Greece HSPA (prepaid and postpaid offers)

[Evan]

COMPLETE OVERVIEW OF THE PREPAID DATA PLANS IN GREECE

Another update of my older post about the currently available prepaid data plans, add-ons and offers in Greece. The situation and the pricing is generally improved in all three major mobile operators since my last post.

The overview will be divided in three posts (one for each operator) because the forum allows only a certain limit of characters on each post.

First, some useful information and the workaround I follow when I visit places in Greece and elsewhere.

1. All three mobile operators (Cosmote, Vodafone, Wind) offer 99-100% *population* (as opposed to *geographical*) coverage.

• GPRS is available wherever voice is available, i.e., 99-100% of the population.
• EDGE has not been officially deployed but many cells are already EDGE enabled.
• 3G (HSDPA/HSUPA or HSPA+) is available on all three operators in most urban areas and popular tourist destinations. Cosmote has the widest 3G geographical coverage, followed by Wind and Vodafone. However, Vodafone has the best 3G network quality (bandwidth, speed, latency) followed by Cosmote and Wind.

2. Before you travel it's useful to check the 3G coverage maps (links on the following posts) in order to have a crude estimation about the 3G coverage of the area you will be visiting. However, given the technology limitations of 3G and the mountainous terrain of Greece, I would suggest not to completely rely on the coverage maps. A much safer bet would be to check the actual 3G coverage when you arrive at your destination. Once in the area, use your phone with your home SIM card still in to locate the available 3G networks (manual network selection). I usually do that with my cheap Nokia Series 40 dumbphone which not only shows the available 3G networks but also sorts them in a descending signal order.

3. Pre-locate before traveling, the available operators' stores or points of sale that are close to the area you're visiting (links on the following posts). Once you arrive and after you've checked the availability of the 3G networks(s), purchase a SIM card from the provider that has (a) the strongest singal/coverage (b) the best network bandwidth/quality and (c) the best prices/plans according to your needs.

4. Prepaid starter packs (with SIM card included) usually cost 5€ with 5€ credit included (1€ credit each month for the first five months). However, most operators' stores usually give them out for free upon registration and activation. You can also buy SIM Starter Packs in many kiosks (periptera), but they are deactivated. If you cannot find an official operator store, some kiosks, markets or newsstands also offer registration and activation on the spot (just look for a sticker "activate your prepaid here"). In any case, it is recommended to purchase the SIM Starter pack in an official store because (a) usually you can get it for free, (b) the registration and activation is faster and (b) you can immediately top up your credit at the store without purchasing a top up voucher.

5. For the registration of the SIM card you will need your passport or an ID card (only EU citizens?). The activation is in most cases instant after the registration but in a few cases can take up to two hours, depending on when your registration will be filed on the central database of the operator. Activation is done immediately after you place the first outgoing call (more info for each operator below).

6. Top-up scratch cards or vouchers (5, 10, 15, 20 and 30€) are available everywhere and the credit is added through a call or/and an SMS. Keep in mind that since 2010 there is a 12% tax deducted, so if for example purchase a 10€ card, you will get 8.8 credit. The only exception to that is when you top up 20€ or more in any Wind store or 30€ or more in any Cosmote store (information below).

That's all I could think of about a general overview of the prepaid mobile in Greece. If you need additional information or if something is not covered please let me know and I will update this post.

On the following three posts, you will find detailed information for each of the three (four including Q-mobile) mobile operators. Most of the pages are in English so it would be rather easy to find your way through. If any page is available in Greek, I'll provide a quick translation or a Google translate link.

[Evan]

COSMOTE

General Information

• Coverage Map

• Points of sale

• Prepaid products:

- Cosmote What's Up

- Cosmote Cosmokarta

• Registration and Activation

• Top-up vouchers and instructions

• Credit check, top-up, validity check:

- Credit balance check: Send YP to 1314 (or call 1314)

- Top-up: Send ΑΝΑ and the 16-digit code printed on the Top Up Card to 1314 (or call 1314)

- Customer care: call 1313

Prepaid data plans and offers

1. COSMOTE Internet On The Phone 60

Included volume: 60MB
Duration: 30 days
Price: 3€
Charge after the included volume: 0.0010€/KB (or 1.0332€/MB)
Activation: Send "60" to 1333
Remaining volume: Send INFO to 1313
APN: internet (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• Special offer until 31 March 2011: Data add-on 500MB for 5€. Send "500" to 1333. The conditions are the same like the 60MB add-on.
• The plan is mainly for data on your mobile. However, with the current offer of 500MB it could be used for data on the computer (standalone or with tethering)
• After subscribing to the plan, you get 40MB free, valid for the first 15 days.
• The data add-on is deactivated automatically 30 days after its activation.
• You can purchase as many add-ons as you like even before the end of the 30 days. Each time you purchase a new add-on, the remaining volume is added to your new volume and the validity is extended for 30 more days.

