German Fonic questions...

[SIMCollector]

I was given a German Fonic SIM card recently and it has been working well. All the docs with it are in German and I haven't really checked out their website.

I was just wondering if there is credit expiry on it ?

If the SIM will expire if it is not used, top-ups not made, calls not made/received etc ?

Also, is it possible to top-up online ? If so, is it necessary to create an account with them and is English available ?

Is it possible to buy low value top-ups from shops in Germany that I could use some months later ?

Any other useful info on Fonic would be welcomed.

Also is Blau good any more ? I have a SIM that I don't think is activated / hasn't been used and just wondering if it is worth giving that a go too.

[inquisitor]

I was given a German Fonic SIM card recently and it has been working well. All the docs with it are in German and I haven't really checked out their website.

I was just wondering if there is credit expiry on it ?See the "validity" section at Germany - Fonic - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access (http://prepaid-wireless-internet-access.wetpaint.com/page/Germany+-+Fonic)

If the SIM will expire if it is not used, top-ups not made, calls not made/received etc ?The SIM will not expire, but it will be blocked for outgoing calls, text messages and data connections 6 months after your last recharge, which means that your remaining credit is practically blocked, too. You can fully reactivate the SIM at any time (even months later) by topping up additional credit, which will also release the blocked remaining credit. So neither SIM nor credit expire, but are just blocked temporarily until your next recharge.

Also, is it possible to top-up online ? If so, is it necessary to create an account with them and is English available ?Unfortunately you can only top up online through a German bank account. Their website is only available in German.

Is it possible to buy low value top-ups from shops in Germany that I could use some months later ?You can buy top up-vouchers at local retailers, which can be redeemed even months later, but the smallest ones cost € 20.

Any other useful info on Fonic would be welcomed.check out Germany - Fonic - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access (http://prepaid-wireless-internet-access.wetpaint.com/page/Germany+-+Fonic)

Also is Blau good any more ? I have a SIM that I don't think is activated / hasn't been used and just wondering if it is worth giving that a go too.Blau charge a connection fee of € 0.15 for each international call, which other operators like Fonic don't have, and Blau is based on the eplus network, which is a low cost carrier with an inferior network.

[Schlips1]

Validity:
@inquisitor: Are you sure? On the Fonic-URL is stated:
Wie lange ist das aufgeladene Guthaben für die Nutzung verfügbar?
Seit dem 01.02.2008 steht das Guthaben unbegrenzt zur Verfügung.
=> Starting 1st of Feb. 2008 there is no timelimit for the credit anymore!

Validity Top-Ups:
They do not expire if not used - but the paper, they are printed on may bleach out....

Top up:
Inside the EU (and EFTA) you may use the bank transfer:
Überweisung FONIC ? Prepaid-Wiki (http://www.prepaid-wiki.de/index.php5?title=%C3%9Cberweisung_FONIC)
In Short:
- Send a (empty) SMS to 63633
- You 'll get a code back with the Reference-Code
- Make an EU bank transfer to
- Fonic GmbH
- IBAN: DE03 7002 0270 0668 5192 37
- BIC: HYVEDEMMXXX
- Reference-Code
- Amount (what you like - starting with one Euro-Cent).

[inquisitor]

I'm not sure if SIMs are still disabled for outgoing calls 6 months after the last recharge. That's at least how it used to be until recently.

[lizzie1955]

Thanks for the great information.

I just used Fonic for a week in Germany for both voice and data. It was fabulous. And, yes, I remembered to cancel the data plan before leaving Germany. :)

I'll be back in Germany in June and would love to keep this card alive until then. I gather it is possible.

[inquisitor]

I don't know if Fonic still enforce their previous practice of blocking outgoing calls six months after the last recharge. If it's still the case you just need to recharge your credit when returning to Germany in order to unblock outgoing calls and release the remaining credit. If it's not the case you don't need to do anything to keep the SIM alive.

[CptBill]

hello guys. Just purchased 2 fonic prepay packages too for me and my gf. The calling charge for landlines in Europe is just great! Only 9 cents per minute.

My question has to do with the tagesflat internet:

We have sent the sms for activation this morning (start tagesflat at 36642 and after the sms we received, we sent "ja"), and the received the following:

"vielen dank fur die bestellung vot tages flat. Die Bearbeitung kann einige zeit dauern.. Sie erhalten nach erfolgter buchung eine sms bestatigung"

how long does it take for the package to get activated? It has been 10 hours since then and the tagesflat hasnt been activated :(

[inquisitor]

When I requested a tariff change to the "Tagesflat" last week, activation was confirmed only the next morning. However it was actually already active minutes after I sent the SMS.
Check your credit (*101#), go online for a minute and visit Google, disconnect and check your credit again (*101#) - if € 2.50 was deducted from your credit, the Tagesflat is active already. If less than € 2.50 have been charged, you're still on the volume based tariff (€ 0.024/100KB).

[pseudo]

Hi guys,

I purchased a FONIC sim a week back and activated the Monthly 10 eur data plan. Though the 10 eur was deducted and my mobile internet is working, i did not get a confirmation msg that the plan is activated. Is that a problem ?

Also, i wanted to know if there are any extra mailbox/voicemail charges on fonic prepaid, and if i need to disable this ?

