Getting a Telephone Connection

Find out how to get your new home connected to the landline telephone service in Germany...

Handy Numbers
To call internationally from Germany:
Dial exit code followed by country code and number		 Exit code:
00 +country code +tel no
To call internationally to Germany:
Dial entry code then German number excluding initial 0		 Entry code
49 +tel no
Police Tel: 110
Ambulance/Fire Tel: 112
Directory Enquiries (operator service) Tel: 11800 or 11833
Directory Enquiries (automated service) Tel: 118 64
T-Home Technical Customer Service Hotline Tel: 0800 33 01000
T-Home IT service line for computer-related advice Tel: 0800 330 8300
TKS hotline Tel: 01804 85 77 62
Das Telefonbuch (to find a telephone number) Website

Land Lines (Festnetz)

Following the liberalisation of the telecommunications market, Germany has become Europe's largest telecom market and there is a wide selection of companies offering their services extremely competitively.

Largest Providers

Deutsche Telekom (now known as T-Home) and TKS are two of the main providers:

To set up a telephone connection (Telefonanschluss)

To have a domestic landline telephone installed, connected or reconnected visit a T-Home customer services shop. These are called Telekom Shops and there is usually at least one branch in the centre of most cities.

  • It is also possible to arrange telephone connection using T-Home's free customer service number: Tel: 0800 330 1000

To set up a new account the following documents are needed:

  • proof of identification
  • proof of address (polizeiliche Anmeldung)
  • bank details to set up a regular payment facility

There is a fixed connection fee for a new telephone connection. T-Home has a range of tariff packages to suit different needs. There are options for free weekend and evening calls or for fixed rates on local calls for up to one hour.

  • T-Home also has a customer service page which offers online help and gives details of all its hotline numbers.

Moving House within Germany

Existing telephone numbers can be transferred to a new address within the same area.

  • Call T-Home's free customer service number: Tel: 0800 330 1000
  • T-Home has an online facility for moving house

Customers need to supply the following information:

  • Customer number
  • Bank details
  • Old and new address
  • Name of the former subscriber at the new address (if known)
  • Disconnection date at the old address
  • Connection date at the new address

TKS disconnection requires written notice. The company will then send a PUC (Payment Upon Cancellation) invoice; this is an invoice based the average of previous invoices. Once this is paid the contract is ended.

  • TKS customer hotline Tel: 01804 85 77 62

New Properties with No Telephone

There is a dedicated freephone number for telephone connection to newly constructed properties:

  • Tel: 0800 330 1903
    Open: 08:00-18:00 Monday to Friday
  • There is a checklist of all documents required (In German).

Telephone Bills

Telephone bills are invoiced monthly and must be paid within seven days. It is possible to set up a direct debit (Lastschrift) to make regular payments. Alternatively, the bill can be paid at the post office or at a bank by bank transfer (Ueberweisung). Detailed itemised bills are available on request, but are not issued automatically. In line with Germany's general moves to encourage environmental awareness T-Home also offers customers the option of receiving telephone bills by email and offers a €10 credit on the bill for those who opt for this method. Bank details are required for the direct debit instruction. Bills can be viewed and paid online or a paper bill sent for an extra cost.

  • To set up paperless billing - Tel: 0800 330 1000

Telephones

T-Home has a range of telephones which can be rented or bought from Telekom Shops. Many electrical retailers and department stores also sell telephones. Telephones bought in Germany should conform to national regulations and safety guidelines.

Telephone Books

Telephone books (Telefonbuch), both private and yellow pages, are supplied free of charge by Deutsche Telekom. Main post offices often have copies of regional phone books.

Public Telephones

Coin-operated public telephones are becoming increasingly rare. Most public telephones are operated by phone cards which can be bought from many places including newspaper kiosks, newsagents and post offices.