2. COSMOTE Internet On The Go me karta

Included volume: 1, 3 or 5GB
Duration: 1, 10 or 30 days respectively
Price: 5, 15 or 40€ respectively
Charge after the included volume: Ν/Α
Activation: Through a web interface
Remaining volume: Through a web interface
APN: internet (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• This plan is mainly for data on the computer
• The SIM card is does not offer voice, only data and SMS (with a special application)
• The activation and the validity, balance/duration checks are performed only through a web interface.

[Evan]

VODAFONE

General Information

• Coverage Map (not detailed, check Point #2 here

• Vodafone Stores

• Prepaid products:

- Vodafone Prepaid
- Vodafone CU
- Vodafone International (recommended for visitors; it offers cheaper calls to some countries and billing per second from the first second)

• Registration

• Activation

• Top-up vouchers and instructions

- Credit balance check: Send Y to 1252 (or call 1252)
- Top-up: Send Α and the top up code without spaces to 1252 (or call 1252)
- Customer care: call 13830

Prepaid data plans and offers

1. VODAFONE Surf & Email 60

Included volume: 60MB
Duration: 30 days
Price: 3€
Charge after the included volume: 1€/day (see plan #3)
Activation: Send "SE60" to 19109
Deactivation: Send "SE60OFF" to 19109
Remaining volume: Send a blank SMS to 1286
APN: internet.vodafone.gr or webkarta.vodafone.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• The plan is mainly for data on your mobile.
• After subscribing to the plan, you get the first month for free.
• The subscription is renewed automatically every 30 days.
• The add-on can only be purchased once every month.
• The Vodafone addon, offers the same bundled volume and price like the similar addon of Cosmote (see data plan #1 above). However the add-on of Cosmote is more flexible, since (a) it is not renewed automatically and (b) you can purchase as many 60MB additional add-ons as you like.

2. VODAFONE Surf & Email 200

Included volume: 200MB
Duration: 30 days
Price: 7€
Charge after the included volume: 1€/day (see plan #3)
Activation: Send "SE200" to 19109
Remaining volume: Send a blank SMS to 1286
APN: internet.vodafone.gr or webkarta.vodafone.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• Special offer until 31 March 2011: Data add-on 500MB for 5€. Send "500" to 1333. The conditions are the same like the 200MB add-on.
• The plan is mainly for data on your mobile. However, with the current offer of 500MB it could be used for data on the computer (standalone or with tethering)
• The add-on is deactivated automatically 30 days after its activation.
• You can purchase as many add-ons as you like even before the end of the 30 days. Each time you purchase a new add-on, the remaining data volume is added to your new volume and the validity is extended for 30 more days.

3. VODAFONE Internet All-Day

Included volume: Unlimited with bandwidth throttle after 10MB (see notes)
Duration: 1 day
Price: 1€/day
Charge after the included volume: No charge, bandwidth throttle
Activation: Preactivated
APN: internet.vodafone.gr or webkarta.vodafone.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• The plan is mainly for data on the mobile. However, it could be used for data on the computer (standalone or with tethering)
• This was a data add-on that was first offered on July 2010. Since February 2011, it's not an add-on anymore but is pre-activated on all the prepaid subscribers.
• Subscribers who have not activated any of the two Mobile Internet add-ons presented above, will pay 1€/day day. The charge starts when they first connect to the internet and is valid until 4am the next day.
• Subscribers who have activated any of the two Mobile Internet add-ons presented above, will pay 1€/day when their bundle volume finishes (add-ons 60 or 200MB) or if they didn't purchase an additional add-on (for the 200MB add-on).
• The data volume is unlimited but with a Fair Usage Policy of throttling the speed to GPRS after 10MB/day. However, the 10MB are completely arbitrary. Most users report that they've consumed 50-300MB/day before any bandwidth throttling.

4. VODAFONE KartoInternet

Included volume: 0.5, 1, 1, 2 or 3GB
Duration: 2h, 8h, 1, 2 or 10 days respectively
Price: 3.5, 7, 10, 14 or 20€ respectively Charge after the included volume: Ν/Α
Activation: Through a web interface
Remaining volume: Through a web interface
APN: web.session (leave the rest blank)
Web page (in English):

Notes:

• After 17 March, the sessions price and bundled volume will change. There will be only three available sessions, offering 30 minutes, 1 day or 15 days for 2, 5 and 20€ respectively.
• This plan is mainly for data on the computer
• The SIM card is does not offer voice or texts, only data.
• The activation and the validity, balance/duration checks are performed through a web interface.

