Help Setting Up Nokia E71 with Fonic for Data

[inquisitor]

You're welcome. If you have more than € 9.95 of credit left when you leave, make sure you disable the flatrate as otherwise your subscription will recur automatically after 30 days (you remember what happened with your blau SIM ). To stop the flatrate text "STOP HANDYINTERNET" to 36642 and confirm the following SMS with "JA". But in contrast to blau texting this SMS from abroad should work while roaming, too.

[lizzie1955]

The guy on eBay that I bought the Fonic SIM from sent me a LIDL SIM. He said it is exactly the same thing. Is this true?

[inquisitor]

No, they are not the same. Lidl do not have any data options but only the volume-based tariff (€ 0.24/MB billed in 100KB-increments). In return however Lidl have a monthly cap of EUR 40 for domestic calls and SMS-messaging, but that's of no use for you, as your priority presumably is data and international calls. Lidl said they may add some data options in the future, but I don't expect this to happen in the short-term.

[lizzie1955]

I thought so. He sent me this card saying they were the same but I checked both websites and could clearly see the differences. I have to say this is the first time,I've gotten "taken" on eBay.

I've still got an active Vodafone card with some about 10€ on it. Might as well top it up and use it. I'm going to try to combine their international plan with web sessions. I hope I can get it to work.

Just when I thought I was all set

[inquisitor]

I hope you haven't given any feedback for this transaction. Ask the seller to deliver a Fonic SIM card or to refund your money and if he wants his Lidl SIM sent back to add costs for return shipping + PayPal fees + currency conversion fees. Otherwise leave him a negative feedback and file a complain with PayPal.
If you drop me your eMail address by private message (click my username on the left for this) I think I could help you with this.
Since Vodafone is even more complicated when it comes to switching to their international tariff (and switching back to avoid the monthly fee for the international tariff) and getting the WebSessions activated, you could still try to get a Fonic SIM after arrival. Among other retailers Fonic SIMs are actually sold at Lidl supermarkets like Lidl mobile.

[lizzie1955]

Seller said to send back card and he would refund or send a Fonic card. Claimed he ran out of Fonics and didn't know I needed data...

[enfield]

Originally Posted by lizzie1955

Seller said to send back card and he would refund or send a Fonic card. Claimed he ran out of Fonics and didn't know I needed data...

Same thing has happened to me on eBay. The seller sent me a Lidl SIM card. The interesting part is that the plastic cover says LIDL while the actual SIM card says FONIC on it.....

I have emailed the seller asking for clarification.... I guess I will sent this card back and buy a FONIC SIM on arrival in Frankfurt

[inquisitor]

Lidl mobile is actually a derivate from Fonic. It's based on the same billing platform and there are a lot of similarities except for the data tariffs.
You could try activating the SIM through FONIC's website instead of Lidl's. Perhaps the SIMs are generic and get tied to a tariff only by activation.

[enfield]

Originally Posted by inquisitor

Lidl mobile is actually a derivate from Fonic. It's based on the same billing platform and there are a lot of similarities except for the data tariffs.
You could try activating the SIM through FONIC's website instead of Lidl's. Perhaps the SIMs are generic and get tied to a tariff only by activation.

Thanks for the reply. This card is already activated. The seller sent me instructions. One of the things he says is and I quote:

To top your card up, most gas stations in Germany can top it up. Use "fonic" as provider. You also can buy top up vouchers at the German grocery stores. Choose "LIDL-Mobile" as your provider.

Sounds like I can top it off with "Fonic" vouchers too.... I will post the reply from the seller once I get it.

[inquisitor]

I expect he's right with Fonic vouchers working for Lidl SIMs (and vice versa), as both use the same billing system. The same applies for O2 and Tchibo whose vouchers are interchangeable due to the common billing platform. But you can't use O2 and Tchibo vouchers for Fonic and Lidl SIMs or vice versa.