Mobile Phone Basics and Options for International Travelers
CDMA • GSM • LTE • LTE Advanced • 5G
Expat “How To” Guides for Germany > Cell Phones in Europe
Here’s what you need to know about using a North American cell phone in Europe or buying a cell phone that works in Europe and North America. Most Europeans prefer the term “mobile phone” or just plain “mobile.” In German-speaking Europe – Austria, Germany, and Switzerland – a mobile phone is called ein Handy. But what you really need to know is that a European “Handy” may also use different frequencies and different technical standards than those used in the US, Canada and Mexico. Some North American cell phones, even fairly new ones, simply will not work in Europe.
In the US, until recently, AT&T and T-Mobile USA were the only major cellular phone carriers using the same GSM/LTE mobile phone system used all across Europe and in about 200 countries worldwide. Verizon began using the same LTE standard in 2016, but recently announced it was delaying the phaseout of its old 3G CDMA service until the end of 2020. (Note: In March 2020 Sprint became part of T-Mobile USA.) Although LTE (Long-Term Evolution) technology is now used in both places, it all gets complicated by the different frequencies and wave bands used in various countries. You need a multi-band “world phone” if you want a cell phone that works in different regions and with different carriers.
An O2 mobile phone store in a Berlin shopping center. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo
With a world phone you can call and text in Europe and other overseas locations (via international roaming), no matter which carrier you use. Most North American cell phone carriers now offer multi-band smartphones that will also work overseas. That does NOT mean, however, that you have no other potential drawbacks to worry about. If you just take your US or Canadian cell phone to Europe and use it as you would in North America, you could be in for some nasty (costly) surprises!
Continued below…
| THE 5G DILEMMA As of early 2020, all the major mobile phone carriers in the US were rolling out 5G networks in North America, but there are several versions of 5G, and even if you can find a 5G phone in the USA, it probably won’t work in Europe, and it may not even work with different providers in the US! Samsung debuted the first 5G phone, the Galaxy S10, in the US in 2019, but it only worked on Verizon’s high-band 5G network, and had a price tag of $1,299. (T-Mobile and AT&T use less speedy low-band 5G, but have wider coverage.) In March 2020, Samsung released its Galaxy S20 lineup of three 5G models, all of which connect to both low and high-band 5G networks, but the Android Galaxy S20 phones start at $999. The top of the line S20 Ultra costs $1,399, but it does feature a 108-megapixel camera. Apple still has not released any 5G iPhone models. Our advice: Don’t buy a 5G phone now. Unless you really need it, you’ll be better off waiting for a wider selection of 5G phones with lower prices to arrive. |
| 5G IN GERMANY In July 2019 Deutsche Telekom (DT) launched Germany’s first 5G network, but only in two cities (Berlin and Bonn) and with a Handy that costs €900. Now in several more cities (Darmstadt, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, and Cologne), DT plans to be offering 5G coverage in 20 cities across Germany by the end of 2020. DT is using high-band 5G, which is faster but requires more antennas and has trouble with reception inside buildings. Vodafone now offers 5G service in 20 German cities. Germany was late to 5G, but it also has been slow to expand its existing 4G LTE networks, especially in rural areas with spotty coverage. Projections for 5G in Germany are 90 percent coverage by 2025. |
International Roaming
To help you avoid potential problems, here are some important basics about roaming the world with a mobile phone. If you need help with the technical acronyms and abbreviations below, see our Mobile Phone Glossary for help.
CDMA versus GSM
Not that long ago the mobile phone world was divided into two different main camps called CDMA and GSM. (There were also a bunch of sub-camps, but we’ll keep it simple.) Both CDMA and GSM are digital technology designed to enable the transmission of more calls within a given bandwidth, far more than was possible with the earlier analog (1G) cellular technology. But the old 3G CDMA standard could not hold up against the superior GSM LTE standard that is now found around the globe in various forms.
While the USA, Canada, and Mexico remained fragmented into various competing analog and digital technologies for mobile phones, Europe became much more unified under GSM (Groupe Spécial Mobile) following a 1987 technical agreement. Five years later the world’s first digital (2G) GSM mobile phone system went into operation in Finland (July 1992) on a network built by Telenokia (Finland) and Siemens (Germany). That year GSM also became the first system to introduce the SMS (short message service) texting technology that later took the world by storm. Soon there were GSM networks, and only GSM networks, all across Europe.
2G digital cell phone technology only arrived in North America several years after GSM was already established in Europe. The first CDMA networks went into service in the United States and South Korea in 1996. The CDMA standard was later also adopted for use in Canada, China, Japan, and Latin America. The last CDMA networks in North America began to be phased out in 2016, replaced by LTE, a sort of 4G lite, and LTE-Advanced, which is close to true 4G. Now 5G is being rolled out (slowly) across the world. There’s a lot of hype out there concerning LTE and 5G, but we’ll save that for a future article.
