Cell Phone Rental w/ SIM Card for Germany

Should I rent or buy?

Standard GSM Cell Phone Rental Rates
	1-7 days	8-14 days	15-28 days	29-42 days	43-56 days
	$49.00	$69.00	$89.00	$109.00	$129.00
*PLUS the price of (1) recharge voucher for initial talk credit ($19.00). This gives you 160 international or 60 domestic minutes. See call rates below.
Departure date? Return date?

Compare prices with our Phone & SIM purchase packages for Germany.

Special Motorola V3 GSM Cell Phone Rental Rates
	1-7 days	8-14 days	15-28 days	29-42 days	43-56 days
	$69.00	$89.00	$109.00	$129.00	$149.00
*PLUS the price of (1) recharge voucher for initial talk credit ($19.00). This gives you 160 international or 60 domestic minutes. See call rates below.
Departure date? Return date?

Phone Rental Features:

• An Ortel Germany pre-paid SIM card with German cell phone number–you'll have the number before you depart!
• Complete with initial airtime worth 8 Euros: 160 min. international, or 60 min. domestic.
• Add more call credits as needed by purchasing easily-obtainable recharge voucher cards in various denominations.
• Within Germany, unlimited FREE incoming calls from anywhere!!
• Calls to the US and Canada at around $0.07 per minute.
• Domestic outgoing rates of €0.13/minute
• Voicemail
• English instruction manual
• No yearly contract, monthly charges, minimum minutes per day or per call, and no credit checks

Are you interested in data for your trip to Germany? Would you like to browse the internet, check emails or even Skype from anywhere? Our MiFi Rental for Germany offers unlimited access the internet any time, any place with any WiFi enabled device. Click here for more information on our portable wireless hotspot rentals for Germany

Visit our Germany Pre-Paid SIM Card page for further information including exact rates.

Information and Talk Rates Chart

*Top up and receive free Ortel to Ortel minutes!!

• 10 € top-up, 60 minutes free Ortel to Ortel
• 15 € top-up, 120 minutes free
• 30 € top-up, 300 minutes free

The free minutes are only valid for national calls from Ortel to Ortel.  The free minutes remain available for 30 days after the first reload. Free minutes are only available once per month.

Germany Ortel €10 Prepaid Recharge Card only $24.00 for €10 of talk time credit Save time by starting your stay in the Germany with an additional €10 of talk time. Each of these recharges gives about 200 minutes of calls to the US or Canada or about 75 minutes in Germany. Incoming calls are free while in Germany.

How do Cellular Abroad rates for Germany compare to your current carrier?

*prices exclude taxes which are approximately 20% of value.

Our Rental Packages
Our Country Specific rental packages include the rental of an unlocked GSM Tri-Band Phone and the purchase of a SIM card specific to your destination country. There are two phone rental packages available: The standard rental package features an unlocked Motorola Wx160 cell phone. Our Deluxe rental package features a Motorola V3 Razr cell phone. The V3 is recommend for people who prefer a slimmer phone and a larger display; additional features include digital camera and Bluetooth. Both phones are compact and light-weight. Please see below for pricing and details.

Special Deal! Did you know that you can now own an international phone and Germany SIM card for about as much as a rental? Click here for information about our Germany package deals.

Click for photo of entire rental package All cell phone rentals include: A GSM cellular phone with a battery, fully charged and ready to go International plug adapters International 110-220 volt charger Phone box and User Guide Return ship label (from within US, Canadian customers please click here). We encourage you to return in the original box

If you receive your cellular rental missing any of the listed items, please contact us immediately.

Cellular Abroad Rental Service for Germany

Rent a cell phone for Germany from Cellular Abroad and enjoy unparalleled rates and service. Rates back to the United States and Canada are just 0.05 Euro cents per minute and calls within Germany are only 0.13 euro cents per minute. All incoming calls are always free from anywhere in the world. As this service is pay as you go, there are no contracts to sign or bills to pay. The initial rental comes with 100 minutes back to the US or Canada. If you need more service, you can purchase a more talk time in over 20,000 locations in Germany or through by calling toll free to our US based, 7-days/week top up service.

The service is on E-Plus, one of the largest cellular networks in Germany. Coverage is excellent and throughout the country. The service has been specifically designed for tourists traveling to Germany or foreigners living in Germany who need to make calls locally and internationally.

Important!. If your trip to Germany is for over two weeks or if you are a frequent traveler overseas, we recommend that you consider one of our Germany phone packages as the cost may be less than renting. The handset works in 200 countries, including the US and Canada and we even offer free ground shipping.

