 19349.

Info (only in Greek) here: WIND PLUS

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Data Plan "Wind Plus Internet", Internet (no proxy), 4.06€/month, 40MB volume included, 0.5€/MΒ afterwards.

Notes: This exactly the same plan like the above, but is highly recommended over the previous one. The first advantage is that it uses the Internet APN and not the WAP APN, but the biggest advantage is the charging of the data after the included volume of 40MB, is 0.5€/MΒ instead of 12.4€/MΒ!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Data Plan "prepaid ADSM Non-Stop", Internet (no proxy), 14.23€/7-days, 12GB volume included (or 7.11€/2-days, 3GB volume included)

Notes: The two plans called NS2 (for 2 days) and NS7 (for 7 days) they actually give you almost 3 and 8 days respectively. For example, if you activate the NS2 on Monday morning, it expires at 12 midnight of Wednesday. Currently, there is an offer Starter Pack which includes 2 weeks of free internet and USB Modem for 49€.

Info in English here:
WIND HELLAS

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Limited data offer: Internet (no proxy), 0€/month, 1.5GB volume included

For those who will visit Greece before 4 April 2010, or those who already have a Wind prepaid card, there is an offer of 1.5GB/month without any requirement. Just send a a blank SMS to 1245.

More info and discussion here.

=================================================


Q-mobile

1. Data Option "1500", Internet (no proxy), 1€/month, 100MB volume included, 1€/MB afterwards

Notes: Activation by sending "1500" to 12200. Remaining data check by sending "υπ1500" to 12200 (not sure if "yp1500" works as well) or calling 12200. The data option can be activated up to 4 times each month, giving you 400MB in total for 4€.

Info (only in Greek) here: 1500 ??? 1500

I can't edit my previous post, so I have to make a new post about an important update of the quoted offer.

For registrations to the offer between 23 March and 30 April, the available free data is reduced from 1.GB to 100MB/month.

More info here: WIND HELLAS

For my usage, I think I need to sign up for the VMB 300MB package again. They have it on special offer until 30/04/2010.

Does anyone know if this can be done from outside Greece?

By "again", do you mean that you've subscribed on that data plan in the past while living outside Greece?

I'm asking because this is not a prepaid plan. It's a postpaid tariff under 12-month contract (for contracts with subsidy) which usually means that in order to subscribe you need a Greek address of residence, a Greek value added tax identification number and a Greek Bank account or debit/credit card for the monthly payments.

I could be wrong on the above, but you can contact Vodafone Greece for more information at +306944403830 (full contact details here).

That's what the man in the Vodafone shop said, until I showed him the email from Vodafone Customer Services who said otherwise. Yes, I had this plan for a few months last year: address at a marina, no tax number, UK credit card.

The only downside is that without an AFM you can't log-in to check your bill etc, so this year I plan to get one.