This is an overview of postpaid mobile data bundles that are available for notebook and netbook users in Germany. The starter packages usually include a SIM card and a flat rate tariff with s short minimum term commitment of up to six months for accessing the internet via GPRS or UMTS as well as an optional 3G surf stick. Subscribers can choose between different offers in the networks of Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile), Vodafone, E-Plus, and O2 German. In order to book these postpaid mobile data price plans, users have to indicate a residence and a banking account in Germany. Monthly and set-up fees are payed by direct debit.

With the Apple iPad WiFi + 3G models it is possible to access the internet, but not to make phone calls over mobile networks. Making phone calls with the Apple iPad is only possible via a detour over internet telephony (voice over IP or just voip). Providers such as Skype or Sipgate and the software developer Acrobits have released voip apps for iPhone, iPod Touch and the iPad. While Apple iPad WiFi users can make voip calls whenever they find a hotspot for connecting to the web, some operators in Germany prohibit voip calls over their GSM and 3G networks. For example, Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile) and Vodafone only allow voip calls over their networks when the subscriber has booked a special tariff option. On the other hand, customers of O2 Germany may use voip services with their mobile device.

This is an overview of prepaid packages including an UMTS surf stick, a SIM card and a mobile data tariff that are available for notebook and netbook users in Germany. Subscribers can choose between different offers in the networks of Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile), Vodafone, E-Plus, and O2 Germany and between different pricing models, e.g. per day or per month.

This is an overview of mobile data price plans on a prepaid basis that are available for mobile phone or smartphone users in Germany. Subscribers can choose between different offers in the networks of Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile), Vodafone, E-Plus, and O2 Germany and between different pricing models (per megabyte, per day or per month). Prepaid starter packages include a SIM card for voice and mobile data services and sometimes include a small amount of credit for calls, text messages and/or mobile access to the internet.

German operator Vodafone has launched a new prepaid price plan called “Callya OpenEnd Internet” that offers flat rate tariffs for mobile phone calls, for text messaging (SMS) and for accessing the internet via GPRS or UMTS. Mobile phone calls to landlines and to other Vodafone cell phones in Germany can be made for EUR 0.29 per call. Users of the prepaid SIM card can also send up to 100 text messages for EUR 0.29 per day. And for accessing the internet over the German Vodafone network (APN “wap.vodafone.de” or “web.vodafone.de”) users pay EUR 0.99 per day. As long as the subscribers to the prepaid price plan do not make phone calls, send text massages or access the web via GPRS or UMTS, they don’t have to pay for these services. However, there is a monthly charge of EUR 2.49 for these flat rate tariff options of “CallYa OpenEnd Internet”.

On Friday, May 28th, the Apple iPad will be launched in Germany and several other countries. People will be able to buy the tablet PC at Apple stores in Munich, Hamburg or Frankfort as well as at Apple shops in selected – not in every store – consumer electronics retailers such as Saturn, Media Markt and Medimax. I am pretty sure that Gravis will sell the Apple iPad, too, since Gravis stores will open at 8:00 a.m. in the morning – just like the three German Apple stores. It is also possible to order the Apple iPad at the German Apple web store, but then the tablet will not be delivered before June. I have summarized the latest developments regarding points of sale as well as micro SIM cards and price plans for the Apple iPad in Germany. Please read on.

This time, the German government has to settle for less: After 224 rounds the auction for mobile-phone frequencies has ended and the government has raised just 4.38 billion euros total. In August 2000, it generated 50 billion euros from the sale of 3G licenses, the largest frequency auction in Germany so far. The four German network operators that took part in the last auction – T-Mobile, Vodafone, E-Plus and O2 Germany – want to use the new spectrum to expand their broadband coverage, for example, by setting up fourth generation Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, especially in rural areas that do not have access to highspeed Internet connections over cable.

We have spotted two interesting cell phones at German operators’ stores: Vodafone is selling the lifestyle smartphone Puma Phone manufactured by Sagem Wireless. E-Plus is offering the dual SIM phone Samsung B5722 to its customers. The Puma Phone costs EUR 369.90 without contract and between EUR 29.90 and EUR 139.90 with 24 months contract at Vodafone stores. E-Plus offers the touch screen dual SIM phone Samsung B5722 for EUR 199.00 only to its customers who have to agree to an extension of their term commitment for another 24 months when buying this phone.

Toggo Mobile is a cell phone plan for kids with unlimited calls to one selected phone number of a parent. Except for the mobile phone calls with its parent, the kid can access the WAP web portal of Toggo Mobile and send unlimited text messages (SMS) to other Toggo Mobile users for the monthly charge of EUR 9.95. The monthly fee also includes eight tracking requests per month by the parents by help of a network based location service. High-rate services such as international mobile phone calls from Germany to other countries as well international roaming calls, sending MMS messages from other countries and mobile internet access via GPRS or UMTS are barred. There is also no voice mail.

Several German mobile phone providers have released information about their mobile data tariffs dedicated to the iPad which will hit Apple stores in Germany on May 28th. Only some of these prepaid price plans of discount providers we have already presented as well as the offers of the network operators Vodafone and O2 Germany. Here is a new overview of all micro SIM packages with mobile data tariffs for connecting the iPad to the internet in Germany via GPRS or UMTS. This selection only includes prepaid price plans and postpaid price plans with a short minimum term commitment of just one month.