Internet & SIM Cards

Aldi Talk at the supermarket

The fastest and simplest option. Buy an Aldi Talk SIM card (€10–15, includes starter credit) at any Aldi supermarket. No address or bank account needed. Activate online with your passport. Works within minutes. Runs on the O2 network, good enough for city living.

Lidl Connect

Similar to Aldi Talk — available at Lidl stores. €10–15 for a starter pack. Runs on Vodafone's network. Also no address required at purchase.

At the airport

Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin airports have Telekom and Vodafone shops. More expensive prepaid options but available immediately. Useful if you need a number urgently before reaching the city.

Registration (Legitimationsprüfung)

All German SIMs must be registered to a real person. You register your SIM online or in-store by uploading your passport and entering your name. Required by German law (§111 TKG). Aldi and Lidl both allow online registration after purchase.

eSIM on arrival

If your phone supports eSIM, Congstar, O2, and Telekom offer eSIM plans that activate within minutes. You can order online with an Indian payment card (Visa/Mastercard). No physical SIM needed. Requires an existing address, use a hotel address for the first order.

When to upgrade

Keep the prepaid SIM for your first month while you sort your address, bank account, and Anmeldung. Once settled, upgrade to a monthly contract plan which offers more data for less money.

Prepaid (Prepaid/Aufladekarte)

No contract, no credit check. Pay as you go or top up monthly. Lower data allowances for the same price. Can cancel anytime. Best for first 1–3 months in Germany.

Monthly contract (Vertrag)

Better value — more data, faster speeds, for the same or lower monthly price. Requires German bank account (SEPA direct debit), registered German address, and sometimes a credit check (Schufa). Minimum contract term: usually 24 months, but some offer monthly ("monatlich kündbar") contracts.

Monatlich kündbar (monthly cancellation)

Look for plans with monthly cancellation, these are slightly more expensive but give you flexibility. Especially useful in the first year when you may change cities or providers.

Recommended starter journey

Week 1: Aldi Talk / Lidl Connect prepaid (buy in store, no address needed). Month 2–3: Upgrade to Congstar monthly plan (uses Telekom network, great value, good English FAQ). Month 6+: Review and potentially switch to a bigger data contract if you need it.

Data allowances to look for

Most Indians in Germany use 10–20 GB/month. For heavy users (working remotely, video calls back to India): 30–50 GB. Unlimited plans exist but are expensive (€35–60/month). Most plans include unlimited calls and SMS within Germany.

International calls to India

Standard German plans rarely include calls to India. Add an international option or use WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Google Meet over data for free calls to India. Vonage and calling-card apps offer cheap India calls if you need a landline.

Order as soon as you sign the lease

Do not wait until you move in. Order internet the day you sign the rental contract. German broadband installation involves a Techniker (engineer) visit and can take 2–4 weeks, sometimes longer in rural areas.

Check what technology is available

Use the provider's address check tool (Verfügbarkeitscheck) to see which technology is available at your address: DSL (up to 250 Mbit/s), cable (up to 1 Gbit/s), or fibre (up to 1 Gbit/s). Cable is usually faster where available.

Router included?

Most contracts include a router (Fritz!Box is the most common brand — very good quality). The router is often rented for €3–6/month included in the contract price, or sometimes free. Return it when you cancel.

First-time setup

The engineer connects the line at the Verteiler (street cabinet or building connection point). You set up the router at home using the instructions (usually a label on the router or a printed guide in German). Fritzbox setup is very easy, automatic in most cases.

Contract cancellation

24-month contracts require 3 months' notice before end of term. If you leave Germany or move before the contract ends, you can pass the contract to the new tenant (Mitnahme) — this is common and most providers support it.

Student accommodation (Studentenwohnheim)

Many university dormitories include internet in the room rent. Check with your Studentenwerk. If internet is included, you may not need a separate broadband contract, just a SIM for mobile data.