[Evan]

WIND

General Information

• Coverage Map

• Wind Stores

• Prepaid products:

- New Wind Card
- Wind F2G (Free to Go)

• Registration

• Activation

• Top-up vouchers and instructions

• Credit check, top-up, validity check:

- Credit balance check: Send a blank SMS to 1269 (or call 1269)
- Top-up: Send the top up code without spaces to 1268 (or call 1268 )
- Customer care: call 1260

Prepaid data plans and offers

1. WIND Plus Non Stop (Google translation)

Included volume: 40MB
Duration: 30 days
Price: 4.12€
Charge after the included volume: 0.007€/KB (with internet APN) or 0.0123€/ΚΒ (with wap APN)
Activation: Send PLUS to 19349
Remaining volume: Send CHECK to 19349
Deactivation: Send STOP to 19349
APN: gint.b-online.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• The add-on is mainly for data on your mobile. However is rather obsolete, since there are better and cheaper data add-ons (see below)
• The subscription is renewed automatically every 30 days.
• The add-on can only be purchased once every month.
• Even if a WAP APN is available (gwap.b-online.gr), it is not recommended because the charges are much higher after the consumption of the bundled volume. Use the Internet APN instead.

2. WIND Non stop "surf"

Included volume: 100MB
Duration: 30 days
Price: 5€
Charge after the included volume: 0.0009€/KB (or 0.92€/ΜΒ)
Activation: Send "100" to 1210
Remaining volume: Send YP or ΥΠ to 1210
APN: gint.b-online.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• Special offer until 31 March 2011: For each add-on you activate, you will get 500MB instead of 100MB. Just send "500" to 1210. The conditions are the same like the 100MB add-on.
• The plan is mainly for data on your mobile. However, with the current offer of 500MB it could be used for data on the computer (standalone or with tethering)
• The data add-on is deactivated automatically 30 days after its activation.
• You can purchase up to 5 add-ons each month. Each time you purchase a new add-on, the remaining data volume is added to your new volume and the validity is extended for 30 more days.

3. WIND ADSM Card (Google translation)

Included volume: 1GB
Duration: 30 days
Price: 15€
Charge after the included volume: 0.02€/ΜΒ
Activation: Send "1GB" to 19595
Remaining volume: Send YP to 19595
APN: gint.b-online.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• This add-on is for computers but can be used for mobiles as well.
• According to their English page (not available anymore), if you consume the 1GB of the included volume, you can activate the packet again even before the 30 days are over.

4. WIND ADSM Non-Stop (NS2 or NS7)

Included volume: 3GB (NS2) or 12GB (NS7)
Duration: 2 days (NS2) or 7 days (NS7)
Price: 7€ (NS2) or 14€ (NS7)
Charge after the included volume: 0.02€/ΜΒ
Activation: Send "NS2" or "NS7" to 19595 Remaining volume: Send YP to 19595
APN: gint.b-online.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• This add-on is mainly for computers and users who need a lot of data.
• 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.

5. WIND Mobile Broadband me karta

Included volume: 1, 2 or 3GB
Duration: 1, 7 or 30 days respectively
Price: 5, 10 or 30€ respectively
Charge after the included volume: Ν/Α
Activation: Send the 16-digit e-Voucher number to 1268 through the WIND Connection Manager
Remaining volume: Send "YP" or "balance" to 1228 through the WIND Connection Manager
APN: gint.b-online.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• This plan is mainly for data on the computer
• The SIM card is does not offer voice, only data and only SMS to the two service numbers (1228 and 1268 )

[Evan]

Q-mobile

Q-Mobile was the 4th Greek mobile operator but now it's a subsidiary of Wind. Unfortunately, all of its web pages are only available in Greek so for instructions use Google translate or read the guide posted by timmfive here.

The main advantages of Q is the cheap calls and texts in Greece and certain countries abroad. Also is the only prepaid (together with the Vodafone International Prepaid) that charges per second from the first second. All the rest of the prepaid cards charge per second but with 30-45 seconds minimum call duration.

