Tips from DSL-Germany

On Purchasing

      First, start by picking one of the service providers. To date no single service provider's DSL network covers the whole of Germany, so it's important that you first check if the provider can cover your region. Fortunately nowadays almost all the DSL internet providers offer the possibility to easily check online whether their service is available in your area. Another important tip is to shop around and compare. Don't just choose the provider that seems to offer the biggest bonus or the cheapest one-time offer. Normally a DSL contract lasts 12 to 24 months, so consider the long-term return too (it's not easy terminating a contract prematurely). At DSL-Germany we have done the research for you and present our recommendations according to the following categories: Best All-Around, Shortest Contract Period, Cheapest, Fastest and Best Quality but be sure to do your own bit of research too.

On Installation of Hardware

      After ordering, the hardware will be delivered and you'll have to install them, which could be a pain, especially if the instructions are not easy to understand. If you aren't sure what you're doing, getting installation service might be a good idea. I've changed providers several times and there were occasions where things didn't go smoothly and I've gone several weeks without a fixed phone or internet, calling expensive hotlines with my mobile phone and getting nowhere – and all the while getting charged for the monthly rates.

On Switching Internet Provider

      Changing internet provider almost always brings benefits to the customer, something like free of charge for the first several months or a big bonus - but if you forget to terminate your current contract in time (normally three months before the contract ends), the contract typically gets extended for another year automatically. This is a quite common „feature“ of German DSL services, normally printed in very small and in very light color font as footnotes so that people usually overlook it and miss their chance to terminate. If you do want to switch internet providers, our suggestion is to let the new internet provider handle the switch. They'll terminate your old contract and make sure the „downtime“ between the time your old contract ends and the new one kicks in is kept to a minimum. They normally love to do it and also know when is the perfect time. Otherwise you might be looking at a few day or even weeks without internet and phone.

Some Frequently Asked Questions

- Is Deutsche Telekom a must for DSL internet?
      In recent years there are more and more companies that offer DSL internet service without Deutsche Telekom's telephone network (so-called all-inclusive packages). So no, it is not a must to have Detusche Telekom's telephone service to have DSL internet at home. 1 & 1, Alice, Arcor, Constar, KableBW, O2, Tele2, and Vodafone all offer all-inclusive packages, which are independent of Deutsche Telekom.

- Can I keep my current phone number?
      If the new internet provider has also telephone service then normally there should be no problem to keep your current phone number. However, note that this is sometimes an option which is charged extra. And then there are some internet providers which do not offer fixed telephone service, in which case it wouldn't be possible to keep your current phone number.

- Should I / Can I still use special pre-dial number to make cheap international calls?
      Using pre-dial numbers (a special prefix number you dial before the phone number, to make cheaper calls) is actually kind of out-of-date already. If you have internet connection, it is much cheaper and easier to call using services like Skype. However, if you want to use pre-dial, you should choose an internet provider which offers telephone based on Deutsche Telekom.

- What equipments do I need?
      That depends on which services you're ordering from the provider – but all service providers provide their customers with the necessary equipments so you need not worry about that. Most internet providers provide the hardware for free, or if they do charge, it's usually for very small price.

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Questions and Suggestions

      If you have other questions or suggestions, please send us an Email at
admin@dsl-germany.com