Dialing Information
Your German Cell Number to USA: 001 – area code – phone number
US to German Cell: 011 – your German phone number (starting with 49)
Your German Cell Number to Germany: 0 – phone number
Germany to Your German Cell Number: 0 – your German phone number (minus 49 country code)

Important US toll free numbers are not accessible from overseas. Be sure to get valid international numbers prior to your departure. 

Please Note: There is no support for service when roaming outside of Germany.

Activation

Before you go!

• DO NOT insert the SIM card until you arrive in Germany. If it picks up a network in the US it will ruin the SIM card.
• Activate the service online before you depart for Germany.
• Visit the Ortel website: http://www.ortelmobile.de/en-GB/sim-activation/
• A hotel address is ok – Do not include the name of the hotel.
• You must enter the Zip Code first, the city will populate in the field below. Click on the city and the street options will populate below.
• Click on the "Activate" button, and the confirmation will be displayed at the top of the page - Your SIM will be activated shortly.

• From North America (landline/ US cell) – Call 011 49 1805010446 8AM to 6PM M-F.
• From a German landline – Call 0800 000 6836

Once you arrive!

• Insert your SIM card: Gently snap out the SIM Chip from the SIM Card casing, then insert the chip into your GSM Phone. The gold plate on your SIM Chip should face the gold contact prongs inside your phone. Switch your phone on.
• If prompted enter your PIN #, located on the Ortel Mobile letter attached to you user guide.
• The initial credit has been preloaded.
• You may now make and receive calls.

PIN and PUK codes

The PIN and PUK information can be found on the welcome letter from Ortel Mobile where the SIM card is attached. Consult your phone's manual to deactivate the PIN code. This can be done in the menu setting under security. If the PIN code is entered incorrectly 3 times the PUK must be used to enter the phone.

Voice Mail - By default your voicemail is set to on
To check your voicemail,

• Dial 99* or 9911. You can follow the prompts to record a personal greeting. 

You can also check your voicemail from another phone, in the US or in Germany:

• In Germany, dial 0177 99 plus the last 7-digits of your number or
• From the states 011 49 177 99 and the last 7-digits of your number.

Checking Your Credit

• Call 1155 and follow the menu prompts.
• Call *100# and your credit will then appear on the screen.  This can be done outside of Germany as long as your phone is picking up a network.

When you receive a message stating “You are not qualified to make this call”, you have no call credit.

Purchasing More Talk Time
The most convenient way to buy credit is direct from Cellular Abroad. To use the same credit card you used to order from Cellular Abroad, you can send a text message to our Recharge Hotline and Cellular Abroad will send you a recharge code instantly, straight to your phone via SMS text message. A recharge code costs $22 and is worth approximately 111 minutes of calls to the US or Canada, or up to 52 minutes within Germany.

• You must have sufficient credit for at least 1 outgoing international SMS text message (USD $0.20)
• Text the number "1" to phone number +447872281074
• If successful, you will be sent a confirmation text message with your code. Use the instructions below to redeem your code for talk time.
• If not successful, or you don't receive a code, call Cellular Abroad at 001 310-862-7100 (M-F, 8am-4pm PST)

If you wish to purchase credit locally within Germany, you can find recharge vouchers (called E-Plus) at any of the 20,000 convenience and cell phone stores that sell E-Plus recharge vouchers.

Germany Ortel €10 Prepaid Recharge Card only $24.00 for €10 of talk time credit Save time by starting your stay in the Germany with an additional €10 of talk time. Each of these recharges gives about 200 minutes of calls to the US or Canada or about 75 minutes in Germany. Incoming calls are free while in Germany.

Adding More Talk Time

• Top-Up via Keypad:  Enter *104*(16-digit code)# and hit ‘SEND.’  After a few seconds, the new balance will appear on the screen

• Top-Up via Service number: Dial 1155.  Select option 4.  When prompted, enter the 16-digit recharge code followed by ‘#’ to confirm.  The code will be repeated, and press 1 if correct.

Troubleshooting
If you are unable to make or receive calls switch networks on your phone.  Consult your phone’s manual.  The steps will be like these:

• Menu > Settings/Setup > Network > Available Network/Change Network > Search
• Select a different network carrier than the one currently shown.