• Information
• Customer services
• Pricelist

Prepaid data plan

Non stop "surf"

Included volume: 100MB
Duration: 30 days
Price: 5€
Charge after the included volume: 0.0009€/KB (or 0.92€/ΜΒ)
Activation: Send "100" to 1210
Remaining volume: Send YP or ΥΠ to 1210
APN: myq (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• Special offer until 31 March 2011: For each add-on you activate, you will get 500MB instead of 100MB. Just send "500" to 1210. The conditions are the same like the 100MB add-on.
• The plan is mainly for data on your mobile. However, with the current offer of 500MB it could be used for data on the computer (standalone or with tethering)
• The data add-on is deactivated automatically 30 days after its activation.
• You can purchase up to 5 add-ons each month. Each time you purchase a new add-on, the remaining data volume is added to your new volume and the validity is extended for 30 more days.

Edit: Mods, could you please delete the two empty posts (#138 and #139) above? Unfortunately it wasn't possible to edit them because the forum allows editing only up to 60 minutes after the original post.

[goldeneyed]

When you say these plans for computers does that mean it cannot be used in a phone at all? And if you can use it in a phone, can you switch from one type of plan to another and keep the same SIM card? Thanks.

Originally Posted by Evan

WIND

General Information

• Coverage Map

• Wind Stores

• Prepaid products:

- New Wind Card
- Wind F2G (Free to Go)

• Registration

• Activation

• Top-up vouchers and instructions

• Credit check, top-up, validity check:

- Credit balance check: Send a blank SMS to 1269 (or call 1269)
- Top-up: Send the top up code without spaces to 1268 (or call 1268 )
- Customer care: call 1260

Prepaid data plans and offers

1. WIND Plus Non Stop (Google translation)

Included volume: 40MB
Duration: 30 days
Price: 4.12€
Charge after the included volume: 0.007€/KB (with internet APN) or 0.0123€/ΚΒ (with wap APN)
Activation: Send PLUS to 19349
Remaining volume: Send CHECK to 19349
Deactivation: Send STOP to 19349
APN: gint.b-online.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• The add-on is mainly for data on your mobile. However is rather obsolete, since there are better and cheaper data add-ons (see below)
• The subscription is renewed automatically every 30 days.
• The add-on can only be purchased once every month.
• Even if a WAP APN is available (gwap.b-online.gr), it is not recommended because the charges are much higher after the consumption of the bundled volume. Use the Internet APN instead.

2. WIND Non stop "surf"

Included volume: 100MB
Duration: 30 days
Price: 5€
Charge after the included volume: 0.0009€/KB (or 0.92€/ΜΒ)
Activation: Send "100" to 1210
Remaining volume: Send YP or ΥΠ to 1210
APN: gint.b-online.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• Special offer until 31 March 2011: For each add-on you activate, you will get 500MB instead of 100MB. Just send "500" to 1210. The conditions are the same like the 100MB add-on.
• The plan is mainly for data on your mobile. However, with the current offer of 500MB it could be used for data on the computer (standalone or with tethering)
• The data add-on is deactivated automatically 30 days after its activation.
• You can purchase up to 5 add-ons each month. Each time you purchase a new add-on, the remaining data volume is added to your new volume and the validity is extended for 30 more days.

3. WIND ADSM Card (Google translation)

Included volume: 1GB
Duration: 30 days
Price: 15€
Charge after the included volume: 0.02€/ΜΒ
Activation: Send "1GB" to 19595
Remaining volume: Send YP to 19595
APN: gint.b-online.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• This add-on is for computers but can be used for mobiles as well.
• According to their English page (not available anymore), if you consume the 1GB of the included volume, you can activate the packet again even before the 30 days are over.

4. WIND ADSM Non-Stop (NS2 or NS7)

Included volume: 3GB (NS2) or 12GB (NS7)
Duration: 2 days (NS2) or 7 days (NS7)
Price: 7€ (NS2) or 14€ (NS7)
Charge after the included volume: 0.02€/ΜΒ
Activation: Send "NS2" or "NS7" to 19595 Remaining volume: Send YP to 19595
APN: gint.b-online.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• This add-on is mainly for computers and users who need a lot of data.
• 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.

5. WIND Mobile Broadband me karta

Included volume: 1, 2 or 3GB
Duration: 1, 7 or 30 days respectively
Price: 5, 10 or 30€ respectively
Charge after the included volume: Ν/Α
Activation: Send the 16-digit e-Voucher number to 1268 through the WIND Connection Manager
Remaining volume: Send "YP" or "balance" to 1228 through the WIND Connection Manager
APN: gint.b-online.gr (leave the rest blank)

Notes:

• This plan is mainly for data on the computer
• The SIM card is does not offer voice, only data and only SMS to the two service numbers (1228 and 1268 )

[Evan]

Originally Posted by goldeneyed

When you say these plans for computers does that mean it cannot be used in a phone at all? And if you can use it in a phone, can you switch from one type of plan to another and keep the same SIM card? Thanks.