[inquisitor]

I purchased a FONIC sim a week back and activated the Monthly 10 eur data plan. Though the 10 eur was deducted and my mobile internet is working, i did not get a confirmation msg that the plan is activated. Is that a problem ?If you're not billed for data usage anymore (except for the monthly fee of € 10), there's no problem. If you're still charged volume-based you should contact customer care.

Also, i wanted to know if there are any extra mailbox/voicemail charges on fonic prepaid, and if i need to disable this ?No, there's no charge for the mailbox, at least for you. Neither is there a fee for having voicemail activated nor will you be billed for listening to your messages (at least within Germany). Callers of course are billed when the mailbox picks up a call as if you would answer the call.

[CptBill]

anyone knows if its possible to get a fonic microsim?

[dg7feq]

anyone knows if its possible to get a fonic microsim?

If you order a new SIM card you get a double-break card which you can use as a regular or micro sim. If you are an existing customer you can order a micro sim at the hotline. This will cost you 10 euro.

Chris

[CptBill]

thanks Chris.
I already have a number but i might get a new one in order to have a micro sim.

If i get a new number from for example media mark, are those double break cards (micro sim)? Or do i have to order a new number?

hmm...from what i can see here https://fonic.chriskeim.com/B2CPortal/default.asp?PageNo=DEFAULT&itemno=104142 the SIM-Karte/Micro-SIM is for the internet package and not for the "telefonieren" package? :confused:

[dg7feq]

thanks Chris.
I already have a number but i might get a new one in order to have a micro sim.

If i get a new number from for example media mark, are those double break cards (micro sim)? Or do i have to order a new number?

hmm...from what i can see here https://fonic.chriskeim.com/B2CPortal/default.asp?PageNo=DEFAULT&itemno=104142 the SIM-Karte/Micro-SIM is for the internet package and not for the "telefonieren" package? :confused:

This is the quote from the official website (www.fonic.de):

"Gibt es bei FONIC auch Micro-SIMs?
FONIC versendet als Telefonie SIM-Karte bei Online-Bestellung ausschließlich Kombi SIMs. Die Kombi SIM hat die Größe einer Standard SIM-Karte, aus der bei Bedarf eine Micro-SIM heraus gebrochen werden kann. Somit ist die FONIC SIM-Karte für alle mobilen Endgeräte (auch z.B. zur Verwendung im iPad oder iPhone 4) verwendbar."

"Are there Mico SIM at Fonic?
Fonic is shipping all telephony SIM cards which are ordered online only as a combi-SIM. It can be used as a regular SIM or after breakout it can be used as a micro sim. So you can use it in any kind of devices, also iPad or iPhone."

I dont know which SIM is in the bundles in the shop, but i guess you can ask the guys if its Micro SIM.


Chris

[inquisitor]

Existing Fonic customers can also request their SIM to be swapped for a MicroSIM (so they can keep their phone number) at a price of € 10.

[lizzie1955]

Hi Everyone,

Is there any additional information regarding the lifespan of my Fonic SIM card. Are they still being blocked after 6 months? If so, is there any way to top up and unblock my card before leaving for Germany so I have a working phone when I arrive?

Thanks!

[inquisitor]

Hi Lizzie,

Fonic SIMs have unlimited validity since last year or so. This is also valid for SIM cards purchased before validity became unlimited.

[lizzie1955]

That's great news! Thank you. If I'm understanding correctly, all I have to do when I get back to Germany is top up as needed and activate the Internet connection. Right? :)

[inquisitor]

Exactly.

Remember that there are three data tariffs for internet usage:
volume-based billing at € 0.24/MB, which is the preactivated standard option
daily flat ("Tagesflatrate") for € 2.50/calendar day with a cap at €25/calendar month (basicly internet is for free after the 10th day of usage within a calendar month), which can be activated through customer care (call 80000 or send a message through the contact form on their website)

Alternatively to these you can activate the "Handy-Internet-Paket" for € 9.95 which will give you an internet flatrate valid for 30 days with bandwidth throttling after exceeding a total data volume of 500MB.
To subscribe to the "Handy-Internet-Paket" send a text message with "START HANDYINTERNET" to 36642.
It will be extended automatically for the next 30 days if there's enough balance left. Otherwise it will be disabled and won't be re-enabled automatically if you top up later. If you wish to unsubscribe manually send "STOPP HANDYINTERNET" to 36642.
The "Handy-Internet-Paket" is being activated on top of the two aforementioned data tariffs, so as soon as the "Handy-Internet-Paket" is disabled you'll fall back to one of the tariffs above (depending which you had before).

[CptBill]

"

I dont know which SIM is in the bundles in the shop, but i guess you can ask the guys if its Micro SIM.


Chris

answering my own question, on the bundles available on media markt i found out that all of them were micro sim cards(normal sim cards that u can break and make them micro sim) which is cool! also u could choose ur number (it was written on the back on the package).

[theotherbob]

Also, is it possible to top-up online ? If so, is it necessary to create an account with them and is English available ?



Unfortunately you can only top up online through a German bank account. Their website is only available in German.


It appears that the top-up cards are available online with many payment options including PayPal and credit cards through merchants like aufladen.de. Aufladen.de has an English-language option. Anyone have experience with this site?

I just used a similar service in here in the US for a local prepaid CDMA, and everything went smoothly.

