Germany: Aldi offer SIM-unlocked 3G USB stick €59
 

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Der MEDIONmobile WEB-STICK ermöglicht einen schnellen und komfortablen
Zugriff auf das Internet. Dank Plug-and-Play Installation des MEDIONmobile
Verbindungsassistenten einfach SIM einsetzen, den WEB STICK an Notebook
oder PC anschließen und gleich online gehen.


Google Translate-- The MEDION mobile WEB STICK enables a fast and comfortable
Access to the Internet. Thanks to plug-and-play installation of the mobile MEDION
SIM Connection Wizard, simply use the WEB STICK notebook
or PC and immediately go online

More details:

€1.99 for 24 hours of flat-rate internet, throttled to 56kbits/s after 1GB

€14.99 for 30 days of flat-rate internet, throttled to 56kbits/s after 5GB

USB stick is unlocked.

Aldi Talk uses the E-Plus network, which is only UMTS (384kbits/s) - not HSDPA for proper 3G.

It appears the Aldi modem doesn't even come with a SIM or any free data allowance. (Though you can obviously buy the Medion SIM in the same shop). So it is literally just the Modem they are selling for 59 Euros. I am comparing that with Aldi in Austria (though they are called Hofer there) who sell you an Unlocked Modem and SIM which also includes 1GB of data useage for 55 Euros. A significantly better deal.

Do German users of this site know if there are other places in Germany you can buy an unlocked USB Modem for less than this? I know someone in Germany who desperately needs one, and something tells me this deal by Aldi is not that great.

I am just comparing with the UK where I see o2 are selling unlocked Huawei E160 modems for 29 pounds (around 34 Euros). O2 Mobile Broadband
A short while ago during a speacial I managed to get a E169 off them for only 15 pounds!

In Germany you can get unlocked USB-modems online starting from € 25 (= Huawei E160X, HSDPA 3,6 MBit/s incl. shipping) and The Phone House also sells unlocked USB-modems for € 30 in their local shops. Those are either K3565 (= Huawei E160X, HSDPA 3,6 MBit/s), K3520 (= Huawei E169, HSDPA 7,2 MBit/s), E172 (= Huawei E172, HSDPA 7,2 MBit/S + HSUPA) or K3715 (= similar to Huawei E180, HSDPA 7,2 MBit/s + HSUPA), which are all sold for the same price, allthough the two last-named are way better.
All these modems are Vodafone-branded and need a simple firmware update, which takes a minute, as the original access software (Vodafone Dashboard) won't connect to other networks than Vodafone's. So that's not a real SIM- or Netlock but a restriction in the access software, which can easily be replaced with Huawei's original software (Mobile Parter) by that mentioned firmware update.

I've started a thread on offers for USB-modems including debranding guide at Der UMTS-Stick und -Datenkarten Schnäppchen Thread - Telefon-Treff (read thread completey as prices were updated several times).

Huawei E160 modems and another brand are available unlocked in Austria in the Hofer shops (Austrian version of Aldi) with a 2GB Yesss! data SIM for € 54,99

Here again an offer for a Huawei E160X for € 25 incl. shipping within Germany and payable by PayPal: Vodafone WebSessions Mobile Connect USB Stick bei eBay.de: PCMCIA Cards Controller (endet 22.07.09 10:03:32 MESZ)

That item was quickly sold out, but the seller has already relisted some: Vodafone WebSessions Mobile Connect USB Stick - eBay (item 260445249894 end time Jul-22-09 04:28:32 PDT)

Thanks for the tip, Inquisitor. I'm looking forward to my cheap unbranded stick - hopefully it'll be a lot less fiddly than tethering with Motorola Phone Tools.

Since the listing above is now also closed, clicking on "View seller's other items" in ebay.com will not show anything. Change the .com in the URL to .de (to change the portal to eBay Germany) and it will (because eBay assumes com will be US users, and it will only display items the seller has explicitly listed as shipping to the US - ie, none of them).

You're welcome. Huawei sticks are easy to setup and to use. You'll find detailed instructions on how to debrand the stick and later setup Mobile Partner here.

Thank you guys as well for these excellent tips. I will try get my friend to get something like this. Interesting how easy it is to "unlock" a modem.