# How Does Telecom Work in Germany? (2026) > A practical overview of telecom in Germany: mobile networks, SIM cards, eSIMs, home internet, ID rules, and what newcomers should know in 2026. By Jules de Bruin · URL: https://www.guide-germany.com/telecom/overview Germany has three physical mobile networks: Telekom (D1), Vodafone (D2) and O2 / Telefónica, with 1&1 building a fourth. The value-brand price floor is **EUR 8.99 for 25 GB** with unlimited calls and SMS, billed every 28 days, which is **13 payments a year**. [Home internet](/telecom/home-internet) starts at **EUR 18.99** for 50/25 Mbit/s cable. The Bundesnetzagentur is the federal regulator, and every SIM needs identity verification before it activates. ## Top 5 Best Telecom Providers in Germany for Newcomers - **fraenk**: EUR 10 for 25 GB on the Telekom network, calendar-month billing, monthly cancellable, no SIM fee, and full English support in an app-only setup. - **ALDI TALK**: EUR 8.99 for 25 GB on O2, sold at every Aldi checkout, 28-day cycle, starter pack EUR 9.99 including EUR 10 credit. - **SIMon mobile**: EUR 9.99 for 50 GB on Vodafone, monthly cancellable, price never rises after month 24, and the contract can be paused for up to 3 months. - **congstar**: EUR 10 for 30 GB on the Telekom network per 28-day cycle, with GB+ loyalty adding 1 GB a year and Switzerland data roaming included. - **Vodafone CallYa**: EUR 9.99 for 25 GB on Vodafone with 200 EU call minutes included, no SIM fee, and full English support. ## How Is the German Telecom Market Structured? ### Network Operators - **Telekom (D1)**, run by Telekom Deutschland GmbH - **Vodafone (D2)**, run by Vodafone GmbH - **O2 / Telefónica**, run by Telefónica Germany GmbH & Co. OHG - **1&1**, building its own 5G and using Vodafone national roaming meanwhile ### Value Brands and Resellers - **congstar** and **fraenk** on Telekom - **SIMon mobile**, **otelo**, **Lidl Connect** and **klarmobil** on Vodafone - **ALDI TALK**, **Blau**, **NettoKOM** and **Fonic** on O2 - **Penny Mobil**, **ja! mobil**, **Kaufland mobil**, **EDEKA smart**, **Norma Connect** and **ROSSMANN mobil** on Telekom - **SIM.de** on the 1&1 network ## Should You Get a German SIM or a Travel eSIM? Choose a [**native German eSIM**](/telecom/esim) if you need a German phone number, for example to receive SMS codes from German services. Telekom, Vodafone CallYa, O2, ALDI TALK, congstar and 1&1 all sell one. Choose a **travel eSIM**from Airalo, Saily, Holafly, Nomad or Ubigi only for short visits where you need data and no local number: they carry no German number at all. Airalo's German plan is EUR 13.76 for 10 GB over 30 days, and Ubigi sells 10 GB over 30 days for EUR 10.75. ## How Do the Networks Compare Across Germany? **Telekom (D1)** is [the best-rated German network](/telecom/best-mobile-network) according to connect 01/2026 and Ookla Q1-Q2 2026. **O2 / Telefónica** has the highest measured 5G availability in Germany (Ookla H1 2025), but its rural coverage still trails Telekom and Vodafone. **1&1** claims about 95% coverage on its own 5G, rising to about 100% by the end of 2026, and falls back to Vodafone national roaming where its own network has not been built. Peak speeds differ by tariff, not only by network: Telekom MagentaMobil Prepaid and Vodafone CallYa Allnet Flat S both run up to 300 Mbit/s, while value brands are capped, at 50 Mbit/s on ALDI TALK and fraenk, 25 Mbit/s on congstar and Lidl Connect, and 150 Mbit/s on SIMon mobile. ## What Do Telecom Services Cost in Germany? - **Value-brand mobile:** EUR 8.99 for 25 GB with unlimited calls and SMS, per 28-day cycle. - **Network-brand prepaid:** EUR 