Help with T-Mobile sim card in Germany
May 30, 2010 7:29 AM Subscribe
How can I add money to my T-Mobile Sim Card in Germany without knowing German? I'm in a little town where there doesn't seem to be a T-Mobile store or any other obvious place to add funds. I can call a number but it's all in German! Is there an easier way to do this?
Basically, I bought a Sim card for my Nexus One at the T-Mobile store in Munich and it came with 10 euro added in. I'm running out of funds and need to add some. I'm in a very small town so my options may be limited. Phone or internet would be best but I can't figure out how to get somebody in English. Thanks in advance!
Basically, I bought a Sim card for my Nexus One at the T-Mobile store in Munich and it came with 10 euro added in. I'm running out of funds and need to add some. I'm in a very small town so my options may be limited. Phone or internet would be best but I can't figure out how to get somebody in English. Thanks in advance!
Grr, also that usl is broken. Trying again:
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=www.t-mobile.de%2F&sl=auto&tl=en
posted by ManInSuit at 7:41 AM on May 30, 2010
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=www.t-mobile.de%2F&sl=auto&tl=en
posted by ManInSuit at 7:41 AM on May 30, 2010
A newsstand, a convenience store, a supermarket? Perhaps also a bank machine?
posted by mdonley at 7:49 AM on May 30, 2010
posted by mdonley at 7:49 AM on May 30, 2010
Best answer: You may be able to re-up your Sim Card on their website (which I hope would have an English version. You could also use Google Translator).
Is your Sim Card called an XtraCard?
If so, you may need to go to this page: https://aufladen.t-mobile.de/mmtm/index/start/vo/008
From the webpage, this is how it works:
1. Choose how much money you want to add to the card
2. If you have a registered account with t-mobile (username, password = Benutzername, Passwort) you can log in, or you can put in your Rufnummer (phone number).
3. You'll need to put in your credit card information or an Uberweisung (which is like a bank account transfer) at some point.
4. You'll get an email confirmation.
You may try calling up and pressing zero or pound or star until you get a real person in a call center. This works in the states. Many Germans speak English very well, and what you need to do isn't so complicated.
Good luck!
posted by boghead at 7:52 AM on May 30, 2010
Is your Sim Card called an XtraCard?
If so, you may need to go to this page: https://aufladen.t-mobile.de/mmtm/index/start/vo/008
From the webpage, this is how it works:
1. Choose how much money you want to add to the card
2. If you have a registered account with t-mobile (username, password = Benutzername, Passwort) you can log in, or you can put in your Rufnummer (phone number).
3. You'll need to put in your credit card information or an Uberweisung (which is like a bank account transfer) at some point.
4. You'll get an email confirmation.
You may try calling up and pressing zero or pound or star until you get a real person in a call center. This works in the states. Many Germans speak English very well, and what you need to do isn't so complicated.
Good luck!
posted by boghead at 7:52 AM on May 30, 2010
Best answer: I solve this by buying refill cards in supermarkets. They usually hang by the check out desk. You get a receipt with a number to call and one number to give when you have called. If I remember correctly you have to choose one for refill, give the number and then press square.
Do you know any german at all or can you as someone to help you with making such a call?
posted by furisto at 8:11 AM on May 30, 2010
Do you know any german at all or can you as someone to help you with making such a call?
posted by furisto at 8:11 AM on May 30, 2010
Response by poster: OK, I think I've seen the cards at a nearby gas station. I'll try to find one. I tried pressing '0' and '#' but the recorded voice on the phone just babbled at me in German.
posted by Raichle at 8:19 AM on May 30, 2010
posted by Raichle at 8:19 AM on May 30, 2010
I second your observation Raichle. I tried calling t-mobile germany helpline several times in the hope of speaking to a real person who spoke English (like most Germans in the real world do) but came to the conclusion that call centre jobs are meant for people who paid little attention to English lessons at school.
Another problem I had was that on one or two occasions top up cards I had bought a few months in advance were reported to be stolen by the seller making them useless for topup. It may have been a scam but I never got a chance to get to the bottom of it.
Finally, I found t-mobile to be very expensive until I found that there is a tarriff where you can pay a flat fee to reduce these costs. If you are interested in knowing this I can look it up for you. Also, I used rebtel.com to reduce my international call costs.
posted by london302 at 9:03 AM on May 30, 2010
Another problem I had was that on one or two occasions top up cards I had bought a few months in advance were reported to be stolen by the seller making them useless for topup. It may have been a scam but I never got a chance to get to the bottom of it.
Finally, I found t-mobile to be very expensive until I found that there is a tarriff where you can pay a flat fee to reduce these costs. If you are interested in knowing this I can look it up for you. Also, I used rebtel.com to reduce my international call costs.
posted by london302 at 9:03 AM on May 30, 2010
Another easy way is to just go to your local Esso Gas Station. Tell them you want to put money on your Prepaid Cellphone they will ask you who your carrier is.
(Or you can just hold up your cellphone and say "tanken, bitte". It's not proper German, but they will get the idea.)
Once you hand them the money, they will pull out a keypad, where you will have to enter your cellphone number, and then press the green "ok" button. You will then have to do it again to confirm (enter number, then green key).
You will get a text message almost immediately confirming your new credit. They will also print you out a receipt for the transaction, and if I remember correctly, it will have the total balance on your cellphone.
posted by Master Gunner at 10:17 AM on May 30, 2010
(Or you can just hold up your cellphone and say "tanken, bitte". It's not proper German, but they will get the idea.)
Once you hand them the money, they will pull out a keypad, where you will have to enter your cellphone number, and then press the green "ok" button. You will then have to do it again to confirm (enter number, then green key).
You will get a text message almost immediately confirming your new credit. They will also print you out a receipt for the transaction, and if I remember correctly, it will have the total balance on your cellphone.
posted by Master Gunner at 10:17 AM on May 30, 2010
Seconding Master Gunner. This approach worked for me in convenience store, 'tobacco' stores as well
posted by london302 at 10:41 AM on May 30, 2010
posted by london302 at 10:41 AM on May 30, 2010
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http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fhilfe.telekom.de&sl=auto&tl=en
posted by ManInSuit at 7:36 AM on May 30, 2010