SIMon mobile: LTE tariff in the D network (Vodafone) with pitfalls

SIMon mobile: These are the prices

SIMon mobile only has one tariff. It offers clear performance points in the Vodafone LTE network:

• Basic fee 14.99 euros per month for new numbers, 11.99 euros per month for new numbers
  (If you change from some old providers, there is a 6 euro discount on the monthly price – see next section for details.)
• 8 gigabytes (GB) data volume (LTE) with up to 50 Mbps, then it continues throttled at 0.032 Mbps.
• All-network flat rate for telephony and SMS
• Can be canceled monthly
• Can be ordered via www.simonmobile.de

How much is the basic fee really?

At the core of every mobile phone tariff, of all things, the basic fee, SIMon mobile says goodbye to the simple concept: On the advertising banners you advertise with a monthly basic price “from 8.99 euros”. But in reality it is very different. In the price list, Simon gives the monthly base price at 14.99 euros. Discounts are then deducted from this in each case. Anyone who orders the tariff for a new number, for example, receives a discount of 3 euros per month – pays 11.99 euros per month. If you bring your old phone number with you, you pay the full 14.99 euros per month – unless you come from a very specific provider …

What do I pay if I bring the old number with me?

It all depends. Normally, providers reward new customers who bring their old phone number with them to the new contract – but with SIMon mobile it’s different: Bringing the phone number can be cheaper or more expensive than booking a new number – depending on which old provider the phone number comes from . And sometimes you can’t take the old number with you:

• Old cell phone number from Congstar, Fraenk, Mobilcom-Debitel, o2, otelo, Tchibo Mobil, Telekom and Vodafone: Customers pay the full fee of 14.99 euros / month.
• Old mobile phone number from BILDmobil, Pure Mobile: take the number with you not possible!
• Old mobile phone numbers from all other providers, especially from 1 & 1 as well as from discount tariffs in the Telefonica network: Customers receive a monthly discount of 6 euros, so they only pay permanently 8.99 euros / month (14.99 euros – 6 euros = 8.99 euros)

Is SIMon mobile cheaper than the competition?

Yes and no – especially for customers who come from another discount tariff in the O2 network or from 1 & 1, the switch may be particularly worthwhile. Because only for them the price breaker tariff of 8.99 euros applies. Basically, the SIMon tariff comes with 8 gigabytes with a fairly high data volume, which is well above the consumption of an average user – is therefore cheap even with a basic fee of 14.99 euros for the performance of 8 gigabytes. For comparison: Fraenk offers only 4 gigabytes of LTE data volume in the Telekom network for 10 euros a month. But the price concept is clearer.

Does COMPUTER BILD recommend bringing the number with you?

Yes. Bringing (porting) the phone number is recommended because the mobile phone number can now be used as a key for all possible services – from bank transfers to the activation of online services – if passwords are forgotten. Technically, it is now very easy to take the number with you, it can even be ported from ongoing contracts (which then continue to run with a new number).

Can data volume be booked later?

Yes. Normally, after the 8 GB of high-speed data available each month has been used up, the speed is reduced to 0.032 Mbps by the end of the month. This means that apps and internet services that go beyond short text chats can hardly be used. Therefore, new high-speed data volume can be booked on a case-by-case basis: For 4.99 euros there is either an additional 1 GB, usable until the end of the month (“Extra Data 1 GB). Or 10 GB, usable once for 24 hours (” Day Flat 10 GB “).

Can SIMon be used abroad?

Yes. EU roaming is of course also included in the tariff in accordance with EU requirements. Outside the European Union, roaming is also possible, including dialing into the wickedly expensive cruise and airline networks. In order to avoid nasty cost surprises, in this case you stop using it when you reach 50 euros additional costs. Thereafter, the connection can only be continued after express confirmation. Incidentally, calls to 0900 numbers are generally blocked at the start, as are third-party services (subscription trap).

Are eSIMs supported?

No. This is planned, but so far SIMon mobile only supports classic plastic SIM cards. One can be used per contract, so there is no MultiSIM.

Is 5G planned?

No, premium functions such as 5G are reserved for the much more expensive original tariffs of the providers in the near future, as are extras such as MultiSIM, eSIM, tariff communities – and on-site service in the shop. After all: there is a telephone hotline.

Assessment: great tariff – or not?

8 gigabytes for just under EUR 8.99 or EUR 11.99 per month including all-network flat rate and LTE in the D network – this offer is currently (June 22, 2021) hard to beat. But the concept of different discounts depending on which old provider the customer brings his number from makes the tariff complicated. Tip for bargain hunters: First port the number to a different tariff, such as Aldi Talk, and only then to SIMon mobile. Then the inexpensive basic fee of 8.99 euros would be within reach again. However, there are one-time costs for porting (a maximum of 11.43 euros per port).