B1 | Mobile Internet

This module is all about mobile internet and how to use it.

• 1. What is mobile internet?

  

  If you want to connect to the internet with your smartphone or tablet on the go, you will of course need an internet connection. You can accomplish this by either connecting to a public WiFi network near you, or by using mobile internet.

  While using mobile internet, your smartphone or tablet connects directly to the internet. In contrast to the limited range of WiFi, where the router is in a fixed place and you have to stay nearby, mobile internet allows your devices to surf the net almost anywhere.

  In contrast to WiFi, which has a limited range due to its dependence on the router, cell phone antennas are often found on rooftops, while the countryside sometimes has individual cell phone towers. There are so many in Germany that you can get a signal almost anywhere.

  Got it!

• 2. What do I need to surf on the go?

  To surf on the go, two things are required:

  • a smartphone or a cellular-enabled tablet and
  • an active SIM card.

  How do I get a SIM card?

  You can either visit a local cell phone store (provider) and sign a contract to get a SIM card, or choose a prepaid SIM card while you’re there. A contract usually has more to offer, but a prepaid card can often be cancelled monthly.

  Mobile networks in Germany

  There are three mobile networks in Germany operated by Telekom, Vodafone, and O2 Telefónica. All other providers (e.g. 1 & 1) piggyback off the three main networks, so it doesn’t matter which provider you have a contract with, or which company you have your prepaid SIM card from: You always surf on one of these three networks.

  Got it!

• 3. What should I consider when choosing a mobile phone contract or buying a prepaid SIM card?

  Before you decide on a contract or prepaid card, you should think about two things:

  1. What do you use your mobile phone or tablet for?

  If you use your mobile phone mainly for making calls, it’s worth thinking about a flat rate plan. This plan allows you to pay a certain amount each month and make as many calls as you want. However, if you also would like to surf the internet, chat, or send pictures, then the next question will also be important for you.

  2. How much data do you use?

  If you use the internet on the go, i.e. not on your home WiFi network, then you consume data. The more often you send files and documents, and the larger they are, the more data you use. With a contract or a prepaid SIM card, you can choose a set data volume, i.e. the amount of data you can use per month. When your data volume is used up, your internet speed begins to slow down noticeably. The amount of data is measured in bytes, with the most common sizes being kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), and gigabytes (GB).

  • 1024 bytes = 1 KB
  • 1024 KB = 1 MB
  • 1024 MB = 1 GB

  But which data volume is right for you now? Think about what you mainly use mobile internet for.

  I mainly send and read text messages

  Text messages are not particularly large. And if you send an image or a PDF every now and then, it doesn’t matter either. It should be enough if you buy a data volume of up to 3 GB.

  I often send and receive files, PowerPoint presentations, or even videos

  Files (such as photos, PowerPoints, or PDFs) that you send or receive with your smartphone are often several megabytes in size. So if you send files more often, it can quickly consume your data volume – especially when a video sneaks in from time to time, as they can reach hundreds of megabytes in size. A data volume of up to 5 GB would be good in this case.

  I often send and receive very large files or take part in video conferences

  You will need a little more data volume in this case, but flat rate plans with more than 10 GB probably won’t be necessary, as they are for more intensive users.

  Of course, these are all just estimates. How much you consume can still vary, but thinking about your usage behavior can give you a good starting point to make a decision.

  Saving data

  Most online services have options to save data in their settings, where you can optimize file sizes, for example. Decreasing file size saves data, but at the expense of quality.

  Got it!

• 4. How can I tell how good my reception is?

  How good your reception is depends on various factors. Are you in a building? Walls can weaken radio signals. Are you in a crowd? When many people come together in one place, the connection quality can get worse.

  You can tell how good your reception is at any given moment by checking the signal level on your phone’s display:

  

  At the top of your smartphone or tablet is a status bar that shows your current level of reception. The more bars you see there, the better your reception.

  

  If you don’t see any bars, this might be because you have an active WiFi connection. If this is the case, you’ll see the WiFi icon, which will also show your WiFi signal strength.

  Connection type

  The status bar also shows the connection type that your phone is currently using for surfing. 4G and LTE are the latest and fastest connection types. An even faster 5G network is still under construction, and is not yet supported by many devices.

  Got it!

• 5. How can I switch between WiFi and mobile internet?

  Smartphones and tablets can automatically switch between WiFi and mobile internet.

  Why should I turn on WiFi?

  If you are within WiFi range (for example, in your home), you can switch to WiFi to save a lot of data.

  Why should I disable WiFi?

  Sometimes, however, the WiFi reception is not so good. In this case you could turn it off, and your mobile phone or tablet will automatically switch to mobile internet. If you’re on the go, it’s a good idea to deactivate WiFi as a way to extend your phone’s battery life. Otherwise your mobile phone will constantly search for WiFi networks while you’re out and about.

  How do I turn WiFi on or off?

  On your phone or tablet, you’ll need to open the Control Center, which can be found by either swiping down from the top of your screen, or swiping down from the top right of your screen. Try it out! Then tap on the following icon:

  Got it!