If you are receiving no reception bars, emergency calls only, SOS, or no service
check your phones band setting:  Consult your phone’s manual. The steps will be like these:

• Menu > Settings/Setup > Network > Network Setup >Band
• Make sure you select 900/1800

Customer Service
For Network or Service issues:

• Dial 0180 501 0446 (the call will cost €0.49/minute from your cell phone), Ortel Mobile Customer Service is open M-F 8AM to 6PM.

To reach Cellular Abroad for recharges, billing or hardware support:

• From a landline, (NOT from payphones, mobile phones, and majority of hotels) Cellular Abroad can be reached 8am to 4pm PST, Monday - Friday with English customer support and recharge services by dialing this number: 00-800-3623-3333. Please note that some hotels may charge for toll free calls. You may reach us from your cell phone at +1-310-862-7100 (not a toll free call) or via email at support@cellularabroad.com.

Calling Rates
These rates are based on per-minute charges.  Remember, all incoming calls are free regardless of origin.

• Domestic outgoing rates of €0.13/minute ($.17/minute).
• International outgoing rates of €0.05/minute ($.07/minute).  Connection fee of €0.15/call ($.20).
• Voicemail: calls are €0.29/minute ($.39/minute).

Text Message Rates           
Incoming – Free  Outgoing – €0.013 to German #'s / €0.015 to US/Canada/message

Service Life
Your German SIM card is good for 7 months.  Each recharge extends the life of your SIM card for 7 months from the date of the recharge.  After 6 months, all credit will expire.  You have 30 more days to recharge your SIM card before the SIM and your phone number expire.

To inquire about the possibility of extending your SIM card’s service life while outside the SIM card’s country of origin, contact the telecom provider's customer service, Cellular Abroad does not provide support for this feature.

Helpful Tips

Would you rather own your phone? This is a better option if your stay is 2 months or longer. Check out our package deals for Germany! .. Traveling to multiple countries? You may want to consider a Talk Abroad™ rental package.

Important FAQs for Rentals

• When do I order?
  You can order as far in advance as you like - even months prior to your departure. We will ship your rental at the appropriate date in order for you to receive it prior to your departure. Rentals are shipped ground or express service and will arrive 2 business days prior to your set departure date.
• How many minutes do I have?
  Along with your rental you are purchasing an initial $19 credit voucher which will start you off with about 80 minutes of calls to the US or 60 minutes of calls within Germany. Additional vouchers may be purchased from Cellular Abroad or from many retailers throughout Germany.
• What will this cost me?
  • The applicable rental period fee for the duration of your rental period.
  • $19 for initial talk-time voucher (1 per phone).
  • Round-trip shipping and handling fee (see below).
• How much is shipping?
  If you order at least 2 weeks in advance, round-trip Ground shipping is only $12.88. If you are leaving soon, we offer round-trip 2-day Express for $29.96, or Overnight Express for $39.96. Rentals will arrive 2 business days prior to your set departure date.
• What is the latest I can order a rental phone?
  You can order up to one business day prior to your departure as long as you call in before to 1:30pm Pacific Time. Exceptions can be made on a limited basis, even if you are leaving early in the morning - we can usually get your phone to you. Please call our 800 number (rather than order via the web) in order to confirm that we can get you a phone rental on time.
• When do I get the phone?
  You will receive your cell phone rental two days prior to your departure, unless you require next day delivery.
• Does the cell phone come charged?
  Yes it does, but it’s always best to test the battery and charge phone before your departure.
• Can I charge this phone on my trip?
  Yes, you will receive an international charger and relevant plug adapters, so you can charge the phone in the U.S. or at your destination.
• How do I return the phone?
  Round trip shipping is included in your shipping fee. You will be provided with a return sticker label, which you can put on the box the phone arrived in, or your own box. If using your own box please do not use an extremely oversized box. (Canadian rental customers click here)
• What happens if I cancel?
  If your rental has not shipped, you will only be charged a $25 reserve fee. If your rental has been sent out, you are responsible for the one week rental fee plus the shipping fee.
• What will the rates be for people calling me from the US?
  That depends on the international long distance rates charged by their Long Distance Company or international calling card.
• Does Cellular Abroad offer insurance against loss or damage?
  The Renter is responsible for loss or damage to the equipment in part or in whole. Lost, stolen or unreturned phones will be billed for the loss of the phone per our Terms & Conditions
  

Multi-Country Travel
You can also purchase other SIM cards as well for other countries to where you may be traveling. (This option is good for those planning on doing a lot of local calling.) We also offer an international roaming Talk Abroad™ rental that is convenient for travel to multiple countries. (This option is useful for those wanting a single number for use in multiple countries and who will be making more calls back home than locally.)