[kuba.g]

Yeah I do. Didn't work. I assume it's because they perform an address check with the credit card you pay with (and it it impossible to enter an address outside of Germany).

You could try Cabox.de though.

[theotherbob]

Yeah I do. Didn't work. I assume it's because they perform an address check with the credit card you pay with (and it it impossible to enter an address outside of Germany).

You could try Cabox.de though.

Others that look promising from a web search include :
Fonic online aufladen Handyguthaben (http://www.handyguthaben.com/guthaben/Fonic.html)
Prepaidpunkt- Aufladen auf den Punkt gebracht! (http://www.prepaidpunkt.de/)

I won't get my Fonic SIM until I go to Germany in the summer. Any personal experience with these, or Cabox.de?

[Niro]

Exactly.

Remember that there are three data tariffs for internet usage:
volume-based billing at € 0.24/MB, which is the preactivated standard option
daily flat ("Tagesflatrate") for € 2.50/calendar day with a cap at €25/calendar month (basicly internet is for free after the 10th day of usage within a calendar month), which can be activated through customer care (call 80000 or send a message through the contact form on their website)

Alternatively to these you can activate the "Handy-Internet-Paket" for € 9.95 which will give you an internet flatrate valid for 30 days with bandwidth throttling after exceeding a total data volume of 500MB.
To subscribe to the "Handy-Internet-Paket" send a text message with "START HANDYINTERNET" to 36642.
It will be extended automatically for the next 30 days if there's enough balance left. Otherwise it will be disabled and won't be re-enabled automatically if you top up later. If you wish to unsubscribe manually send "STOPP HANDYINTERNET" to 36642.
The "Handy-Internet-Paket" is being activated on top of the two aforementioned data tariffs, so as soon as the "Handy-Internet-Paket" is disabled you'll fall back to one of the tariffs above (depending which you had before).

i bought a fonic SIM at a local grocery store in Germany for 9.90, i sent the Handy-Internet-Paket text to start it, but now after almost 2 days, i got a text saying i need to add money to get data.

i thought i got 30 days free? or something like that upon activating the HandyInternet. How can i go about getting the 9.90 30 day data?

[inquisitor]

There's no free internet included with Fonic SIMs. However you should have had an initial balance of € 10 on your account, which should have been enough to activate the "Handy-Internetpaket" for one month. How much credit have you left at the moment? (request your current balance by calling *101#)

[Kritiker]

I have been offered a Fonic SIM card that has already been activated/registered and still has some time left on it.

I understand that registering a Fonic SIM card the first time doesn't require a German bank account anymore (discussed earlier in this thread) or the provision of a passport or ID card (does purchasing it in a store?) but the Fonic besitzerwechsel (http://www.fonic.de/html/pdf/fonic-besitzerwechsel.pdf) form still seems to require both the German bank account and eine Kopie des Reisepasses oder Personalausweises, a copy of a passport or ID card, for an ownership change. This last is an unacceptable practice to a North American. No telephone company gets that documentation from me! :nono:

What difficulties are there in leaving the ownership data as is, assuming the previous owner doesn't care? All I really need, AFAIK, is to change the caller-id that is displayed when I call people?

Any other gotchas? Thanks.

[dg7feq]

I have been offered a Fonic SIM card that has already been activated/registered and still has some time left on it.

I understand that registering a Fonic SIM card the first time doesn't require a German bank account anymore (discussed earlier in this thread) or the provision of a passport or ID card (does purchasing it in a store?) but the Fonic besitzerwechsel (http://www.fonic.de/html/pdf/fonic-besitzerwechsel.pdf) form still seems to require both the German bank account and eine Kopie des Reisepasses oder Personalausweises, a copy of a passport or ID card, for an ownership change. This last is an unacceptable practice to a North American. No telephone company gets that documentation from me! :nono:

What difficulties are there in leaving the ownership data as is, assuming the previous owner doesn't care? All I really need, AFAIK, is to change the caller-id that is displayed when I call people?

Any other gotchas? Thanks.

When you buy the card in a shop they write down the data from your ID or passport. This is obligatory in germany to buy any SIM card from any provider.

however if someone sells his already activated card you can use it without any problems. If you now trigger a roadside bomb with the card the former owner will get questioned by the police, not you... ;-)

[Kritiker]

Thank You. :beer:

[inquisitor]

Generally registration of SIM cards is a legal requirement in Germany as in most European countries and most operators will ask you for your ID card when you buy a SIM.

However Fonic SIMs are not being registered by the personnel if you buy one in a shop, but you have to provide your personal details yourself either online or - if registered by paper - on the form that comes with the SIM card. Also Fonic do not require any proof of identity upon activation.

I believe the fact that they require an ID card for an ownership change is just a security measure to deter people from changing ownership without the original owner's approval.
But be aware that the change of ownership is subject to a charge of € 10 (see p.2 "Besitzerwechsel" of http://www.fonic.de/html/pdf/FONIC_Telefonie-Preisliste.pdf).
I wouldn't change the ownership if I were you.


What difficulties are there in leaving the ownership data as is, assuming the previous owner doesn't care?
The only disadvantages of not changing the personal details are that you won't be able to request a new SIM card (with the old number) if you lose your's and you won't be able to export your number to another operator.