Mobile hotspot (Hotspot / Tethering)

Use your phone as a mobile hotspot. For remote workers or heavy users, upgrade temporarily to a larger data plan (50 GB+). Congstar and O2 offer month-by-month large data upgrades without changing your main plan.

Mobile WiFi router (MiFi)

Pocket WiFi devices from Telekom, Vodafone, or O2 give you a dedicated WiFi network from a SIM card. Useful if multiple devices need internet before broadband is installed. Available to rent or buy at provider stores.

Data-only SIM

Buy a separate data-only SIM (Datentarif) for your laptop/tablet. Providers like Telekom and O2 offer data-only plans (no calls/SMS) which are sometimes cheaper for pure internet use.

Café WiFi for heavy tasks

For large downloads, video calls with family back in India, or heavy work tasks — German coffee chains (Starbucks, McCafé) have generally reliable WiFi. Many German public libraries (Stadtbibliothek) also offer fast free WiFi.

University WiFi (eduroam)

If you are a student or university employee, eduroam gives you free WiFi at thousands of universities, libraries, and public institutions across Germany and Europe. Set up eduroam on your laptop before the broadband is installed.

Monthly mobile contracts

Cancel by giving 1 month's notice. Check the exact terms in your contract — some require written cancellation (email to the Kündigung address). You receive a Kündigungsbestätigung (cancellation confirmation) within 2–4 weeks.

24-month mobile contracts

Can only be cancelled at the end of the contract (Mindestvertragslaufzeit) with 3 months' notice. If you leave Germany early, check if the contract can be transferred (Mitnahme) to a friend or new tenant.

Home broadband, 24-month contracts

Cancel with 3 months' notice before the end of the 24-month term. Send the Kündigung (cancellation letter) by registered post (Einschreiben) to have proof of delivery. Email is accepted by most providers but post is legally safer.

Early termination (Sonderkündigungsrecht)

If you permanently leave Germany, you may have a Sonderkündigungsrecht (right to early termination). The trigger varies by provider. Provide proof: your Abmeldebestätigung (deregistration certificate). Not all providers accept this — check before assuming.

Router return

Return the router (if rented) within 4 weeks of contract end. Use the pre-paid return label provided with your cancellation confirmation. Failure to return it results in a fee (€50–100 depending on provider).

Final invoice

Expect a final Abrechnung (invoice) 6–8 weeks after cancellation. Check it carefully, it should cover only the remaining billing period and any router-related charges. Disputed charges: contact the Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency).

WhatsApp voice and video calls to India

WhatsApp calls to India are free over WiFi and use very little mobile data. Most Indians in Germany use WhatsApp as their primary way to contact family back home. Ensure your Indian WhatsApp number is migrated to your German number gradually — or maintain both (dual SIM or second device).

Indian number retention

Keep your Indian SIM on a low-cost plan (Airtel, Jio ₹179–299/year plans) so you do not lose the number. Your Indian bank, Aadhaar, and other services are linked to it. Use a dual-SIM phone or keep an old phone active.

Jio in Germany

Jio's international roaming in Germany works but is expensive and slow. Do not rely on it beyond the first day. Get a German SIM immediately.

Indian streaming (Hotstar, JioTV, ZEE5)

Many Indian streaming apps detect your German IP and restrict content. Use a VPN (ProtonVPN, ExpressVPN, NordVPN) to access Indian content with your Indian subscription. This is a common practice in the Indian diaspora, most Indian apps work fine via VPN.

Calling India from a German landline

If calling India from your broadband landline, use a calling card or VoIP service — direct international calls from Telekom/Vodafone landlines are expensive (€0.20–0.50/minute). Apps like Rebtel, Vonage, or just WhatsApp are far cheaper.

Speed comparison to India

German internet speeds are respectable in major cities (50–500 Mbit/s typical DSL). Germany is behind on fibre penetration compared to Japan, South Korea, and increasingly India's JioFiber in Tier 1 cities. In smaller German towns, DSL can be as slow as 16 Mbit/s.