How to get free 3G mobile Internet in Germany

How to get free 3G mobile Internet in Germany

Step one: Order a new free SIM card from NetzClub, a new MVNO from O2. Select the “Handy Internet Flat” option. The catch is they provide you with free Internet in exchange for text advertising.

Step two: Buy an O2 Surfstick. I bought mine directly from their website for €34 shipped. It’s unlocked. It comes with an O2 SIM card, and five free days of 3G access — otherwise it’s prepaid €3.50 per day (midnight to midnight).

Step three: Download the O2 Surfstick software.

Step four: Put the NetzClub SIM into the Surfstick. When you launch the Mobile Partner Manager software, leave the O2 default configuration there and click “Connect.” Boom. You’re online at 3G speeds. Based on a Speedtest.net test from my apartment here in Bonn, I get 2.5 Mbps download speed.

Bonus step: Use your Mac to share the WiFi connection with your friends using these instructions.

NB: According to Phone Guide Germany, NetzClub has a monthly limit of 200MB per month, although on the website I can’t find where that limit actually is. But I haven’t given NetzClub any credit card info so far. That said, I’ve only downloaded about 30MB.

11 Comments

  1. Interesting! So obviously it was only a matter of time until they offered something like this – even though it’s from O2 and their website currently still has some faults (e.g. Twitter icon forwars to their forum).

    I don’t use it on a regular basis, but I am on Fonic (also prepaid from O2) where I’ll pay 2,5€ / 24h and also use a PC, which means I have an internal 3G modem on both my notebook and my netbook. Have been tempted to get such a stick though because it somehow makes more sense (can be unplugged, less energy consumption, shared with others, etc).

    These NetzClub folks…don’t think they’ll be around for long. Let’s see!

    jke
  2. Well I think they are an offspring from O2 to test the market on this, i.e. how much advertsmt can a user be penetrated with & would this work in .DE? Something like that.

    I could, of course, be very wrong on this and it will take off big times.

    jke
  3. Hi Cyrus –

    the limit of Netzclub for mobile data services is 200 MB per month for faster downloads via EDGE, UMTS or HSPA. Once you have reached this limit you can still access the internet over the O2 Germany network and download content or surf the web, but only with GPRS-like speed. You can read this passage at https://www.netzclub.net/faq.1.html . For connecting to the web by smartphone this should be enough for most users. For notebook or netbook users this could be a problem, though.

    By the way: Netzclub has changed its policy: The provider will not cancel any contracts of users that do not react to ads. However, such users will have to pay for all Netzclub voice, messaging and mobile data services.

  4. Unless I’m reading it wrong (a real possibility) if Netzclub catches on to the sim being used in a stick they may cancel the contract (start charging you?):

    Datenvolumen darf ausschließlich mit einem Handy, nicht jedoch mit einem ans Handy oder sonst angeschlossenen oder drahtlos verbundenen Computer genutzt werden

    But I just ordered a sim, so I’ll be taking my chances.

    Sean Sinico
  5. That’s true, but I don’t know how they would know that you’re using it on a Surfstick? It’s not like the SIM knows what device its in. Also, how would Netzclub start charging me? They don’t have my payment info.

    If suddenly it stops working then I’ll just pay 02 the €3.50/day as needed. No biggie.

  6. Pingback: Nokia 5110 Unlocked + Charger Sim Card, Vodafone Or O2 | A1 Cell Phones

  7. If you want a completely free solution, go to http://www.germansimcard.com and enter the voucher code “Germany”. You will get a 100% discount on a german prepaid SIM-Card. The daily data flatrate costs 2.50 € and since the card comes with 20 € credit, you may surf for free for almost one week.
    To call the UK, you pay just 9 cent/min.

  8. I am filling the form of Netsclub kostenlos, but it am not sure if it is free or not. The place that I enter my bank information , and 5 euro flatrate
    Won’t the really charge me for internet?

    Sama

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