All I really need, AFAIK, is to change the caller-id that is displayed when I call people?First of all you can't change the callerID, but you can only disable it so no number would be presented to the called party. But why do you want to change the callerID? If the SIM card is your's, why shouldn't people see your number and so be able to call you back?

[Kritiker]

...
First of all you can't change the callerID, but you can only disable it so no number would be presented to the called party. But why do you want to change the callerID? If the SIM card is your's, why shouldn't people see your number and so be able to call you back?Ah, I had forgotten that the caller-ID is number caller-ID only. I was thinking of name caller-ID but if no name, only the number, is displayed then no name change would be required/possible.

Thanks again.

[inquisitor]

We don't have alphanumeric callerIDs (i.e. a name) in Europe - at least I haven't seen this so far. We just see the number of the calling party unless it's disabled.

[Kritiker]

We don't have alphanumeric callerIDs (i.e. a name) in Europe - at least I haven't seen this so far. We just see the number of the calling party unless it's disabled.Even here, in Canada (or even in the U.S.), it's not universally available and sometimes only at extra cost but I have gotten used to it and had forgotten that it isn't used in Europe (at least also in my very limited experience).

[dg7feq]

I think this will not be enabled in europe or at least germany. People are expecting a number to be displayed, if anonymous calls or anything else appeares on the screen most people dont even pick up anymore (or enable "block anonymous calls" at their providers)....

[Kritiker]

I think this will not be enabled in europe or at least germany. People are expecting a number to be displayed, if anonymous calls or anything else appeares on the screen most people dont even pick up anymore (or enable "block anonymous calls" at their providers)....When it's available, name caller-id shows the name of the caller (or Private, if no name is available) as well as the number. Of course if the user has a name for that number in the his/her phone's address book then that is displayed instead.

And in fact the name on the cell account doesn't have to match the name that will be displayed. For our two cell phones, in one account, in my name, my name is displayed for one and my spouse's for the other, when we call other people.

Since that isn't an option for the Fonic SIM cards, I don't have to worry about it. ;-)

[CptBill]

does anyone know if iphone tethering can be used with fonic or is there a limitation (like in Vodafone?)

[inquisitor]

Tethering works flawlessly.

[Motel75]

I'm still thinking of porting my numbers from Vodafone to Solomo, or possibly Fonic (or indeed Lidl Mobile, because it's Fonic with a 25 euro bonus for number porting).

Solomo has had some reliability issues in the past (in addition to being on the crappy E-Plus network) so I haven't used it for a while, but Solomo Pro has fairly ideal pricing - Fonic doesn't have a community tariff, which is its biggest weakness as far as I'm concerned.

Are there any reliability problems with Solomo at present or have these things improved enough for it to be recommended again?

[dg7feq]

I'm still thinking of porting my numbers from Vodafone to Solomo, or possibly Fonic (or indeed Lidl Mobile, because it's Fonic with a 25 euro bonus for number porting).

Solomo has had some reliability issues in the past (in addition to being on the crappy E-Plus network) so I haven't used it for a while, but Solomo Pro has fairly ideal pricing - Fonic doesn't have a community tariff, which is its biggest weakness as far as I'm concerned.

Are there any reliability problems with Solomo at present or have these things improved enough for it to be recommended again?


For usage in germany i dont have any issues with Solomo. We have 4 cards within family and friends and use them as the main phone accounts on the mobile (have a netzclub for data though).

In roaming it depends on day and country, most of the time we had a realiable connection, but its a good idea to take a 2nd card with you..

[Motel75]

For usage in germany i dont have any issues with Solomo. We have 4 cards within family and friends and use them as the main phone accounts on the mobile (have a netzclub for data though).

Good, I just remember the one time international calling stopped working on a Friday (all attempted international calls were answered by a "disconnected" message) and Solomo didn't fix it until Monday morning. If that sort of thing isn't happening any more, I'll go for it.

[SporkLover]

Hello Pre-Paid GSM.

It's been a while since I've used Fonic, but I have one question fairly straight forward.

Can you tell me the appropriate APN settings so I can pre-program my Android Phone?

I've found the : pinternet.interkom.de ..... and the settings on the fonic page.... but if I am not mistaken, shouldn't there also be MNC (mobile Network Code) and a MCC (Mobile Carrier Code) that I should provide? I believe the MNC for german carriers is 262... but what about the MCC for Fonic?

Thanks in advance!

[dg7feq]

Hello Pre-Paid GSM.

It's been a while since I've used Fonic, but I have one question fairly straight forward.

Can you tell me the appropriate APN settings so I can pre-program my Android Phone?

I've found the : pinternet.interkom.de ..... and the settings on the fonic page.... but if I am not mistaken, shouldn't there also be MNC (mobile Network Code) and a MCC (Mobile Carrier Code) that I should provide? I believe the MNC for german carriers is 262... but what about the MCC for Fonic?

Thanks in advance!

You dont have to set anything beside the APN. And even the APN doesnt matter on o2 network, they will connect on all kind of APN names.

Christian

[inquisitor]

Fonic use O2's network, which has the MNC 07 but as dg7feq wrote, you don't need to enter anything else besides the APN and the APN again can be just anything.

[CptBill]

Hello guys. Just purchased a 15 euro top up card from a lidl store for my fonic number.
I followed the instructions on the receipt and now when I type *101# I can see that I have 15 euro but when I login to the fonic webpage I see 0 euro as my balance. Also I cannot use the internet. It stopped when my balance dropped to 0 euro. Shouldn't be working after the 15 euro top us card I used? And why my balance on fonic webpage is 0euro?

