Best Pre-Paid Data Plan For a Visit To Germany?

code prole writes "With two upcoming trips to Germany, and no readily available Internet (Wi-Fi or otherwise) in the location where we'll be staying, I'm looking for a no-contract USB stick and pre-paid data plan. Vodafone has a huge selection of USB sticks but has proven to be unresponsive to questions about data plans. And the US-based T-Mobile Help Center was clueless about getting the device in Europe and using it there. Hopefully the Slashdot community has some suggestions. Any duds to avoid?"

Avoid non-carrier providers!

[node159]

I would only consider Vodafone and T-Mobile as your options, these two have established cell networks, all the others borrow on these networks and as such tend to be at the bottom of the traffic prioritization.

From my experience O2 is absolutely awful for any 3G, they are building up their own network, but if your not in range of one of their cells you can forget it.

As for getting it, I'd wait till your here, you are mandated to provide your passport details to get any SIM card, so they probably can't service you overseas.

As for getting a 3G stick and SIM once your here, just rock on in with your passport and a bunch of cash and you can be setup that day... however as for data plans...

Germany is crazy expensive... so don't expect to do any downloading over it, but you should be able to browse the net and check email 'n stuff.

Re:Dude, you're in central Europe

[nacturation]

Just find a open WLAN and use that ...

What a great idea. From the fine summary: "and no readily available Internet (WiFi or otherwise) in the location where we'll be staying".

Re:I recommend blau.de

[quadrox]

I tried getting a vodaphone callya (debitel) prepaid card - the phone and sms part works, but it refuses to do any data, although that is supposed to be included.

I suspect that is because I have a HTC hero, which apparently is not supported very well by vodaphone (i.e. you can't pick it when you're supposed to select your phone model on their website).

Re:I recommend blau.de

[uigin]

I have both Vodafone callya and Blau. Honestly vodafone (and O2) is ridiculously expensive without a contract. Simyo http://www.simyo.de/ [simyo.de] is another cheap alternative. All the cheap ones are pretty much the same price and adequate quality. The reason Vodafone et al get away with having the expensive prices is because Germans have this strange notion of paying extra for imagined 'quality' (the reasoning is along the lines 'it's more expensive so it must be good')

Dave.

Voda or T-Mobile

[hart]

T-Mobile have hotspots all over the place (cafe's, hotels, etc) and at €29 for a month's access (pre-paid, sign up online at any hot spot) you can't beat the price. If you are absolutely certain that no wifi is available where you're going then the previous posters advice of visiting a Vodafone or T-Mobile shop when you land is spot on - both have very good networks in Germany. You can't beat the price of buying local when you arrive! Vodafone USB stick without contract: http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.vodafone.de%2FShop%2Fpicknmix%2Fchoose_callya_tariff.jsp%3FpropositionId%3Dprod233554&sl=de&tl=en [google.com] T-Mobile: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.t-mobile.de%2Fmobiles-internet%2Fmit-dem-notebook%2F0%2C20338%2C23098-_%2C00.html [google.com]

Information Resources

[chess]

Coverage:
http://www.t-mobile.de/funkversorgung/inland/
http://netmap.vodafone.de/cover4internet/index.jsp?appprofile=UMTS-Maps
http://www.o2online.de/nw/support/mobilfunk/netz/index.html
http://eis03sn1.eplus-online.de/evportal/portal/umts

Speed:
T-Mobile, Vodaphone have HSDPA 7.2Gb/s, O2 has HSDPA 3.6Gb/s, Eplus has 384Mb/s (UMTS)

Price:
http://www.teltarif.de/mobilfunk/datenrechner.html

As you are only interested in Prepaid, use this link and change the amount of Mb per month at the end of the URL from 310 to what you need:
http://www.teltarif.de/db/res-mobildaten.html?prepaid=1&von=Heimatnetz&mb=310

Can you read German? If so, look here:
http://www.teltarif.de/mobilfunk/

For news like this:
http://www.teltarif.de/tchibo-surfstick-30-euro/news/37951.html

Re:Internet cafe's

[postbigbang]

Uh, no.

I had no difficulities going thru major cities in Germany this month, and getting free WiFi. The nicest place was the Corkokian Irish Bar south of the Dom in Cologne. Drink Guinness (or coffee) whilst getting blisteringly fast 802.11n. Free.

Small towns might not have it, and most APs actually have minimal security on them. Not that we want to crack that. Seriously, there's sufficient free WiFi to prevent getting soaked tethering to some horrible data plan. Save yourself the Euros and wing it. Use WireShark, iStumbler, or your favorite wetted-finger-in-the-air AP spotter.