What you need to know if you plan to move to Germany in 11 Steps: Step 7 The Phone

You are new in Germany, and you problably don't know anyone, or you know very few people. But even the first week you will get phone calls from the bank, from the insurance company, from your landlord... and you might have given your spanish, french, english number. And every time you get a phone call, you will also pay a part of it (you can have a look to your local roaming conditions). And if you get to know someone (your first friend in town!) you will want him or her to have your German number, so you can have a plan for the weekend! So getting a phone number on the first week is a must!

You may remember our post about the banks. The case is very similar when we talk about phone companies. You will arrive wherever you have moved and you will have the impulse of going to a nice mobile phone shop (O2, Vodafone, Telecom...). You can go and ask for their prices but keep your wallet in your pocket! Go to Starbucks with your laptop (I guess you still don't have internet connection at home) and compare them with companies that only offer online services (Fonic,  Fyve, 1&1...). Your main priorities should be:

1.  A contract that can be cancelled monthly (don't get stuck in a 2year contract)
2.  Cheap European rate (fonic offers european phone calls to landline numbers for 9ct/min)
3.  Flatrate including phone calls, sms and internet, not more expensive than 20€/month

They won't try to award your fidelity with some cool smartphone, or ridiculously cheap offers, so don't even try it. You will be treated as if you were doing them a favor, get ready for this.

I give you a similar advice if you want internet flat rate at home, but in this case, and even if this advice sounds stupid and for dummies... READ THE CONTRACTS!! yes, they are in German! and they won't translate them for you, or give you a copy in English! Take them home, ask a German colleague, whatever. But they love to "give" you USB Internet Surf sticks for free, until you receive your modem... You might sign the contract and then have to pay for its cancellation once you realize you are paying for something you have never used... Real case, I already know 3 people who suffered this abuse and one of them it's me!

Now you are ready for chatting, smsing, calling, internet surfing and socializing!!! (well, if mobile phones damage social relationships or not can be a topic for another post...)