[inquisitor]

The balance shown on the website is not realtime, however the USSD-query by *101# definitely is. Now that you have € 15 on your account, you should be able to access the web again. Maybe try to power cycle your phone.

[Motel75]

How long does it take the 5 euro bonus for recommending someone to appear in the account?

[inquisitor]

Unfortunately up to 3 weeks (FONIC ? Kunden werben (http://www.fonic.de/html/faq/kunden-werben-bonus-bekommen.php)).

[inquisitor]

I've just received the following questions by PM which I'd like to answer publicly so others may have use of my answers, too:

Sorry never done a thread before and don't know where to post my question.
I have used your excellent posts before and purchased a Fonic sim at Staples in De.and referred your number for your credit. .
I used the my Fonic sim in a regular handy and topped it up again last time in Germany.
Now I am returing to Germany and hoping to use it in a unlocked Smart phone.
1.Can I use the same card or do I need to buy one specifically for a smartphone?
Fonic does only have one single type of SIM cards through which you can access any of their tariffs. So yes, you can use your SIM card in any device, be it a dumb phone, a smartphone or a data device.

2.If I can use it in the smartphone what do I need to do to activate the Internet-Tagesflatrate mit Kostenschutz 2,50eu,oder the Handy-Internet-Flatrate 9,95eu?You can activate any of these tariffs by SMS or through Fonic's website. Please refer to Germany - Fonic - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access (http://prepaid-wireless-internet-access.wetpaint.com/page/Germany+-+Fonic) for detailed instructions.

3.Also,This time I am also thinking possibly of buying a surfstick, for my netbook.
Does the same sim card go into the surfstick? or should I buy a seperate one?As long as your Fonic SIM is not a microSIM (the super-small ones used by these fruit phones) it will fit in any of these sticks. But what smartphone do you actually own? Usually you can tether your netbook to your smartphone by Wifi or at least by a USB cable and so you could share the smartphones Internet connection with your netbook.

[Benjymoto]

Hi,

Just wondering if fonic is sending out letters to confirm the address used in registration like lidl? using the same network I'd expect them to but I thought I'd ask.

Thanks

Ben

[inquisitor]

Yes, they do, too. Actually Lidl is just a rebranded tariff variety of Fonic realized by the same company which is also the contract partner for both tariffs. That's why Lidl SIMs are actually activated through Fonic's website.

[Benjymoto]

Thanks Inquisitor, guess I'll just give lidl a shot and hope for the best. They don't half make it difficult for people to give them money :)

[cainius]

Hey guys great read about fonic. I have a question and cant seem to find it anywhere else.

I have been using fonic for a while and love it, but i have a few missed calls and my mailbox got the calls. Every time i call my mailbox (my number) i think it says its not active or set up and hangs up. any clues on how to fix this?

[inquisitor]

You need to insert 33 between the 0176-prefix and your remaining number in order to call your mailbox

If your Fonic number was 0176/39123456 you would need to call 0176/3339123456 for your mailbox.

[cainius]

thank you for the help. do you know how i can change the language from german to english on the mailbox. i remember T-Mobile were able to do it in the shop but there are no fonic shops here.

[inquisitor]

Try dialing 9 (for Maibox Einstellung/configuration) and then select 5 (Sprachwahl/language selection) in the voice menu. That's at least how you do it works for contract subscribers on o2.

[um98]

This is a really helpful thread. A few details that would be great follow. Thanks in advance for the help.

Anyone with recent experience on how many days after activation the mail from Fonic shows up? Was thinking to time the activation with my hotel arrival so they do not refuse it and the sim would get locked.

Is the €5 bonus promotion still valid? Is there a limit to how many "friends" you can have in a month?

[Knighta]

Hello everyone,
I wonder if anyone knows how to fix my problem? I'm in Germany and have a prepaid FONIC sim. It was working fine until I texted a UK number...after that I got an SMS from Fonic saying I had to call their customer service, followed by another SMS that was blank.
Same thing happened to my boyfriend when he texted a UK number.
Now neither of our phones work. Can't text, can't call - useless. It seems the SIMs have been locked or something.
I called customer service from a landline (since my phone isn't working - even to call fonic) and asked if anyone could speak English (my German is pretty basic)...the woman said no but that I'd be called back. I haven't been called back and I'm now stuck with no phone and no way to fix it.
I've still got over 9 euros of credit. I've got a 'my fonic' online account management thing, but there's nothing there about what the problem is.
Suggestions would be very much appreciated!
Thanks!

[inquisitor]

Do you happen to have activated your Fonic SIM card with an invalid address? In spring Fonic started sending out confirmation letters shortly after activation. If the letter is undeliverable and thus being returned Fonic will temporarily disable SIM cards until a valid address has been provided.
If this is the case there should be a message on the customer portal saying:
SIM Kartenstatus: "nur erreichbar"
In order to unblock your SIM card call Fonic customer care at 01805-880488, explain them that you are a visitor and give them your current accomodation's address. They won't send out another confirmation letter but unblock your SIM card within minutes.

