Rules of the Road: Volume 5 - Buying a Cell Phone

I used one of these as a toy when I
was little.

     Oh hi there!  Because I am simply amazing at planning out picture taking, we are going to do a little rearranging of posts this week (don't worry, the culture post of the week is on its way).

     I've done some checking, and this week's "Rules of the Road" post is the first one which can be done with a complete lack of actual roads!  Anyway, because your American (or other non-German) cell phone plan will charge you the approximate value of mid-size suburban home's mortgage if you use it here in Germany, it seems prudent to explain how to set up a prepaid phone, as it is really the best option for short term stays here.  Take the jump!

Basically Best Buy, or any other similar chain.

     Your first order of business is to find an appropriate retailer to purchase a phone and/or SIM card (if you have a cell phone which is unlocked, or compatible with German cards, you can skip the purchasing of the phone; check up on your particular model).  I personally went to Saturn, as it was the easier option for me, but you can go to a phone company's actual store if that works better for you.

Chances are, you've seen something like this before.

     At whatever retailer you choose to use, you will see some variation of the image on the left: a lot of phones with the little retractable chains that keep the displays tethered to the case, but manage never to fully retract (even when apparently new).

     While it is completely up to you as to which phone you select, I would bear in mind the amount of time that you will actually be in Germany, as well as the cost when you make your choice (Samsung has some good, less expensive options).  It is worth making sure you find one which can access the internet, however.

They come in different sizes.  Don't worry, they always fit
in the phone!

     Next, you will have to select a SIM card and carrier.  There are many options, like Klarmobile and Vodafone (there are others, but these two appear to be particularly common ones).  They all have varying plans and options, but typically you can find a card for 10 Euros, which includes the first month's payment as well.  To activate your card, follow the directions for your particular card.

Totally the best picture I could find.

         When you activate your phone, an account will be assigned to your phone.  Each month, the value of your plan will be deducted from this account.  In order to add value to the account, the easiest way to do so is typically to go back to the store where you purchased the phone, and buy a code for the value you want to add (usually in 15 Euro increments).  There is also the option to set up a proper payment plan, but unless you are going to be living in Germany long enough to require a higher level phone plan than what the prepaid cards offer, it is not worth doing.

   And that's it!  The websites for setting up the actual phone can be a little bit confusing, but the process is short once you fine the correct link.  Until next time!

Proverb of the Day:

A little kid in a stroller on the tram today pulled off his socks and threw them.

You go kid.

*Source links are included for stock images.
**The background music is from a personal music project in progress.