Germany: Changes To Prepaid Expiration

[andy]

Originally Posted by Motel75

According to a recent German court decision, prepaid credit may not expire; customers have a right to their money back on account expiration. So far, Vodafone and O2 have changed their prepaid offers as a result:
...
, and T-Mobile and E-Plus are looking at implementing similar changes.

I notice that the websites of Ortelmobile and Blauworld still show credit expiry at 6 months, whereas Mobi says both SIM and credit are unlimited

[Lurker1999]

Does anyone have an update to this? My German O2 pre-paid SIM still lists an expiration date and my last top-up only extended it by 6 months.

[dg7feq]

Originally Posted by Lurker1999

Does anyone have an update to this? My German O2 pre-paid SIM still lists an expiration date and my last top-up only extended it by 6 months.

its quite easy. You card can be deactivated if you dont use in in a certain time or dont recharge it in a certain time. BUT: the credit is not allowed to expire anymore.
Depending on the carrier you can simply reactivate the card with the next recharge - or getthe remaining credit payed out by the carrier.

Chris

[snaimon]

"Der Kunde kann sich jederzeit das eingezahlte, noch verbliebene Guthaben auszahlen lassen, jedoch ohne jegliche Boni-Guthaben, die ihm durch Aufladungen gutgeschrieben wurden."

http://www.teltarif.de/a/o2/loop-sml.html for complete details

Valid (for placing calls) for 6 months after a reload. Validity is extended by reload. Per above, remaining balance can be paid out.

See if our German friends agree.

Stan

[dg7feq]

Originally Posted by snaimon

"Der Kunde kann sich jederzeit das eingezahlte, noch verbliebene Guthaben auszahlen lassen, jedoch ohne jegliche Boni-Guthaben, die ihm durch Aufladungen gutgeschrieben wurden."

http://www.teltarif.de/a/o2/loop-sml.html for complete details

Valid (for placing calls) for 6 months after a reload. Validity is extended by reload. Per above, remaining balance can be paid out.

See if our German friends agree.

Stan

yes, i agree. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that they only pay out the remaining balance by bank transfer to a german bank account - some carriers also substrace a fee for the pay out....

Chris

[Lurker1999]

Originally Posted by dg7feq

yes, i agree. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that they only pay out the remaining balance by bank transfer to a german bank account - some carriers also substrace a fee for the pay out....

Chris

That's pretty lousy then as I don't have a German bank account. I guess I could just keep getting new SIMs from them but maybe on my next trip I can use up most of the remaining credit and not worry about it.

[dg7feq]

Originally Posted by Lurker1999

That's pretty lousy then as I don't have a German bank account. I guess I could just keep getting new SIMs from them but maybe on my next trip I can use up most of the remaining credit and not worry about it.

Another possibility that they mostly agree on the hotline is to transfer the remaining balance from an old expired card to a new one. Worked for me once with Vodafone. I dont know how cooperative o2 is in this case

Chris