German prepaid SIM, help!

[to3033]

Hello,

I will be on a 10-day visit to central europe at the end of july. I would like to get a prepaid SIM as soon as possible upon arrival in Germany, and although I understand I will be paying more expensive roaming rates in the other countries I am visiting (Czech Rep., Hungary, Austria) I don't really want to buy 4 SIMS for each country. I just need some telephone link with back home in case of emergency and an ability to call different local restaurants/hotels if i have any problems.

a) can anyone suggest a good prepaid German SIM for my needs?

b) any good suggestions on where to get the card? I speak NO German and I won't have internet access, so I am anticipating problems with purchasing and activation

Basically, if anyone has had a good experience with a specific vendor (in Dusseldorf Airport, Berlin Tegel Airport, or Berlin) who can activate it for me in the store and speaks decent English, that would be ideal.

c) will it be a problem that I don't have a German address when it comes time to activate the SIM?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[rfranzq]

Basically, I am ignoring your question and telling you to buy a global SIM before you go and not get a German SIM card!

You might want to check eBay and look up ekit's 'Home and Roam Travel SIM card' OR 'ekit Passport SIM'.

The H&R costs slightly less and has better rates calling an EU mobile phone. Ekit has two different seller names. One is US based and the other is UK based. I have bought from both with no trouble [except you might want to make a notation in the message to seller box repeating you usa address information.{I just had an issue with the UK seller and this would help them.}] The H&R also has a less expensive price.
Both have free call receipt for all the countries you listed to the UK number. Both now have a US and UK number. Do a little research now and you can buy it and have it before you leave.

[to3033]

I've found that the international SIMs have far more expensive start up costs - which is why I want to get one in-country; I am not looking to call home every day and chat to people for 10 minutes. I need a SIM so I can be reached overseas in an emergency, and make local calls on the off chance that I have a problem. Based on what I've seen price wise, I don't need to spend 40 dollars to do this if I get a SIM upon arrival.

Thanks, though

[inquisitor]

You could get a British Vodafone SIM, which are sold for £1 at eBay UK (see vodafone payg SIM, Mobile Home Phones, Computing items at low prices on eBay.co.uk) and activate Vodafone Passport, which will render incoming calls free of charge throughout whole Europe during a current summer promotion.

[to3033]

Inquisitor,

Thanks. I will pursue this option, but would it be possible to re-answer my question assuming that I can't get the vodafone UK SIM in time? just looking for all the possibilities!

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by to3033

I don't need to spend 40 dollars to do this if I get a SIM upon arrival.
Thanks, though

For what it is worth: the two I suggested on eBay are about $18 and $23.

[inquisitor]

If you insist on a German SIM, Fonic should do the job: http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/euro...ighlight=fonic

[9eor9]

Btw, Germany is not the moon for english speaking travellers,
In a supermarket store you might face some problems, but generally all of you will easily find help in english.
Many people in Germany know the english language very well!