Greece HSPA (prepaid and postpaid offers)

[Evan]

Originally Posted by Big_Nige

The only downside is that without an AFM you can't log-in to check your bill etc, so this year I plan to get one.

I had to get an AFM back when I worked in Greece for 3 years and I still got it since I have some assets there. However, I never thought of subscribing on any binding contract since I left Greece, given the hassle of making/breaking a contract.

If you plan to get an AFM for the sole purpose of signing up on a mobile contract and checking your bill online, I would advice against it, considering the complex and bureaucratic nature of the Greek tax system/office, and given the fact that the situation in prepaid mobile data has changed a lot since last year.

For example, WIND currently offers 100MB/month absolutely free (1.5GB/mo for subscribers before 23 March) and Q-mobile offers 100MB for 1€ (and up to 400MB/month for 4€). And if you want to stay on Vodafone network, the "Vodafone On Demand" plan, offers up to 1GB/day for 1.9€/day.

[Big_Nige]

Originally Posted by Evan

Q-mobile offers 100MB for 1€ (and up to 400MB/month for 4€). And if you want to stay on Vodafone network, the "Vodafone On Demand" plan, offers up to 1GB/day for 1.9€/day.

These look interesting, but I have been unable to find these packages at these rates. Do you have links?

[Evan]

All the available links and info are on my review post #76 on the previous page.

[Big_Nige]

Thanks Evan, but I don't speak Greek. I've also been unable to contact Wind and Q - are they now the same company?

[Big_Nige]

Originally Posted by Evan

Info (only in Greek) here: 1500 ??? 1500

Hey! If you change the langID at the end to =2 you get English!

[Evan]

Originally Posted by Big_Nige

Thanks Evan, but I don't speak Greek. I've also been unable to contact Wind and Q - are they now the same company?

Yes, Q was merged into Wind a while ago but still keeps its own brand and services (i.e. different SIM cards, service numbers, tariff plans etc).

What do you mean by being "unable to contact Wind and Q"? I never had a Q SIM card but regarding Wind, I could always contact their customer service at 1260 and talk with an English speaking representative. Actually I remember that when you dial 1260, the very first recorded message you hear was something like "for English press 2".

Customer care phone numbers for Wind here: WIND HELLAS

And for Q here: 24 hours at your service

Originally Posted by Big_Nige

Hey! If you change the langID at the end to =2 you get English!

Nice find! But I think that their English site is obsolete (their last announcement in English is of 2007). Nevertheless, I suppose that it's quite straightforward to get and use a Q-card. Just purchase and register one from any Wind store, and then send an SMS to 12200 with the text "1500", to activate the plan of 1500 calls/SMS (to Wind/Q numbers) and 100MB data. The plan costs 1€ and you can activate it again when your 100MB are over (max 4 activations per month).

More info here (with the help of Google translation):
Google Translate

edit: Oh, and I just noticed on Q site, that you can send a blank free SMS to 12260 to take advantage of their low national and international call charges. And they charge per second (and not per minute) which is even better. For example, calls to USA cost 0.10€/min, to Germany, Italy, Greece and most Easter European countries 0.21€/min and SMS to international destinations 0.04€.

More info here: Google Translate

and here: Google Translate

[Big_Nige]

Originally Posted by Evan

Nevertheless, I suppose that it's quite straightforward to get and use a Q-card. Just purchase and register one from any Wind store, and then send an SMS to 12200 with the text "1500", to activate the plan of 1500 calls/SMS (to Wind/Q numbers) and 100MB data. The plan costs 1€ and you can activate it again when your 100MB are over (max 4 activations per month).

More info here (with the help of Google translation):
Google Translate

Hi Evan,

So let me get this straight. I get a Q-Card, and put say €10 on it. Then I can send an SMS as above up to 4 times a month, and will get a total of 1GB for my €10?

What's the catch? The only downside is having to send the SMS, will have to put the SIM into a phone.

Later: having trouble finding a Q-Card store locator, any tips?

[Evan]

Yes, you can get a total of 1GB for your €10 (or to be precise, a maximum 400MB/per month for 4€).

I don't think there is a catch. It's just that the Greek market starts getting competitive on mobile data offers. Wind already offers 1.5 of absolutely free data per month (now reduced to 100MB/month) but you have to register on that offer until 30 April (you can read my posts here).

So, if you visit Greece before 30 April, and you get a Wind prepaid card, the offer of Wind is even better than the one of Q, since it's absolutely free.

If you visit Greece after 30 April, the offer of Q is the cheapest at the moment.

The only "catch" I could find, is that neither Wind nor Q notify you about the remaining data volume with SMS (while they do so for the remaining call minutes). So it's highly recommended to use the data counter of your mobile phone or USB stick to check the consumed MB.

[Evan]

Originally Posted by Big_Nige

Later: having trouble finding a Q-Card store locator, any tips?

You can find it here on Q-site (in English):

Sales points map

But since their English page is obsolete, just look at the site of Wind here:

WIND HELLAS

[Big_Nige]

Originally Posted by Evan

The only "catch" I could find, is that neither Wind nor Q notify you about the remaining data volume with SMS (while they do so for the remaining call minutes). So it's highly recommended to use the data counter of your mobile phone or USB stick to check the consumed MB.

Thanks Evan,

I don't have a data counter on my device, can the data balance be checked online?

But what would happen if you used up the first 100MB anyway?