9.95 for 20 GB (Telekom MagentaMobil Prepaid M), EUR 9.99 for 25 GB (Vodafone CallYa Allnet Flat S), EUR 9.99 for 20 GB (O2 my Prepaid S). - **Cheapest contract entry:** EUR 19.99 for 15 GB (O2 Mobile S), against EUR 29.95 for 20 GB at Telekom and EUR 29.99 for 25 GB at Vodafone. - **Home internet:** EUR 18.99 for 50/25 Mbit/s cable (eazy50), EUR 39.99 for 100/40 Mbit/s DSL (o2 Home M), EUR 64.99 for 1000/75 Mbit/s cable (Vodafone GigaZuhause 1000 Kabel), EUR 70.95 for 1000/500 Mbit/s fibre (Telekom). ## Why Do German Plans Bill Every 28 Days? It is [the standard prepaid cycle](/telecom/prepaid-vs-postpaid) here, and it is the single most misread number in the German market. A 28-day cycle renews **13 times a year**, so a tariff advertised at EUR 8.99 costs about EUR 9.74 a month, and Telekom MagentaMobil Prepaid M at EUR 9.95 works out near EUR 129 a year. Every MagentaMobil Prepaid, CallYa Allnet Flat and O2 my Prepaid tier bills this way, as do congstar Prepaid Allnet, ALDI TALK, Lidl Connect, Penny Mobil, ja! mobil, Kaufland mobil, EDEKA smart, NettoKOM, Norma Connect, ROSSMANN mobil, Fonic, Lyca Mobile, Lebara and Ortel Mobile. The exceptions are **fraenk** and **SIMon mobile**, both calendar-month subscriptions that are monthly cancellable. ## What Do You Need to Activate a German SIM? **Identity verification is mandatory on every German SIM**, prepaid included. There is no anonymous option. VideoIdent works with any passport and runs 24/7, and activation takes minutes to hours after the check. SIMs sold from vending machines in stations and terminals still have to be verified online before they work. - **Prepaid:** ID verification only. No German address, no German bank account. - **Contract tariffs:** a German address, a SEPA direct debit, and a SCHUFA credit check. - **Home internet:** a SEPA IBAN, not necessarily a German one, and no completed address registration required. ## What Should Newcomers Know About German Telecom? - Bring your passport: no ID, no activation, whatever you buy. - Do not plan a Sunday SIM run. Supermarkets are closed, though airport and main-station shops stay open. - Airport prices match city prices, so buying on arrival costs nothing extra. At Frankfurt Airport, Telekom and Vodafone shops are landside and there are SIM vending machines in the terminals. - Compare on the cycle, not the sticker price: 28-day tariffs cost a 13th payment each year. - The youth tariffs are gated on date of birth, under 28 at Telekom and Vodafone, up to the 29th birthday at O2. There is no student proof and no student discount. - If you need to call abroad, check first: fraenk blocks international calls from Germany entirely, while Lyca Mobile, Lebara and Ortel Mobile include international minutes. ## Official Sources - [Bundesnetzagentur](https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de), the federal regulator for telecoms, post, rail and the electricity and gas networks - Each provider's own coverage checker, which is the only way to see what is available at a specific address - Independent network testing referenced in this guide: connect 01/2026 and Ookla Q1-Q2 2026 for network rating, Ookla H1 2025 for 5G availability ## Related Guides [### Best SIM Cards Top mobile plans ranked.](/telecom/sim)[### Home Internet DSL, fibre, cable, and fixed wireless.](/telecom/home-internet)[### Best eSIMs Native German and travel eSIMs compared.](/telecom/esim)[### SIM Finder Find the right plan for your situation.](/telecom/sim-finder) --- Source: https://www.guide-germany.com/telecom/overview Last updated: n/a Format: LLM-readable Markdown twin (.md) of the canonical HTML page.