Phone and internet
Three networks, four pricing tiers, a tangle of resellers and a stubborn habit of locking customers into 24-month contracts — the German telecoms market is not the friendliest in Europe. The good news is that once you know how the pieces fit, you can get a working SIM in fifteen minutes and decent home internet within a few weeks.
The three networks
All German mobile services run on one of three physical networks. Everything else is a brand on top.
| Network | Coverage | Discount brands on the same network |
|---|---|---|
| Telekom (D1) | The most reliable coverage, especially outside cities and on autobahns. | Congstar, Penny Mobil, ja!mobil, klarmobil (partly). |
| Vodafone (D2) | Strong urban coverage, occasional countryside gaps. | Otelo, 1&1 (partly), CallYa (prepaid). |
| Telefónica (o2) | Cheapest, lots of capacity in cities, weakest in remote areas. | Aldi Talk, Blau, FYVE, Tchibo Mobil, several MVNOs. |
In central Düsseldorf all three are fine. If you commute to a smaller town in the Niederrhein or Sauerland, ask colleagues at the destination which network actually works there before you sign anything.
Mobile contracts and prepaid SIMs
You have three broad options:
- Prepaid SIM — pay up front, no minimum term. Available at supermarkets (Aldi, Lidl, Rewe), petrol stations, post offices and most phone shops. Best while you are still moving and have no permanent address.
- Monthly SIM-only plan — from neobrands like Freenet Mobile, Winsim, Premium SIM and some Congstar tariffs. No phone, no minimum term beyond one month. Usually the best value.
- 24-month contract — the classic German setup. Often bundles a subsidised phone. You commit for two years; if you forget to cancel, it now auto-renews monthly (since 2022) rather than for another year.
A normal mid-range tariff in 2026 looks like 15–30 GB of data, unlimited calls and texts inside Germany, plus EU roaming, for €10–€20 a month. Unlimited-data plans run €30–€60.
The first SIM: identifying yourself
Every SIM card in Germany must be tied to a real person, which means an identity check before activation. In practice:
- If you buy from a shop, the cashier scans your passport on the spot. You can use the SIM minutes later.
- If you buy online, the provider walks you through a VideoIdent call (a video chat where an agent confirms your face matches your passport) or a PostIdent (you go to a post office and they verify in person). VideoIdent works with most passports but not all national ID cards from outside the EU.
- If your German is shaky, choose a provider with English support (Vodafone CallYa, o2, Lebara and several MVNOs) or buy in person.
Home internet
What you can buy at a given Düsseldorf address depends entirely on what cables reach the building.
- DSL (over Telekom's copper)
- Available almost everywhere. Speeds 16–250 Mbit/s depending on distance from the cabinet. Telekom themselves, Vodafone, 1&1 and O2 all resell it.
- Cable internet
- Through Vodafone's coaxial network (the old Kabel Deutschland and Unitymedia footprints). Speeds 250–1000 Mbit/s where the cable runs to the building.
- Fibre (Glasfaser)
- Rolling out across Düsseldorf, district by district. Deutsche Glasfaser, Deutsche Telekom Glasfaser, Vodafone and a handful of local operators (NetCologne in some pockets) are all laying cables. If your street has been dug up for it, you should be able to order — activation can still take months.
- Mobile/5G as home internet
- For a small flat with no good fixed line, a Telekom or Vodafone 5G home router with an unlimited tariff is a workable bridge. Latency is higher than fixed.
Contracts are typically 24 months. Setup fees of €0–€70 appear and disappear in marketing campaigns. The router is usually rented for a few euros a month; if you can use your own (a Fritz!Box you bought yourself), you save a little and sometimes get more flexibility.
One trap: a "DSL contract" can be active before the technician comes to switch it on. Read the activation date and refuse a contract that starts billing before service.
The broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag)
Every household in Germany pays a flat monthly fee (around €18 at the time of writing) to fund public broadcasters. It does not matter whether you own a TV, a radio or anything at all — the fee is per dwelling.
After your first Anmeldung the Beitragsservice writes to you, often within weeks. You can:
- Pay quarterly by direct debit (the cheapest and least annoying option).
- Apply for an exemption or reduction if you receive certain benefits (BAföG, Bürgergeld, etc.) or have a specific disability.
- De-register if you leave Germany or move into a household where someone else already pays.
Ignoring the letters does not make them stop. Unpaid fees can be sent to a bailiff.
Cancelling and switching
Two consumer-protection rules make life easier than it used to be:
- Monthly auto-renewal. Since December 2021, a contract that auto-renews after the initial 24 months renews on a month-by-month basis with a one-month notice period. You no longer get stuck for another year because you missed the cancellation window.
- The "moving" cancellation right for internet. If your new home cannot get the contracted service, you can cancel mid-contract. The provider may demand evidence (a confirmation that the address is not connectable).
Cancel in writing. Email is increasingly accepted; the safest method is still a signed letter sent recorded delivery (Einschreiben mit Rückschein). Keep the receipt.
To keep your phone number when switching providers, request a Rufnummern-Mitnahme from the new provider before your old contract ends. It now costs nothing.
Roaming and travel
Inside the EU/EEA, "roam like at home" rules apply: you use your domestic allowance up to a fair-use limit. Outside the EU, German operators sell expensive day-passes; an eSIM from a third party (Airalo, Holafly) is usually cheaper for short trips. UK roaming is generally not included since Brexit; check your tariff before crossing the Channel.