GSM and LTE
Today GSM has taken on true worldwide dominance in wireless phone systems, with some 3 billion users in over 200 countries, including the United States. In Europe, Africa, and much of Asia the GSM system is the only technology used for mobile phones. This means that GSM has more users worldwide (about 85 percent) than all the other digital wireless systems combined. CDMA is fading out because it can’t match the speed of GSM technology. GSM continues to progress, offering both faster data transmission speeds and better quality. As most carriers move to 4G/LTE, and now 5G, that unfortunately does not mean all phones soon will be compatible around the world. If anything, it’s getting more complex rather than simpler.
No SIM Card, No Service
One characteristic of GSM phone technology, dating back to its first days, is the SIM card. The “Subscriber Identity Module” card, a small microprocessor chip that’s inserted into a phone, is a unique feature found in all GSM phones. The exchangeable SIM card allows something that CDMA phones did not allow: the ability to switch between different mobile phone providers. A SIM card authenticates the subscriber and ensures that the user is accurately billed. The SIM card can also store your personal phone directories, messages, information on roaming across different networks, and other data. The eSIM is a newer embedded device used in the Apple Watch and newer iPhones. It has to be switched electronically.
The rule for international roaming is you need a SIM-card phone. No SIM, no mobile phone service in Europe – or most of the world.
Locked versus Unlocked
The beauty of a SIM card is that it allows you to switch from one carrier to another. (Verizon, in its CDMA days, was notorious for keeping subscribers locked in to Verizon. Even today, it is not as open as T-Mobile USA and other US carriers.) But you need to have an unlocked phone to take advantage of switching out SIM cards. Unlocked phones are becoming more common, and the traditional 24-month mobile phone contract is more rare.
Cell Phone Options for Travelers and Expats
For North Americans going to German-speaking Europe or vice versa, there are several possible solutions to the dilemma of different global mobile phone standards. But which solution is best for you depends on various factors, including:
- How long will you be away from your home system? (Days, weeks, months, years?)
- How often will you be away from your home system? (Rarely? Frequently?)
- Which carrier do you currently use?
- Is your current mobile phone locked or unlocked?
Your answer to these questions will determine whether you should use your carrier’s international roaming plan, buy or rent a phone, buy a “travel” phone, use an old phone, or just get an international SIM card to use on your current (unlocked) phone. Here are your options:
Use Your Current Carrier’s International Roaming
In most cases, this option only makes sense for short trips and/or infrequent travel. It almost always costs more for talk and data than other options. One exception is T-Mobile USA’s low-cost calling and data options for Europe, Canada, and Mexico. For more, see The iPhone in Germany and this GW Expat Blog post: Cell Phone Tips for International Travelers and Road Warriors: Dual SIMs, Unlocked Phones, and Free Roaming.
Buy – With a Contract
Buy a multi-band cell phone that can function in the several incarnations of the GSM system – in Europe and North America. Such phones are made by all the major cell phone manufacturers and are sold – with a contract – by all major wireless carriers in the US. Most (but not all) of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon’s phones are multi-band and have the necessary bands for use in Germany and Europe. Your options are to “roam” in Germany with your current provider and pay their roaming rates. (Make sure you know what they are! Some offer lower rates if you sign up before you travel.) The advantage is that you will retain your US phone number. The disadvantage is that anyone who has your number and (unknowingly) calls you overseas could increase your cell phone bill by over a $1.00 per minute, but not if you plan ahead.
A better solution may be to ask your carrier to unlock your cell phone to be able to accept a German SIM. There are several German SIM card options available. More on that below.
| More on The German Way Buying an iPhone for Germany Why getting an unlocked iPhone for Europe is a very good idea. |
Buy – Without a Contract
This way you get an unlocked mobile phone that can be used with any SIM card. Even the iPhone is available unlocked, but it’s much cheaper to buy one in the US than in Europe. You can buy an unlocked iPhone directly from Apple’s online store, but T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon now allow you to buy an unlocked phone with monthly payments. You could also buy a European mobile phone that is unlocked, making you free to use any SIM (even one from the US) with it. A fairly good unlocked plain-Jane GSM phone will run about $200-300 in most of Europe. (Smartphones cost more.) But if it’s not a multi-band model, it can only be used in Europe. However, multi-band models are available. This is a good option for people who will be in Europe frequently. Even though a good unlocked smartphone costs between $550 and $1,000, it’s cheaper than the total cost of a subsidized phone with a two-year contract. There are also cheaper phones (under $100) if you’re willing to settle for fewer features and slower data speeds. See below.