[Knighta]

a-ha! Thank you, that sounds EXACTLY like what has happened. I used the address of the flat we're staying in for 3 months, but we don't have a key for the mailbox so wouldn't have got the confirmation letter. I'll try calling them again and hopefully can sort it out. Thanks again for the quick response.

[Knighta]

Yes, just spoke to FONIC and they're going to unlock my SIM. Thanks very much, inquisitor!

[tux]

Do you happen to have activated your Fonic SIM card with an invalid address? In spring Fonic started sending out confirmation letters shortly after activation. If the letter is undeliverable and thus being returned Fonic will temporarily disable SIM cards until a valid address has been provided.
If this is the case there should be a message on the customer portal saying:
SIM Kartenstatus: "nur erreichbar"
In order to unblock your SIM card call Fonic customer care at 01805-880488, explain them that you are a visitor and give them your current accomodation's address. They won't send out another confirmation letter but unblock your SIM card within minutes.

I'm about to buy one Fonic sim from Amazon, but, before buying, I've got a few questions: how many days the delivery of the letter takes? Does that letter contain any important activation info? Can I tell Fonic that I'm a visitor in advance, or do I have to wait until they block my sim?

Thank you. :bye:

[inquisitor]

I'm about to buy one Fonic sim from Amazon, but, before buying, I've got a few questions: how many days the delivery of the letter takes?Deutsche Post claims letters to arrive in Italy within 2-4 days.

Does that letter contain any important activation info?The confirmation letter that will be sent out after activation does not contain any relevant information except for confirming your personal data.

Can I tell Fonic that I'm a visitor in advance, or do I have to wait until they block my sim?No, you can't. The smoothest way is to register the SIM with a hotel's or other accomodation's address where the postman will assume that the recipient is a guest and so will deliver it instead of returning it.

Are you actually aware that Fonic offer a cheaper tariff under the brand of "Lidl"? The only problem is that there are no other resellers besides Lidl supermarkets.

[gardengrrl]

Hello, I am new to this forum and have found the information here quite helpful. I am traveling to Mannheim for business in September. I will have an unlocked iPhone 4S, and I am interested in purchasing a prepaid SIM that I can use for voice calls as well as data. The Fonic option is appealing and it seems like the coverage will be good. If I am understanding what I've read, I should expect to pay € 9,95 for the card and will get a € 10 credit with that, which I can apply to the data and voice calls. I will only be in Germany for about 6 days total. If I want to top up, I can purchase vouchers around town for a minimum of € 20. Should the € 10 credit be sufficient for my week in Germany? If incoming calls are free, I was thinking it would make sense to associate the German telephone number with my Google Voice account, then my family in the U.S. can reach me with the U.S. number and it will use the data instead of the voice minutes. I should also be able to make outgoing calls through Google Voice, I believe.

Is it possible to purchase the Fonic SIM card prior to arriving in Germany and have it shipped to me in the U.S.?

Regarding the need to provide a German address for verification, I have colleagues in Germany, so I would think I could use the address of someone I know to ensure that the mail does not get returned to Fonic so that my card will not get blocked.

I have a travel companion joining me and we will be arriving on different airlines at approximately the same time. I was hoping to have everything set up properly in advance of arrival so that we would be able to communicate by telephone once we arrive at the airport to make arrangements to meet up.

Does it sound like I have understood all of this correctly? Please let me know if I've missed anything or if I am confusing the details.

I really appreciate any advice and all of the great information on this site!

Kind regards,
Angie

[tux]

Hehe, the problem is that I'll be in an apartment, and I don't think the postman will deliver the letter, or that I'll have the keys of the mailbox.

[inquisitor]

Actually you don't need access to the mailbox as the letter does not contain any information of relevance. You could solve the problem by temporarily attaching your name to the mailbox, so the letter can be delivered.

[andy]

Is it possible to purchase the Fonic SIM card prior to arriving in Germany and have it shipped to me in the U.S.?

Regarding the need to provide a German address for verification, I have colleagues in Germany, so I would think I could use the address of someone I know to ensure that the mail does not get returned to Fonic so that my card will not get blocked.

I have a travel companion joining me and we will be arriving on different airlines at approximately the same time. I was hoping to have everything set up properly in advance of arrival so that we would be able to communicate by telephone once we arrive at the airport to make arrangements to meet up.



It's not just for verification, but I believe many German networks will not send to an address outside Germany, so perhaps you can ask those contacts to obtain and forward SIMs for you.

[123456]

Found this message on Twitter (http://twitter.com/fonic_de/status/236124683651657729):We reviewed your account and found that our welcoming letter got returned. If this happens your card automatically gets blocked to prevent your data from abuse. Please send an email with your FONIC number, your current address and first three characters of your password to: facebook.fonic@brand-affairs.de We will then unblock you SIM card as soon as we can!
Best Regards, Johanna / FONIC teamMaybe usefull for somebody?

[inquisitor]

That's basicly what I reported on the previous page (http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/germany/6268-german-fonic-questions-6.html#post40375), but the email address you shared may be useful anyway. Pretty unprofessional to use and publish an email address with a PR agency's domain by the way. Couldn't they at least set up an alias (e.g. facebook@fonic.com) that would be forwarded to the PR agency instead?

[onopko]

Hi! A quick question that I haven't seen in the forum. I have a Fonic SMART activated. How can I know how much have I used from the 500 mb? The usage goes from 1st to 31st of each month, right?

