Stupid question....especially for my German Friends

1. 60

   Stimpposted 14 years ago

   We recently had a German Foreign exchange student join our home for 1 year.  I looked at her cell phone plan and it will cost her .29/minute to talk and .19/text.  This seems excessive and appears to be the equivalent of the american pay as you go plans.
   
   Tabea (my "daughter") really wants an iTouch and she has indicated she wants the newest gen of the Soney Erickson phone.
   
   1.  If I get her an iTouch, can she use it freely as a cell phone here AND in Germany?  I know I can go to AT&T to get a plan. However, I am on Verizon and would prefer to have her join me in a family plan which will only be an additional $20/mo with unlimited calls (national) and texts.  A new plan with AT&T has her signed up for 2 years.  She only needs a one year contract.
   
   2.  Lets say we go with the new phone AND iTouch....will the new phone work in Germany.
   
   3.  Are phones and iTouch's that expensive in Germany that she feels she needs to get them here (she has to pay for them herself so its not like she is having us buy all this stuff for her).
   
   4.  We've talked about a pay as you go plan which seems reasonable.  I want to be sure she's not spending her money on all kinds of unneeded stuff.....such as the pay as you go, cell phone AND iTouch.
   
   Any advise would be great.  She is a good girl with a wonderful family and I don't want to over burden them with needness purchases while she is here.  I do plan to get her an iTouch for her b-day so if she can simply use that in both Germany and in US, then she might like that better.

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2. 80

   camloposted 14 years ago

   Do you mean an iPhone?
   
   Here in Germany, your daughter could get a flat-rate contract with Base, I believe the iPhone would then cost an extra €99.00 - that's the price with most phone companies here. The minimum contract duration is always 24 months (all phone companies I've ever heard of here)
   
   If the phone is bought in the US, and has no SIMlock, she should be able to use it here, too.
   
   I have a contract with Vodofone, and the prices are very much as you mention. But I do have an additional arrangement with a company called Klarmobil - 0.09 cents a min. for calls and SMS (national) and no minimum contract duration. Unlike pay-as-you go, you pay the bill by direct debit.
   
   If you'd like me to get more information for you, don't hesitate to ask!

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   1. 60

      Stimpposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for the info.  No, she is talking about the iTouch which can actually be turned into a phone through some application.  She has a SIM card for her phone and will apparently pay at the end of each month.  Any phone that has a SIM card cannot be used with Verizon.  So, I think we will monitor her calling/texting and make changes if it's costing her too much.
      
      Thanks again for the info.

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