There are lots of cheap cell phone plans without monthly fees and without long minimum term by discount providers in the German market. Not all of these price plans are real prepaid offers, though. These quasi-prepaid offers are called prepaid price plans by the providers and for the user, they “feel” like prepaid price plans. But there are essential differences between these two types of mobile phone tariffs. In this article, the Phone Guide Germany points out the differences, explains what these differences mean to the customer and shows which type of cell phone plan suits travelers, exchange students, business men or people moving to Germany better.

Topping Up New Credit

First, let’s talk about the things prepaid and quasi-prepaid tariffs have in common. For example, users can only call somebody else when they have topped up enough calling credit. On the other hand, even without calling credit they can be called on their cell phone by others. And: In both cases users can top up new calling credit by direct debit, by bank transfer or by credit card. Some prepaid providers offer additional ways of topping up new credit, for example by phone call, by SMS or by automatic payment when the amount of credit falls below a certain limit.

However, with real prepaid price plans the mobile phone user may have a greater cost control than with a quasi-prepaid offer: Only with a real prepaid price plan it is possible to buy a voucher – or scratch card – and to enter the credit code by using the keyboard of the cell phone in order to top up new credit. And only with a real prepaid price plan calls will be interrupted as soon as the calling credit of the person having started the mobile phone call has been eaten up.

With a quasi-prepaid price plan such calls may go on because the billing is done over a postpaid or offline platform which means it is not done in real-time but delayed in time. This can lead to a negative credit balance of the mobile phone user’s prepaid account, especially when the prepaid user has called expensive hotlines or made expensive roaming calls. It could happen that the provider will disable the mobile phone connection when this negatice credit balance has not been evened out immediately.

Buying a Prepaid Starter Package

There are also different requirements for new customers who want to order a new prepaid price plan. According to German law, mobile phone users have to show an ID in order to buy a prepaid starter package and to register the prepaid SIM card in a shop. However, this is far from reality: Usually, you can order a prepaid starter package online at the website of the mobile phone provider and activate the prepaid SIM card without showing your ID to anybody. You just need to state an address to which the mobile phone provider can deliver the prepaid starter package. Thus, it is possible to buy a prepaid SIM card almost anonymously. The user of e real prepaid price plan must only have a banking account in Germany when he or she wants to top up new credit by direct debit or by bank transfer.

New customers who are buying a quasi-prepaid price plan have to provide an address registered with the public authorities and a banking account in Germany to the discount provider. The new provider may also order a credit report on the new customer from credit screening companies such as Schufa. This might prevent that people from other countries such as travelers or exchange students can buy one of these quasi-prepaid price plans for their stay in Germany. Mobile phone users booking a quasi-prepaid price plan also have to agree to a minimum term, even though this will be a short minimum term of just one month in most cases.

How to Recognize a Real Prepaid price Plan

It is not possible to identify a prepaid plan or a quasi-prepaid price plan or a postpaid plan by the rates per minute or per SMS that the provider charges the customers, because the prive levels equal each other and ususally both types of tariff are just called “prepaid” by the provider. However, the general terms and conditions give you a clue what kind of tariff you are looking at. A short minimum term, a mandatory German banking account and address strongly suggest that you are dealing with a quasi-prepaid price plan. And: With a quasi-prepaid price plan it is not possible to check your credit balance via a USSD code such as *100# or *101#.

In Germany, prepaid starter packages often include just the SIM card and a small amount of credit. As guideline figures: Starter packages including 5 euros credit are often available for 10 euros, starter packages with 10 euros credit are often available for 20 euros. Some prepaid starter packages may include a cell phone with a SIM lock which can only be removed after a two-year period.

Mobile Phone Providers Offering Real Prepaid Price Plans

In my opinion, mobile phone providers such as Bigsim, Callmobile, Maxxim, Mcsim, Simply and Snoog Mobile sell quasi-prepaid price plans which come without a monthly fee or a minimum charge, but with a short minimum term of just month. In order to book such a cell phone plan, the mobile phone users must have a German banking account.

Mobile phone providers offering real prepaid price plans are: Aldi Talk, Bildmobil, Blau, Congstar, E-Plus, Fonic, Ja!mobil, Klarmobil, O2 Germany, Penny Mobil, Simyo, Smobil, Tchibo Mobil, T-Mobile and Vodafone.

Overviews of current cell phone plans in Germany:
Prepaid Price Plans with Single Tariff for Mobile Phone Calls
Prepaid Price Plans with Community Tariff for Mobile Phone Calls
Prepaid Price Plans with Flat Rate Tariff for Mobile Phone Calls

Read more about quasi-prepaid price plans at www.teltarif.de (in German).