Electricity & Gas
Many public utilities now provide one-stop shopping for both electricity and gas. You can register via telephone or Internet. Be prepared to give personal information, including your address, number of the meter (there is usually a plate on it with a number), and the meter reading. You will then receive a letter with the amount you will have to pay - note that this will usually be on a monthly basis. At the end of the year, a representative will come and read your meter. If you have paid too much over the course of the year, you will get the amount you overpaid back, and naturally, if you haven't paid enough, you might have to make an additional payment. Either way, your monthly installments will be adjusted for the coming year.
There are two ways to pay your installments: 1) by monthly bank transfer order or 2) you can give the utilities company your bank account information (IBAN and BIC numbers) and they will make an authorized monthly direct debit from your account. It might be helpful for you to ask for an English speaking person when you call, or as your landlord or relocation agent for help.
Here are some of the more well-known electricity & gas suppliers:
- Mainova: one of Germany's largest power suppliers, is the main provider of electricity, natural gas, water and district heating in Frankfurt. www.mainova.de
- SüWag AG: headquarters in Frankfurt-Höchst. www.suewag.de
- Stadtwerke Oberursel: well known in the Taunus for electricity and gas. www.stadtwerke-oberursel.de
- eprimo: nationwide discount energy provider, based in Neu-Isenburg. www.eprimo.de
- Verivox: this independent consumer portal offers comprehensive, free, up-to-date price information. You can easily and conveniently check out the best regional offers for electricity and gas as well as telephone and broadband services and save money. www.verivox.de
You can find more information about other companies on the Internet; all websites are in German only, but Google and other search engines often provide a translation. Here is a selection of other companies:
- www.e-wie-einfach.de
- www.greenpeace-energy.de
- www.lichtblick.de
- www.yellowstrom.de
- www.naturenergieplus.de
Telephone, Mobile, Cable, Internet
The idea of setting up the internet and getting a mobile phone may seem daunting, but luckily, the German telecommunications market has opened up significantly in recent years and there are now over 200 providers in the country. Many major communications providers in Germany (like Deutsche Telekom and Vodaphone/Unitymedia) now offer global solutions for home telephone, Internet, TV and mobile. Of course, these solutions can also be considered separately. Here are some websites where you might want to start:
- Deutsche Telekom: https://www.telekom.de/start Telekom also has a number of brick-and-mortar stores, branded pink with a white 'T', that are helpful to visit in-person so that you can get a better idea of all the offers that might be available. Many stores have at least one person who speaks English. Take your passport with you, as well as your bank account information.
- Vodaphone/Unity Media: https://www.unitymedia.de/ Vodaphone also has stores where you can go in and talk to a person - branded with a red circle on a white background.
A mobile phone in Germany is called ein Handy. Germans love their mobiles and use them frequently. Your phone plan will likely be good throughout the European Union - i.e., you won't have to pay more to call someone from Austria or text your family from Portugal.
For mobile phones, you can either choose a cell phone plan and contract or a prepaid offer. For the contract, you will need a bank account in Germany, and the monthly payments will likely be deducted from your bank by the mobile provider. You will likely purchase your mobile phone as part of the contract, and you will be locked in for a period of one or two years. You must give 3 months' written termination notice in order to leave your contract without paying a hefty fee! You can find more useful information about cancelling contracts here:
Unlocked cell phones use prepaid cards. You will have to purchase a starter set first, including a SIM card with your phone number and a small amount of minutes to get started. After the starter set, you only have to purchase additional minutes or Guthaben-Karte. Prepaid offers are numerous and constantly changing, so you'll have to hunt around for the best deal. For more information you can check the following website:
We hope this helps you navigate the sometimes-confusing world of utilities in Germany!