GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) provides data download speeds of up to 53,6 kbps and upload speeds of up to 26,8 kbps in German mobile networks. Theoretically, this standard enables data transfer rates of up to 171,2 kbps in GSM networks. EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) pushes data transfer speeds in GSM networks to 260 kbps (download) respectively 110 kbps (upload). UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) or 3G offers data transfer speeds of up 384 kbps, with HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access) support mobile operators keep up with DSL providers speed-wise. The next step in mobile broadband will be LTE (Long Term Evolution) or 4G with up to 100 mbps.

The higher data transfer speeds, the better the quality of certain services. HSDPA support is important for a problem-free mobile access to the company intranet, for visiting multimedia websites or for using video streaming services. HSUPA support enables a mobile internet user to quickly upload big files such as photos as well as music and video files or allows video conferencing on the mobile phone. At the moment, mobile access to broadband internet with smartphone, notebook or netbook is possible in all four German networks of T-Mobile, Vodafone, E-Plus, and o2 Germany. However, data transfer speeds differ between mobile networks from 384 kbps to 14.4 mbps.

Mobile Broadband in the Four Different Mobile Networks

At selected hotspots such as airports and train stations, Vodafone already enables mobile internet users to receive data packages via HSPA with up to 14.4 mbps while the maximum upload speed has risen to 3 mbps. In the entire UMTS network of Vodafone data transfer speeds now reach up to 3.6 mbps respectively 1.45 mbps, in several cities Vodafone has extended HSPA coverage with up to 7.2 mbps. Vodafone also offers EDGE with up to 220 kbps in large parts of its GSM network.

T-Mobile will to start raising data transfer speeds for mobile internet users from 7.2 mbps up to 14.4 mbps this year, the upgrading will be carried out first at selected airports and train stations. T-Mobile also offers EDGE with downloads speeds of up to 260 kbps in the entire GSM network. In addition, T-Mobile maintains a great number of public WiFi hotspots.

o2 Germany will even provide maximum download speeds of 28.8 mbps this year. At the moment, customers of o2 Germany can mostly use mobile data services with up to 3.6 mbps download speed, at some selected places o2 Germany also offers up to 7.2 mbps download speed. At the same time, o2 Germany concentrates on EDGE as an alternative solution in areas without UMTS coverage in the o2 network. Thus, it is either UMTS or EDGE.

E-Plus has been the only German mobile network operator just offering GPRS, EDGE and UMTS with up to 384 kbps so far. However, E-Plus is now beginning to launch HSDPA in selected cities such as Berlin, Essen, Dusseldorf, Leipzig, Magdeburg, Nuremberg and Stuttgart in order to improve UMTS network coverage rather than offering higher download speeds. E-Plus intends to offers EDGE for 90 percent of the German population by the end of this year.

German Providers May Reduce Data Transfer Speeds

Usually, mobile data price plans for smartphone, notebook or netbook users offer UMTS and HSDPA speeds for not more than 5 GB per month. When the included data traffic is used up, the maximum data transfer rate is normally reduced to 64 or 56 kbps. There are only a few mobile data price plans on the German market with a short minimum term, the majority comes with a term of at least 24 months. Prices for such monthly mobile data flat rates range from 20 to 35 euros.

A good alternative to term contracts can be prepaid price plans for mobile data services and so-called day flat rates that are suited for a sporadic internet usage. With such a day flat rate the customers pays a fixed price per day only when actually using the mobile broadband internet connection. Prices for such mobile internet day flat rates begin at 2.50 euros and go up to 5 euros per day. For prepaid customers data traffic with EDGE or UMTS speed is sometimes limited to 1 GB per month.

Related Links:
Prepaid Price Plans for Mobile Internet Access

(Last Update: September 14th, 2009)