Ok the big four networks in germany, t-mobile, vodafone, 02, e-plus i know that i can pick up the sim cards from places like phone house etc, but what about the mvno's like debitel or blau where do i get there sim cards from, anyone help?

SIMYO is only available on the internet
REWEmobile is REWE stores
Pennymobile in Pennymarkt stores
Smobile in Schlecker stores
Alditalk (Medion) in Aldi groceries

Those are the ones I know about.

Stan

snaimon listed it correct.

The others: Blau, Blauworld, Simply, debitel can be ordered online only.

AND require German address (and bank account?) for registration, true? No German address, no sale, true?

Well, for some you can enter a foreign adress as the card owner. But they all require a german delivery adress.
If you order Simyo you dont need a german bank account but can also use VISA/Mastercard.

Chris

ok cool ta for that guys, btw what are the chances of me needing a german address, details etc for buying the others over the counter at the relevent shops or phonehouse etc...

i mean how likely are they going ot be to ask for german details/ any details or are they going to ask for payment and thats it?

You will probably need to give a German address, but you can use that of a friend or hotel. I don't believe they are rigorous about checking. You may have to show your passport.

When I bought the SIMYO card, I gave the hotel address where my wife was staying. It was delivered there. I was in the US at the time.

In early Aug I visited the only Viktor Vox dealer in Duesseldorf and obtained copies of the forms to transfer ownership of the 2 SIMs I have. I had purchased these cards on Ebay from a VV reseller perhaps 3 years ago. I registered them to my US addresss - well, that is how I filled in the registration forms I sent back to the reseller. I have no idea how this German reseller registered them with the main company. Anyway, the fellow in D-dorf TOLD ME the VV dealers are only to accept registrations with German addresses.

I was recently June/July interested in purchasing a Vodafone DE card and saw one on Ebay US. The US seller confessed that she bought the card in Germany and she did not speak a word of German and the seller in Germany, a firm, did not speak a word of English. She did not know what, if any, registration info was given. Upon that I decided to refrain from purchasing that item.

PERSONALLY, I don't think you will have a problem purchasing SIMs at phonehouse or wherever.

I can tell you however, that if you are planning on reselling these, a wise buyer will probably refrain from purchasing a card that is registered -- just as I did with the Vodafone card. I wanted to change the tarif class and I had no idea how that would go over when I called and told them my desires. With my VV cards when I call customer care, they want to know my name and sometimes they ask other personal info to verify I am the rightfully registered person.

If this is for personal use, try Alditalk (Aldis are found almost everywhere) or the Pennymobile. Available in stores.

BTW, with German prepaid cards, it's going to be hard to beat 9-ecents per minute to landlines on my D1 cards.

Stan

ok guys, this email sent while i am in berlin, ok i have 1, 02, 1, tmobile, 1, eplus, one vodafone sim card but i have yet to see a aldi store or a penny markt store to buy one from them, oh and tchibo as well..ahh well a few days to go, still got a psp for almost 100 pounds so cant complain!

Aldi and Penny are EVERYWHERE, although they usually avoid the most touristy areas. If you really can't find one, go to the Arkaden shopping center at Potsdamer Platz, there's an Aldi in the basement. Or Ring-Center at Frankfurter Allee. Or Gesundbrunnen Center at Gesundbrunnen. To name but three locations next to railway stations.

ok ta for that, coincidently am at the easynet place right near that shopping centre in potsdamer platz....wow who would have thought that....