Do you need to call landline or mobile numbers in- or outside Germany? Take a look at Satellite: 64 countries are available, 100 minutes/month are free, and for unlimited calls, you only pay €5/month.
Satellite is a new brand of Sipgate & Simquadrat, a German (mobile) phone provider. While Simquadrat gives you an actual SIM card (physical or eSIM), with Satellite you get no SIM card but only an app. But that app will work as long as you have an Internet connection, be it via WiFi or 4G/5G.
How do I get Satellite?
Downloading the Satellite app is free, it’s available for Android and iOS, and has an English interface.
For registration, you only need to give your postal address in Germany. Satellite will then send a letter to this address, containing a verification code.
So a few days later, after this letter arrived, you login again into the app, enter your verification code – and can start calling the world.
Where can I call?
At the moment, to 64 countries – the whole EU (incl. Germany) but also places far away like Australia, Pakistan, USA, Vietnam, Mexico. See the whole list here.
Do I get my own number?
Yes, you get a German mobile phone number, for free. So people can call you and will only pay the price for a call to Germany – even when you are abroad. Because again, all that Satellite needs is an Internet connection, no matter where you are.
However, since the number is only tied to your app, you cannot receive SMS messages. So it won’t work for verification purposes like online banking etc., if they only do their verification via SMS (and not voice calls).
What do I get else?
A free mailbox for missed calls. Even with automatic text transcription (in German). So you can both listen to what they said – or quickly read it.
Where’s the catch?
Honestly, I can’t see any. I am using Satellite myself for a few months now and had no problems. Great call quality, quick connections. I guess they make their money with the premium service (unlimited calls for €5/month).
Interested? Then here you go. The website is only in German, but the app speaks English, too.