Buy – Prepaid
Buy a GSM prepaid wireless phone and/or SIM card in Germany/Europe that includes call time. You can buy a decent “Handy” in Germany for under US$100 that includes prepaid minutes and a “refillable” SIM card that you can top up as needed. (See “New SIM Card Legalities” below.) The per-minute rate for a typical pay-as-you-go mobile phone for Germany varies considerably from carrier to carrier, but it’s almost always cheaper than international roaming. Another option is to buy a multi-band phone prior to departure. It will be cheaper than a phone bought in Germany. Just make sure it will work in Europe.
| New SIM Card Legalities In June 2017, Germany passed a new anti-crime/terrorism law that adds a new wrinkle for travelers who want to buy a prepaid SIM. You have to show proof of ID and provide a valid German address in order to purchase a prepaid SIM card in Germany. The SIM card is then mailed to the address you provided. Previously, it was much simpler. You could just buy a card and take it with you to use on your GSM phone. Now, because roaming in the EU is free, some people buy a SIM card in another EU nation to use in Germany. Note that this is only a temporary fix that will work just for a few weeks, since roaming time is limited. TIP: Buy an international SIM card online before your trip. Search for “SIM card Germany” or something similar to find a provider. |
Buy or Use a “Travel” Phone
Do you have an old iPhone 7 or 8 lying around? If it’s unlocked, it could be the ideal travel phone. All you’ll need is a European/German SIM card. If you don’t have a second phone to use, consider buying an inexpensive GSM cell phone that you can use for travel. You can get a refurbished, older, unlocked iPhone for less than half the cost of a new iPhone model. Another interesting option is a dual-SIM phone. Learn more about this two-phones-in-one option in Cell Phone Tips for International Travelers and Road Warriors: Dual SIMs, Unlocked Phones, and Free Roaming. (Note that this article needs updating.)
Use Wi-Fi (Wlan) and Free Apps
This does not replace the options above, but using Wi-Fi as often as possible could save you a lot of money. It may not matter at home, but when you’re traveling internationally, data downloads can cost you real money. Even checking your email or looking at a web page on your mobile device counts towards your data limits. Use your hotel’s Wi-Fi or internet hotspots as much as possible. Most restaurants and cafes in Europe offer free Wi-Fi for paying customers. (Ask your server for the password.) But be careful about online banking or other situations in which someone might be able to access your data via an insecure connection.
Free messaging/video conferencing apps such as What’sApp, Messenger, FaceTime (iOS), iMessage (iOS, Mac), Skype, Google, or others are another great way to avoid data and/or talk/texting charges.
Have a Good Trip – and Stay in Touch!
Now you know how to travel without giving up the connectivity you’re used to back home. One or more of the options above can save you money and help you enjoy your travels abroad. Gute Reise! Bon voyage!
More | The iPhone for Germany
Related Pages
AT THE GERMAN WAY
- Cell Phone Tips for International Travelers and Road Warriors: Dual SIMs, Unlocked Phones, and Free Roaming – From the GW Expat Blog
- Telephone Tips for Germany – What expats need to know.
- The iPhone for Germany – Make sure you get the right one!
- Mobile Phone Glossary – A guide to cell phone terminology
- Expat “How To” Guides for Germany – Helpful step-by-step guides for expats in Germany
- Electrical Facts – The shocking facts about 220 volts and all that
- City Guides: Germany – Explore German cities
- Hotels and B&Bs
- Driving in Europe – Tips for driving in Germany and Europe
- Air Travel – Flying to or in Germany
- Rail Travel in Germany
- Travel and Tourism – Travel-related information for Germany, Austria, Switzerland
- Hedy Lamarr’s – The Austrian actress was the co-inventor of “frequency hopping”—a technology that later became known as spread spectrum, a technology adapted for cell phones.
ON THE WEB
- Country Calling Codes – A plain and simple site that shows you how to dial a number from/to any country. Austria is 43. Germany is 49. The USA and Canada are 1+area code. Mexico is 52.
- How to Call Abroad – Similar to the site above, but even more plain.
- Trip Planning for Europe – From Rick Steves’ Europe: “The planning stage of your trip can be instrumental in its success and an enjoyable part of the experience itself.”
Legal Notice: We are not responsible for the content of external links.
I researched the frequency bands that a mobile phones needs to support in order to work in Germany:
GSM (mostly calls and text messages): bands 3 (1800-MHz) and 8 (900-MHz)
UMTS (3G): band 1 (2100-MHz)
LTE (4G): bands 1 (2100-MHz), 3 (1800-MHz), 7 (2600-MHz) and 20 (800-MHz)
If the phone only supports one of these bands, the connection speed may be quite slow.
Best regards,
Ben