Thanks in advance!

[123456]

The Fonic website (http://www.fonic.de/html/faq/was-ist-in-fonic-smart-inkludiert.php) says it is 1 month use from the day the Flatrate was activated:Die 500 Freieinheiten inkl. Internet Flatrate stehen ab dem Tag der Buchung/Verlängerung 1 Monat zur Verfügung. Ein Monat bedeutet z.B. 27.4. bis 27.5.
Sie erhalten eine SMS nachdem Sie mehr als 300 Frei-Einheiten verbraucht haben und kurz bevor die Frei-Einheiten ganz aufgebraucht sind.Or maybe have a look at Mein Fonic (https://www.fonic.de/selfcare/servlet/Start)?

[inquisitor]

There's no way of checking your data usage. You will just receive a text message shortly before you reach the throttling threshold and another one once throttling applies.

[CptBill]

anyone knows if fonic offers packages with nano sims?
Last time i visited germany i found in media markt fonic packages (With the number of ur choice) with micro sim ready which was a pleasant surprise.

[inquisitor]

According to a blog entry on their website (http://newsroom.fonic.de/fonic-hat-die-nano-sim/) Fonic offers free replacement of newly bought SIM cards with Nano SIMs but I guess there are still plenty of old SIM cards on shop shelves. So better print out this template (http://www.airportal.de/nanosim/) and take a pair of sharp scissors with you (but don't carry them in your hand luggage). By the way Fonic also offers a SIM card with even better tariffs under the brand of "Lidl mobile".

[CptBill]

thanks inquisitor :)
On thursday i will be in Munich and i will try my luck to purchase a iphone 5 from the Apple store. If i am lucky enough to find it, then i will switch to nano :p

[inquisitor]

Germany isn't the cheapest place to buy an iPhone 5 as the following comparison shows: Bildergalerie iPhone im Ausland billiger Bild 1 / 2 (http://www.teltarif.de/gb/apple-iphone-5-preisvergleich-idealo/news/48432:1.html)

[TheMadBrewer]

I am going to buy a couple of Fonic SIMs to replace the ones from Solomo.

When I bought the Solomo SIMs I had them sent to a friend, but I was able to specify a shipping address separately, e.g. " Klaus Schmidt, z. Hd TheMadBrewer..."

From reading Inquisitor's great directions (http://prepaid-wireless-internet-access.wetpaint.com/page/Germany+-+Fonic) it looks the letter will be addressed to the name I use to activate the SIM.

So my question is, should I put in my name or my friends? I guess this is really about Deutsche Post -- will they deliver the letter to my friends house with my name on it? I would rather not activate the SIM under his name -- I have visions of losing my phone/SIM and somebody finds it and does something bad -- and the police come calling on my friend :) (unlikely, I know, but you get the idea).

Plan B would be to use the hotel address, but I worry the hotel may refuse the letter. I take it there is nothing in the letter I actually need, so it would be OK to tell them to just throw it away?

Yes, I am a worrywart :)

And I know that the Lidl SIM has some advantages, but I'm arriving in Germany on Saturday and there is no Lidl directly in the area and I might not have time to get to one, which would mean Monday before I could get to it.

[Motel75]

Put the SIM under your name, and make sure there is a sticker with your last name on it on your friends' mailbox, at least temporarily (mail is sorted by last name in Germany rather than by apartment number or similar). If they have a house with a street address all of its own, you might not need to do this, but it's still a good idea.

[inquisitor]

As Motel75 supposed, either ask your friend to temporarily put your name on his mailbox or call your hotel in advance and tell them that you expect a letter from Fonic which they may litter but which they should accept in any case.

[TheMadBrewer]

My friend has a house with a Ferienwohnung on the ground floor. I'll ask him about the sticker, though.

Thanks for the help (Inquisitor -- I gave you a referral way back when, when I bought the Solomo SIMs and I'll do the same for my Fonic)

[TheMadBrewer]

Just an update: I bought and registered 5 Fonic SIMs -- used one pretty extensively for about a week with no problems. And my German friend just emailed me that he has 5 letters for me next time I visit him :)

Thanks again for all the help.

[kimdo]

Will it possible to buy Fonic Sim before arrival Germany? It will be time saving for short travel period. Because visitors have to find the markets, activate the sim...

[inquisitor]

There were a couple of international sellers of Fonic SIM cards who ship worldwide but please notice that, as described here (http://prepaid-wireless-internet-access.wetpaint.com/page/Germany+-+Fonic), after registration Fonic will send out a confirmation letter to the provided registration address and if this letter cannot be delivered your SIM will be blocked. So in addition to buying the SIM card you also need to make sure the confirmation letter will be delivered to some German address, be it a hotel or a German resident who would temporarily put your name on his mailbox.

[kimdo]

There were a couple of international sellers of Fonic SIM cards who ship worldwide but please notice that, as described here (http://prepaid-wireless-internet-access.wetpaint.com/page/Germany+-+Fonic), after registration Fonic will send out a confirmation letter to the provided registration address and if this letter cannot be delivered your SIM will be blocked. So in addition to buying the SIM card you also need to make sure the confirmation letter will be delivered to some German address, be it a hotel or a German resident who would temporarily put your name on his mailbox.

