Making mobile phone calls in Germany is not complicated. SIM cards for mobile phones are sold in supermarkets and kiosks. Asylum seekers and refugees who are not yet registered can also use their mobile phones in Germany. They can use so-called prepaid cards for this purpose. To activate the cards, refugees must provide a German address. For the first three months, it is sufficient to give the address of the first reception centre.

The information sheets of Stiftung Warentest (the leading German consumer safety group) explain what new arrivals have to consider when they call non-EU countries with their mobile phones. The independent consumer protection organisation has compiled the most important facts on the subject and had them translated into both English and Arabic. The fact sheets can be downloaded as PDF files from the Stiftung Warentest website and printed out. They are available in English, Arabic, and German.

The Lower Saxony Consumer Centre (Verbraucherzentrale Niedersachsen) warns: Caution is required when completing contracts in Germany. A lack of language skills can quickly lead refugees to sign unsuitable mobile phone tariffs. Information in German, English, Arabic and Persian aimed directly at refugees can be downloaded from the Consumer Centre website.