Not sure how to choose internet for Germany? Whether you're flying direct to Germany, transiting through, or arriving via European rail, staying online and connected is absolutely essential! Since Taiwan has direct flights to Frankfurt Airport, and Germany's relaxed pace of life genuinely draws travellers from all over the world — not to mention world-famous events like Oktoberfest, Carnival, and Christmas markets — Germany is a key stop for many travellers heading to Europe!

In this article, we'll walk through the evolution of Germany's three major carriers, this industrial powerhouse of Europe, plus what to keep in mind as a foreign traveller when choosing a Germany data SIM~

Many European carriers originated as former state-owned enterprises, so they generally had fairly complete infrastructure early on, covering mobile, fixed-line, and broadband alike. Germany's largest carrier, Deutsche Telekom (DT), also offers a wide range of data services, and under the German government's mandate, it's accelerated its 5G rollout and improved technology, achieving more complete signal coverage.

Travellers to Germany used to be surprised that such an industrial powerhouse could have such spotty signal in certain areas, plus data prices weren't cheap either — but with government-mandated improvements over recent years, service has genuinely become far more stable than before.

The EU also plans to achieve full digital transformation by 2030, requiring every European household to have Gigabit-speed internet access, with complete 5G coverage — including densely populated cities and transport corridors — achieved before then. All of this builds on existing infrastructure being further upgraded, and it's pushed governments across Europe, including Germany, to demand higher standards for technology, 5G networks, speed, and quality overall.

Introducing Germany's 3 major carriers

Deutsche Telekom

Formerly a state-owned carrier, Deutsche Telekom is now Germany's largest carrier, and also one of the four major carriers across Europe as a whole — leading the way in 4G and even 5G rollout. It was once known as T-Mobile for a period, so don't be surprised to see different names for the same carrier in various articles! It runs a bit pricier than the other two, but its signal coverage and average speeds also outperform other carriers. Deutsche Telekom also supplies infrastructure to many MVNOs, making it both a major and highly profitable carrier in Germany.

vodafone

Vodafone

Vodafone is Germany's second-largest carrier, and Germany has also become this UK-based carrier's largest overseas market. Operationally, it focuses on diverse services and has acquired a cable TV provider, achieving over 98% population coverage on 4G/LTE. Using Vodafone requires 4G/LTE support, since it shut down its 3G network back in 2021. While it still can't quite match Deutsche Telekom overall, the user experience is genuinely excellent, with signal and speed both performing well above average, and it's been actively expanding its 5G rollout in recent years too.

o2

O2

O2 is relatively smaller than the two carriers above in Germany, but after merging with E-Plus in 2014/2015, it rose to become one of Germany's three major carriers. Since 2020, plenty of data shows O2 performing well across various network tests, closely rivaling Vodafone — though it's still not quite perfect in suburban or rural areas. Plenty of online reviews describe a poor experience with O2, but based on DJB's own correspondent's experience, it's genuinely improved a lot over the past 2-3 years, and in major cities or popular areas, the difference really isn't that large anymore!

Bands supported by Germany's carriers

Below are the main 3G/4G bands used by Germany's carriers. Since Europe covers such a large geographic area, the more bands your phone supports, the better — check which bands your phone supports before choosing a plan!

Carrier Deutsche Telekom Vodafone O2
Price High Medium Medium
Coverage Most complete Second best Weaker
Bands Band 1
Band 3
Band 7
Band 8
Band 20 		Band 1
Band 3
Band 7
Band 8
Band 20
Band 28 		Band 1
Band 3
Band 7
Band 8
Band 20
Band 28

Among Germany's three carriers, both signal coverage and network quality perform above average, and each carrier's supported bands overlap significantly — and these bands are generally supported by 4G phones sold in Taiwan too, so we're confident Germany's telecom performance will keep improving in the years ahead!

Most phones sold in Taiwan support Band 3/Band 18, which happen to be the main bands used by Germany's carriers too, but we still recommend double-checking that your device supports the right bands, for a smoother trip overall!

Germany carriers' signal coverage

Deutsche Telekom

Vodafone

O2

Overall, every carrier in Germany has been steadily improving on signal and band support, with 4G/LTE covering nearly the entire country — a genuine plus for the user experience. So whether you're heading to Oktoberfest in Munich, or exploring Hamburg, Frankfurt, or other major cities, you don't need to worry about signal!

Further reading:
>> A guide to choosing a Europe data SIM: comparing SIM cards, pocket Wi-Fi, and roaming — this one's fast and affordable
>> 2024 guide to travel inconvenience and travel accident insurance, for anyone worried about flight delays
>> A 2023 roundup of airport transfer credit card plans, covering Taishin, CTBC, Cathay United, and 16 banks in total