The WIND plans #1 to #4 are all add-ons that work with the normal SIM cards. As "normal" I mean a SIM card that offers voice and texts too and you can use it with a phone or with an USB modem. All those plans can be used in a phone or in a computer, Wind doesn't have a special limitation on which device you should use them. However, the small plans of 40-100MB/month are not useful for computer usage. Also you can switch from one type of plan to another when the plan period is over but I don't think that you can combine different plans at the same time.

The only exception (and an important one) are the available data plans for computers which are offered with a special data SIM card. The "special" SIM cards offer only data, not voice or SMS. Those plans are the Cosmote #2, Vodafone #4 and Wind #5. Those special plans could work in a phone as well but keep in mind that you will only have data, not voice/texts on your phone.

In general, most operators in Greece and elsewhere, offer two distinct data plans for (a) phones (b) computers, and they explicitly prohibit the usage of a phone data plan in a computer. However, in most cases they do not prohibit the opposite (because the computer data plans are more expensive and offer more data), therefore you can use a computer data plan in a phone.

[goldeneyed]

Perfect that's great to know! It's simpler than I thought then. Here in North America it's a whole lot more complicated hehe.

[Evan]

Thank you for the comments and the feedback


Some amendments and corrections of the overview post.

A small correction to the point #6 of the general post. Instead of (in bold):

Originally Posted by Evan

[SIZE="5"]6. Top-up scratch cards or vouchers (5, 10, 15, 20 and 30€) are available everywhere and the credit is added through a call or/and an SMS. Keep in mind that since 2010 there is a 12% tax deducted, so if for example purchase a 10€ card, you will get 8.8 credit. The only exception to that is when you top up 20€ or more in any Wind store or 30€ or more in any Cosmote store (information below).

the correct is: "...if for example purchase a 10€ card, you will get 8.93 credit." In general, to calculate the credit (minus the 12% tax) you get from the top up scratch cards, just divide the nominal price of the card by 1.12.



An amendment to the Vodafone data plan #4 (Vodafone KartoInternet). Instead of:

Originally Posted by Evan

Notes:

• After 17 March, the sessions price and bundled volume will change. There will be only three available sessions, offering 30 minutes, 1 day or 15 days for 2, 5 and 20€ respectively.

It should read: There will be only three available sessions, offering 30 minutes, 1 day or 15 days for 2, 5 and 20€ respectively, and 500MB, 1GB and 1GB respectively.

[Evan]

@wisniak: If you want to use the new Mobile Hotspot feature of iOS 4.3, I read that Vodafone allows it only with its Data Plan #4 (Vodafone KartoInternet). On Cosmote and Wind the Mobile Hotspot is activated on all their data plans. This of course is a limitation/"feature" of iOs only. Other devices/OS (Android, WinMo or WiFi modems) can still do a Mobile Hotspot.

@timmfive: Regarding your problem with the speed decrease from "1M down/up to 50k down/up", I just read on a Greek Q forum, that few people have the same problem but only if they've far exceeded their 100MB data allowance. People who used more than 1 or 2GB had their speed throttled to 40-50kB/s while others who have used 2-5GB had their speed throttled to GPRS, i.e., 4-7kB/s. Since you've used the plan for tethering, have you've exceeded the 100MB data plan by far?

I'm not sure if the local Wind store agent can help you to get the speed back but alternatively you can contact the customer care through their site or mail to crm@wind.com.gr.

@Majkee(SK): Welcome to the forum and thank you for your report. Postpaid (data) plans are the best solution for people who will stay in Greece for at least 2 months or more, since the terms of the contracts are quite "flexible" comparing to many other countries (e.g. Germany). Most of the contracts last for 12 months but you can cancel them at any time after the first month. And if you got an unsubsidized contract you don't pay anything for the cancellation. On a subsidized contract you pay the price of the device subsidy.

Regarding the speed of "only 512kbit/s", consider yourself lucky you got that especially in Thessaloniki. I read reports of many problems in Thessaloniki (and elsewhere), because many of the antennas were taken down. There is a recent craze where many uninformed locals and their mayors consider that the mobile radiation is bad, so they make petitions, gather signatures, go to court and take the antennas down. As for the islands, the situation varies depending on where you will stay or which network you will use.

In general, and this applies also to short stay visitors, before committing to a postpaid plan or an "expensive" prepaid plan, it is advisable to check first the network coverage and speeds of the area that you will be staying. To do this, just get a prepaid SIM card from all three operators (cost 5€ or in many cases free), subscribe to a 60-100MB data add-on (3-5€) and check the network speeds. You will save yourselves from a lot of frustration and money.