Thanks for your information. Maybe purchasing the Fonic Sim at Germany is a better option. I have searched some markets in Munich, like dm, Lidl, MediaMarkt... The locations of dm seems easiler to be found. Will there any other shop or markets near the Munich Hbf? Thanks a lot

[VladS]

Thanks for your information. Maybe purchasing the Fonic Sim at Germany is a better option. I have searched some markets in Munich, like dm, Lidl, MediaMarkt... The locations of dm seems easiler to be found. Will there any other shop or markets near the Munich Hbf? Thanks a lot

There is a Saturn store 10 minutes walk from Munich Hbf, at Neuhauser Straße 39.

[inquisitor]

From Munich main station the best option would be to go to a Lidl supermarket and to buy a Lidl mobile SIM, which actually is a second brand of Fonic and most importantly is a bit cheaper than Fonic.
For more information on Lidl mobile read LIDL mobile - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access (http://prepaid-wireless-internet-access.wetpaint.com/page/LIDL+mobile)

There are two Lidl supermarkets close to Munich main station:
Lidl at Schwanthaler Str. 31, 80336 München (http://maps.google.de/maps?saddr=Bahnhofplatz&daddr=Schwanthalerstra%C3%9Fe&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=48.138546,11.560841&spn=0.004815,0.008256&sll=48.137786,11.56002&sspn=0.004815,0.008256&geocode=FZ-P3gId62ewAA%3BFZ-E3gId2WWwAA&t=h&dirflg=w&mra=ltm&z=18) (350m, 5 min walk)
It's at the site of where Google Street View shows the now closed "müncher electrowelt": Google Street View (http://maps.google.de/?ll=48.137377,11.560281&spn=0.002407,0.004128&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=48.137375,11.560407&panoid=SUhoR4e25DtO15FqMcc8Bg&cbp=12,181.15,,0,0.99)


Lidl in the Central Bus Station (ZOB - Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof) Hackerbrücke 4, 80335 München (http://maps.google.de/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&ll=48.142249,11.55295&spn=0.004814,0.008256&sll=48.141213,11.55861&sspn=0.004814,0.008256&geocode=FUmT3gId8WCwAA%3BFb6Y3gIdMkGwAA&t=h&dirflg=w&mra=dme&mrsp=0&sz=18&z=18) (700m, 9 min walk)


Both are opened daily except for Sunday until 20h.

[kimdo]

There is a Saturn store 10 minutes walk from Munich Hbf, at Neuhauser Straße 39.

Thanks again.

Those links are very informative and give me a great help. Many thanks.

[UKSTEVE]

If anyone is interested - excuse the intrusion... :)

[RobertH]

Does anyone know if Fonic still (as of April, 2013) sends a letter to your Germany address to verify residency? Can I have the letter sent to a hotel I am staying in?

Thanks!

[inquisitor]

Does anyone know if Fonic still (as of April, 2013) sends a letter to your Germany address to verify residency?Yes, they do.
Can I have the letter sent to a hotel I am staying in?Yes, though you cannot add your hotel's name to your shipping address. But postmen should usually assume that you are a guest if he can't find your name under the given address and thus drop it at the reception.

[ramrodrigues]

So after searching a little on the forum I decided to get a Fonic sim card to use in Germany for a couple of months.

After one week they locked my sim even though the address of the hotel was correct on their site.

I found their official facebook channel and it appeared a good option to use since there's a lot of non german persons complaining there. But even after confirming the correct address they still did not unlock my sim.

Do you guys have any sugestion on how to proceed? Have anyone gone through this?

[RobertH]

So after searching a little on the forum I decided to get a Fonic sim card to use in Germany for a couple of months.

After one week they locked my sim even though the address of the hotel was correct on their site.

I found their official facebook channel and it appeared a good option to use since there's a lot of non german persons complaining there. But even after confirming the correct address they still did not unlock my sim.

Do you guys have any sugestion on how to proceed? Have anyone gone through this?

I understand some Fonic users have emailed Fonic and given them a different German address. Fonic sent out the confirming letter again, it didn't get returned to them, and their SIM got unlocked.

I am curious - did the address you gave Fonic include the hotel name? Apparently it should NOT. So, for example, if you are staying at the Hilton in Ramstein and the hotel address is Hilton Ramstein, 24 Main Street, Ramstein Germany 45555, you would give Fonic the address as Your Name, 24 Main Street, Ramstein Germany 45555. You would also need to tell the front desk what you are doing and hope the postman will deliver the mail to you at the hotel.

[ramrodrigues]

Yeah I did all that. I did not used the hotel name and still the letter was not delivered.

It has been a week since they locked my sim and still no real answer from Fonic....

[RobertH]

This really is a great thread. Thanks to all !!

I can't find any information about using a Fonic SIM outside of Germany. I'll be in Germany and Switzerland this summer. Can I make phone calls from within Switzerland with my Fonic SIM ?? Any idea what the rates would be? If Fonic posts this information somewhere could you post the link? I realize it would probably be in German - that is fine.

THANKS

[willydat]

take a look at:

https://www.fonic.de/im-ausland-telefonieren/in-der-schweiz-mobil-telefonieren-und-sms-verschicken

:)

[RobertH]

take a look at:

https://www.fonic.de/im-ausland-telefonieren/in-der-schweiz-mobil-telefonieren-und-sms-verschicken

:)

Thanks! That was exactly what I was looking for.