SIM in Austria and Germany

[alexyag]

Hello .

I will be travelling in Austria and Germany soon for about 3 weeks.

Anyone can suggest me please what is the best option to buy a prepaid SIM card to be used in both countries with Voice calls and SMS ,
and about 2 GB of internet traffic .
I prefer to have all those in 1 SIM card and not buy 2 separate cards-
1 for Voice and other for Internet .

Also - can I get card that I'll use in both countries - Austria and Germany or it's much cheaper to buy one in Austria and then one in Germany ?

The most calls I'm gonna make from the phone are to Israel and Germany .

Thanks .

[sperial]

For calls to Israel the cheapest will be to use an Israeli Hot Mobile or Golan Telecom SIM - NIS 1 / min for incoming or callback to Israel.
For Austria an A1 data SIM will be a good choice.
However, most hotels provide fast free internet connections (either LAN or WiFi), check with the hotels where you intend to stay. If you do not need the connection on the move don't bother to buy a local SIM.

[dg7feq]

If you make calls to Israel frequently it will pay off to buy a local card that specialize to international calls. Otherwise you will end up paying world-region roaming prices of 2-3 EUR/min to call israel.

[sperial]

A correction - a Golan SIM will be the cheapest for calls from/to Israel (using Callback) for ILS 0.35/min (EUR 0.07/min)- I suggest that you order a SIM (with the ILS 9.90/month plan) today, even if you do not intend to port your current number.
If you intend to make a lot of local calls consider buying a local SIM when you land, and choose the one with the best rates for roaming within the EU. Probably there will be no need to buy a second SIM for voice calls. I have no idea how data roaming is priced, consult the relevant carrier's web web sites.

[inquisitor]

Afaik there is no Austrian or German SIM card that would allow data roaming in the other country at reasonable prices, at least not if you need more than a few dozen MB of data volume. This leaves separate SIM cards from each country as the only affordable option. For Internet access in Germany the good old advice is still Lidl, about which you'll find all necessary information at LIDL mobile - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access besides of the several hundred threads about Lidl on this board.

[Meny]

As I am about to follow the same tour track, can someone indicate the best practice for buying SIM card in Austria while the main usage will be internal calls within the traveling group.
Thanks,
Meny

[sperial]

Several month ago I boght an A1 SIM which cost EUR 10 and gives you 1000 min/month of voice calls inside Austria.
Another possibility is to buy a Golan Telecom SIM before leaving Israel - using it will cost ILS 0.70 (EUR 0.14)/min - ILS 0.35 for an outgoing (callback) min and another ILS 0.35 for the incoming minute. It has the advantage of cheap calls home. However - a Golan SIM has to be ordered by the internet and may take a few days to arrive, so order it at least a week before you fly and choose the NIS 9.9/month plan (unless you intend to use it heavily back home).

[dg7feq]

In Austria you can buy several SIM cards that have cheap international and domestic calls.
e.g. the Wowww SIM.
You call domestic for 5ct/min and to israel for 6/9ct/min (landline/mobile)
see here:
wowww.at - Tarife

[Meny]

Thanks for the info!
Can you indicate how to locate WOWWW sale point

[dg7feq]

you can buy them at all post offices, all "Trafic" shops (they are in every corner, selling newspapers, cigarettes and sweets), ESSO, Jet, Shell, OMV gas stations, A1 mobile phone stores, Hofer supermarkets..... so you will find a shop quite easily.
There are also various other SIM cards that offer similar rates. If you tell them you need a SIM for international call they will show you what they have...