A slightly related question about German service providers

Lemming

Hey guys,

it's been so long since I've kept track of broadband happenings in Europe that I need to ask a question here:

My girlfriend is in Germany at the moment (residing half-way between Dusseldorf & Cologne) and has been signed up with T-Mobile for DSL access.

Now the charges don't make sense to me (and she doesn't have a great deal of german yet).

15.99 p/m for the phone
60.99 p/m for DSL
29.99 p/m for unlimited DSL usage

The last two bother me. This means that German DSL prices are above our own? And we're meant to be one of the basket cases of the European broadband market.

Is there anyone here either familiar with the German market (or with proficient german) that might be able to confirm/deny this? I'm not sure if some little sales-git has tried to sign my g/f up for some uber-business package on the sly for a percentage

eircomtribunal

Lemming wrote:

Now the charges don't make sense to me (and she doesn't have a great deal of german yet).

15.99 p/m for the phone
60.99 p/m for DSL
29.99 p/m for unlimited DSL usage

The last two bother me. This means that German DSL prices are above our own? And we're meant to be one of the basket cases of the European broadband market.

The cheapest line rental product is € 15.99/per month
The DSL subscription for 1 Mb is € 16.99/per month

From then on she can go to any ISP of her choice. She can get volume capped packages for € 0/month and anything in-between up to the incumbent's unlimited € 29.99 per month package you are quoting.

For a little more than the € 16.99/month she can get 2 Mb or 3 Mb service.

Look out for special offers: in most cases the set-up is free.To get the modem free she'll probably would have to take out a min 12 month contract.

Ask again if you need more info or direction to websites.

P.

Lemming

eircomtribunal wrote:

The cheapest line rental product is € 15.99/per month
The DSL subscription for 1 Mb is € 16.99/per month

From then on she can go to any ISP of her choice. She can get volume capped packages for € 0/month and anything in-between up to the incumbent's unlimited € 29.99 per month package you are quoting.

For a little more than the € 16.99/month she can get 2 Mb or 3 Mb service.

Look out for special offers: in most cases the set-up is free.To get the modem free she'll probably would have to take out a min 12 month contract.

Ask again if you need more info or direction to websites.

P.

Thanks

the install was free - not sure about the modem. I know she isn't goin gto be there for a year and queried the operator as such.

Is there any package, that you are aware of, by T-Mobile Germany that requires a 60.99 p/m charge on top of useage charges? It sounds extrordinarily high for a residential user

eircomtribunal

Lemming wrote:

Thanks

the install was free - not sure about the modem. I know she isn't goin gto be there for a year and queried the operator as such.

Is there any package, that you are aware of, by T-Mobile Germany that requires a 60.99 p/m charge on top of useage charges? It sounds extrordinarily high for a residential user

The most expensive package of T-online (you write of T-Mobile? This is the mobile arm of the German incumbent..!?) is the unlimited 3 MB package at €49.95 per month see http://www2.service.t-online.de/dyn/c/22/04/13/2204134.html

She would get much cheaper slightly limited packages (you can get time or volume limited packages from many ISPs).
One mainstream provider who offers many packages would be http://www.lycos.de/startseite/online/dsl/tarife.html?prod=DSL&trackingID=spiegelonline
P.

P.S.
Could the € 60.99 per month in reality be the € 16.99 per month, which would be be tariff for 1 MB dsl?

Lemming

Thanks eircomtribunal. I wonder if the 60.99 is a charge for the DSL modem since she most definitely didn't take the 12 month contract.

eircomtribunal

Lemming wrote:

Thanks eircomtribunal. I wonder if the 60.99 is a charge for the DSL modem since she most definitely didn't take the 12 month contract.

I had a glance through the German incumbent's web pages, but did not come across a € 60.99 product; but in general most of the German ISPs charge for the modem if you do not subscribe for 12 month.
Deutsche Telekom are in general very good with information when you contact them. If you need directions to access the contact: go to http://www2.service.t-online.de/dyn/c/21/01/93/2101934.html and click the text link "Kontakt aufnehmen" in the second line of text. In the next window you need to enter email adress and password (if you don't have those you can also enter the "T-Online Nummer" instead of the email adress and the "persönliches Kennwort" instead of the password - both are on the bill), then you should be able to enter your query and get an answer rather quick.

P.