Frankfurt - Post Report Question and Answers
Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
I bought a very affordable unlimited annual prepaid plan at Aldi. The whole plan was similar to my monthly bill in the US. - Aug 2023
Magenta Mobile served us well. We did the contract through the base and with orders were able to break it when we needed with no penalty. - Oct 2022
Use a local provider, as EU law dictates no roaming fees throughout the entirety of the EU. Set up Google Voice before you leave for people back home to keep in touch. - Feb 2022
Lots of options. You can get a local contract but cancelling it will be challenging! Getting a contract from T-Mobile at the base is the most expensive and simplest option. - Oct 2021
Local provider. - Sep 2020
We use T-Mobile. We pay month to month fees as I've heard cancelling a contract here can be costly or a pain. It's very easy to get a sim card here. Others use Vodafone or Google-Fi. - Mar 2020
Work will likely issue. We also brought unlocked iPhones and use a pay-as-you-go plan through Vodafone. We didn't want to be locked into a plan. With teenagers, this has worked out just fine. - Mar 2020
We split the difference. My son got service from the provider in Wiesbaden and I got a pay as you go unlocked phone from one of the big electronics dealers using Tmobile cards. Both were fine. Getting the pay as you go cards means registering which means having your local id, which can take six weeks or so.... - Feb 2020
We have one phone supplied by the consulate and one unlocked phone that we pay-in-advance about 15 Euro/month with Vodaphone. - Sep 2019
We had a local provider for my son and I used my work phone. You need to have your diplomatic credentials (Ausweiss) before getting service, so that is super annoying. Once you have it though, any unlocked phone will work great, and the service is US grade. I believe the EU also did away with roaming, but after we left. - Apr 2019
We got SIM cards at the gas station. They worked fine for our entire tour. - Sep 2017
I used a USG phone. My wife used a prepaid cellphone. Any iPhones will have to be jail-breaked. - Jan 2017
No clue. I use a work-provided phone. - Aug 2016
No issues with cell phones. - Feb 2016
Can be purchased or service signed up for at the base. Two different providers, both which offer no-penalty cancellation with advance notice of several months and your orders. - Dec 2015
Get an unlocked phone and a pre-paid SIM, way cheaper than signing a contract. I have service through Blau.de, and pay only ~15-20 Euros/month for data and a basic call plan. - Jun 2014
I use my work one so no. Every European carrier is here though: from T Mobile to O2. - Mar 2014
A cell phone is provided by the Consulate. - Nov 2013
Get a local phone with prepaid cards. - Apr 2012
Everything is available. - Mar 2012
My office provides me with one, so I don't have much experience with the matter. The rules and regulations seem to be complicated, but you may be able to get out of your personal contract if you have orders. - Oct 2011
Cell phone plans are very expensive here. You can get a sim card with minutes on it, though. - Jul 2010
I had a cheap, pay as you go phone. Everything's available. - Jul 2008
If bringing one to post, make sure it's one of those with a sim card. They are available. - Feb 2008
Wide available and not too expensive - we buy time cards since we don't use ours constantly. - Jan 2008
