Buying a SIM...

A couple of days ago, the group of us tried buying SIM cards, to avoid racking up giant phone bills on our UK phones. Let me tell you, it is a pain. Mainly because I speak very basic German, admittedly, but it is still tricky if you don't know what to go for.

I managed to do a bit of research into it, using a very helpful blog (which also has a good piece on supermarkets) and a comparison of different networks.  Obviously it helps to know what precisely you want e.g. I wanted mine essentially for Berlin only, so I chose Fonic, which seemed to hit a neat price balance between calling/texting the UK and here in Berlin. However, as of roughly 3 weeks after I bought the card, Fonic helpfully switched my SIM card off without telling me!!! I then rang customer service(from my UK mobile, naturally-a premium price number from a German number so I don't want to guess how much it could have cost...) and I was told my address "didn't exist" so I needed to prove my identity to them. This happened to the other three people in my group using Fonic too. To fix it was quite simple-a scan of your passport to their email address(or fax/post) and your SIM would be switched on again. Its just ridiculously unnecessary and unhelpful. Dave T has had no problems with his blau.de SIM and perhaps it is better to go for that if you have the choice.

Some cards are extremely cheap to use if you only want to use it here in Berlin(try Aldi or Lidl). Likewise, some cards like Lyca are priced much better for international calls and texts, but can't give the most cheap rate for within Berlin. If you want a data package, then blau.de sounded like a good deal.

To buy your SIM card, just go to MediaMarkt or Saturn(big electronics stores). There is a MediaMarkt at Alexanderplatz and just outside Wilmersdorfer Strasse station. Having said that, drugstores like DM and Rossmans also sell starter packs(although with much less choice obviously) and topup cards.

Obviously you'll need an unlocked phone for this all to work, unless your phone is locked and you are already on Vodafone, O2 or T Mobile-pick up one of their SIMs for your locked phone in that case.

Thankfully I am blessed with having the internet but some of our group don't. They are looking into the different options for a non permanent resident of Berlin to use, but even for a dongle/internet stick you need a proof of address, so watch this space. I'm pretty sure Dave will blog about it once he has!

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