Lidl

[inquisitor]

"Nur erreichbar" means "only reachable" which usually only shows up if your SIM card has been blocked for all outgoing connections due to the verification letter having returned. I guess your hotel didn't accept the letter or returned it for whatever reason. Perhaps they thought it was junk mail because guests usually won't receive mail from a phone company.
Anyway, you will need to contact customer care and tell them that you are a foreigner and that you used your hotel's address for registration. If you also provide your address in the UK, they will reactivate your SIM.
Lidl do not have any restrictions on the allowed hardware, so using your Lidl SIM in an iPad was absolutely legal.

[permesso]

Hello all. Is there any way to active the free trial month for "Handy-Internet-Flatrate" from the website? I know you can SMS "START PROBESURF" but I was hoping there is a way on the website so I can do it before I go. Or can you SMS active from outside Germany?

I also did not receive my referral credit even though I signed up on August 21st. It shouldn't take more than a month, correct? Any way to check on the status?

Thanks!!!

[inquisitor]

Originally Posted by permesso

Hello all. Is there any way to active the free trial month for "Handy-Internet-Flatrate" from the website?

Unfortunately not.

I know you can SMS "START PROBESURF" but I was hoping there is a way on the website so I can do it before I go. Or can you SMS active from outside Germany?

Yes, you can but from the US you'll be charged € 0.39 per text and you will need to send two text messages for activation (After your first text you'll be asked to confirm your activation by a second SMS containing "JA"), so activation from the US would cost € 0.78.

I also did not receive my referral credit even though I signed up on August 21st. It shouldn't take more than a month, correct? Any way to check on the status?

It may take up to 3 weeks but usually it should arrive within two weeks after activation.

[permesso]

Thanks for the reply. I think that I changed my mind anyway and am going to go with the 5GB plan but good to know about the SMS from the US. I already found out the text costs by just putting in the SIM. The welcome and roaming cost texts cost € 0.39 each as well

Very strange about my referral credit. It seems to have been plenty of time. I thought that I did it correctly at activation.

[DaveRo]

Originally Posted by inquisitor

"Nur erreichbar" means "only reachable" which usually only shows up if your SIM card has been blocked for all outgoing connections due to the verification letter having returned. I guess your hotel didn't accept the letter or returned it for whatever reason. Perhaps they thought it was junk mail because guests usually won't receive mail from a phone company.
Anyway, you will need to contact customer care and tell them that you are a foreigner and that you used your hotel's address for registration. If you also provide your address in the UK, they will reactivate your SIM...

I have had an email exchange with customer service following the message I sent them from 'Mein Fonic'. They confirm that the hotel address I gave is the problem - though I don't know what the hotel did, or failed to do.

Anyway they will not reactivate the SIM unless I supply a German address. They will not accept a UK address. (They are emailing in English and are very polite and apologetic.)

Maybe when I visit Germany again, if the SIM is still in the same state I can try again with another hotel, and warn them in advance to expect the letter and keep it for me.

[inquisitor]

Incoming SMS are never charged by German providers, even not during roaming. So you should have been charged anything for the "welcome" text and the one informing you about roaming rates.

[permesso]

Then I can't explain the reduction in my credit. Are you sure this is true in the US where we pay for incoming texts as well? The SIM was roaming on AT&T which does charge for incoming texts to their customers. I was on wifi and data roaming was turned off so I don't think it is a data cost. No real harm done for me - just trying to clarify for future users.

[inquisitor]

Yes, I'm absolutely sure that incoming SMS are never charged by German operators, even not in the US, where I've personal experience. Also Lidl's tariff guide (p. 2 at last third of page) incoming SMS ("Empfang SMS") are free ("kostenlos") in all roaming zones.

[inquirer]

I accidently bought the "smart" tariff. How bad is this deal (granted I wont call very much). Will I be billed more than the 10 euro if I for some reason use it up and if I don't use it all up will it accumulate for the next month or will it just disappear? And what's up with the domestic, am I not able to use the 10 euros for international calls?

A finas question; is it possible to get my money refunded? I asked the lidl cashier for a prepaid sim card and I got this monthly fee card instead. I've opened the package but have not activated the card.

[inquisitor]

As this plan has only be launched only last month I don't have any particular experience. But afaik you need to provide a German bank account upon activation which will hinder you from activating your SIM card. You could also try to call customer care at 0176/88880000 and ask them if they can switch you back to the "Classic tariff".