in Hamburg, want ("permanent"?) pre-paid SIM card for Galaxy S3 (Verizon)

[levon]

Hello all,

I'm currently in Hamburg, Germany and am looking for some advice re prepaid SIM.

I am a US citizen, and I don't have a German/European bank account, though US credit cards. I would like to get a prepaid micro SIM card for my Verizon Galaxy S3(*).

I visit Germany once a year or every 18 months, and I would like to be able to be able to keep the same number if possible (ie. have a card that doesn't expire automatically after 6 months or a year). I don't have a problem adding some nominal amount of money to the card via the internet+credit card every once in a while from the US if that helps keep it alive so that I can use the same number on my Verizon S3 in Hamburg when I come back to Germany. I don't use my phone that often while here, but I do want to be reachable and make calls every once in a while.

I bought a Tchibo card, but it turned out to require a German bank account for the "Freischaltung" of the SIM card. Since I tore open the package I doubt I can return it (?)

Can anyone recommend an easy and hopefully cost-effective solution? I think the going rates per minute are 9 cents. I'd be willing to pay a bit extra (up front?) if it makes the process of getting set up quick and painless.

Thanks!


(*) Note, Verizon's S3 has been "crippled" so that it can't surf the net overseas, but only be used for voice and SMS. (They have disabled the APN menu, so I suppose it makes no sense for me to pay extra for a data packet).

[VladS]

Give Fonic or Lidl a try. All you got to do is use the SIM every 6 or 12 months to keep it active.

Roaming is enabled by default so you can just pop it in a phone a send a text.

[levon]

Originally Posted by VladS

Give Fonic or Lidl a try. All you got to do is use the SIM every 6 or 12 months to keep it active.

Roaming is enabled by default so you can just pop it in a phone a send a text.

Thanks .. someone recommended Klarmobil.de (at MediaMarkt) .. I was told I could keep the card alive by adding money to the account - so that sounds ideal.