Before you start

Passport or national ID for verification
A German address, for postpaid contracts
A German bank account, for postpaid direct debit

Step-by-step

1
Buy a prepaid SIM and verify your identity
Available from supermarkets, phone shops and online. Activation requires identity verification — in a shop with your passport, by video call, or through the Post's identification service. It is quick but it is not optional.
In personWho: YouWeek 1
2
Do not attempt a postpaid contract in your first weeks
Contracts run a Schufa check and require a German bank account and registered address. With no credit history you will be declined or asked for a deposit. Prepaid avoids all of it.
OnlineWho: You
3
Check network coverage rather than assuming
German mobile coverage is noticeably weaker than most of western Europe outside the cities, particularly on regional rail lines and in rural Bavaria. If you will commute by train or spend weekends in the Alps, this matters — compare the three network operators rather than choosing on price alone.
OnlineWho: You
4
Switch to a contract once you have a Schufa record
After a few months with a registered address, a bank account in good standing and a prepaid history, a postpaid contract becomes achievable and is usually cheaper for the same allowance.
OnlineWho: You
5
Sort home internet early — it takes weeks
German home broadband installation is notoriously slow, frequently taking several weeks from order to connection, and sometimes requiring a technician visit. Order it the day you sign the lease, not the day you move in.
OnlineWho: You
6
Know the cancellation rules
German telecoms contracts historically auto-renewed for a full year if not cancelled in time. Since 1 December 2021, when the reformed Telekommunikationsgesetz took effect, a contract that continues past its minimum term can be cancelled at any point with one month's notice — but check your terms, because this is the classic trap.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport or national ID for SIM registration
Meldebescheinigung, for postpaid contracts
German bank details, for direct debit
Schufa report, which some providers request

Things most newcomers don’t know

German mobile coverage is worse than its reputation, especially on trains.

For one of Europe's wealthiest countries, Germany has persistent coverage gaps — notably along regional rail corridors and in rural areas including much of the Bavarian Alps. If your commute or your weekends take you out of the city, compare the three operators on actual coverage maps rather than on price.

Source: Bundesnetzagentur — mobile coverage map

Home internet takes weeks, so order it before you move in.

German broadband provisioning routinely takes several weeks and can require an engineer visit and, in older buildings, work in the stairwell. Ordering on move-in day means a month of tethering. Order the day the lease is signed and give the future address.

Source: community-reported

Even prepaid SIMs require identity verification.

Germany mandates registration of every SIM to an identified person, so even a supermarket prepaid card needs a passport check by video, in shop, or through the Post. It is not onerous, but arriving expecting to buy an anonymous SIM off a shelf — as you can in the US — leads to a wasted afternoon.

Source: Bundesnetzagentur

The reformed telecoms law fixed a genuine trap, and it dates from 1 December 2021.

German telecoms contracts historically rolled over for another full year if you missed the cancellation window. Since the Telekommunikationsmodernisierungsgesetz took effect on 1 December 2021, §56 TKG caps the initial term at 24 months and lets you cancel at any time with one month's notice once that term has run. A parallel change to §309 BGB brought gym and similar consumer contracts into line from 1 March 2022. Older advice and older contracts may still reflect the previous regime — check yours.

Source: Bundesnetzagentur / §56 TKG

Common mistakes to avoid

Expecting to buy an unregistered prepaid SIM off a shelf.
Applying for a postpaid contract before you have any Schufa record.
Ordering home internet on move-in day rather than at lease signing.
Choosing a network on price when your commute runs through a coverage gap.
Missing a contract cancellation window under older terms that still auto-renew annually.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.