Internet for expats in Germany

Your first step is to enter the complete address into each provider’s availability checker. Use the street, house number and postcode for the property where the connection will be installed. If the building has several flats, include any additional address details requested.

Do this before comparing headline speeds or prices. A provider may offer DSL, cable or fibre nationally without offering every option at your building. If you have not yet secured a permanent home, avoid treating results for a nearby street or a temporary address as confirmation.

Once you have the available offers, use our German home internet comparison to examine providers and plan features. The separate ordering guide explains the practical process in more detail.

The address determines which network reaches the property and which speeds the provider will offer there. It can also change the connection type available to you. A fibre plan advertised elsewhere is not evidence that your flat has a usable fibre connection.

The provider’s address result should therefore guide your shortlist. Compare only plans that can be ordered at your home, and check whether the result describes fibre, DSL, cable or another connection type.

Building access and existing sockets can affect the installation process. Ask the provider what work, equipment or appointment is required rather than assuming that an advertised connection will be active immediately.

Match the commitment to your plans

A flexible plan is worth considering if your housing or departure date is uncertain. A fixed-term plan may be suitable when you expect to stay, but read the minimum term and cancellation conditions before committing. The word “flexible” does not by itself tell you the notice period, so confirm that detail in the contract summary.

Flexible home internet is available across different technologies. The offers we reviewed from congstar include flexible DSL and fibre plans with unlimited data. Advertised download/upload speeds range from 100/40 Mbps for Home 100 Flex DSL to 1000/500 Mbps for Home 1000 Flex fibre. Availability still requires an address check.

If avoiding a minimum term is central to your decision, see the guide to internet without a fixed contract in Germany. After any minimum term, a silently extended contract can generally be cancelled with one month’s notice under the published customer-rights guidance.

Separate monthly and one-off charges

Do not judge home internet for expats in Germany from one prominent price. Identify the advertised monthly charge, any later monthly amount, activation cost, equipment charges and optional services. If a later price is not clearly stated, verify it directly with the provider before ordering.

The reviewed congstar Flex offers illustrate why the complete price structure matters. Home 100 Flex DSL is advertised at €36 per month with €0 activation, while Home 250 Flex DSL is €42 per month with €0 activation. The reviewed fibre offers run from €36 per month for Home 150 Flex to €65 per month for Home 1000 Flex, also with €0 activation. We could not verify a later monthly price for these offers, so confirm whether the advertised amount remains unchanged.

Speed and data also affect value. Unlimited fixed-line plans are not directly equivalent to a wireless plan with a data allowance, even if the monthly prices look similar.

Contact your existing provider early and give it the new address. Make sure the customer details supplied for a move or provider switch match the existing contract. Do not assume that moving automatically ends the agreement.

According to the Bundesnetzagentur’s guidance on switching and moving, the existing contract generally continues when the provider can deliver the agreed service at the new address. If it cannot provide that service there, a statutory special termination right with one month’s notice applies.

Ask the provider to confirm availability, the expected transfer process and any practical requirements. If you are changing provider as well as moving, begin early so that you can coordinate the old and new connections.

Compare like with like

After checking your address, compare the available plans by technology, advertised download and upload speed, data allowance, contract term and total charges. For English-speaking new residents, clear contract conditions are more useful than choosing a familiar brand without examining the offer.

DSL uses the telephone network and is distinct from cable and fibre. Fibre can provide high download and upload speeds where the required connection is available. Cable performance and availability are tied to the local network. A 5G home connection uses a mobile network and may have a data limit.

The only 5G home product we currently compare is congstar Homespot & Go. Its flexible S, M and L offers advertise 50/25 Mbps, with respective data allowances of 100 GB, 200 GB and 400 GB. Their advertised monthly prices are €22, €32 and €42, with a €35 activation charge for each.

If fixed-line options at your address are unsuitable, you can also investigate mobile internet or satellite internet. Compare the available home internet in Germany only after confirming the exact service offered at your property.